Table of contents for Issue 594 in Sea Angler

BY THE END OF MARCH, IT should be clear if a scientific bluefin tuna research programme involving recreational anglers can take place in the summer/ autumn in UK waters. Some tagging took place during the last two years off the West Country with very limited angler involvement, but now a Government-led project is assessing the viability of a catch, tag and release programme. The first phase of consultation concluded that, subject to the availability of quota and funding, a small-scale programme working with trained charter boat skippers and run by Cefas, could deliver valuable research. The Angling Trust and Bluefin Tuna UK, who want to establish a sustainable, recreational live-release tuna fishery in the UK, believe a new tagging programme can provide information as to how any future recreational fishery…

THE CURVING EAST-FACING coastline of the Strait of Dover between Folkestone and the huge expanse of shingle at Dungeness has many fishing venues popular throughout the year, with one of the area’s highlights being the superb plaice fishing. The area spans a distance of about 25 miles, starting at Folkestone which grew from a small fishing village once the harbour was constructed in the early part of the 19th century and became an important port. To the west is Hythe featuring the famous Princes Parade match fishing venue, and then you come to the Romney Marsh wetland, which includes the Denge Marsh near Lydd, and the famous fast-flowing water of Dungeness Point. FOLKESTONE Starting at the eastern end of Folkestone, the first venue is The Warren, an area of cliffs…

MACKEREL Over the full 12-month calendar year, mackerel is probably the most consistent sea angling bait used nationwide. Some anglers choose to catch and freeze their own, though blast frozen mackerel is available in most tackle shops all year. Its universal success is due to the high oil content that emits a steady stream of food scent into the tide. It also appeals to both predatory fish and to scavengers. Mackerel is taken by fish in almost every fishing situation you can think of, ranging from legering over rough ground to float fishing off a man-made structure and all boat fishing situations from flatfish to sharks. If you’re new to sea fishing and not sure which bait to try, then this is a good starting point. SEASON As a bait,…

FANCY WINNING SOME QUALITY mono, braid and fluorocarbon from Sufix by catching a great fish? In our catch competition, your target is to catch one over the weight given on our nominated species list. If you do, enter our contest and you automatically stand a chance of winning either our shore or boat bundle. Each issue we award a superb Sufix package to the captor of the best shore fish and best boat-caught fish, both chosen on merit. There is no choice of prize which is awarded at our discretion. Harrison Catania, Newport, Isle of Wight.  FISH: 3lb 4oz flounder. BAIT: Ragworms on two-hook flapper rig. VENUE: River Medina. DATE: January 27 Brad Chapman, Guisborough,  North Yorkshire. FISH: 11lb 2oz cod. BAIT: Lug and black lug on a Pennell pulley…

HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED what professional rugby players do when their competitive playing days finally come to an end? Some, of course, remain involved in the sport by working as coaching staff, while a few of the highest profile stars become media pundits or match reporters. That still leaves many who have to decide what to do with the rest of their lives; players such as Darren Ryan. Darren, who lives in Cardiff, began his career playing rugby union, being capped four times for the Wales Under 19 team. He was good enough to play professionally, but at the time there was more money to be earned playing Rugby League rather than Union, and like many good players of his era Darren switched codes. He signed for Aberavon Fighting Irish,…

1 RISING HUMPS: The type of ground feature you need is any rising area that comes off the seabed lifting towards the surface. Those who have visited Norway may have noticed that much of the rising ground tends to be rounded off and not necessarily the sharp pinnacles seen in UK waters. There will be a gouge or what looks like a hollow notch or wedge cut into the rock not too far below the peak of the structure. Sometimes there are two of these below the peak and these almost always hold a halibut. If you see structure like this, mark it. To fish these rising humps, judge the wind and the tide, and create a drift that brings you right over the top of the pinnacle and over…

