Issue 600

Sea Angler

The best-selling sea fishing magazine in the UK

Sea Angler3 min read
Welcome
IT’S ANOTHER MILESTONE here at Sea Angler with this being our 600th issue and next year we’ll be celebrating 50 years in print. To mark our 600th issue, we’ve put together a great package consisting of a 116-page magazine, 16-page Sea Angler Guides t
Sea Angler1 min read
Sea Angler
Editor Cliff Brown, 01733 353364 Email: cliff.brown@kelsey.co.uk Contributing Editor Dave Lewis, Email: david.lewis21@hotmail.com Design Mark Hyde Talk Media Sales (TMS) David Lerpiniere, tel: 01732 445326 Email: david@talkmediasales.co.uk Adv
Sea Angler4 min read
Mullet Made Easy
HAVING A REPUTATION AS BEING elusive and frustrating at times, it is little wonder that many anglers give mullet a wide berth but these fish don’t deserve such stigma. Given a sensible light-tackle approach, along with the minimum of disturbance, not
Sea Angler1 min read
Need To Know
From Christchurch, drive via Bridge Street turning right at the roundabout towards Stanpit. Park the Stanpit Marsh recreation ground car park (BH23 3LU), which is a free. From here it is a 15-minute walk along a footpath out over the marsh to the b
Sea Angler5 min read
Fun In The Scum
I ONCE WENT INTO A COFFEE SHOP IN Mexico where the owner had diligently attempted to translate the list of coffees on offer into English, but had come badly unstuck trying to describe cappuccino. The unappetising result was “Café with Scum”. Not a wi
Sea Angler5 min read
Try The Float For Pollack
POLLAC ARE A POPULAR SPORT fish in the UK, Ireland and Norway because they are not hard to catch when lure or float fishing and put up quite a fight. In their early years, pollack stay close to the coast and only when they reach 35cm to 40cm do they
Sea Angler4 min read
Tale Of The Unexpected
ANGLERS VISITING RINGSTEAD BAY in Dorset usually fish at night for conger eels, jumbo pouting and occasional rays, but this vast shingle beach is almost forgotten for daylight fishing. Nestling along the Jurassic coastline, the huge sweeping shingle
Sea Angler1 min read
Need To Know
Head east on the A353 from Weymouth. Take a right turn midway between Osmington and Poxwell on to a narrow winding road passing the hamlet of Upton, before turning into the private road that leads down to Ringstead Bay where there is a car park and c
Sea Angler2 min read
St Anthony’s Bank
HAVING LIVED IN CLEETHORPES for most of my life it was not until last year that I fished a hidden treasure situated behind what was Pleasure Island, also known as St Anthony’s Bank. Access is easy. Park in the car park and walk across the marsh to a
Sea Angler1 min read
Need To Know
On the A1098 seafront road (Kings Road), go past the Cleethorpes Leisure Centre and then the boating lake, where, on the left, there is the smallest pub (Signal Box Inn) and the light railway. Turn left next to the showground caravan park and follow
Sea Angler2 min read
Three Cliffs Bay
TUCKED AWAY AT THE EASTERN END of Oxwich Bay, Three Cliffs can be one of the most productive surf beaches on the Gower Peninsula, although, as with any surf venue, timing is everything. Usually the best fishing is either before or following a decent
Sea Angler1 min read
Need To Know
There are several access points from where you can walk down to Three Cliffs Bay. They are all are located off the main South Gower road, the A4118. Travel light because it s a 20-minutes or so walk down to the beach. I park at Shepherd’s store and c
Sea Angler3 min read
Perch Rock
DECADES OF IMPROVEMENT WORKS, including removing industrial and sewage discharges from the Mersey, have seen the river transformed into a flourishing fishery throughout the year. Perch Rock is on the Wirral side of the estuary mouth where the silt-la
Sea Angler2 min read
Isle Of Sheppey
THIS ISLAND AT THE MOUTH OF THE River Thames offers sea anglers a number of varied and interesting venues to fish. Mainly a shallow water area, it has the potential to produce good thornback rays. Being less than an hour from London, in summer it get
Sea Angler1 min read
Need To Know
From Dartford, take the A2 towards Gillingham to Farthing Corner, then on to the A249 toward Key Street and Howt Green before going over the Sheppey bridge on to the island. From the west, use the M25 through Leatherhead toward Oxted and at Otford, t
Sea Angler1 min read
Need To Know
Leave the M53 at junction 1 taking the A554 to New Brighton. Drive along the promenade past the Marine Point Retail Park and straight on past the marine lake into Fort Perch Rock car park opposite the Floral Pavilion. Free parking (currently) is avai
Sea Angler3 min read
Matilda’s On A Mission
FISHING-MAD MATILDA BJÖRKLUND is certainly making an impression on the specimen angling scene thanks to some great catches in recent months and is tipped for further success by none other than Martin Larkin, holder of the British record for a shore-c
Sea Angler3 min read
Mission Accomplished
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
Sea Angler3 min read
Target Hitters!
