Call me a Dinosaur?

Posted by Derek Townsend on July 20, 2010 under Sea Fishing | Be the First to Comment

by Derek Townsend

Call Me a Dinosaur!!!

It is likely that the reader is familiar with the old adage “there’s many a good tune played on an old fiddle”, accredited to a Samuel Butler (1612- 1680).   It personifies my lifelong attitude to so-called “progress” and an inbuilt reluctance to automatically rush to embrace any idea, technology or material just because it is claimed as “New”!   My long term “fishing” association with “monofilament, nylon” line prompted me to explain in my new book “Bass Fishing from the shore in south east Wales and More”, that  I had resisted the temptation to use braid for my shore fishing for no other reason than that I was content with the results achieved with the former material.  I have to admit that at the time of writing this piece, my sentiments remain the same and I am still not convinced that my style of sea fishing would benefit from any change.

Abu 2100 Sport loaded with 8 lb. test (.200 mm) Sufix Elite.

What’s my Line? 

Of all the items that go to make up a “light tackle” outfit, it is the accuracy of the stated specification (i.e. diameter/ test strength) of the line to be used that will confirm the credibility of the exercise.  It is important that the angler has confidence in the manufacturer’s statistics as displayed on the spool label, secure in the knowledge that the line selected matches what is claimed.  There has to be an element of trust here, between the manufacturer and the angler but, for piece of mind, it may be worth paying that little extra for a line that has a good pedigree, and carries a respected brand name and “signature”. 

Scouring the Websites.

Scouring the websites, swotting up on all the different lines including braids, that are on the market and available in 2010, produced a list of some 15 different names and still counting.  Life was a lot simpler in the 70’s / 80’s, with a very limited range from which to make a choice.  When I say “choice”, the probable reason that a particular “brand” found its way onto a fishing reel was either because it was recommended in a magazine review, or was promoted by the local tackle shop. “Sylcast” was one of the most popular “brands” of the time, and widely used by many in the sea fishing fraternity.  “Sylcast sewerage brown”, 11 lb. test strength monofilament line was the mainstay of my bass and smooth hound fishing. “Sylcast blue” 15 and 50 lb. test mainline and leader, when loaded onto my second (1975) Abu 6500C (fitted with a large Abu 7000 handle), were important components of my “long distance casting” kit for rays and cod.  In those days, the labelling on the spools did not include the all important line diameter (thickness), which was a handicap to those who had light tackle aspirations.

Monofilament or Braid. That is the Question?

Whether “expert” or novice, selecting a fishing line today from the vast array on display in the local tackle shop, advertised in the angling press or on the various manufacturers websites, is a challenge in itself, but having to weigh up the pros and cons between “nylon” or “braid” only adds to the confusion.  Selection is not made any easier by the manufacturers’ assertive claims, promoting the attributes of their individual products.  Braid is not new, having been in existence for many years, the difference being the evolution of this material to the level of sophistication enjoyed today.  My experience with fishing lines has almost totally been through using “monofilament”, apart from a brief encounter with Dacron.  In the 70’s and 80’s, “good” lines were easy to identify because of the limited choice; not so today.  Speak as you find, I have had few problems with “monofilament” line during the four decades plus of use, other than those caused by my own failings.

Monofilament and the much maligned “Stretch” factor.

Contrary to some expressed opinion, the much maligned “stretch” factor was recognised as an advantage rather than a disadvantage, especially when fishing light tackle.  The cushioning effect of “stretch” when fishing with light line test strength’s, was valued as a creditable and effective “shock absorber”, complementing the properties of a bass rod during casting, striking and when playing a robust and determined fish.  Any move to reduce the amount of stretch during the manufacturing process as a result of improved technology would be accepted as beneficial, but eliminating this “buffer” from “monofilament” lines would be detrimental to sea fishing.  One of the drawbacks attributed to “stretch” was that it was more difficult to detect delicate bites.  My experience would not support this conjecture, with a large proportion of my own bass takes over the years originating from the most delicate, almost imperceptible “ghost” bites.  Maybe the perceived problems associated with “stretch” would be largely resolved, if holding the rod and maintaining close contact with the line became a more widely used practice.

Holding the rod and maintaining close contact with the line

Line Colour, Significance in the Real World of Shore Fishing?

A lot of emphasis is placed on the colour of the fishing lines in use today, with the promotion of certain functions attributed to a specific colour be it red, yellow, orange, blue or maybe green.  Colour was not a big issue in those early days, maybe because the manufacturers inadvertently got it right at the time.  It is questionable whether the colour of a line, bright or diffused tones, has any significant role to play in the real world of shore fishing or whether this is yet another promotional wheeze.  Falling back on experience once again, the Sylcast brown and blue coloured lines more than adequately met the requirements of the clouded upper Channel reaches.  I must admit that the compatibility of these coloured lines with these waters must have been through good fortune or coincidence, because I have never chosen a line of any make on the basis of its colour.  Current lines in use are Berkely Iron Silk (Green), Stren (Blood Red), Sakuma Lite Crystal (Pale Blue) and Sufix Zippy (Clear).   My conclusion is that if the line is selected on the basis of test strength (lbs. bs.), line diameter and relative durability, choice of colour is of no more consequence than a matter of personal choice.

Radical, Liberating consequence of Line Diameter Information!!

In my view, it is no exaggeration to state that the options presented by the different line diameters (thickness) per the same stated lb. test strength and the displaying of this information, is one of the most important and valuable assets of sea fishing generally, and for light tackle fishing in particular.  The liberating consequence of being able to select and fish with a line of the same test strength but which is available in different diameters to match the known behaviour of the prey species on the hook, the type of ground to be fished be it rough or clean, and the sea / weather conditions on the day, is an opportunity not to be ignored.  This approach to sea fishing does require a selection of interchangeable, spare reel spools, each loaded with a different test strength / diameter line.  This could be an unusual concept to accept if the norm is one line test/ diameter for all conditions, ground and all species. It may appear radical at first glance, but if the aspiration is consistency, using the appropriate, sensitive, durable line specification for the mark and the conditions on the day, could enhance the chances of success. Drawing on my experiences of fishing for bass at various locations around the British Isles and southern Ireland, confirms that the inshore waters of the upper Channel reaches are not as densely populated with inshore bass, therefore additional sensitivity and concentration is needed to secure the desired level of consistency.

Downside, Not all Sweetness and Light!

It is well documented that “monofilament” line is not “all sweetness and light”. Casting “burn”, knots, kinks in the line following a “birds nest” and abrasion damage, are potential weak points that could lead to an unwanted break at the wrong moment.  The detrimental effects of most of these vagaries can be neutralised and managed to a large extent, by applying the same level of care and attention to the welfare of the line as is applied to the other items of gear such as reels and rods.  Regular line maintenance has always been top of my list of priorities, for the simple reason that this is the critical link between angler and fish.  To a certain extent, rods and reels will continue to operate even if neglected, not so the line.  There is no intermediate stage that will sustain effective and pleasurable sea fishing.  Removing the line completely from the spool will release any tension that has built up during a normal fishing trip or casting session.  It has been estimated that line left on the reel spool under excess tension for any length of time, can depreciate by anything up to 20 % of its original strength, of real concern to those making a calculated move to light tackle fishing.  Slowly rewinding the line onto the reel spool through a small square of cloth, will not only remove particles of sand, salt or chemical accumulation, but will allow detailed scrutiny of knots, abrasion scuffs and any other possible damage which can be retied, cut out or replaced.  In the early seventies, I designed and built a simple, cheap, motorised “Line Winder” which took the “chore” out of the operation, and eliminated the need for 2^nd person assistance.  The accompanying photographs are self explanatory.  With the advances in rechargeable battery technology and the use of modern materials, it should not be too much of a challenge to assemble a more sophisticated version suitable for the 21^st Century.

Derek’s motorised line winder

 Braid, Positive and Negative Qualities?

There is no better method of evaluating the properties of a material than to use it yourself in earnest.  Failing that, although not a substitute for the former, researching and reading the available comments from around the world on the internet and elsewhere, the consensus of experienced opinion on the subject of braid provided an insight into the positive and negative properties of this material.  The most dramatic difference between braid and “monofilament” lines that the research exposed was the wide gap between the diameters of the two materials for the same test strength.  I must admit that the extent of the difference in the diameters of the “like for like” test strength was a revelation, hinting at less drag in both water and air, less dense lead weights and greater sensitivity.  I have assembled a modest table of comparisons, intended as a rough guide for demonstration purposes only. 

With braid so significantly (approximately 1/3^rd) narrower than the equivalent in “monofilament”, there could be a temptation to select a higher test strength but of the same “monofilament” diameter being used.  For example, my standard line when fishing medium active surf for bass is 10 lbs. test at .260 mm diameter (Sakuma Lite Crystal), whereas braid of a similar diameter, say, .230 mm has a test value of 20 lb. breaking strain.  Succumbing to this temptation would negate any potential benefits of reduced surface area of the line, and void any claims of light tackle fishing.  One of the long term complaints directed at “monofilament” lines was the retention of the “memory” factor, the ability to conform to the shape of the reel spool.  In severe cases, the looping line being pulled off the spool could hinder casting and create unwanted slack line, a potential “birds nest” situation.  Removing and relaying the line carefully onto the spool at an acceptable tension after fishing, the correct drag setting and a competent casting style, proved the best way to manage this problem.  Braid has little or no stretch so it should clear the spool safely without “looping”, resulting in a smooth transition through the rings.  The inherent strength of braid begs no argument, so the risk that vulnerable points may submit to stress or weakness are reduced, knots are stronger and less likely to be a breaking point. One of the reported downsides is that braids are more susceptible to abrasion, having a tendency to break easily when coming into contact with sharp edges.  If correct, this would seem to exclude braid from use in rough ground potentially putting at risk the terminal tackle and any fish hooked in this environment.  Finally, the oft repeated claims that braid could damage both rod rings and reel spools, together with inflicting painful injury on fingers, has convinced me to put any thoughts of changing over to this material on the back burner.

The Jury is out on this one!! 

 “MyWay?” 