IT SEEMS THAT EVERY YEAR THE size and quality of squid available differs greatly. Some years they are a decent size, maybe seven inches long, but in others they can be as small as only four. They’re not a different species or subspecies either. Last year, the squid we were buying in 10kg and 20kg blocks varied considerably, and towards the end of the year the average size in the blocks was a fair bit smaller than the ones we’d been getting throughout the summer. When it came to ‘cod time’ we had to double up to make larger baits with more scent. This is a simple and effective presentation that caught loads of cod this winter, when we were allowed to fish before lockdown. My mate Roger Cooling has…

PAUL FENECH Shore angler and tackle expert Paul is here to solve your shore angling problems. MARK CRAME Suffolk-based Mark gets a thrill from fishing afloat on a kayak. Send him your kayaking queries. DAN SISSONS The Portsmouth angler will provide answers on the sport of light rock fishing (LRF), the go-anywhere tactic. DAVE LEWIS Based in Newport, South Wales, our contributing editor Dave answers boat fishing questions. HENRY GILBEY Angler and photo-journalist Henry, based in Cornwall, will answer questions on lure angling. HOW TO ASK A US QUESTION Email: sa.ed@kelsey. co.uk or online: www. facebook.com/ seaanglermag…

How much lead can we cast before running out of steam or busting the rod? Well, that depends on several things including casting method, personal strength and our tackle choice. Bait comes into it as well, for it alone can be a hefty load. Cutting to the chase, though, the simple answer is that if angler and rod can whack out 150g of lead plus a decent cod  or ray bait without trouble, increasing the lead to 210g shouldn’t be an issue. Heaving that much weight feels different and initially quite worrying, perhaps, but you soon get used to it. From the tackle point of view – the bottom line being whether or not the rod will snap – there isn’t much risk with mainstream beachcasters, by which I mean…

GEMINI ROLLING SWIVELS RRP: FROM £2.50 PER PACK New to the Gemini product range are these stainless-steel rolling swivels. Made from premium marine grade stainless steel, they offer unbelievable strength to size ratio compared to traditional brass or nickel versions. These swivels are extremely corrosion resistant. Because they are stronger than traditional brass versions, anglers can use a much smaller swivel without compromising on strength and reliability. Sizes available are size 8, 60lb, 9.5mm; size 6, 100lb, 12.5mm; size 4, 140lb, 15mm; 45lb snood swivels, 12mm; 80lb mainlines swivels, 16.5mm and 100lb power swivels, 17.5mm. For more information, visit: www.gemini-tackle.co.uk SHIMANO KAIRIKI 4 BRAID RRP: £8.49 PER 150M SPOOL The new Shimano Kairiki 4, which is produced in Japan, is a four-strand braid featuring VT (Valdotian tresse) construction method braiding.…

IF YOU are looking for a pedigree fishing suit to use either here or abroad, such as in Norway, then the Titan Exeat 25 waterproof and breathable salopettes and smock are what you need. Titan, which has been making fishing clothing since the early 1990s, has created the latest smock in a new style and with an improved British Exeat fabric. Features include taped and hot air sealed seams, and a tight-fitting hood. The velcro-adjustable cuffs incorporate waterproof elasticated inners. You get two hand-warmer pockets and a roomy breast pocket with concealed pouch for a mobile phone. The thermal, breathable quilt lining provides comfort and warmth. The salopettes are cut and styled to feature a high chest fit to ensure extra protection from the elements, as well being a generous…

Because fixed-spool reels vastly outsell multipliers on the world market, there are thousands of used ones in hundreds of different models. Massive choice and low prices mean you can afford to be choosy. For the vintage enthusiast, some reels are more equal than others. A few are seriously collectable, but, as with multipliers, they have to be in super condition and complete. The Daiwa Millionmax SS9000 tournament reel is a good example, as are equivalent Shimano reels. The original Alcedo reels are highly sought after as well. Mostly, though, we are talking Ford Focus – practical, well made, with decent performance even when pensioned off. Clean mid-range reels from Daiwa, Shimano, Penn and the like are good buys. Personally, I like the Penn Spinfisher 750, DAM 5001, Mitchell 386 and…