■ Martyn Vincent, Plymouth, 16-8*, Plymouth, July 14 ■ Mark Wilson, Ipswich, 14-0, Felixstowe, July 18 ■ Matteusz David, Seaford, 8-4*, Eastbourne, July 26 ■ Alex Leadley, Whitby, 7-8*, Whitby, July 22 ■ Jaydon Hayes, South Shields, 8-0*, Hartlepool,
Sea Angler2 min read
Mission Record Holders
■ Shore: 19lb 13oz 8dr John Locker ■ Boat: 19lb 4oz Wayne Milton ■ Shore: 5lb 5oz 1dr C Le Monnier ■ Boat: 6lb 6oz Tony Heart ■ Shore: 2lb 15oz 1dr Lynton Carre ■ Boat: 7lb Becky Lee Hodges ■ Shore: 9lb 8oz Scott Smy ■ Boat: 10lb 2oz Roger Simcox ■ S
Sea Angler1 min read
How To Enter
Entry by email only to sa.ed@kelsey.co.uk Please supply these details: angler’s name, age, address, telephone number, email, type of fish, weight of fish, where caught, date caught, bait/rig, whether caught from shore or boat, if from charter boat, g
Sea Angler1 min read
Your Mission Targets...
Catch a fish on this list at the weight or above in your region to qualify for the chance to win prizes in our Mission catch competition. To enter, send us the details requested on the entry form (left) and email that information and your picture t
Sea Angler1 min read
Send Us Your Entries And Win Some Great Prizes
■ The winner of the shore category will receive three spools of Tritanium 0.35-0.65mm mono, three of 40-80lb Zippy Shockleader, two spools of 20lb Advance fluorocarbon, and a single spool of 30lb 131 G-Core braid, worth about £130 in total. ■ The w
Sea Angler1 min read
The Rules...
■ Only fish caught since August 2021 are eligible. ■ We must see a picture of the fish. ■ We may refuse an entry. ■ Enter by email only (please include all of the information requested in How to Enter panel) to sa.ed@kelsey.co.uk ■ Prizes as stated (
Sea Angler1 min read
Young Rods
Fishingmegastore.com awards a £25 voucher prize to each of two winners - the youngster with the best shore fish and another with the top boat catch. The winners can use the voucher to select tackle from Fishingmegastore.com which is based in Glasgow
Sea Angler1 min read
Out There
The best two pictures, selected by the Sea Angler team, will earn the sender 1lb of rag, worth £15 plus p&p, from farmed bait specialist, Dragon Baits. Please include your name and address when submitting your photograph to sa.ed@kelsey. co.uk. T
Sea Angler2 min read
Battling Back With Long Covid
February 2021 will be the month that will stay with me for the rest of my life because I went down with Covid-19. Up until then I was fit and healthy and I so enjoyed sea fishing, I was fortunate enough to have my own boat. It’s my pride and joy. Bef
Sea Angler1 min read
Win £100 Worth Of Asso Line And Leaders
Asso Lines are a huge range of well-known products produced by Gruppo DP, one of the biggest monofilament companies in the world. Our winner gets an Asso package consisting of Bullet Proof, Classic, Ultra, Ultra Cast, tapered leaders, Ever Green br
Sea Angler6 min read
The Thinking Angler’s Game
SA SIMPLE YET POTENTIALLY valuable nugget of information the other day. Did you know that the tompot blenny is attracted to yellow? This attraction is so great that if ever you are looking to specifically catch one of these grumpy-looking fish, as an
Sea Angler5 min read
Perils And Pitfalls
IT TOOK JUST SIX WEEKS FOR FISHING competition organiser, Ross Honey, to pull together this massive launch event, which saw a huge prize table worth over £20,000. And, when I tell you that the official first event to be held in 2022 is set to have a