Each one of us is different with our own aspirations directing us to make choices that are sympathetic to our own, individual approach to the way we go about sea fishing.  The chart set out below is not intended to act as a guideline for all and sundry to follow, but is simply an illustration of my considered choices.

“Cheap as Chips?”

My non-scientific res earch of the different brands of monofilament and braid lines, leads to the conclusion that the good ones inevitably cost a “bob or two” more.  This is the one item of the tackle set up that deserves the best, anything less is likely to have a payback in frustration, spoilt fishing sessions, and the loss of a good fish. Is it worth the risk?

Read Mike Thrussell’s review of Derek’s book “Bass Fishing from the shore in South East Wales and More” Click here for Review. 

Buy the book “Bass Fishing from the shore in South East Wales and More” by Derek Townsend. Click here for Details.

© Copyright Derek Townsend 2010.

JRC 60″ Oval Brolly

Posted by Keith on July 2, 2010 under Carp and Coarse Fishing, Tackle Reviews | Be the First to Comment

New version of the highly successful 60″ Oval Brolly but now with the addition of 2 full length ribs that ensure that 4 ribs are in contact with the ground at all times.

JRC have also added a full length detachable pole so the brolly can be assembled quicker.There is also a few new extras available in the shape of a full on mozi cover and an overwrap also available from Keens

Highly waterproof material with hydrostatic head of 10000mm.

Bar stitched and Fully tape sealed for maximum strength and durability at all stress points and seams.

*Stainless swivel storm pole attachments included
*2 x 24″ storm poles included
*PVC groundsheet included

60" Oval Brolly with Mozi Infil Panel attached

*H/duty pegs included

Dimensions -
H125cm
D195cm
W265cm

………………………………….………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Ok, so that’s the gen up on the product but how did it perform in the real world? Well, I took my brolly down to my syndicate water Crayfish Pool, near Heathrow Airport for 4 nights of vigorous usage!

The first thing you notice with the brolly is that it is so incredibly quick to erect! Seconds and you have a totally waterproof canopy to start your session under. I was a little skeptical as to whether or not my huge Nash Wideboy bedchair would fit under it, but my concerns were flawed as it fitted under with ease!

Pegging all around from back to both sides

What you have to remember though is that it is just a brolly with storm sides…..it’s not a bivvy and obviously won’t give you the same level of protection achievable with a much larger bivvy.

What you get for your money though is a very stable, waterproof and well constructed oval brolly, which if you like to travel light, as i do….will provide you with the perfect tool for moving swims quickly and keeping your kit dry on overnighters and short sessions.

It really is the most ideal bit of kit for the mobile approach as it packs down into a long narrow fabric bag which will fit into just about any rod holdall.

The ten screw in style ‘T’ pegs are a little on the weak side and the rubber heads tended to twist a bit on attempting to screw them into the hard soil of the Cray pool.  I didn’t use the ground sheet as Ive never been a fan of them really.

Top notch stiching all around and excellent strong feeling storm pole attachments

Not because of the quality or any problems….I just prefer the quickness of not having one. Or having something else that gets damp to put into the car at the end of the session!

There are numerous pegging points around the back and sides of the brolly and these offered up a really good purchase to the ground with the pegs.

Karabina attachment for the Mozi infil panel

The two supplied storm poles are only designed for the sides, but there is a further two storm pole adapters at the front of the bivvy which will screw into any long bank stick or selected storm pole, which is not supplied.

Further more you can now purchase the extra mozi cover which drapes over the front of the brolly. This was a must purchase piece of kit for me due to the masses of anoying little biting insects that inhabit the numerous venues I regularly fish.

The mozi net attaches via a small Karabina to the top of the outside of the brolly. It then drapes over the front and side and pegs down all the way around.

The release catch inside of the brolly feels strong and robust.

There is a good quality, strong feeling zip down the front center of the net which allows good, quick and clear access to your rods.

If you plan to peg the mesh all around then you’ll need to get yourself about another 6 pegs which don’t come supplied. Albeit I felt that it didn’t really need them.

Mozi infil panel draped over the front of the 60" brolly

All in all it’s a cracking piece of kit which will save you a stack of time and effort on the bank side. It will keep you dry, warm and very mobile.

I don’t honestly know how I managed without one this long????

Great stuff from JRC….a really well thought out piece of kit which will certainly see a lot of bank side time with me. I’m smitten with it even after just 4 nights of fishing with it.

8/10 for this piece of kit….the only reason it didn’t get full marks is that I felt the pegs could have been a bit better.

Carp angler lands a monster Bass!

Posted by keens on July 1, 2010 under Catch Reports, Sea Fishing | Be the First to Comment

Experienced Carp Angler Shane Hammond produced this 11.5lb bass on a Lure Rod! Weighed approx. 6 hours after catch the fish would have lost a little weight but was still massive.

The fish was caught at the turn of the tide on Monday 28th on the Porthcawl coastline on none other than a surface popper, strange when you take into account that when gutted it was full of small flounder.

The fish is one of two double figures in the last week from the same destination and we are sure that Shane will now try his hand at bass fishing more in the future!

Meanwhile there have also been increasing number of rays showing up around Witches Point on sandeel and still smoothhound showing off Newton Point and Sker. One of the best summers to date, and only July!

Bass Interest, Missed Opportunities and Facts of Life, South East Wales

Posted by Derek Townsend on May 30, 2010 under Sea Fishing | Be the First to Comment