WHEN IT COMES TO VARIETY of species, few sea angling venues can match Shell Bay on the very eastern tip of the Studland Peninsula on the Isle of Purbeck, but as an added bonus there are fish to be caught throughout the year. While this 800-metre stretch of shoreline provides some superb fishing, a knowledge of local tidal conditions is crucial to maximise your catch rate. Located on the southern side of the chain ferry slipway at Studland, this is an exceptionally easy venue to locate and there is free roadside parking just past the ferry payment booths or alternatively there is a National Trust car park with a wooden walkway to the beach. Being east facing, the beach is sheltered from the prevailing south-westerly wind. The venue gets very…

FOR MOST SEA ANGLERS, THE first fish they catch is probably a flounder. These obliging flatties turn up when other species won’t play ball, but how do you increase your chances of catching more of them? One way, and I am being serious, is to go flounder tracking. Let me explain how it’s done. This involves visiting the beach at low water and looking for tell-tale marks in the sand. You may see indentations where these flatfish previously buried themselves in the mud while waiting for food. These features gives you an idea where the flounders have been, usually just outside a gulley or on a sand bar. Before one match I went for a walk at the venue to see where the flounders had been on the tide before.…

ONE OF SCOTLAND’S EST cod anglers in recent times is Peter Lee, originally from Hong Kong and now a restaurateur in Paisley, where he runs his family business, the highly-regarded and long-standing Kwang Tung. He learned his fishing skills from some of the leading cod fishers on the east coast of Scotland – people like Rab Gallagher, Stewart Falconer and Paul Mottram. He is carrying on the tradition himself and passing on some of his hard-earned tips and knowledge to a small and select band of ‘students’ who are learning the ropes from an angler and mentor who for over two decades has put in the miles, the hours, the research and (only very occasionally) the blank sessions to gain a wealth of expert knowledge. In November Peter bagged a…

MONTHLY WINNERS: BASS SHORE Nathan Francis, Llanelli, 8-0+*, Cold Knap, Nov 22 BULL HUSS Craig Everett, Holyhead, 10lb+*, Holyhead, Feb 5 COD SHORE Brad Chapman, Guisborough, 11-2, Runswick Bay, Jan 22 Cameron Holmes, Skelton, 7-3, Runswick Bay, Jan 24 Tom Jenkinson, Brae, 23-0*, Hellister, Feb 13 Matty Leigh, Sunderland, 14-0, Seaham, Jan 23 Alastair McDonald, Cleadon, 9-0, South Shields pier, Feb 9 John McQueen, Nafferton Farm, 9-4, Northumberland, Feb 3 Cam Milne, Arbroath, 8-14, Arbroath harbour, Feb 8. Mikey Mellor, Guisborough, 7-7, Staithes, Jan 28 Scott Patterson, Edinburgh, 7-8, East Lothian, Feb 8 Tyler Wild, Durham, 7-2, Tynemouth pier, Jan 23 Darren Willemars, Rattray, 12-0, Arbroath harbour, Feb 1 CONGER BOAT Peter Dudgeon, Romsey, 65lb*, Gosport, Jan 23. Kaine Stray, Gosport, 40lb*, Gosport, Jan 23 FLATFISH SHORE Oliver Brown, Eastbourne,…

ALL SEA-GOING VESSELS should carry a marine VHF radio, yet some anglers rarely use them even though being familiar with the equipment is essential in an emergency. There is even a surprising number of people who are too shy to use their device unless absolutely necessary. This is far from ideal. Marine VHF radio comes in two forms, either a fixed set, which is best, or a removable handheld, which is better than nothing. The best solution is to carry both to ensure you have a backup and, of course, it is important to use them. All small-boat owners really should carry a VHF radio aboard their vessels. Having a VHF radio is one thing, but, whenever it is used, at least one person onboard must hold a Marine Radio…

