Innholdsfortegnelse for May 2025 i Sea Angler

Just as sea anglers are gearing-up for the much-anticipated annual return of mackerel to our waters the news comes that the species has been downgraded to a ‘fish to avoid’ on the latest Good Fish Guide from the Marine Conservation Society. The arrival of mackerel was once so predictable you could almost guarantee the date they would turn up. In recent years, however, this hasn’t been the case at all. Some years they have hardly arrived at all, while on others there have been biblical plague-like numbers. The increase in sea temperatures is the main cause of this with warmer water in some years pushing the cold-water loving mackerel further north. And it’s this move north that has led to years of overfishing as Norway and the Faroe Islands claim…

I never try to compare different fishing disciplines, or the different ways we fish within those disciplines. I have spent so much of my working life in and around fresh and saltwater fly fishing for example; and while I am a pretty useless fly angler, I love photographing all kinds of fly fishing. From a creative point of view I do prefer the excitement of tropical fishing over a small UK stillwater in the depths of winter, perhaps; but whatever it is, I just love being around all kinds of fishing. COARSE BEGINNINGS I am nothing more than a completely obsessed angler myself. When I go fishing I go saltwater fishing, but I grew up freshwater fishing for tench, roach and bream. My first ever fish I caught was a…

You know that feeling you get when you just can’t shake the idea that someone is watching you? I had that again during a recent night session. It always seems worse when it happens in the dark, and so it was that night. It was only on my third or fourth cast, and it can’t have been in the water for five minutes when I had this sudden, unshakeable feeling that someone was literally going to burst upon me from the shadows at any moment. I scanned the beach back and forth with my headlamp. Nothing. But yet the feeling remained, intensified even. Then, there it was – a movement out there. A steady forward motion as if someone were running or… rolling toward me. And then it appeared. I…

In association with £25 TACKLE VOUCHER WINNERS 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 and Edinburgh. ■ Send your Young Rods entries by email to sa.ed@kelsey.co.uk…

We’ve all been there. You’re out in your boat, and maybe catching, maybe moving between marks or even on your way home when you spot a flock of seagulls a mile or so away making a hell of a racket, dive bombing a shoal of fish on the surface. You race over there to see what’s going on and maybe fling a lure into the mayhem, hoping you can locate some fish. Sometimes you get lucky and hit some fish; more often though, the closer you get the more the birds seem to disperse and locating where the fish are becomes guesswork as the noise of your engine pushes the fish down. The question is how can you make the most of an opportunity like this when it presents itself?…

UK & IRELAND SPECIALIST SPECIES HUNTING The small eyed ray, Raja microocellata, is a popular target species with both boat and shore anglers. With a range extending from the UK and Ireland, as far south as Morocco, small eyed rays are commonly found in very shallow water, often extremely shallow water of just a few feet. They are relatively easy to identify. Their general body colouration is a light sandy brown covered in a random pattern of wavy white lines. Like most other species of ray they have sharp spines extending along the length of their back and tail. From an angling perspective, when compared to most other commonly caught species of ray, small eyeds do provide good sport, especially when caught in very shallow water. The current British boat…

Chris Tarrant is without a doubt one of the most recognisable broadcasters in the UK thanks to the phenomenal success of TV programs such as Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? and the classic 1970s Saturday morning program Tiswas. For millions of listeners he was also the voice of Capital Radio’s breakfast show for 17 years attracting nearly two million listeners every morning at the show’s peak. A keen angler, I’ve had the pleasure of fishing with him on numerous occasions both here in the UK, and abroad. Together we have fished for huge tarpon and snook in the jungle rivers of Nicaragua, travelled through Guatemala looking to fish remote lakes and hunted bonefish and permit over the pristine flats off the coast of Belize. On one of our trips…

Around 20 years ago I received the first samples of what have become Shimano STC (Shimano Travel Concept) multi-piece travel rods. At the time I was not convinced these would catch on, naively thinking that, as with previous multi-piece rods I had seen from other manufacturers, the action of these would at best be average, and their strength questionable. How wrong I was! Those were the Shimano Exage travel rods, and as I was to discover over the coming months and years, they really were excellent fishing rods. The 20-30lb class in particular became one of my most used rods, both at home and abroad. During the years when I was regularly travelling and fishing in Norway, my Exage 20-30lb class accounted for a considerable number of fish, including three…