 By Derek Townsend

Job Satisfaction. “The experimenting and hard fishing of the seventies confirmed for me that (common sense) light tackle together with “species specialisation” was the best way to achieve improved “Job Satisfaction”, more consistent catch results and management of the vagaries of the upper reaches of the Bristol Channel, along the south east coast of Wales.  The idea was to single out the individual prey species (Rays, Bass and Cod) that appealed to me, taking every practical step necessary to ensure that only the species of the day was caught by using the correct technique, gear, bait in the known habitat, at a precise time and state of a particular volume (height) of tide, plus the compatible weather and sea conditions.  The extreme tidal range, clouded waters (solids in suspension) and closed geography do not immediately conjure up a picture of an archetypal bass habitat, ensuring that consistency in any form would only come from a more detailed awareness of the prey species, and the influences the “unique” habitat and “unusual” environment had on their behaviour.  The combination of this acquired knowledge and the tide table predictions were invaluable when adopting the “species specialisation” approach, providing a means by which forward planning became a viable option.  The sacrifice was to restrict fishing for the chosen species to only those occasions when all the factors in the equation came together, the reward was the luxury of a level of consistency on a scale rarely achieved with random fishing.”
If you think about it… If you think about it, most bass claimed as “caught” when using a rod rest of any description, technically owes little to any “skill” or input by the angler apart from baiting the hook and the initial despatch of the bait to a destination, often as not, decided by chance as against design.  It could be argued that the act of baiting and casting is sufficient to justify the claim “caught”, but the fact that the rod is then placed in the rod rest, actually negates any further contribution by the angler until the nod of the rod or the tinkle of the proverbial bell signals a “hit and run” attack or that a luckless fish has stumbled across the bait.  If “alert”, the angler will respond to any indication on the tip, strike and if prompt or lucky, will only confirm what has already occurred; the obliging fish has hooked itself. Often as not, the delay between awareness, picking up the rod, followed by the pause of indecision, is enough to sponsor a lost opportunity.  The end game of bringing the bass to the anglers’ feet can “legitimately” be claimed as a “Landing”. Alas, without that direct, “hands on, holding the rod” participation from the point when the lead weight settles on the seabed, through maintaining continuity of contact with the terminal tackle, recognising and interpreting the subtle interest of a bass, and the subsequent, instinctive, reflex strike action; all of which are confirmation of the REAL battle of wits between angler and fish, a question mark must hang over whether the angler has contributed sufficient skill input to justify claiming that he or she “Caught” the fish.
	Bass Interest and Missed Opportunities. It is impossible to calculate how much “bass interest” goes unnoticed as a result of a rested rod.  The experience of decades of holding the rod and the attending sensitivity and communion with the end tackle, through the line passing across the sensitive pad of the index finger, confirms the almost imperceptible delicacy with which a bass can investigate the bait, so subtle that no way would the presence be expressed on the rod tip.  The exhilaration of sensing a bass interest at the hook, developing as a slight increase in the tension of the line on the index finger, prompting a measured and calculated response, translating into a hooked fish, is a sensation likely to be experienced only by those who are diligent and hold their rod.  This description, commonly described as a “ghost” bite is no exaggeration, and is a factual account of numerous encounters I have had over the years with mature bass up to 9 ½ pounds.  Such scenarios occur more frequently than the reader may suspect.  The resulting strike is often no more than a subconscious, reflex reaction rather than a conscious decision.  When questioned about the bite afterwards, it is impossible to describe what triggered the instinctive reaction.  The degree of “aggression” of a bite is no indicator of the size of the bass showing an interest in the bait.  Often as not, the softest, most delicate and difficult to discern “touches” translate into large, mature bass whereas, the positive, hard, vigorous hits will usually signal   the  “suicidal” attack of immature, junior “school” bass.
Thrill and Skill. The culmination of many years of serious bass fishing, holding the rod and frequent encounters with mature bass, has resulted in my own assessment of the “thrill and skill” element.  From the moment a bass presence at the bait is recognised, to the strike and the setting of the hook, when compared with the final stage, the subsequent playing and landing of the fish, is 60/40 in favour of stage one.  Relying on a rod rest is to be denied the largest portion of any satisfaction to be derived from a very personal, one to one battle of wits with an alert prey.  With experience, playing a large, mature bass is, relatively speaking, the easy part provided the angler remains calm and has a predetermined strategy for landing the fish.
Bass, a Measure of its Sporting Qualities. The tackle used will inevitably have a profound influence on an anglers’ assessment of the sporting qualities of a bass.  Appreciated and applauded if “light”, practical, sensible tackle, appropriate for the ground being fished, is used, so that the natural survival instincts of the bass sponsor a level of resistance that demands an intelligent and skilful response from the angler.  The use of “standard” beach casting gear could diminish the appreciation of that resistance to a level where the beaching is little more than an academic exercise.  Bass, the Facts of Life! It is not the intention of this piece to enter into any debate, discussion or argument about catch and return or the unfortunate despatch of bass just inside the accepted, minimum size.  Such decisions are personal and the sole property of an individual anglers’ conscience.  Ignorance or lack of knowledge often are the culprits, hopefully not greed or ego, so an explanation of the various facets of a basses lifestyle including breeding behaviour may not contribute to improved catches, but could nurture an awareness of the slow growth rate and delicate spawning balance, encouraging a more responsible attitude to the welfare of the species.  Breeding Behaviour and Growth. The waters off the coast of Wales have always been promoted as the extreme, northern edge of the bass’s range.  This has had a direct impact on both the rate of growth and the spawning success when compared with the species found in the warmer, Mediterranean waters.  This declaration has stood the test of time but, of course, there is a “new” and serious influence, global warming.  The impact of this phenomenon on the bass in the Bristol Channel has yet to be assessed, and, as far as I am aware, stands as speculation rather than fact at this time.  Isolated populations of bass have been found as far north as Iceland but whether this is the result of global warming or a delay in recognising that this species was resident in small numbers, awaiting discovery, is not clear.  In the “cooler” waters off the southeast coast of Wales the slow growth rate was to some extent offset by the longevity of the bass, whether this is still true following the increase in commercial, recreational fishing, the intrusion of foreign trawlers and the “warming” of the Bristol Channel is an unanswerable question at this time.  Confidence is further undermined by the reported landings of tonnes of bass at Dutch and French Ports, fish driven south from the Irish and North seas by the extreme cold weather during the early part of this year (2010).Accepting that the status quo prevails until revised, updated, information becomes available, the following generalities explain the natural difficulties the species bass (Dicentrachus Labrax) has had to accommodate over the centuries in order to survive and maintain a sustainable presence in the waters that it has explored and found habitable.Male bass reach maturity (ability to procreate for the first time) between the ages of four to seven years, and females from five to eight years, with subsequent spawning occurring every year between April and June, the success of which is dependent on the climatic conditions and water temperatures prevailing at the time.  Reportedly, the majority of mature bass that the angler encounters are likely to be females and their lifespan statistics are outlined in the following table.  Male bass growth is even slower.
A female bass takes approximately:		ref. B.A.S.S. Measuring Tape.
FIVE years to reach ONE pound		(circa 14 inches/ 36 cms)
TEN to TWELVE years to reach FIVE pounds		(circa 24 inches/ 60 cms)
FIFTEEN to TWENTY years to reach TEN pounds		(circa 30 inches/ 70 cms)
TWENTY years plus to reach upwards of TEN pounds.
Don Cook’s Welsh record bass caught on the 13 th. July 1980 at Aberthaw weighed 17 lb. 6 ozs. (circa 36 inches/ 92 cms) As a guideline, a sensible minimum size for bass which would “ensure” at least one spawning sequence, is 45 cms (circa 18 inches/ approx 2 ¼ lb.)  A measure of a Bass! It has to be said that in this day and age, there is a wide spread acknowledgement of the virtues of  returning bass after capture and many anglers have “signed up” to this idea on a regular basis.  It is quite natural to want a reasonably accurate weight of the fish to be returned, to go with the digital photographs as a record for posterity, but this usually translates into a relatively bulky set of scales and additional stress on the fish.  The Bass Anglers Sport Fishing Society supply a very good alternative to the scales in the form of a “Measurement to Weight” Tape Measure.  The tape is 104 cms. (42 inches) in length, and made from a material called “Tyvek” which is claimed to be tear resistant, rot proof, salt water proof and can be crumpled up and stuffed in the pocket without ill effect.  One edge of the tape is marked with the measurements in cms, the other edge carries the weight to length in lbs and inches.  To achieve an accurate measurement reading, lay the bass on the tape and measure from the tip end of the nose to the closed, flattened down tail.  The tape could be of great use to marshals supervising catch and release bass competitionsThe address for ordering the tape is as follows:John Morgan, 30, Thomas Street, Aberavon, Port Talbot, West Glamorgan SA12 6LTAll proceeds from the sales of the Tape go to the B.A.S.S. Restoration Project which actively promotes the protection of the Bass.  The Tapes are £2.00 each plus 50p p&p up to three tapes. For example: I Tape total cost £2.50, 2 Tapes £4.50 and 3 Tapes £6.50.  For carriage costs of quantities above 3 Tapes, please contact the above.   As yet B.A.S.S. do not have a facility to process credit cards etc., so payment is via a cheque made out to the “Bass Restoration Project”. When is the Right Time for a Rest? In an ideal world there would be NO Rod Rests!!  The paragraph “if you think about it” at the start of this blog, clearly demonstrates just how little input the sea angler has in the actual “catching” process, and the heavy burden of success is firmly and undeniably put on chance and the benevolence of Lady Luck.  I suspect that the U.K. is the capital of the world when it comes to the use of rod rests, which is not intended as a compliment, more an indictment of how sea fishing in G.B. has drifted away from the far seeing concepts of the 1960’s/ 70’s.  “Holding the Rod” is not the requisite of bass fishing alone, but can be equally effective and satisfying when used with other species such as Rays, Cod, Smoothounds, Flounders, Plaice etc., in fact, virtually any species found in British waters.  This concept is not new and was given an airing some 25 to 30 years ago, when adaptations of the “Fighting Butt Pads” as used in Deep Sea fishing, were developed for shore fishing.  Observations of a typical “rod rest” scenario played out around the coast on a daily basis, could go something like this, “Cast, set the rod in the rest, tighten up any slack line, watch the rod tip intently for a few minutes, nothing happening, wander off, talk to the mates, have a cup of coffee, infrequent glances at the rod tip to confirm no visible activity, continue as before, was that a nod on the rod, indecision, stand by the rod hoping the obliging interloper will flag up another trip of the rod tip, fervent rush to the rod, pick it up, grasp the line, more delay while seeking confirmation or otherwise of any feeling of activity, either strike and reel in or return the rod to the rest in the hope that the prey will signal a second show of interest. Discuss the phantom bite with the mates etc.” The likely reality is that either the movement of the tip was the result of crab interest or weed, or if indeed fish interest, the potential prize has long gone, having mutilated the bait in the process. The uncertainty, delays and lost opportunities could be dramatically reduced by the adoption of direct contact with the line, accommodated by the body rod support, irrespective of the species or the length of the rod.  The principle is to cast in the normal manner, then place the rod butt in the “cup” of the “Waist Rod Support”, holding the rod vertically, in direct contact with the line through the index finger, ready and prepared for immediate, no delay due to indecision, reaction to the fish interest.      Float, Fly and Lure fishing are all techniques that require the total involvement of the sea angler from tempting to landing, why exclude bait fishing on the bottom? Fishing Rod Belts. Any sea angler interested in the idea of replacing the rod rest with a fishing Rod belt for more direct contact, or just wishing to understand the concept, “Google” in “Flag Carrier Belts” which will present pages of information on the subject and lists of suppliers. One particular supplier of the “Flag Carrier Belts” which displays a good cross section of belts is the Band Shop. Link: http://www.drum-sounds.co.uk/slings-harnesses-belts-and-leg-guards-106-c.asp As always, shopping around is the most sound idea, not only to search for the best price but to evaluate the different designs before making the final decision. In this day and age of the tangible shortage of  the popular prey fish stocks, with forecasts suggesting that this situation could become even worse, it makes sense to adopt strategy’s and advance any techniques that dramatically raises the probability that awareness, sensitivity and direct contact will maximise any fish approaches to the bait.       Imagine!! Imagine, standing on the beach or rock platform, beach rod vertical with the butt end resting comfortably in the “cup” of the Rod Belt, securely wrapped around the waist, the rod supported by a hand at the reel with the index finger in contact with the line, poised to react instantly or appropriately to the first sign of interest from a bass, smoothound, thornback or small eyed ray!!
NO INDECISIONS!: NO DISTRACTIONS!: NO DELAYS!: NO DOUBTS!…. STRIKE!! Read Mike Thrussell’s review of Derek’s book “Bass Fishing from the shore in South East Wales and More” Click here for “Review”. Buy the book” Bass Fishing from the shore in South East Wales and More” by Derek Townsend Click here for Details.

Small water Tactics

Posted by Keith on May 7, 2010 under Carp and Coarse Fishing, Help and Tips | Be the First to Comment

Q.  How do I go about approaching my new water? It’s a small and shallow pool with a relatively low stock of fish.

Nigel Gleddon from Weymouth.

A. Thanks for your question Nigel. I’m currently fishing a similar kind of water in Devon. Here’s a few pointers to hopefully aim you in the right direction.

Choice of water is very important as the last thing you want to be doing throughout a hard winter is sitting blanking! Fortunately fishing small, shallow waters is invariably the quickest route to a bend in the rod. The reason for this is that being shallow they will clearly warm up much quicker during daylight hours than a lake of much greater depth.

Location is paramount. A fish gives itself away by jumping clear of the water here.

For example, the water I am fishing currently is between 12″ and 4 feet in depth with quite a thick layer of silt formed on the bottom. Silt as most of you know forms due to rotting vegetation, leaves, bait and the obvious fish waste! This layer of silt will warm up with the water and hold temperature for longer periods. This makes silty areas often one of the best places to target during colder months. On some venues the fish also seem to feed far more comfortably on the silt than on clear open areas…..probably down to feeling safer there. What you have to remember about fish is that they are cold blooded creatures that are unlike us unable to maintain there own body temperature. This means that when the water temperature drops away; so does the fishes will to move around expending energy.

Small venues that get regularly fished during the winter, should continue to fish well. Keeping a regular flow of bait entering the water will certainly do your approach no harm at all. I have done this myself over the past few seasons and really reaped the rewards. The particular venue I am fishing at the moment see’s an average 6-8 anglers a week, the majority over the course of the weekend.

This leaves me the week days to target my quarry. Of course we’re not all that lucky to have week days to go fishing! Time on the bank is obviously important for success and the more time you have, the more you will almost certainly catch.

Aerial maps can be really invaluable.