Sea Angler3 min read
Grand Designs
WITH A NAME DERIVED from the dark stripes on its body, which fade with maturity, the tiger shark is second only to the great white in recorded fatal attacks on humans. Capable of attaining a length over 16 feet, the current IGFA world record is joint
Sea Angler1 min read
Ask The Experts
Bristol Channel angler James Madsen is here to solve all your shore angling problems. Suffolk-based Mark gets a thrill from fishing afloat on a kayak. Send him your kayaking queries. The Portsmouth angler will provide answers on the sport of light
Sea Angler4 min read
Q&A SHORE ANGLING
Q I enjoyed the Cormac Walsh’s article on watercraft (Cracking the Code) in July’s magazine. How do you work out how each state of the tide affects the feeding behaviour of fish? NEIL COOKSON, NEFFYN, GWYNEDD JM says: This is a complicated subjec
Sea Angler1 min read
Win Sufix And Rapala Prizes Worth £170
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
Sea Angler2 min read
Q&A LIGHT ROCK FISHING
Q One of my big targets for this year is a cuckoo wrasse. I regularly fish on charter boats so have access to deeper water. Which lures would you recommended to catch them? RICHARD PEACOCK, TIVERTON, DEVON DS says: The cuckoo wrasse is a cool fis
Sea Angler3 min read
Q&A LURE FISHING
Q Can you advise me about what types of lures to use when the water is coloured? JOHN KENNEDY, MIDSOMER NORTON, BATH HG says: When the water we want to fish becomes that bit more coloured, either due to rough weather out on the coast or lots of r
Sea Angler1 min read
Winning Question
Q While fishing with lures from my kayak in my local Norfolk area, many of the bass caught coughed up small squid; not something I’ve seen before. Are there any techniques and lures available to match this? PAUL MCSPARRON, CROMER, NORFOLK HG says
Sea Angler3 min read
Q&A BOAT ANGLING
WINNING QUESTION Q I want to buy a very large landing net that is suitable for tope and conger eels but have not been able to find one. Do you know where I can obtain a very large landing net? PAUL WHITE, KIDDERMINSTER, WORCESTERSHIRE DL says:
Sea Angler3 min read
Q&A KAYAK FISHING
Q Can you explain how to set up and use an anchor reel? Who makes them? CALLUM BEDFORD, STOWMARKET, SUFFOLK MC says: Firstly, you won’t find what you need if you search for an anchor reel. Instead, look at the diving market for an SMB reel. SMB s
Sea Angler2 min read
Does Sinker Design Matter?
When it comes to sinker design, there is a big difference between the beach and field. Tournament designs prioritise aerodynamics and in this respect the UKSF tournament sinkers are about as good as it gets. They maximise distance but also retain the
Sea Angler2 min read
The Up And Over
This is a variation on the theme of a standard single-hook clipped-down rig and ideal for seeking bigger fish. In many paternoster rigs, the hook snood is the same length or shorter than the main rig body but here it is made much longer and goes up a
Sea Angler4 min read
Learning Curve
With angling recognised as a safe recreational activity during the lockdowns throughout the Covid pandemic, keen anglers like myself have been joined by many people taking up fishing for the first time or even returning to a sport. Charlotte Sperrin
Sea Angler2 min read
Are You Using Spiders?
