Alan Yates web diary December 08
Since I came back from fishing South West African beach champs in The Gambia I have been fishing as often as I can. The lower North Sea and English Channel are full of cod and some of the best shore fishing for years is being enjoyed by the region’s sea anglers. Cod between 2lb and 9lb are everywhere and we all know why, because of the cod quota ban imposed on the commercial fishermen fishing the North Sea.
Around the rest of the British coast things are not so rosy – The Solway, Cumbria, Lancashire and the Irish Sea area are experiencing their worst cod season for years because there the commercials are allowed to continue netting fish that are not big enough to reproduce. It’s a vicious circle and whilst the lower North Sea cod are relatively safe at present (Except from the commercial fishermen who are so pissed off by the quota ban that they are deliberately catching cod and tipping them back dead!) The Kent cod are only just starting to show a roe and this season will start to spawn, but if the nets are allowed back before they do then the quota ban will be wasted.
Just to wet your appetite for a drive down to the South East these are the results of a few shore competitions held recently.
 Dover Sea Angling Associations anglers got on to the southern breakwater after a dramatic change in the weather for their Christmas Open with the wind dropping away from a south east gale force nine to a northerly breeze. Pegged between the knuckle and peg 70 competitors found the codling in attendance with weights of 35lb not making the top three. Winner of the main Christmas hamper was Folkestone angler, Greg Dixon with a last cast double shot of cod (best 6lb 10oz) dragging him from also ran to winner in dramatic fashion. Greg landed 9 codling plus dogfish and pout from peg 20 using a short trace and 2/0 hook baited with lugworm and squid below a fixed wire lead. Second place from peg 10 in the knuckle at the Eastern end of the wall was Ex England man, Dave Andrews of Broadstairs with 9 codling plus dogfish etc for 45lb, his best cod was 6lb 8oz. Third place went to myself on peg 13 with 37lb 15oz and my best was 7lb 3.5oz. Dover breakwater is open Weds, Sat and Sunday and boats go to the breakwater only if the wind is under a force seven (Dover motor boats can be reached on Tel 01304 206809) A good standy-by venue is the nearby Admiralty pier.
At Deal the same day the Deal 1919 Angling Club’s Christmas Festival also enjoyed the perfect storm with a top weight of 9.480kg for local angler, Simon Harrison who landed ten smaller codling from the Sandown groynes section. Overall a total of 180kg of fish were weighed in. The Dover based Kingfishers Sea Anglers Club held their seasonal event at Dungeness Point. Winner there was, Nathan Elliott of Dover with 40lb 8oz and he included the best cod of 9lb 8oz.
The biggest problem for shore anglers at present is getting hold of some lugworm although in my area with so many codling about easier to obtain squid is good enough on its own if you are desperate to get out fishing. Top tactic for catching the codling at present is a Pennell rig which includes two hooks in a single big bait – A whole Calamari squid and four good sized lugworms is about standard. If you are looking for hooks for your Pennell I will tell you that you will find none better than the Fox Sea Power Point 3/0 FA pattern, Available from Fox Sea dealers in 100 boxes. They are razor sharp and strong, essentials for the Pennell. My old mate Jim Dobie from Peterlee rang me the other day to say that he was impressed with the FA pattern and if Jim is impressed they must be good. In fact I cannot lay claim to the design although I tweaked it after the original by ex Fox consultant Mike Thrussell. The rest of the range are not bad either with the chemically etched points particularly sharp – I foul hooked a dogfish in the tail with an FA last week and that’s sharp!
Back to Gambia – Myself and a few of the anglers that fish the Gambia in November are returning in March 09 for a new event – It’s the World tropical Shore Champs and takes place on the 15th and 16th March from Kotu Beach. Enter at the Kombo Beach, Hotel at 3pm both days – Fishing is 5pm until 9pm (Bring a headlamp) Bait will be supplied. All are welcome, I would add that the match is not too serious, but the break in February in the Gambian sun and the fishing is! For more details contact me; alankyates@aol.com Tel 01303 250017
Alan Yates web Diary November 08
I fished the British Sea Angling Championships at Deal in Kent recently and for a change drew a peg with a shout. Peg 16 at Sandwich Bay was in the coloured water whilst much of the venues would be hard going in the clear water and bright conditions. In the event I blew it big time and an angler down tide of me casting short cut my line twice costing me fish. At twenty minutes a cast, two casts lots add up to 40 minutes and that’s a lot to give other matchman. In the event I ended seventh and second in the zone a matter of grams behind those in front of me. It was so close that the top ten were separated by a single fish – if only? The winner of the event was Brian Smith of Deal who made the most of the pout in front of him to snatch out 22 for 2.800 kg and the £1000 first prize plus pools.
The following weekend I fished the Sheerness Steel Kent Classic in which 400 plus hopefuls lined up along the Isle of Sheppey’s front beaches and with an onshore gale the day before hopes were high. My smile lasted as long as the draw bag but there were some amused faces when I announced the number I had drawn, 57. A best mate who shall be nameless said, “That’s a go home peg Alan” whilst another resident of the island agreed and added “That’s the moat, a shallow fishless desert, a waste of bait” Now I am a confident angler at the worst times and although I was a bit set back by such comments and I knew enough about the Isle of Sheppey to know that they were right, I was determined to fish, you can’t give up!. The situation was made worse when my fishing buddy, John Wells drew the same area. Well to cut a long story short I fished very well for one 33cm whiting to show for my efforts. Undersized pout and bass kept the rod tip nodding, but I stuck it out to the final whistle despite having lots of mobile calls from my mates in the other sections that were catching codling and whiting galore and indeed the eventual winner, Lewis Clark from Southend landed 36 fish. No glory for me at all and an early shower, but just to prove I was right to fish the peg despite the dismal prospects, John Wells on peg 40 scratched out a 38cm flounder and it won the heaviest flatfish prize of £500!