Before we hit the bank side though, it’s important to gain as much information about our choice of venue, target fish, busiest times, current baits used and particular lake topography. Most of you will be now saying ‘How the heck do I get all that before I see the place?’ Well, it’s not that hard to be fair. With the massive popularity of that ‘internety typey thingy’ you should be able to get most of it from there. Most lakes have been talked about at some point and if you do a search on one of the many Search Engines, it’s pretty likely you’ll find some info about the place.

Another useful tool is Google Earth, Google Maps etc. It’s possible to view most of the planet from one of these cool online tools. I’ve managed to view just about all of my venue choices in the last few years, gaining valuable info on shallows, bars, deep spots etc. Very useful! My next tip would be a good few hours spent at the venue prior to fishing and on as quieter day as possible. Take a marker float rod with you and have a good plumb around. Locate gravel, silt areas, weed etc. Make some notes with a pen and paper. Even go as far as to make a drawn map with depths etc on it.

Keep an eye on the weather, feeding times and the moon strike.

I try to make friends with as many of the regulars as possible as this often becomes another invaluable tool for keeping an ear on what’s happening whilst your not there! Especially if you live 100+miles away from the venue as I do!

Ok, so we’ve discussed a few obvious points. Lets get down to the technical stuff.

On arrival I try to keep my self as low key and inconspicuous as possible. Opening and closing car doors many times certainly won’t help your cause! Try and keep all your movements down to a minimum. Unpack carefully and sit well back from the edge of the water.

If you can see the fish, they can certainly see you….vibration really does carry through the ground too. A few years ago I was fishing on a small island made from boggy meadow land.

The water froze over night and when I arose in the morning it was quite amazing to see the vibrations on the iced over water just from gentle bank side movements. Banging bank sticks and pegs in is also a big no no.

Single hook baits can often out fish beds of bait...

I have gone to some real extremes in the past on very clear water venues…..putting large camouflage sheets over my bivvy front and wearing plenty of camou clothing to hide my presence from the weary carp.

My first application of bait would be to apply a gently gently approach and add more bait as and when I felt that what I had added originally had been eaten. I would choose small mesh PVA bags of broken boilies or pellets presented over a boilie hook bait.

Try to present your baits at a different combination of depths and swims. This will help in gauging the likely depth that the fish wish to feed at. I like to keep a log of all my captures, their weight, bait taken on, time of day, weather, water temp and moon strike. All this helps after a short period of time, to get an idea of the best times to fish, thus optimizing your time on and off the bank.

Learning the make up of the bottom of the pool will really make a dramatic difference to your catch rates too. I won’t go to much into this as I have covered Rig Camouflaging in an earlier article where I caught a 30lb 5oz mirror to order for the cameras.

Small PVA bags are my choice when hitting a new venue for the first few visits

Suffice to say that it makes a huge difference. I again proved this a few weeks ago when I bagged the biggest fish in my syndicate venue. A stunning mirror called ‘Scaley Tail’ down a bit in weight but at 29lb 2oz I was still well over the moon with the capture.

This fish in particular avoids the bank side much more than other more ‘mug’ fish. Whether this is down to it’s cleverness or the fact that many of these larger specimens tend to have a few body guards swimming around with them that clean around the areas checking for rigs before the big boys come in for a carefree and safe munch.

To catch this particular fish took a little bit of background work and some clever tricks to disguise my rig materials on the bottom of the lake. After chatting with many of the regulars I was able to gain invaluable information as to where the fish often gets caught from and on whether it has any preferences for certain baits? After sussing it out a bit more and having a lead around one of the likely feeding spots, it was determined that I’d need to get a bit clever with my approach.

One of my main target fish.....'Scaley Tail' at 29lb 2oz

The bottom make up was a combination of soft silt and covered in a stringy, green, soft weed. I had a good root through the tackle box and dug out some Nash Missing Link hook length material in camou green colour 15lb breaking strain. I stripped about 8 inches of the plastic coating away and started to pierce small sections of the removed plastic onto a size 8 Nash Fang Twister hook. After a fiddly 20 minutes or so I had a hook that looked about as realistically weed like as I could get without dragging it through the stuff! I then wrapped the hook length material onto the hook and formed a knotless knot around the coating.

This made the hook quite light weight and really well balanced with a critically bouyant/balanced bait that just settled on top of the lake bed weed. I opted to fish a light 1oz lead on a lead clip thus enabling the lead to be dropped if it snagged. A fluorocarbon main line fished slack with a small helping of single boilies trickled in over the hook bait finished off my approach.

My Missing Link Camouflaged DIY hook!

It didn’t take too long before I nailed a few fish. I kept topping up the swim with a small handful more of boilies and in that session I bagged my target fish too.

So, to wind up……Keep a low profile. Keep vibrations and noise to an absolute minimum. Sit well back from the edge. Try to gain as much info as you can before you arrive. Apply a little and often approach….remember you can put it in but not take it out.

Tight lines

Keith

My Strategy for Bass, Rough Ground and South East Wales

Posted by Derek Townsend on May 3, 2010 under Sea Fishing | Be the First to Comment

 By Derek Townsend

Job Satisfaction.   “The experimenting and hard fishing of the seventies confirmed for me that (common sense) light tackle together with “species specialisation” was the best way to achieve improved “Job Satisfaction”, more consistent catch results and management of the vagaries of the upper reaches of the Bristol Channel, along the south east coast of Wales.  The idea was to single out the individual prey species (Rays, Bass and Cod) that appealed to me, taking every practical step necessary to ensure that only the species of the day was caught by using the correct technique, gear, bait in the known habitat, at the precise time and state of a particular volume (height) of tide, plus the compatible weather and sea conditions.  The extreme tidal range, clouded waters (solids in suspension) and closed geography do not immediately conjure up a picture of an archetypal bass habitat, ensuring that consistency in any form would only come from a more detailed awareness of the prey species, and the influences the “unique” habitat and “unusual” environment had on their behaviour.  The combination of this acquired knowledge and the tide table predictions were invaluable when adopting the “species specialisation” approach, providing a means by which forward planning became a viable option.  The sacrifice was to restrict fishing for the chosen species to only those occasions when all the factors in the equation came together, the reward was the luxury of a level of consistency on a scale rarely achieved with random fishing.”
	Artwork by Derek Townsend
The Chance of a Lifetime.   The concept of light tackle can be applied to all species, but it would be fair to say that along the south east coast of Wales, it is unanimously linked with bass and bass fishing.  A bass of 16 lb 4 ¼ oz caught by P. Lewis at Lavernock Point in 1979, opened many eyes to the potential that was on offer in these local waters. Undoubtedly, Don Cook’s splendid, Welsh record bass of 17 lbs 6 oz caught at Aberthaw on the 13th July 1980, was final confirmation of the credentials of upper Channel bass fishing.  The acclaimed Marine Biologist, the late Donovan Kelly MBE, concluded that both of these fish were home grown and not immigrants from the continent, which was more than enough to quiet any doubts about their origins.  No one can argue that both of  these events are worthy of recognition, superb examples of what the extreme tidal range, clouded waters and fluctuating levels of salinity can produce, maybe only once in a lifetime.  Paced out over the years, there have been other reports of bass exceeding the 10 lb. mark, keeping alive the hopes of those whose sole ambition is to land a leviathan.  The reality for the rest of us is that our aspirations should be more conservative, with a small “c”, happy to log fish of more reasonable proportions, either as an occasional event or, preferably, with consistency.
Behaviour on the Hook.   The behaviour on the hook of different species, and how this will determine the selection of tackle, is dramatically demonstrated by the Rays and Bass.  When being reeled in on a shallow shelving beach, apart from the initial reaction, rays put in a dour performance reduced to little more than a tiring, exhausting sequence of raising and lowering the rod to draw the fish inshore and recover gained line.  When fishing into deep water from a platform, the rays deliberate survival strategy of sitting vertically in the water, exposing the full area of its winged body to the current, demands additional pulling power.  So the emphasis is on using the rod, reel and line that are sufficiently robust to counter this reluctance to come ashore.
	Don Cook with his record breaking bass (17lbs 6oz)
As the readers will confirm, any angler who has caught a mature bass on the appropriate “light” tackle will agree, no way can its performance be described as dour or unexciting.  Once again, the behaviour on the hook is the major defining feature.  The very nature of the reaction of a bass, sponsored by highly tuned survival instincts, opens the door to a wide spectrum of opportunity in terms of the level of light tackle chosen.  After taking into consideration the ground to be fished, the sea/ weather conditions on the day, ultimately it will be down to the skill, confidence and patience of the angler whether the fish is rapidly overpowered or allowed to express its potential before being carefully directed towards the shore.  Stony Stare and Tight Lips!   If you ask a successful bass angler to divulge any of the intricate details which have contributed to his/her consistency, you are likely to be treated to a stony stare and tight lips.  This is completely understandable when you weigh up the costs in time, effort and expense that have gone into acquiring the relevant knowledge and skills.  The reality behind most bass success stories is a well thought out and practised strategy that the angler has found, through experience, produces the goods regularly.  This does not mean that the successful strategy is the same for all the local bass anglers otherwise they would be turning up at the same mark at the same time/ tide state and conditions together.  Fortunately, the permutations of marks, tide states (spring, neap, high/ low water or in between) and sea/ weather conditions are so vast that the risks of any anglers reaching the same conclusion are minimal  Developing a Strategy.  When it comes to developing a strategy for bass, it has proved practical to treat rough ground and surf fishing as separate entities. The behaviour of bass on a “clean” beach, either during the chaotic circumstances of a storm sponsored, active surf or calm, no surf conditions, is far from predictable.  On the other hand, the “permanence”  of the gullies, fixed underwater structures and the like, will throw up a definite pattern of bass behaviour which is discernible and predictable.  The latter relates to fishing a favourite mark or marks regularly, confident in the accumulated knowledge of the best tide, time, conditions and experience.
Derek admiring a bass of 5lbs. 10 Ozs., that fell to a well frozen velvet simmer crab of the soft variety	Personal Strategy for Rough Ground.   My personal strategy for rough ground was built around fishing low water of any tides that did NOT exceed 36 feet (Kings Dock Sill, Swansea predictions) in height down to the smallest, circa 30 feet.  Apart from proving successful in terms of consistency, the logic behind this decision was practicality and self preservation.  In the Bristol Channel, the remnants of the ebb, over low water and around two hours of the new flood, is a period that will demonstrate the dramatic difference in “volume” of water movement between neap and spring tides, which affect the physical opportunity to catch bass.  The conclusion was that the slower the “movement” of the incoming tide, the longer the angler could maintain his/her position, the result being the extended duration the bait remained “stable” on the sea bed, enhancing the chances of detection.  The volume and speed of the inrush of water during the initial stages of the new flood of a spring tide is such that any thoughts of holding position or stability are lost in the rapid retreat, and continuous recasting to keep in contact with the incoming bass running the shallows.  The combination of spring tides and an onshore blow have proved unpleasant, impractical and unsafe to fish in rough ground.
Flagging up the Neap Tides.    The need to forward plan for the pending bass fishing season from June to August, extending into early September, became the priority after completing the proposed programme for the early ray safaris.  Once again it was necessary to consult the tide table predictions and flag up all the tides that fell within the desired band of a maximum height of 36 feet falling to 30 feet.  Just to recap, the strategy being described was developed for   marks which had proven consistent over many seasons.  The logic of fishing low water of neap tides does have a lot of advantages, so it may be worth trying this strategy elsewhere in rough ground.   Dawn to Dusk.   The peak times for bass fishing coincided with the arrival of dawn or late evening, going into dusk.  The early morning shift was my favourite, arriving at the mark around 5.00 a.m. to meet the beginning of the new flood. Dusk could be equally productive and enjoyable for different reasons.  Restricting the use of headlamps to the absolute minimum meant that the potential for fishing at night had to be offset against the risks of stumbling around in the dark through uneven ground.  The perpetual, poor water visibility (solids in suspension) plus the strategy (excluding winds from the east) meant that ALL the listed tide heights below the 36 feet maximum that occurred during the day or night, could be considered for fishing with confidence, irrespective of the prevailing weather conditions.  Sea conditions varying from flat calm to very active water tumbling over the broken ground, have all produced their quota of mature bass.  The Importance of Water Colour. Ideally, the “colour” of the water which promises the best results should be relatively “clear” with a “milky” tint to it.  Experience has proved that the chances of catching bass when there is a dense band of the thick brown, heavily silted water stretching out to sea from the shoreline, are nil.  Bass seem reluctant to venture into this curtain of clouded water because the “solids in suspension” are an unacceptable irritant, passing across the rakers as the water filters through the gills. A Virtue in Secrecy. It has been established that bass return to the same coastal area each year following their winter sojourn.  This knowledge, heart warming as it is to any angler who has sussed out a consistent mark, carries heavy responsibilities from a conservation point of view.  If you do find a good mark, keep it to yourself or at least restrict the broadcasting of this information.  The last thing this local bass population needs is a bout of sustained, heavy angling pressure which could result in a real risk of decline in the resident stock.  Investigating a limited number of local marks thoroughly presents a better opportunity to develop the knowledge and skills necessary to enjoy an annual level of consistency denied those who travel up and down the motorway, following out of date catch reports. Time and Tide, the Wish List! Set out in the following list are all the tides, day and night, that meet the criteria of 36 feet maximum height to the smallest volume of 30 feet, during 2010.  The base options are there from which the angler can make a selection of dates which are compatible with his/her domestic or other commitments.  Closer to each chosen date, reference to the BBC’s 5 day weather forecast on the Internet will give an accurate idea of what the conditions are likely to be on the day.  There is satisfaction to be had when the forecasts and logic are rewarded with results. Remember:  “When the wind is from the east the bites are the least, when the wind is from the west the bites are the best”.