Many sea anglers look upon the invasion of spider crabs with dismay because they steal our bait and even nip off hooks from the rigs. Get your timing right though, and they can be collected from our shores and turned into a great bait for smoothhound
Sea Angler3 min read
First Look
This X4 braid is a four-carrier premium braided fishing line made with 100 per cent Japanese UHMPE fibres. This gives a high breaking strength and extreme abrasion resistance for fishing in demanding conditions and with large baits. Its low stretch i
Sea Angler1 min read
Rating System
Our testers and reviewers use their experience to evaluate the quality and functionality of tackle to provide independent, credible and authoritative advice for our readers. On some pages, you may see the following endorsements Tackle which our tes
Sea Angler3 min read
Whiting
The autumn into winter run of whiting is one of the very busiest times for shore anglers with bites almost guaranteed anywhere in the UK and Ireland. With essential tackle best kept simple, these fish can be caught from beaches, piers and breakwaters
Sea Angler1 min read
Specifications
■ MODEL: Shimano Ultegra 4000FC ■ WEIGHT: 270g ■ MAXIMUM DRAG: 11lkg/24lb ■ BEARINGS: 5 + 1 ■ CAPACITY: 200yd/10lb ■ CRANK: 87cm per turn ■ RATIO: 5.3:1 The Shimano Ultegra FC range is available through all Shimano fishing tackle stockists. ■
Sea Angler1 min read
Mainline And Leader Choice
The thinner braid offers an advantage with bite detection as the braid does not stretch to any degree, so even tiny bites at long range can easily be seen and felt. Braid is better when there is some tide running. Being thinner with less surface area
Sea Angler2 min read
Making Waves With Ultrasonik
WITH A LONG PEDIGREE IN producing sea rods and reels, it was only a matter of time before Sonik looked at the line market. The company, based in Blyth, Northumberland, has launched Ultrasonik monofilament, shockleader and snood mono. Ultrasonik Sal
Sea Angler2 min read
Incoming Ultegra
SHIMANO ULTEGRA 4000FC RRP: £139.99 ANEW VERSION OF SHIMANO’S ULTEGRA reel will be out soon. It is a feature-packed powerhouse, offering premium performance for all anglers, and is described as “ruggedly designed from cover to core, with a hint of e
Sea Angler1 min read
New Books
World-class angler, diver, photographer and artist, Guy Harvey shares his signature artwork, outstanding photographs and fascinating stories from the waters of the world in his new book, ‘Guy Harvey’s Underwater World’. He weaves together fascinating
Sea Angler4 min read
All You Need To Know About FLUOROCARBON
ONE OF THE GAME CHANGERS TO CATCHING more fish is using and understanding the characteristics of fluorocarbon line. There are still a fair few anglers who believe its added cost compared to mono isn’t justified, thinking clear line is just clear line
Sea Angler3 min read
KNOT TYING & RIG MAKING
Although modern fluorocarbon is a little softer than the originals, those first stiff lines left a myth that it is difficult to knot and prone to sudden snapping under instant heavy load. I think one of the issues with any inconsistent knotting resul
Sea Angler1 min read
Specifications
■ MODEL: Penn Conflict II LC 6000 ■ BEARINGS: Eight ■ CAPACITY: 450m/0.31mm ■ CRANK: 4.8:1 ■ MAXIMUM DRAG: 18lb/8.1kg ■ RETRIEVE: 43in/109cm per turn ■ WEIGHT: 525g ■ RRP: £219.99 ■
Sea Angler3 min read
Go Into Battle With A Conflict
PENN CONFLICT II LC6000 RRP: 219.99 BUYING NEW FISHING TACLE SHOULD BE exciting, well it certainly is for me. I first got my hands on a Conflict ll LC 6000 in January and I’ve enjoyed many hours of fishing with it ever since. This fixed-spool reel
Sea Angler5 min read
10 Things That Shaped My Sea Fishing
OUR VIEW OF LIFE IS MOULDED BY people, things and events. For me, fishing has certainly not been focused on rods and reels or tackle in general. Everyone has favourites, but the essence of fishing – why it becomes so important – is much deeper than t
Sea Angler2 min read
Built For Battle