No shadow of a doubt: buying and owning my first boat was one of the best fishing decisions I ever made. There’s nothing that screams ‘a good day’s fishing’ to me than the smell in the salty air of a 2-stoke outboard puttering behind me! However, buying a boat for the first time can feel like stepping into a minefield with a myriad of technical considerations to get right: hull designs, CE categories and engine types, to list a few. With so many options to consider it can be bewildering where to begin; ‘do I want a cathedral or semi displacement hull?’ is not the place to start when looking to become a boat owner for the first time. We’ve decided to help you by turning the process on its…

MAY ✬ 3: Reel Fun Summer League, Littletonupon-Severn, draw 9am, fishing 10.15am- 2.15pm, £30 league entry, Pegged and zoned, 1 rod 3 hooks, £20 match entry, Pre-book only. Call Reel Fun fishing: 01275 848652, best 5 from 6 results count ✬ 4: Holt SAC West Norfolk Challenge Round 2, Kings Lynn, Mike 07858 758669, mike.watts1701@gmail.com/ Tony 07780 793141 /thomasamt@btinternet.com ✬ 4: Gwent & District SAC Open Cardiff Foreshore, Ivor Smith 07854 829590 ✬ 4: King of the shingle pairs Kelling beach, Big Catch Tackle sponsored, draw 8.30 till 9am, fishing 10.30 till 3.30, £200 guaranteed for the winning pair, pools £15, biggest bass, hound, flat, top 5 pairs and individual, lucky peg £15, contact Spalt 07368 671808 ✬ 9: Fishon bait n tackle open round 5 Hayling, signing 6-7, fishing…

Estuarial habitat is one of our most rich and diverse environments. It provides a large and consistent food supply for much of the year attracting a wealth of species. It’s best to break the habitats down into specific sections to identify exactly what species are likely to be there and when best to fish for them. ESTUARY MAIN CHANNELS A typical small estuary has a sand bar at its mouth. Bass and gilthead bream will shoal up here prior to the turn of the new flood tide. Providing there is enough depth, and we’re talking a few inches over their backs, as they feel the new tide push in numbers of fish will move over the bar and scatter into the estuary’s mouth and main channel. Winter cod do the…

The Honey family has spent over 20 years working to connect people with the sea. Led by Ross Honey, they’ve organised some of the UK’s biggest fishing competitions, including the internationally renowned Sea Angling Classic. But their work hasn’t just been about fishing – it’s about bringing people together, protecting the marine environment and sharing their passion for the ocean. From shoreline clean-ups to working alongside universities on marine research, the Honey family has always sought ways to make a difference. Over the years, they’ve built a network of experts, volunteers and industry partners who share their belief in the power of the sea – not just for angling, but for education, conservation and well-being. Free Spirit is the next step in that journey. It brings together everything they’ve learned…

For many parents, taking their children on outdoor adventures is a cherished part of family life. The joy of watching their faces light up as they experience the thrill of catching their first fish, the serenity of being out on the water and the bonding that comes with sharing these moments – it’s something every parent hopes to enjoy. But for some families, the journey to these experiences is not so straightforward. Graham, a devoted father, faced challenges that at one point made him wonder if fishing trips with his children might ever be possible. Both children were born with additional needs. The obstacles seemed overwhelming at times. How would they manage on a boat? Would the children feel comfortable and safe? Would the experience be enjoyable or stressful? LIFELONG…

ASK THE EXPERTS When sending your question, please remember to include your name and address CHRIS KENNEDY Chris is a specimen hunting specialist based on Sark and answers shore fishing questions. DAVID MITCHELL David is Sea Angler’s editor and is an expert on sea angling policy and conservation . BEN BASSETT The Plymouth angler and blogger 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. DANNY PARKINS Southwest based Danny has worked within the angling trade for 20 years for various brands’ BRIAN PASK Brian is a qualified sea angling coach and casting tutor who works with young people and experienced anglers to improve their fishing skills. SHORE ANGLING Q…

SNOWBEE DEEP BLUE 4-PIECE SPINNING RODS Snowbee has recently added lots of new products to their range, and one that has caught the eye is the Deep Blue Spinning Rod line-up. The rods are all made from quality 4-piece blanks, meaning these are suitable for travel, whether just in the boot of your car or abroad. The handle and reel-seat configuration uses the latest Japanese design, and the entire rod is finished in Snowbee’s signature Deep Blue colour, with subtle self-colour whippings and silver trim. They use stainless steel guides, with a chrome finish, to make them salt-water resistant. All models come complete with a quality cotton drill rod bag. The range includes rods rated from 2-15g up to 20-50g, and length choice between 8ft and 9ft. ■ RRP: £134.99-159.99■…