Optimum Tides and Low water Times.

“Wish List” (Add or subtract the local time differences as set out in the Tide Table Booklet.)

Energy and Wisdom.

Having prepared the forecasts and calculations, it is important to apply the same energy and wisdom to the selection of the bait.  The one bait that can be relied upon to deliver consistency in rough ground is crab.  The alternatives such as squid, sand eels, mackerel, lugworm or whatever, are just not up to the job in this type of ground.

Hierarchy of Bass Preference.

There is definitely a hierarchy of bass preference when determining the most effective of the three popular species of crab found along the south east coast of Wales, broken down even further into the most attractive stage of the moult. 

Tabled below is my order of preference from the bait bucket. 

Neap Tides and Bait Famine.

At first glance, fishing the Neap tides does pose, what appears to be, an insurmountable problem.  It is virtually impossible to locate, let alone collect any creditable crab baits from the limited area of sea bed exposed at low water of the small tide sequences.  Good luck and a lot of effort may result in a few common shore crabs, but the much sought after Velvet Swimming and Edible versions will be conspicuous by their absence, out of reach in the underwater terrain only exposed on the spring tides.  There are three solutions that could help to resolve the bait famine-

Fish Tank, Freezing or Fork Out!! 

(1) Fish Tank.                       

Some enterprising anglers have gone to the lengths of setting up “saltwater” aquariums, ousting the brightly coloured tropical fish and replacing them with live crabs.  Careful attention to the crab’s welfare and regular refreshing of the sea water should ensure a consistent harvest of fresh bait throughout the season.

(2) Freezing.

I do not harbour the same reservations about the end product quality of preserving crab baits through freezing as I do for worm baits.  In fact, sticking to the principle of “Bait Collecting= Spring Tides” and “Bass Fishing= Neap Tides” has proved an effective strategy in the quest for consistency.  Keeping crabs in the

family fridge freezer could be grounds for domestic discord, so in order to keep harmony in the household, it may prove a wise move to invest in a small, inexpensive, table top freezer solely for the purpose.  At least, then the overpoweringly attractive aroma of the crab juices won’t be at risk from contamination by the odours of foodstuffs!! (Please replace all rocks the right way down when collecting crabs)

(3) Fork Out!

The third option is to purchase live crabs from the local Tackle shop, but again, the limitations of availability due to the natural sequence of spring and neap tide’s, may restrict the opportunity for consistency of supply.

  Personal Strategy for Surf Fishing. 

A strategy for surf fishing needs to be flexible to accommodate a wide range of conditions that could be met on arrival at the beach.  In my book “Bass Fishing from the shore in south east Wales and More” I have explained in detail the importance of mobility in the surf and how to recognise and maximise the opportunities presented by the discreet feeding stations dispersed all over the beach, by following and adapting the “Road Map” strategy.  I set a limit on the conditions that I was prepared to cope with in the pursuit of enjoyable bass fishing in the surf, so if more than a maximum of a three ounce weight was required to overcome the elements and cast the bait into a prospective feeding zone, I would call it a day. “Fighting” a bass encumbered with a 4, 5 or 6 ounce weight was not an edifying prospect.

Buy the book ‘ Bass Fishing from the shore in South East Wales and more by Derek Townsend’

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A Flotilla of Floats!! By Derek Townsend

Posted by keens on April 7, 2010 under Sea Fishing | Be the First to Comment

A Flotilla of Floats!! By Derek Townsend

“Unofficial” Resolution !!

One of my “unofficial” resolutions for 2010, as far as sea fishing is concerned, is a determination to experiment with different methods of attracting and catching fish, particularly the bass.  I have to admit that success with bait/ bottom fishing for the primary prey species in the 60s/ 70s/ 80s, rather pushed any aspirations to develop the skills to use other fishing methods (float, spinning or fly fishing) into the “long grass”, and the poor visibility in the Bristol Channel was also a disincentive to be more adventurous.  The past was peppered with infrequent attempts at the alternatives but, alas, it was “easier” and more “reliable” to continue with the method that had proved consistent.  “If it isn’t broken, why mend it” was the dictum of the period, but those “times of plenty” are reportedly, a thing of the past.  A cautious step into the relatively untried, a break from the mundane, could be the medicine to stimulate the spirit of enthusiasm, following the succession of parlous and disappointing cod seasons.

Fruitless Fishing Sessions.

Since time immemorial, fruitless fishing sessions have been blamed on a plethora of anonymous culprits, scapegoats held responsible for an apparent fish famine in an area.  Up to a point, in the 21^st Century, it is evident that there is some justification for such complaints, whether the cause is the result of (Commercial or Recreational) overfishing or the perceived effects of global warming.  I am convinced that there are still a sufficient quantity and quality of the prey species in the sea to justify making fishing a credible activity, but in order to reap any rewards from this “depleted” stock, the tactics demand a lot more thought, diversity , and effort.  The days when the fish literally “jumped” on the hook are long gone!

Imagination.

Imagination is one of the sea angler’s best weapons, the ability to weigh up the conditions on the day and select the appropriate rod, reel, line test strength and technique thereby, not only enhancing the chances of results but providing the opportunity to turn an “ordinary” visit to the coast into something memorable.  It is not wise to put “all your eggs in one basket”.  Long rods and long distance casting do have their place in the scheme of things, but this gear should not be expected to deliver the goods all year around.  There is a good case for leaving the 13, 14, 15 or 16 foot rods and the luggage locked away in the garage for the span of the summer months, substituted by a light bass, spinning or float rod, a small shoulder bag and a minimalist amount of bits and pieces.

Sea Angler’s Armoury!!

Experience would suggest that two, possibly three rods of different capabilities, are the minimum requirement in any committed sea angler’s armoury, and that means that a matching pair of beach casters would be classed as one type of rod for this exercise.  Specialist rods for mullet or fly fishing are excluded from this discussion.

What appears to be missing is a willingness to develop new skills which at worst, would make life more interesting and at best could improve catch results.  The fact that such species as 3 or 5 bearded rockling, pouting, and other obscure species are being paraded as fair game under the guise of “specimen hunting” does suggest an air of desperation.

Golf Clubs!!

