Innholdsfortegnelse for March 2022 i Saltwater Boat Angling

Welcome to the March issue and we’re all hoping the weather will improve a bit as the days lengthen. Mind you over the last few weeks there have been plenty of anglers willing to brave to cold and get out in their boats. When they have, there have been some very interesting catches. As you will see there has been an angler fish, a john dory, many turbot (not a normal January catch), and most spectacular of all a marbled electric ray (pictured). Unusual catches This latter fish is a very unusual catch. Although they do inhabit coastal waters here, it’s a slow moving, deep water, bottom dwelling fish which can deliver a significant, and nasty, 70 volt shock if not handled correctly. As for identification it has a nearly…

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Species Hunts in 2022 Annual Species League All year Swanage Classic May TBC Poole SPECIES HUNT June 3rd Thames Estuary Championships 15th June (TBC) Sea Angling Classic June 16th -18th Oxwich Bay Kayak Competition July 22nd Mull of Galloway Sea Angling Festival August 11th – 14th Rosslare Small Boats Festival September 2nd - 9th Species hunting has now become a such a popular competition, and leisure, boat angling format that it warrants a whole genre of editorial content devoted to it. There is of course a National Species league which occupies nearly 60 boats and 100 avid competition anglers during the year – and winning the title is now one of the most prestigious titles in match angling. Almost all the biggest competitions are now species hunts and they…

Monsters and Records The biggest plaice I’ve ever seen, apart from one dustbin lid I lost at the net a few years back, is a fish of 20lb mounted on the wall of Hastings Fishermen’s Museum. It was dragged up in a trawl twenty-five years ago. According to science, the maximum recorded length is 100cm (40 inches) that’s about 20lbs in weight. The British record is 10lb 3oz and was caught in 1974 in Scotland but a fish of 5lb is a cracker. Plaice are one of the most popular boat angling targets – found all around our coastline from. Whether in competition fishing or just for pleasure, they are reliable and, for the most part, great fun to catch and to eat. Over the years, I’ve been lucky enough…

INFORMATION The lugworm or sandworm (Arenicola marina) is a large marine worm of the phylum Annelida. In the UK, the lugworm species Arenicola marina is commonly known as the blow lugworm, and rarely exceeds 130 millimetres (5.1 in). There is a second species of UK lugworm Arenicola defodiens commonly called the black lugworm. They can be distinguished by the different wormcasts they produce. In the latest on our series on bait we feature that basic stalwart of sea angling…the humble lugworm. It’s a bait we take for granted, it’s a staple bait for a lot of sea anglers and despite the rising cost is still the number one bait for many. Many people like to dig their own worms, not only is it a cost saving exercise but it can…

WETWHEELS NAMED AS INCLUSIVITY PARTNER FOR THE SEA ANGLING CLASSIC Wetwheels, the U.K.’s only offshore barrier-free powerboating charity has been named as the Inclusivity Partner for this year’s Sea Angling Classic competition. Wetwheels vessels have been designed to accommodate all disabled people, including wheelchair users, providing state-of-the-art facilities including electric fishing reels for sea anglers with limited hand function and fish-finding marine electronics. “Wetwheels founder, himself a passionate disabled angler, Geoff Holt MBE said; “We are absolutely delighted to be part of this amazing competition. We regularly run trips with disabled anglers, some of whom will give their nondisabled counterparts a run for their money. To be able to compete on a level playing field (or should that be a level sea?) alongside the world’s greatest anglers, will demonstrate to…

Now that travel restrictions are being gradually lifted anglers thoughts are turning to adventures abroad and places where they can go monster hunting. Where better than Norway and the Arctic Circle – one of the most popular of angling destinations for UK anglers! The relatively sheltered fjords of north Norway above enjoy some of the most amazing sea fishing imaginable. The warmer waters of the Gulf Stream merge with rich Arctic Ocean and flood the coastal areas with nutrients. This attracts large shoals of herring and, during warmer periods, mackerel. These are some of the richest coastal waters in the world. Commercial fishing is strictly controlled by the Norwegian Government, for all species, and this has resulted in an abundance of fish. To combine reasonable weather north of the Arctic…

ANALYSIS Anyone who knows me, as an angler, knows I am also passionate about marine conservation. In fact, most anglers I know are the same, the culture in sea angling has changed dramatically over the last thirty years, with most anglers having adopted catch and release as the norm. When it comes to some species sea anglers have a, largely unwritten, code of conduct around catch and release – this applies, in particular, to elasmobranchs; sharks and rays. We know the damage commercial fishing has done to many shark species in UK waters; tope and spur-dog being a prime example and want to make sure we don’t make this worse. So, we use appropriate tackle when targeting them and always get them back in the water as soon as they’re…

Sussex Manx Belle has been out and about catching some very unusual fish. First up was an angler fish, we can’t remember the last time one of these was boated along this bit of coast. It is of course sold as monk fish and its firm meaty flesh is in great demand but on this ocassion they put the fish back. Skipper John is being coy about exactly where he caught it – don’t blame him. On the same trip yet another January turbot was boated – that’s four or five now in the last few weeks. John Little can be contacted on 07737242055 Further down the coast Yellowfin Charters out of Brighton got in amongst the pollack in a recent wrecking trip (http://yellowfincharters.co.uk/ 07731 465992 yellowfincharter@hotmail.co.uk) As did Spirit…

Launching a kayak Choosing somewhere to launch can be tricky but it is good to build up a handful of launch spots to give you options depending the weather and fishing. There are a few considerations to make and a little research required. To make it easy a sheltered launch spot with easy access to water is what is required. Harbours and launch ramps are a great place to start. Being portable does open up a huge number of launch opportunities, it’s one of the big advantages of a kayak. Anywhere with reasonably easy access to the water is not off limits. Beaches, small coves, tidal rivers, even some rocky coastlines can be suitable venues providing you can trolley a kayak to the water. Google Maps is a useful tool…

March 11th March Species League Poole April 15th April Species League Lymington May TBC Littlehampton Bream Festival June 3rd June Poole Species Hunt15th June Thames Boat Championships17th June Sea Angling Classic11th -12th Mull of Galloway Tope Festival August 10th -15th August Mull of Galloway Sea Angling Festival September 2nd – 10th Rosslare Small Boat Festival8th –20th Boat Show24th -25th Mull of Galloway Bass Festival27th – 2nd October Reel Masters: Weymouth November Cardiff Bay Cod Competition Let us know the dates of your competitions and Festivals and we’ll publish them here. email editor@saltwaterboatangling.co.uk…