FOR AS LONG AS I CAN remember, my angling routine has followed the same general path every year of going from competition to competition. With Covid-19 causing the cancellation of my usual events last year, a new plan was required to get my fishing fix. It was the perfect opportunity to visit some different ports, try new marks at well-trodden venues and practise various methods. My buddy Scott Gibson suggested visiting Oban. There, his friend Ronnie Campbell who operates Laura Dawn 2, had employed a new skipper called Leigh Taylor to help him keep his successful charter business going as he takes a step back from frontline duties. Normally when you visit Oban for a day’s charter fishing it will be to target some of the best common skate fishing…

KNOWN BY ANGLERS FISHING IN South Africa as elf or shad, and tailor by those in Australia, bluefish are hugely popular with boat and shore anglers, being regarded as one of the great inshore light-tackle species. Found within the temperate and near tropical latitudes of the world, bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix) are a popular species with boat and shore anglers fishing off the eastern seaboard of the United States and now in several of the southern European countries. The IGFA all-tackle record for a bluefish is currently held with a 31lb 12oz specimen caught off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, in the USA, but the average size of most fish caught is between 6lb and 15lb. TOP TACTICS If you are fishing offshore, bluefish can be found in relatively open water but…

Each month we’ll award a prize to the best shore, boat and lure/LRF question. The shore winner receives two spools of Sufix Tritanium Neon Orange 0.35mm mainline, two spools of 80lb Sufix Zippy Shockleader and two spools of Sufix Shock Max 0.18mm-0.50mm tapered shockleader worth £52. The boat winner receives a 300m spool of Sufix 50lb X8 Stealth Green braid and a 250m spool of Sufix 50lb Matrix Pro braid worth £53. The lure/LRF winner receives five of the new Rapala MaxRap lures worth £65 To view the full range of Sufix and Rapala products, visit: www.sufixfishing.fishing and www.rapala.co.uk T&Cs: * One prize per winning question will be chosen by the editor. Prizes cannot be exchanged and no correspondence will be looked into. We reserve the right to send alternative prizes.…

Q: Having caught most of our various species of ray, I’d love to add a spotted to my species list. Any advice? ALAN WYATT, CHIPPENHAM, WILTSHIRE DL says: Spotteds are one of the smaller species of ray, being distinguished from small blonde ray by the numerous distinctive spots, which unlike the blonde, do not extend all of the way to the edge of the wings. Spotted rays start to make an appearance in spring, with numbers of fish remaining abundant throughout the summer and autumn, before they migrate offshore into deeper water offering a more stable temperature for the cold winter months. The most productive areas for spotted rays include the English Channel, particularly between Dorset and Land’s End, the Bristol Channel, Cardigan Bay, Irish Sea and numerous marks off…

Fluorocarbon loop lure knot Here a reusable loop knot is used to connect a fluorocarbon leader to lures and terminal tackle. It works best with fluorocarbon of 0.75-1.00mm (60-80lb). STEP BY STEP 1 Form an overhand knot in the leader and pull the ends. 2 Push both ends of line back towards the knot to create small hole. 3 Trim the line 20-30mm from the knot. 4 Melt end of leader with a lighter and flatten the blob. 5 Pass blobbed end through eye of lure (or lure clip) and back through knot. 6 Moisten leader and tighten the knot. 7 The tag should be tight against the knot, as shown. 8 To remove lure, push both ends of line to release the blobbed end. 9 The leader ready for…

SHORE ANGLERS LOVE FISHING FOR PLAICE, WHICH ARE HEADING inshore now to feed after their late winter spawning. Not only are they plentiful in some areas, but also they make incredibly good eating. Thankfully, tactics and tackle aren’t particularly specialist but there are a few neat tricks to help you achieve more success. ROD AND REEL Most modern shore rods and reels are perfect for targeting plaice, but to enjoy more exciting sport it is best to choose an outfit that has a little more finesse and sensitivity. The Tronixpro Cobra GT three-piece rod is one of the best around. Possessing plenty of power for punching baited rigs a long way when needed, it also has a super-sensitive tip for spotting bites. By coupling the rod with the Tronixpro Virtuoso…