It was a common view amongst the forward thinking anglers of the 60s/ 70s/ 80s, that the HOW was as important as the actual act of CATCHING a fish.  Personally, I expanded this concept more than most, by developing and building a collection of specialised rods for myself following the same premise as a golfer and his set of clubs.  In total, I had and still do have, a total of nine rods, each designed and built with a  specific purpose to extract the maximum pleasure from the activity that I had chosen as my pastime, sea fishing.  Of course, being a professional rod designer and builder at the time, was a definite advantage, but do not let this be a deterrent to any who may see the virtue in this approach.  There are many good rod blanks available at a reasonable cost, plus excellent rings and fittings from which a perfect stick can be assembled “fit for purpose”. It is not difficult to put together a very professional product of which the builder can be justifiably proud.

Fit for Purpose.

Rod and Length Ft. Ins.    Casting(oz )      Blank        Purpose

(oz)

Zziplex 2000 Sport   11    6             5               Carbon      Long Distance Casting for Rays/ Cod.

Bones Bass Rod Mk 3   11   4        2-4           F/Glass      Rough Ground, Inshore, Bass, Cod and Rays.

Bass, Heavy Surf.

Medium Taper O.D.    10   4           1-2             F/Glass       Bass, Light to no surf (calm).

Fast Taper O.D.    10   4               1-3             F/Glass       Bass, Medium surf.

Medium Taper O.D.    9   0             1-3            F/Glass       Heavy Float Fishing, Bass.

Medium Taper O.D.    6   9              1-2           F/Glass       Medium Float Fishing, Bass.

Fast Taper O.D.     6   9                    0-1            F/Glass       Light Float Fishing, Mackerel, Whiting.

Medium Taper O.D.    10   0         1-3               F/Glass       Heavy Spinning, Bass

Fast Taper O.D.    7   0                  0-1                F/Glass       Light Spinning, Bass, Mackerel.

A Flotilla of Floats!

Developing my float fishing skills during the pending summer (weather permitting), is the intention and to facilitate this desire I have purchased a range of different capacity floats which, it is hoped, will meet all the various sea conditions.  Just writing about it is sponsoring a wave of enthusiasm, despite the fact that it is the middle of February and looking out of the studio window, I can see deep snow on the hills beyond the M4 motorway.  It was my intention to test each float for balance and “sinkability” in my water butt today, but a thick coating of ice on the surface means this has to go on the back burner for the time being.

Specification of Floats.

It is the hope that the floats purchased will prove to be a good cross section, capable of covering most of the eventualities, but keeping an open mind means that additional float capacities will be added if and when necessary.  The main targets will be bass, mackerel and whiting in season so the “Day-Glo” colouring should make the floats visible even in turbulent water.

“Jardine” Style Lead Weights.

In my opinion, the perfect weights for both float fishing and spinning are the spiral, grooved sinkers, “Jardine” leads, because they are so easy to interchange as and when required.  You may experience difficulty in sourcing these lead weights, but at the time of writing Eddie Baker and Ian King, professional fishing weight manufacturers of Chard, Somerset, have the moulds to produce nine different density “Jardine” leads as set out in the chart and displayed in the accompanying photograph.

E-mail: info@fishing-weights.co.uk

In a “Jif-fy”!!

Inevitably, there are limitations to the distance it is practical to cast even a large version of the conventional floats, and the material composition is not suitable for working over very rough ground. An idea that has been spluttering around in my head for decades, so simple, logical and obvious, is to float fish a crab bait over the picking grounds where on spring tides I do my collecting.  The sea bed is exceptionally rough, unforgiving, a graveyard for leads and end tackle even with a weak link strategy.  It is a fair bet that the bass will be attracted to this unwelcoming terrain where the crab are at their densest.  Falling back on a method regularly used (albeit as an aid to spinning) around the hot water outlets of the Aberthaw Power Station decades upon decades ago, could be the ideal solution.  The plastic “Jif” lemon juice container, emptied, filled with wax, drilled and fitted with a “Biro” tube through the centre satisfies all the criteria, acting as a robust float yet heavy enough to cast a good distance with a bass rod.

“Umpteen” Creeks and Gullies!

Like all aspects of sea fishing, picking the right time, place, tide and weather/ sea conditions is paramount if float fishing is going to be both practical and enjoyable.  The success of using a “Jif” float from the beach is directly linked to the volume of the tide and whether there are benign surf conditions.  Ideally, small (neap) tides and calmed water, limiting the volume and disruption of the seas’ surface, would create the most attractive scenario when float fishing from a beach platform.  Keeping in touch with the “Jif” float, controlling the amount of slack line without drawing the float inshore more than the action of the normal swell of the sea, is a skill to be learned.  There are “umpteen” creeks and gulley’s  along the south east coast of Wales, which could afford excellent float fishing, casting from a rock station above sea level, whatever float arrangement is used.

Footnote:  A float fishing competition as an alternative to the normal match format, may be worth consideration?

Forthcoming Blog, published May 2010: “My Strategy for Bass, Rough Ground and south east Wales”.

Buy Derek’s new book “Bass fishing from the shore in south east Wales and More”.

Click here for details.

Long Distance Casting- A Blessing or a Curse?

Posted by Keith on March 8, 2010 under Help and Tips, Sea Fishing | Be the First to Comment

by Derek Townsend

Obsolete Ideology!

Historically, there has always been a culture of powerful rods, high test strength lines and heavy density leads associated with sea fishing from the shore in south east Wales.  The combination of the extensive tidal range, strong currents and the shallow, shelving nature of the sea bed in the Bristol Channel, was responsible for the mindset that sponsored the use of extreme fishing tackle as the only way, if not to tame these elements, then certainly to make fishing a practical proposition along the south east coast of Wales.

This was the reality before the revolutionary advances in rods, reels and line technology circa the 70’s and onwards, presented the sea angler with both the tools and the opportunity to escape from the restraints of this obsolete ideology.

Long Distance Casting – A Blessing or a Curse?

The current “long distance casting” epidemic has done little to curb this phenomenon or stimulate an awareness that there are alternative approaches waiting for those who wish to add real enjoyment to their sea fishing.  It is a myth that by learning a more effective casting technique and using it at EVERY visit to the shoreline, this alone will automatically guarantee improved catches in both quality and quantity of all species.

In fact, this practice can be counter productive, often putting the bait into barren ground beyond the habitat of some of the desired prey species, such as bass for example, or even rays, that at some marks from the shore, can lay in wait in the trench, within easy casting range at low water of a big spring tide.  Winter cod fishing was an example where having the ability to cast a bait a considerable distance, could pay off handsomely at SOME locations (like Dungeness), but alternatively, there were local marks where good sport with codling of 6, 7, 8-ish lbs, or Thornback/ Small Eyed Rays circa 8 lbs., could be enjoyed using 11 lb. breaking  strain (monofilament) line, 2 ounce (no grip) leads and my Bones Bass Rod Mk. 3, close inshore in rough ground, a la bass fishing.

When the novelty begins to wear off, realisation will dawn that LDC is not the all encompassing panacea for lack of success.  Ultimately, nothing will replace knowledge, skill and an intelligent, rational use of ALL the techniques available to the sea angler, WHEN and WHERE experience demands.

The fish in the above photographs were all hooked inside a casting distance of circa 30 yards (90 feet) maximum, in rough ground, as were approximately 70% of all the prey fish (mainly bass but rays, cod and the occasional smoothound) caught by my sons and I  in any one year.  Accurate, as against distance, casting plus the correct bait was the key.

Having said all that, I would not hesitate to encourage every sea angler who takes a rod to water, to learn one of the modern casting techniques, such as the Pendulum style, from a competent, experienced and proficient practitioner.

The Good, the Bad and the downright Dangerous.

One thing for sure, Long Distance Casting in south east Wales is here to stay and its popularity is readily visible along the coast, be it of varying degrees of competence, ranging from the good, the bad and the downright dangerous.  There is little doubt that the distances being achieved, together with the aspirations to do better, are down to the improved design of the blanks and the accelerated use of modern materials such as Carbon Fibre, rather than any revolutionary development of the basic technique which has its roots well into the past.

It is debatable whether the skilled practitioners of today would have faired any better than their counterparts some 30 to 35 years ago, had it not been for these technological advances in blank/rod design and construction.  This discussion relates to the use of LDC as an important tool in the armoury of sea fishing, separate from Tournament Casting.

Acceptance of short comings and a desire to learn.

In the 21st Century, the opportunity to learn a modern casting style in this region either through formal, organized seminars, or via individual tuition, is widespread and any would be students are spoilt for choice.

This was not the case back in the 1970’s!  Aspirations then, using the standard beach casters (average length= 12 feet) of the day, were much less than would be acceptable today, with the achievement of 150 yards (137 metres) to 175 yards (160 metres), “lead only, 5 ounces, over grass”, being considered miraculous.  At that time, “blank/rod” technology was in its infancy and the average ability using the “up and over” style with the available materials (rod, reel and line) would result in a measured distance of 65 yards (59 metres) to a maximum of 85 yards (78 metres).

With initial instruction in the pendulum style, this distance could be improved, on average, to 100 yards (92 metres) up to 130 yards (119 metres), with the best students reaching 150 yards (137 metres) plus.   Translate these performances onto the beach plus the vagaries of bait, wind, and weather and the reality was that the lead would, probably, enter the sea at around (a) 55 yards (50 metres) to 75 yards (69 metres) before instruction and (b) after instruction, possibly 85 yards (78 metres) to 110 yards (101 metres). These statistics, compared with the current distances being achieved, illustrate just how much influence technology has had on the potential performances of ordinary sea anglers over a period of a 1/3rd of a century.

“How does your casting measure up?”

On a historical note, I am quoting an edited version of an article titled “How does your casting measure up?” which I wrote and had published in the February, 1977 issue of ANGLING magazine, (Byblos Productions Ltd.) to give the reader an authentic feel for the period, and to provide a yardstick against which later generations can measure the improvements in distance attributable to the advanced technology.

(All distances quoted are for the popular lead density of the time of 5 ounces and using standard, every day beach casters of the popular assembled length of circa 12 feet)

The arrival of each new cod season is inevitably accompanied by a plethora of articles in angling periodicals, all emphasising the importance of developing a style and a capability to cast lead and bait more than 100 yards (91 metres) as a starter to any measure of success that may be achieved with this species.  Of course, not all cod fishing involves the use of this ability, and indeed, the value of Long Distance Casting is not restricted to cod alone, although it was the initial source of inspiration to those early pioneers of the technique.

