Fishing a long(ish) leader for Pollack and Coalfish over a deep sunk wreck in the Winter, or using a really light outfit but the same rig and method over the high rock outcrops of the Western Approaches, has been developed almost to an art-form by generations of blue water anglers. A little known fact is…
Obvious ones that are in daily use for example are herds, flocks, and shoals, but there are hundreds of names describing specific species. I was intrigued to learn that an animal which I think is of special attractiveness to most of mankind, the porpoise, and also the dolphin, have a social structure which includes similarities…
The Porbeagle Shark, Lamna Nasus, is Northern Europe’s ‘biggest big game fish’. It is thought to grow to about a thousand pounds, and the All-Tackle World Record is a fish of 507 pounds, caught by Christopher Bennet, off Caithness, Scotland in March 1993. It has a number of different names; which include, Salmon Shark, Herring…
Over the years, my shark traces have evolved into a fifteen foot length of 400 pounds breaking strain monofilament, usually Japanese Momoi because it is the best. A heavy graspable swivel at the reel end and a 400 lb Berkeley Crosslok or 400lb Sampo Coastlok at the other. The three-foot hook-length is traditionally soft stainless…
The Flapper bait is very simply a whole fish bait with its backbone removed, so that the two side fillets, well they “flap” in the tide, giving the bait movement and releasing a scent rail down the tide. Originally the shark boats out of Looe pioneered the flapper bait for shark, but it did not…
After the problems I had last time fished the rivers of far western Nepal, (November 2000 – see July articles 2001) this time I chose to return for a five-week expedition starting 23 February. I left early one Friday morning for Heathrow, lucky to avoid the lorries that had been blown over due to 60/70…
The press frenzy that occurred afterwards was interesting to say the least, but with their need for a sensational story came the downplay of what was actually an incredibly moving and wondrous experience for those on board.Many of you will, I am sure, remember the stories in the angling press from the 70’s and 80’s…
In this country, I am not known for my love of beach fishing; I thrive on rock and rough ground fishing where I can cast into the rough stuff and have a nice, uneven platform from which to cast. Each to their own I suppose! But Namibia is one continuous beach: the Skeleton Coast. The…
Florida’s Space Coast Report One Hour East of Orlando Captain Rodney Smith for Florida Guidelines (888) 800-9794 An exodus of fingernail length silver minnows swarmed around my legs like I was a mooring buoy in a rough sea. But the ocean was mysteriously calm, so calm in fact, the sky and beach seemed one. Barefoot,…
Some people may just fancy a change from sharking (or is that rest from the physical exertions?) or a chance at yet more species unavailable from our beaches. A trip abroad is a big undertaking by anybodys standards, so whilst most of you will find it difficult to drag yourselves away from the sheer adrenaline-fuelled…