THIS MONTH’S OFFER IS THE Leeda Icon 70FD fixed-spool reel. Designed for performing ultra-long casts, it is perfect for using with either mono or braided mainlines. Featuring two types of aluminium spools, you have the choice of either a shallow or deep version and both are tapered. This coupled with the super-slow oscillation means you have a perfect line-lay that enables you to perform those longer, powerful casts without any drama. The reel has plenty of guts and it is this strength that allows you to fish at venues that are extremely deep and snaggy. Along with the easy-to-use front-drag system, you can play larger fish such as cod, spurdogs and rays with ease and total control. Normally, this fixed-spool spinning reel would set you back £99.99 in the shops…

THERE IS A GROWING NOSTALGIA for vintage beach tackle. Once considered the realm of a handful of collectors and tackle historians, old gear is fast becoming popular with anglers too. Why bother using old stuff when modern gear is so effortlessly efficient? It has history and character; it is more demanding in many respects and therefore more satisfying to master. Casting a long way and catching fish with stuff your dad or even your grandfather used is nostalgic and rewarding in a way that using shiny new gear isn’t. When we buy the latest reels, we are also buying into a long, slow tackle evolution with a fascinating history. Take my Hendryx baitcaster for example, which was crafted in brass in about 1895 by a Connecticut company that made ornate…

Apart from the occasional gem, boot sale reels tend to be rough stuff. Online auctions offer loads of choice from here and around the globe. It’s a mixed bag, ranging from bad to genuinely as new complete with box. Decent reels tend to come from traders who know their subject, so prices can be a little higher. The very best and most sought-after collectors’ reels go through specialist sporting goods auction houses such as Mullock’s, which has its next online fishing tackle sale in March (mullocksauctions.co.uk) or Thomas Turner (www.thomasturner.com). You could also try Jim Hudson’s Vintage Fishing Tackle Company (https:// vintagefishingtackle.co.uk/. Social media is a fine hunting ground too, especially the fishing and casting groups. The Vintage Tackle Casting group on Facebook is full of agood info, although it…

Words by PAUL FENECH WHEN I FIRST MEt Ben Price I recognised his progression in the world of sea angling because it was so familiar. Fishing wasexactly how many of us got into the sport before diving into the match scene. Now, the 28-year-old heating engineer from Holyhead in North Wales has seen his talent turn into an obsession, bringing with it many rewards along the way. Q At what age did you first start fishing, and did you catch anything? Ben Price: I started when I was seven. My dad used to take me fishing on a Sunday with my brothers and sisters to our local breakwater in Holyhead. I think he did this to get us out of my mum’s hair. Growing up in Anglesey, I was extremely…

MARCH 2011 A charter trip out of Brighton produced 27 cod to more than 30lb. The roll of honour for the session on Ray Burn’s Grey Viking included a 30lb 4oz  fish for Warren Slater, 25lb for Dan Dice, 22lb for Clive Marshall and a 19lb 1oz fish for Gary Tidd. There were also 18-pounders for Dan Batchelor and Ben Waddington. Kayak angler Jim Masson caught a 26lb 3oz cod while fishing only a mile off Watchet harbour, Somerset. The engineer, who normally fished the Solent area, was fishing the mark for the first time. Devon angler Mark Loewy only had a few hours to spare when he headed his small boat just a mile offshore in the hope of catching some whiting but hooked a 27lb cod instead. When…

Plaice are usually caught in daylight, particularly when the sky is overcast, but also in bright sunshine. 2 Top places to find them are the corners of beaches, gullies, shallow sandbanks, sandy bays, the edge of weed beds, the line between shingle and sand, mussel beds, clean sand among rough patches, deeper holes in estuaries, and close to harbour mooring chains covered in mussels. 3 Smaller neap tides producing a lighter flow of water are often favoured for plaice fishing in harbours, estuaries and from rock ledges, but on open beaches try rising medium-sized tides running up to bigger springs. 4 If casting distance is required, try a 14-15ft continental rod, rated 4-6oz, and a 7500 fixed-spool reel loaded with 20lb braid and a 60lb shockleader. Otherwise a 12-13ft beach…