Despite the abundance of these articles expounding the virtues of this and that casting style, many sea anglers remain apathetic, although I suspect that in most breasts lurks a wistful desire to equal the ability of the Darkins, Darlings and others of this world.  I am convinced, through my own experiences, that many sea anglers will only be inspired by actually seeing what a proficient L.D. Caster can achieve with the everyday tools of sea angling, be it on the tournament field, on the beach during a fishing session when all the vagaries of wind, weather and terrain are in play, a situation with which the less accomplished angler can relate.

Assuming that it was possible to accurately quantify all the sea anglers who cast from the shore, I wonder what the outcome would be if it was possible to calculate the percentage ratio of the following criteria to mass?  How many anglers, using their standard “ beach casting” outfits, can cast a lead alone (a) over 200 yards (182 metres) (b) over 175 yards (160 metres) (c) over 150 yards (137 metres) (d) over 125 yards (114 metres) (e) over 100 yards (91 metres) and (f) over 75 yards (69 metres)?   Most of us express our casting distances in the light of our achievements with lead only, thereby ignoring the natural limitations imposed by paternoster rigs, bait etc, which is why the above question was posed.   The results of this theoretical survey would be pure speculation, although I suspect that the biggest percentage would be attributed to category (f), followed by a significantly reduced percentage for category (e), with the scale tapering off dramatically from category (d) through to (a).

Once again, recalling my own past experiences, it seemed natural at the time to draw the conclusion that, despite the absence of any reliable yardsticks against which to make a comparison, my achieved distances must be exceeding the hundred yard (91 metres) mark, and it wasn’t until the opportunity presented itself via a club organised casting tourney, that the truth was revealed.   At the time, I was getting nowhere near the hundred yard (91 metres) post…more like 80 yards (73 metres) plus, lead only.  By the way, I wasn’t the only one whose ego took a substantial knock that day!

Far from being unique, it would seem that this capacity to over assess distances is an angler’s prerogative, illustrating a deep-rooted complex which is associated with the inability to cast at least 100 yards (91 metres)…we all have to start somewhere!
Returning to the articles referred to earlier, if there is any criticism to be levelled at their content, then I feel that it must be directed at the emphasis placed on distances in excess of 150 yards (137 metres),lead only, the impression being that this is the norm.   Failure to reach this standard nurtures an inferiority complex amongst those who cannot achieve it, hence the “Hundred Yard Syndrome”.  I think it is reasonable to suggest that distances of at least 135 yards (123 metres), lead only over grass, will be achieved by those who have a natural ability, or have developed a fluent style through dedication or opportunity to practice for long hours…a luxury of the minority rather than the majority.

There is a need for some targets to which an aspiring novice caster can relate, but taking into consideration the wide spectrum of abilities and restricted time available for practice, I am sure the continual references to distances of 150, 160, 170 up to 200 yards, lead only, is the point where many lose interest who may have taken up the challenge if less awesome yardsticks punctuated these otherwise instructive articles.”

Just a reminder that this edited article was written and published in early 1977 and clearly demonstrates an apparent lack of enthusiasm for Long Distance casting in south east Wales, mainly due to the fact that accomplished L.D. Casters, “role models”, were thin on the ground in the region to the point of virtually being non existent.  The distances in the piece are a true reflection of what was being achieved by the sea angler of average ability using the standard beach casting equipment available at this period.

ANGLING magazine, L.D.C. “Teach Ins.”

In the early 1970’s, ANGLING magazine organised a series of “teach ins” on the east coast of England, which presented the opportunity to witness L.D.C. performed by accomplished practitioners, and offered a unique opportunity for individual instruction in a more advanced casting style.  Having benefited from one of the early “teach ins”, I was only too pleased to pass on the lessons learnt, and accepted invitations to demonstrate the rudiments of the pendulum style, impressing upon my hosts that I was not in the “super caster” league.

Casting Instruction and Demonstrations.

One to one instruction.

The average instruction session lasted about three hours, with initial casts using the old “up and over” style, ranging from 65 yards (59 metres) to 85 yards (78 meters), distances that reflected the physique and strength of each individual.

The end result, after a morning’s instruction, was a minimum improvement of, around, plus 35 yards (32 metres), with a fair proportion of the students consistently casting well over 150 yards (137 metres), lead only.

These distances may be small beer when compared to the achievements of today’s casters, but credit must be given to those who were prepared to face up to their limitations over a measured track, as the first step on the road to significant improvements.

Assessing distances cast over sea water by guesswork, or “pacing it out” over grass/ beach, has been proved beyond question, to have no credibility when put to the tape measure.

Derek demonstrates a cast over the measured court.

Preparing for Instruction and a Demonstration of the pendulum style of casting.

Buy the book ‘ Bass Fishing from the shore in South East Wales and more by Derek Townsend’

Hindged Maggot and Worm Madusa D-Rig

Posted by Keith on March 7, 2010 under Carp and Coarse Fishing, Help and Tips, Sea Fishing | Be the First to Comment

Well, it’s started to warm up a bit by day at last….albeit another bunch of cold nights has plagued us again this week.

Unfortunately this put the stoppers on a trip to one of my syndicate waters in Reading this week.

The lake being all bar totally frozen again.

The start of a cold winters night!

With this snap of cold weather being with us I thought that I’d show you one of the rigs which has caught me an awful amount of big carp through the last few winters, when all but a few anglers have caught carp.

My chosen venue for winter always has to have a decent stock of carp to target. Tie this up to shallow’ish water and time on the bank and you have the recipe for good results when most waters have shut up shop.

The rig needs to be simple, invisible and of course, highly effective. The same needs to be said for the bait…..it needs to be highly visible, simple and of course again, attractive!

The baits of which I talk of some of you may laugh at…it is of course the humble maggot and our best friend the  garden worm. These little wrigglers are just what the doctor ordered for a run of fish this time of year.

These baits couldn’t be easier to use and more readily available….obviously the worm from your garden and the maggots from the shop.

A 26lb 14oz common taken in February of this year on 6lb hook length!

I really like a mixture of colors of maggots, red and white minimum really. Tackle for this sort of fishing needs to be gauged to the size of fish you are hoping to catch and of course the venue itself.

The syndicate water i’m currently on in Devon has almost no underwater snags to worry about which means I can get away with very minimal tackle. This of course helps no end in making the terminal tackle invisible. This allows me to step my lines and hook lengths right down to 6lb.

Some of you may now be gasping at the thought of using 6lb line for big carp, but believe me that if you fish with a soft rod, tie good strong knots and play your fish sensibly then there is absolutely no reason why you too can’t catch big fish on light tackle too.

Winter nights can be hard times....

In my old match fishing days down the south of England, we thought nothing of going down to size 22 hooks and 1lb hook lengths for silvers and even catching odd small carp like this too. The reason for fining down the tackle is obvious in that it makes the whole set up less visible in the usually clear water we have around during the colder months of the year.

I’m not saying you should be casting split shot out for weights and size 22 hooks for double figure carp, but the use of 6lb fluorocarbon rig material and size 12 hooks will certainly get you a heck of a lot more bites than using 20lb material and size 4’s!

The humble maggot

You need to start thinking about how the fish react during the colder months of the year.

Many professors of fish science etc will tell you that the species Cyprinus Carpio (Carp) will not feed at water temperatures below 4 deg C….

I wouldn’t say this is a particularly hard and fast rule due to the fact that this year alone I have caught more than 20 fish from water temperatures down to as low as 2.4 deg C.

The maggot clip

Choosing the right fishery is obviously the key point here. It’s no good trying to target a water of 20 feet deep and only a few fish to boot. The main reason being that waters like this will take much longer to warm up as opposed to one of just a few feet deep.

So, we’ve talked a little about the choice of water and our bait etc. Now we need to have a way to present these excellent baits to the fish. There are of course many different ways in which to do this including the use of ‘maggot clips’ which are available

from many of the major tackle brands. I like these clips for their ease of use and simplicity, but I have a preferred method which gives as far as I am concerned a far better presentation.

The knotless knot

You will no doubt have come across this little gem of a method with in the press at some time or another in the past. It amazes me though how few people use it and just how many snub the idea of using maggots and worms for carp as ridiculous!

My principal rig consists of using fluorocarbon in minimal breaking strains as I said earlier in the text.

If I can get away with going down to 6lb breaking strain then the rig will be almost totally invisible withing the depths of the water….even in almost crystal clear water!

I like to team this up to a small hook of 10 or 12.

Forming the knotless knot

To start this rig we need to first cut off a section of fluorocarbon around 10 inches in length.

Now taking our hook, push the line from the point side through to the back of the shank. This is really important because if it goes through the wrong way your rig won’t work properly.

Forming the D section

Now start to twist the line around the shank neatly, around 6-8 turns will suffice. Pinch the twist and hook between your fingers and with the other hand push the line back through the hook eye in the reverse manner to previously.

Pull this up tight and then you’ll have tied your knotless knot which forms the major part of many of today’s rigs.

Our next job is to take a small micro rig ring and place it over the tag end of line left hanging down the hook shank.

This section of line then needs to be also pushed through the back of the hook eye.

Using a lighter to blob tag the end of the D section

Now using a lighter, gently blob the tag of line to stop it pulling back through the eye of the hook.

If you’ve done this correctly then you should be left with a nice little D at the back of the hook shank.

The finished D-rig

Now, this is a little fiddly but place a small size 11/12 ring swivel onto the main section of fluorocarbon. This needs to be tied to the line using a blood knot of 5-6 turns.

Make sure that you wet the knot thoroughly with saliva as fluorocarbon will be damaged badly if it is not moist when pulled tight into a knot. The length you choose to tie this swivel on will be the depth you choose to fish the maggots at.

Use a blood knot to tie on the micro ring swivel

The principal behind this is that the small swivel will act as a hinge in the rig, allowing freedom of movement by the bait and also suitably counter balancing the buoyancy of our pop up baits too.