CROSSFIRE BASS RODS Probably the best value for money bass rods, this new quartet will serve lures from 7g right up to 42g. The 8ft and 9ft medium rated choices offer a 7-28g casting range with 9ft medium/heavy a level up at 10-35g. For bigger lures the 9ft 6in heavy will propel 12-42g with ease. Using High Modulus Carbon plus, each model delivers the balance of a casting action and fish control level that is ideal for use with braid. RRP: £44.99 LEGALIS SEABASS RODS Legalis Seabass rods have been designed for lure work. The Fuji Concept O guides will allow you to punch soft plastics or hard lures out at range, with Lowrider guides to minimise wind knots and tangles. A crossed carbon reinforcement has been applied through the…

GETTING READY With the plaice back inshore after spawning in deeper water, it’s time to make up some rigs with beads and attractors on. I know the early run of plaice is fish that are still not in prime condition, but that doesn’t alter the excitement of their return. Drifting from the boats is very much down to the strength of the tides; neap tides where there is little tide run cuts the catch rate down. On the other hand, if there’s too strong a tide that also reduces the chance of a take. At least where I fish on the South Coast a middle tide with steady flow is when we reap the rewards of drifting lugworm, or ragworm tipped with squid strips which can really pay off. The…

Only those who have scored 4 or more are featured HOW IT WORKS Points are awarded based on the number of anglers fishing an open match registered for the Angling Trust Sea League and go to the top 10 per cent of anglers (limited to 20 anglers), zone winners and heaviest fish. League scoring runs from January to December and the top 45 highest point scorers each year are invited to the Sea League Grand Final hosted the following season. New for 2025 - the best Lady and Junior, alongside the season’s most improved angler, will also earn an invite to the final. Along the way are some fabulous Asso and Anyfish Anywhere monthly prizes awarded to the best points scorers/catches, with over £10,000 worth of tackle to be won…

MONTHLY WINNERS: SHORE: Carrie Emery, 11lb 7oz bull huss BOAT: Alison Morris, 220lb flapper skate HOW TO ENTER YOUR TARGETS... Catch a fish on this list at the weight or above in your region to qualify for the chance to win our Mission catch competition. To enter, send us your name, home town, species, weight in lb, bait/lure used, venue caught and date caught, plus your picture to sa.ed@kelsey.co.uk. THE RULES... ■ Only catches since April 2025 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■ No correspondence will be entered into.…

Over the 40 plus years I have fished offshore wrecks for pollack, cod, coalfish and bass, there have been plenty of changes to the most popular choice of terminal rig and the lures anglers use. However, for all of these changes, the basic technique used to present a lure in deep water and catch these sporting fish remains pretty much the same. Traditionally anglers drifting wrecks and reefs used little else than artificial sandeel lures, such as the famous Red Gill. These they would use in conjunction with a rig called a Flying Collar, which incorporated a wire French boom. These days most anglers I see fishing wrecks use soft plastic shads, though a few die hards still favour the tried and tested Red Gill, along with the many similar…

I consider myself to be extremely fortunate having had the opportunity to travel and fish as extensively as I have. With my 64th birthday fast approaching I can look back at countless trips to many incredible destinations all around the globe; I think it would be fair for me to say this has resulted in me acquiring a working knowledge of most of the world’s great sport fishing destinations. So, when I stumbled upon a destination neither I nor any of my travelling fishing friends had even heard of, let alone fished – a destination reputed to be hugely prolific for a wide range of species, most of which I had either neither heard of let alone caught – I immediately started to explore the possibilities of travelling to this…

SHIMANO ULTEGRA C14 XTC 5500 It’s no secret that Shimano make some of the finest reels in the world, and this one is as popular in the carp fishing world on the larger lakes and pits, as it is for targeting hard fighting gilthead and bass in estuaries. It has a smart, black colour scheme and is designed to be lightweight and long casting. Although not cheap, it sits in the middle of Shimano’s offerings, but that doesn’t make it a mid-range reel. This is Japanese quality and one that will enhance both the cast and the fight, which is everything you want from a reel. ■ Martin says, "silky smooth, a fast retrieve and excellent drag. Perfect for gilthead fishing, and I’m using them at this moment for plaice."■…