GETTING THERE To get to the creek, head along Anthony’s Bank Road towards Thorpe Park Holiday Centre in Humberston (DN35 0PW). Go past the site and you will see a car park on the left-hand side (be aware that this could be closed during Covid restrictions). Alternatively, drive to the Humberston Fitties where you will see several walkways off the road leading to Fitties Beach and the creek. Please park sensibly and do not block access for the residents. TACKLE SHOP Anglers and Danglers, 96 Haycroft Avenue, Grimsby, DN31 2DP, tel: 07758 12131. Trading Post, 141 Hainton Avenue, Grimsby, DN32 9LF, tel: 01472 345376.…

MANY ANGLERS WILL remember the story in this magazine last year about Guntars Zukovski’s massive 21lb 5oz record-breaking bass. Now special fish, this time a blue skate in the early hours of Friday January 22. Common skate (Dipturus batis), now known as the Flossada or blue skate, are the largest skate in the world and were once abundant from the North Sea to the Mediterranean. They were very common around the United Kingdom coastline, including the Bristol Channel which boasted several major skate fisheries up to the end of the 19th century. A serious decline of the species was seen in the early 20th century when stocks may have dropped by 40 per cent. In the 1970s this particular species of common skate was declared commercially extinct and subsequently added…

BASS Shore: 19lb 13oz 8dr John Locker Boat: 19lb 4oz Wayne Milton BLACK BREAM Shore: 5lb 5oz 1dr C Le Monnier Boat: 6lb 6oz Tony Heart COUCH’S BREAM Shore: 2lb 15oz 1dr Lynton Carre Boat: 7lb Becky Lee Hodges GILTHEAD BREAM Shore: 9lb 8oz Scott Smy Boat: 10lb 2oz Roger Simcox PANDORA’S BREAM Shore: 1lb 2oz Baz Wheater RAY’S BREAM Shore: 6lb 1oz Jordan Colwell RED BREAM Boat: 6lb 4oz Patrick Meegan BRILL Shore: 6lb 12oz Mark Griggs Boat: 13lb 10oz Tony Hayward TURBOT Shore: 20lb 2oz Eddy Barham Boat: 32lb 1oz Steve Scally BULL HUSS Shore: 21lb 9oz M Urquhart Boat: 23lb D Nicholson COD Shore: 32lb Adrian Lloyd Boat: 43lb 9oz Chris Proctor CONGER EEL Shore: 66lb 8oz Andy Eke Boat: 109lb 8oz Roger Beer DAB Shore: 2lb…

BATTLE STATIONS: It’s hard work battling with a 230lb porbeagle shark as John Monteith discovered during a boat trip in the Pentland Firth. He was fishing on Eun Na Mara, skippered by Chris Bennett, out of Scrabster. The fish took a freelined live cod. POPULAR: Before lockdown, Balcary Flat Rock in Dumfries & Galloway was a popular venue for anglers visiting from the North East. Here Ian Cowey shows off a 6lb 4oz thornback ray caught there on a bluey and squid cocktail. The angler from Gateshead also landed a 9lb 4oz bull huss. AT LAST: Novice boat anglers David Tingley and his work colleagues from Wokingham, Berks, finally got out on their boat trip last year after cancellations due to the weather and the pandemic. “We’re from a small…

THINK ABOUT NORWAY AND visions of big cod come instantly to mind. Yet, talk to anglers who visit the country for the first time and the fish they really want to catch is the mighty halibut. Some succeed, but others have not felt the power of this monster flatfish. While the fishing camps are generally excellent and the staff will happily answer any questions you may have, there is only so much they can do about finding fish for you. Guides help but add cost, and some anglers prefer a holiday doing it their own way. Once you accept the keys to the hire boat and venture out to sea for the first time, you’re going to be looking for fish by your own wits. If you’re unsure how best…