PENN OVERSEAS XT BOAT 30/40 RRP: £143.99 THIS NEW EASY STORAGE OR TRAVEL ROD was taken to sea on my charter boat AlyKat, out of Minehead and put through proper workout against our target species of conger eels and bull huss. My first impression was
Sea Angler1 min read
Specifications
■ Model: Penn Overseas XT Boat 30/40lb-class ■ Length: 7ft/2.13m ■ Pack away: 45cm ■ Sections: Five ■ Action: Moderate/fast ■ Guides: Eight Fuji Alconite ■ Blank: SLS3 carbon ■ Weight: 440g ■ RRP: £143.99 For more info or to locate your nearest stoc
Sea Angler1 min read
HOW IT WORKS ■ : Wayne Leason, Hull, 10pts
■ With £10,000 in tackle prizes spread over the two divisions, points, based on entries, are awarded to the top three, section winners and captors of the largest fish caught in each designated Penn match. Penn also awards a prize of a Spinfisher fixe
Sea Angler2 min read
Boat Store
Suzuki has developed a world first innovation with a device that collects micro-plastic waste from seawater pumped through an outboard engine as part of its cooling system. Easily installed, the device does not affect the engine’s performance since
Sea Angler5 min read
Sea League
Felixstowe in Suffolk is the venue for the Penn Sea League final being held on Saturday October 23. Qualifiers from the 2019 and 2020 league seasons have been contacted by SAMF. There was a great turnout for this open with 73 anglers from all over t
Sea Angler1 min read
Reminder
Penn Sea League entries will only be accepted from the match organiser or officials of the club concerned at least eight weeks in advance. If results are not returned to Sea Angler within a month of the event, the event will be declared void for Penn
Sea Angler3 min read
What's On
AUGUST 21: Southern League rnd 7 of 12 & open, Hill Head, 8pm-1am, pegged, measure & return, undersize fish count as 1oz, £15 match entry, £5 pools, booking ends one hour before start, Darren 07919 073232, Mike 07983 579596, Ian 07736 004714 or Ant
Sea Angler2 min read
Damned By Distance
THOUGHT I'D GET OUT FOR A QUICK session. The water looked lusciously good with no weed obvious, except for the washing lines hanging from the rods of the bait anglers. I started using my new Drift Shoal Stick, which is ideal for wafting around struct
Sea Angler3 min read
Time Machine
■ Phil White, skipper of Chinook, out of Bradwell, Essex, caught a personal best bass of 14lb on a chunk of fresh mackerel while fishing 20 miles offshore. ■ Suffolk angler Paul Fitch boated a 25lb 4oz smoothhound while fishing from his own boat, ou
Sea Angler4 min read
Your Letters
While fishing on Deal beach recently I was approached by a guy who was keen to start sea fishing. We sat for half an hour mainly talking about rods and reels and it made me realise what a minefield it could be for a new angler, particularly when spen
Sea Angler4 min read
Tag Team
AS WITH MOST ANGLERS I AM passionate about the sport and keen to improve our fishery and help understand fish stocks and movements. So, I was very pleased when the Zoological Society of London (ZSL London Zoo) contacted myself, and several other skip
Sea Angler1 min read
Need To Know
To book a trip aboard Lyn Marie, contact Tony Grey, tel: 07970 685038. Web: www.lynmariecharters.co.uk To learn about the Species League and get involved, visit: www.speciesleague.com.Facebook: www.facebook.com/ groups/speciesleague ■
Sea Angler3 min read
First Aid
WE OFTEN COVER SAFETY issues in this magazine, although there is one subject that really can be the difference between life and death – first aid. Are you capable of rendering assistance if a fellow angler has a heart attack, suffers a deep wound, ha
Sea Angler4 min read
Boom Or Bust
AS ANY SCOTTISH ANGLER about the enigmatic Loch Etive in Argyll and Bute and they’ll wax lyrical about the towering mountains of Glen Etive, the untouched wilderness surrounding and the mystical depths of the mighty water. They’ll also tell you that

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