Right, our final rig part entails another section of the Fluorocarbon material. Cut away a section around 10-12 inches in length. Again this needs to be tied onto the swivel with the use of a blood knot.

Tie on a size 8 ring swivel to the end of the rig

At the other end of the almost complete rig we tie another ring swivel of size 8. This time I use an overhand or Loop knot which allows good freedom of movement in the rig.

Ok, so our rigs looking pretty tasty. We need to now look at our bait attachment. Using a section of dental floss, around 8-10 inches in length. Tie this onto the micro rig ring on the back of the D rig.

Thread on real and buoyant rubber maggots using a sewing needle

You can use any old knot for this attachment. Now with the two sections of floss left hanging from the micro ring we start to get things into shape.

Get yourself a small sewing needle and thread one section of the floss through the eye of the needle. With the needle end start to insert it through the ‘eyed’ end of each maggot gently teasing them onto the needle without causing them to ‘pop’!

Thread each of the maggots one by one down onto the floss. After you have sewn on around 4-5 maggots you’ll need to add a buoyant plastic maggot or two.

Restart the process of threading the real maggots again and after 5-6 of these add another couple of plastic one’s. I do this around 4-5 times. I like to add a few chopped worms to this as well.

Worm Scissors

I chop the worms up using a set of three tier worm scissors which makes quick work of a bunch of worms.

You can test the buoyancy of the baits in the margins of the water or in a bucket……I try to match it up so that the small hinge swivel is just enough weight to make the bait drop down in the water before sitting proud of the lake bed by the length of the hinged section.

Chopped worms...yummy!

Once your happy with the neutrality of the buoyancy then you can simply pull the two floss sections together and tie them in a knot.

This will in turn pull all the maggots and chopped worms into one tidy ball of bait.

If you find that the whole setup is just not buoyant enough then you’ll need to add a small section of buoyant foam to the floss.

Ready to cast

I like to add this about half way through the threading process.

Now we have our rig ready to go, it’s just a case of casting it out and catching a few fish!

It’s obviously better to fish this method over some free offerings too though….I opt to either PVA bag these up or to spod the maggots and chopped worms out to the chosen spot.

Perfection!

As you can see in the pictures opposite….the baits look fantastic sitting in the water just off the deck of the lake and the colour and size of the baits look perfect for a bite!

So, what are you waiting for????? Get out there and dig some worms, get a few pints of mixed maggots in your bait box and go and haul some winter lumps!

Tight Lines

Keith

Rays a Laff! By Derek Townsend

Posted by keens on February 8, 2010 under Sea Fishing | Be the First to Comment

Ray’s a Laff!! by Derek Townsend.

Job Satisfaction!

The experimenting and hard fishing of the seventies confirmed for me that (common sense) light tackle together with “species specialisation” was the best way to achieve improved “job” satisfaction, more consistent catch results and the management of the vagaries of the upper reaches of the Bristol Channel, along the south east coast of Wales.  The idea was to single out the individual prey species (Ray’s, Bass and Cod) that appealed to me, taking every practical step necessary to ensure that only the species of the day was caught by using the correct technique, gear, bait, in the known habitat, at the precise time and state of a particular volume (height) of tide during the most appropriate weather and sea conditions.  The combination of knowledge and the tide table predictions was invaluable when adopting the “species specialisation” approach, providing the means by which forward planning became a viable option.  The sacrifice was to restrict fishing for the chosen species to only those occasions when all the factors in the equation came together, the reward was the luxury of a level of consistency on a scale rarely achieved with random fishing.

A Ray of Hope!!

Although the ray’s did not inspire a sufficient level of enthusiasm to justify making them an all year target, never the less they were a welcome introduction to the new season after the long, winter lull from late January.  As long as the criteria were met on the day, making the effort could provide the long overdue opportunity to enjoy some fresh air and exercise.  Regular as clockwork, every February or March, it was habitual to sit down with a copy of the new tide table book, a calculator and some coloured pens, in readiness to plan my programme of ray and bass fishing for the coming season.

(Please Note: The Tide Table Predictions are for the King’s Dock Sill, Swansea.  The Tide Table books are available from Keens Tackle and Guns, Aberkenfig, at £1.00 per book, p& p £0.70p if applicable)

E-mail address: sales@keenstackleandguns.co.uk

Highlights!

The first job was to highlight ALL those tide volume (height) predictions in the tide table book from April to  the end of May inclusive, that experience over many seasons had proved to be the most productive for the rays, within this two month period.  The high water times of the selected tide heights were extended to produce the approximate time of low water, by adding in one hour for British Summer Time plus six hours and ten minutes to calculate the approximate time of low water.  At the mark I visited every year for ray fishing from April to May inclusive, the factor that governed the choice of tide height was the need to reach a shallow trench offshore where the rays rested before coming inshore with the new flood. Low water of a spring tide of 39 feet (height) was the minimum datum from which my casting ability would allow me to reach and deposit a narrow strip of squid accurately into the all important trench.  Having to rely on a reluctant sun to warm the inshore waters meant the selected tides fell during the hours of daylight.

Demonstration of Technique.

I have taken the actual predictions for April and May 2010, carried out the necessary calculations, displaying the results as they are written up in my tide table book.

April 2010                                                                   May 2010

Time               Height                                              Time             Height

Date     Day           HW          LW            (ft)              Date     Day        HW          LW         (ft.)

1       Thu            08.39        14.49*        42.1              1        Sat         08.53       15.03*     39.5

2       Fri              09.17        15.27*        41.1

3       Sat             09.52        16.02*        39.4             15       Sat          07.56       14.06*     39.1

15       Thu           07.44         13.54*       39.3            16       Sun         08.35       14.45*     39.1

16       Fri             08.18         14.28*       39.4

17       Sat            08.50         15.00*        39.1

* Denotes optimum Low water time.

27      Tue            06.04         12.14*        40.1              ( One hour of ebb to low water,

28      Wed           06.51         13.01*        40.7               Three hours of new flood.)

29      Thu            07.34         13.44*        40.8

30      Fri              08.15         14.25*        40.4

Optimum Tides and Low Water Times.

These are the optimum tides and low water times that are predicted to occur during the months of April and May 2010 for the south east coast of Wales, that past experience has shown would provide the best opportunity to reach the trench and put the squid strip within the province of the rays.  Add to this the forecasted weather and sea conditions closer to the selected day, as per the World 5 day weather service courtesy of the BBC’s web site.  This is all the information needed to make a decision.  Although this strategy was successful at one particular mark, there is absolutely no reason why it should not apply to any of the shallow shelving stretches of sandy beach along the south east Wales coast. The peak period of activity was the last hour of the ebb to low water, and three hours of the new flood.  A monopod as against a tripod rod rest, was always preferred because the rod could be presented vertically, with the line well clear of the active water for a much greater distance out to sea, and the initial slack line bite, kick of the rod tip and the modest run inshore was much more dramatic, positive and visible.  Never found any need for fancy bait concoctions, a simple strip of squid cut from the mantle, folded over the hook shank twice and secured with elastic thread always seemed to do the trick. (Fresh squid strip, ¾ inch wide x 6 inches long, cut to a point). Beach fishing usually goes hand in hand with long walks so it might be prudent to leave the “luggage” secure in the car boot, taking only the absolute minimum of bits and pieces in a small, practical shoulder bag to lighten the load.

Tackle Specification: Ray Safaris

The gear (rod, reel, rig and Mustad hook) listed in the following chart, is what I used on those early ray “safaris”, however, the lines are what I would use today.

Prey Species: Rays (Thornback and Small Eyed)

Venue Description: long expanse of shallow shelving sandy beach.

(for example: Monk Nash, Dunraven Bay, Ogmore Sands, Rest Bay, Kenfig Sands Margam Sands (Morfa Beach), Aberavon Sands)

Target……Shallow trench estimated 100/120 yards offshore from low water line of 39 ft datum.

Rod……….12 foot, two piece beach caster, self built on the Zziplex 2000 Sport Carbon Fibre Blank.

Reel………Abu 6500c (1975) multiplying, fitted with a handle from an Abu 7000.

Line………14 lbs.bs. (.310 mm diam) Sakuma Lite Crystal.

Leader……50 lbs.bs. (.600 mm diam) Sufix Zippy.

Weight……5 ounce Breakaway Lead.

Rig……….Single hook, Running Paternoster (constructed from 50 lbs. bs. Sufix Zippy).

Hook……..Mustad 79510, 4/0, well sharpened, tied to 10 lbs.bs. Berkley  Iron Silk (12 inch long) snood.

Rod Rest…36 inch aluminium monopod, self made, pushed into sand to hold rod vertically.

Bait………Narrow (3/4 ins. wide by 6 ins. long, cut to a point) squid strip. Thread strip over hook twice

so that a minimum of  2/3rds. is trailing from the hook. Secure squid to hook with elastic thread.

Casting…..Pendulum Casting style.

State of the Tide….One hour of the ebb to low water, three hours of the new flood.

Tidal Volume (height)…Minimum height of 39.0 feet. (Based on predictions for the Kings Dock Sill, Swansea)

Sea Conditions…Calm, from flat to light surf.

Weather Conditions…No wind to light breeze (from south to west). Dry with a benevolent Spring sun, strong enough to warm the shallow, inshore waters.

Ray Safaris and a Tug of War !!

At first glance, the tackle specification selected for ray fishing would probably not comply with the initial “light tackle” expectations of the reader.  The rays are not renowned for their robust “fighting” behaviour on the hook, so bringing the fish to the anglers’ feet on the beach, was usually an extended, uneventful, strenuous pull.  Common sense dictates the suggested line test strength of 14 lb.(.310 mm diam) Sakuma Lite Crystal on the basis of the “tug of war” aspect, although 10 lbs. bs. Berkeley Iron Silk also at .310 mm diameter might add a touch of adventure to the proceedings.  On a good day, it was not unusual to land 2 to 3 rays during the early part of the fresh flood, ranging between 4 to 10 lbs.

Unless you are partial to eating a “wing or two”, please carefully unhook the fish, handle it with care, take the necessary photographs and return it to “fight” another day.  Thank you, D.T.

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