IN RECENT YEARS ANGLERS FISHING in the Bristol Channel haven’t seen any large runs of cod during the autumn and winter months, but thankfully those fish we get each spring can be prolific. At times these spring runs consist of good numbers of codling along with a few bigger ones, and on those magical days when you find yourself in just right place at the right time you can catch a lot of them. The number of fish caught each spring is all the more impressive when you consider the vastly reduced amount of fishing effort at this time of the year, compared to autumn and winter when, weather permitting, dozens of boats will be on the water. 1 RELIABLE INFORMATION Nowadays, social media is the grapevine of catch information…

THERE IS definitely confusion surrounding the colour and types of line with regard to how they are seen underwater. While nothing is certain, there are some key truths for anglers looking for the best choice, writes Tyler Brinks. Each type has its benefits and should be included in your arsenal but when it comes to being seen underwater, here is what I have found out about each one. MONOFILAMENT The most popular type of line is monofilament. Most colours are marketed as either being hard for fish to detect underwater or easier for anglers to see above water. High-vis yellow is good for lure anglers who watch their line to detect bites. The downside is that it’s more visible to the fish, but it is a good choice for dirty…

SHIMANO SURF LEADER ULTRA SFT425BX RRP: £459.99 SINCE PURCHASING Shimano’s flagship Surf Leader Ultra tubular tip version in October, I have used it three or four times a week targeting bass, thornback rays and plaice. My first impression was that the three-piece rod, which is 4.25 metres (about 14ft) long, was well built, containing a Fuji DPS reel seat and Fuji Low Rider stainless steel, silicon carbide guides. I paired the rod with a Shimano Aero Technium fixed-spool reel loaded with PowerPro Super 8 slick 2 braid. For my first session I visited a mark at Dungeness in Kent, where I fished into a southerly wind blowing a good 40mph directly into my face. The first few casts with a six ounce lead weight were very impressive, with the rod…

SEA ANGLER has teamed up with tackle company Sonik to offer you the chance to win a fantastic shore rod and reel prize worth £479.98. The Sonik Gravity X5 HT 15ft 4in three-piece shore rod retails at £349.99 and offers fantastic balance, power and lightness to achieve a superb casting performance, as well as sitting perfectly in heavier tides and swells. With a casting rating of 4-8oz, there is plenty of power within the blank to cope with using heavier lead weights. The hollow tip not only sits perfect in the tide, but it possesses an incredibly quick recovery, allowing you to achieve huge distances even with a simple overhead casting style. Ideal for anglers wanting a true all-round three-piece rod and who prefer not to use a much heavier…

MULTIPLIERS Penn Surfmaster 100 and Penn Squidder 146 – with plastic spools or, better still, Penn’s L version aluminium alloy spools or the Newell custom spool. No need to reject a decent reel with the heavy brass M spool; just switch, ideally to aluminium. Nearly all Penns can be made wider or narrower by changing seat, crossbars and spools. For example, the wide Surfmaster 200 can be converted into the narrower 100. New spares are available for many old Penns, and, as far as I know, they can still be ordered direct from the factory. Mitchell 602P and 602AP multipliers with graphite reinforced spools are solid buys. As with the Penn reels, it’s easy to change spools if the reel you find has a brass one. The wider 600 model…

ANGLERS ARE FASCINATED BY THE idea of tracking fish as they make their way around their watery world, but this is challenging due to the dynamic nature of the sea, the uncertain movement of individuals across huge ranges, and changes in ocean habitats. Science, however, is moving ahead, with fascinating techniques being used in addition to tagging, while others are being developed. BASS and its members have been involved in several projects and is continually looking for new ones to support. TAGGING Traditional tagging involves Mark-Recapture (MR) tags, which identify where the fish ends up, allowing its journey between release and recapture to be inferred. BASS members participated in a major CEFAS (Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science) exercise earlier this century, tagging some 2,538 fish with T-bar tags…