I took a mate trout fishing, he is a total novice and I chose Lakedown in Sussex for the day – It’s a truly magnificent fishery with lovely views, fin perfect trout and a good range of prices. I would have loved to give the new specimen lake a try, but at £60 for four fish its stocked with specimens up to 18lb, but I thought it a bit much for a first timer so stuck with the three other lakes.
As I strolled down to Lake Four a guy on a mountain bike was peddling towards me red faced “morning” I said as he passed “Morning” he replied. I was stunned WHO was it but Roger Daltrey who owns the fishery. Now I would have loved to have stopped him for a chat but I guess he gets fed up with people wanting to talk. I ended the day with three beautiful rainbow trout all landed on a Viva and Paul my beginner pal also managed a limit. For details of the fishery log on to: www.lakedowntroutfishery.co.uk
The switch to night fishing as the clocks went back brought a rush for efficient lighting and fortunately sea anglers are well catered for nowadays, especially with the many multi LED headlamps. I currently use a Speleo that has no less than 14 LEDs plus a halogen bulb for a power beam. The big plus with the LEDs is that unlike bulbs they don’t “blow” and their light output is less draining on batteries. However occasionally your headlamp may let you down and my answer to that problem is to carry a small carp headlamp type as a reserve back up. The Fox Halo HT 85 at £24.99 is the perfect small headlamp giving up to 70 hours continuous use.
Christmas Fur and Feather Date and Sponsor
The date is to be SAT 13th DECEMBER 2008
the sponsor is
CHRIS WEBB BAIT 'N' TACKLE BLACKPOOL
Heaviest fish match
3 CRACKING PRIZES ,PLUS BEST FANCY DRESS
All anglers who fish will win a prize ,good raffle ,food etc ...
venue
GYNN WALL 8.30AM TILL 1 PM
( back up venue marine beach fleetwood or fairhaven at lytham depending on weather and wind direction )
This is a match for normal fishermen just to enjoy themselves and have the crack.
Tickets will be £5.00 and will be available from chris's shop by the end of the week.
Please can you order your bait from chris on 01253 342400 i will need some help with this but I am away filming in america for 9 days from this friday.
You will be able to buy tickets on the day but they will be a different colour than chris,s and you will miss out on a special prize.
All money raised is for THE NEW CHILDRENS HOSPITAL APPEAL
Go on the site its all for the most poorly children in lancashire and surrounding areas
any questions just fire away i just want this to be a great event for all the forum boys and girls andy (wormgutz)
ps chris will open from 7 am on the morning
Alan Yates web Diary 15th October 08
A day out in the Fox International sponsored charter boat, Brighton Diver out of Brighton Marina proved my belief that it was possible to catch a conger on a carp rod, despite some scepticism from a few – Carp angler Ian Chilcott gave the new Fox Stratos 12000 MAG fixed spool reel a real work out with a 40lb plus conger hooked from a wreck in the English Channel. He was aided by some tackle and bait management plus coaching from myself, skipper Paul Dyer and Sky Tight lines host, Keith Arthur but deserved the credit for handling a beast of an eel that gave him the run around on 30lb braid. Ian needed a degree of good fortune to get the fish away from the wreck and I am sure he will live on the story for months to come but it was akin to fishing for carp with a minnow rig, well done Ian, good angling mate!
It was a mixed day for me too because having fished with proper 50lb class conger gear for most of the day, whilst I was snapping away with the camera at other catches Keith hooked and landed a 62lb conger on my rod. That would have been my best ever eel, but now only have a part share.
With a bait shortage looming as the nights draw back, the temperature drops and the rain sheets down I had a novel bait alternative from Dorchester angler, Andrew Peadon. It seems his dad was fishing at Abbottsbury on Chesil, at the hot spot past the houses and wasn’t catching much on the usual lugworm and squid and so added a cod liver oil tablet to his hook point and within 10 minutes he hooked a codling, next cast a dogfish before he ran out of tablets. Am I willing to try this new “bait”? Actually I pickled olives tipped on sandeel for doggie bait and have caught a few pollack on sweet corn sprayed with WD40. Nah, think I will stick with fresh yellowtails and peeler!!
A nice change to see a match organiser spread the pegs. Too many pegged events involve close pegging. OK in the likes of the smaller matches where anglers are of an equal ability, but in the large opens it means that mixed angling abilities are too close for comfort. As a regular matchman how many times have I had an empty peg on one side and thought “ Great lots of room” and at the last minute a novice turns up down tide and casts twenty yards over my line every cast. The Fountain Sea Angling Club from Seabrook have reduced the pegs for their open at Seabrook and Hythe on the 15th February 2009 after complaints that the pegs were too close in the strongest tide. Now the first 200 anglers only will be catered for with the wider pegs. The match carries a £1000 first prize with pools for biggest fish and sections. Book a peg with Brian Barnes on 01303 232024.
Morecambe Shrimps
Rain affecting Morecambe shrimps
Fishing communities in the north-west of England are blaming unusually heavy rainfall for a reduced catch of shrimp.
Excess fresh water running into Morecambe Bay has diluted the sea water, making it less salty.
Marine experts have confirmed it is one of a possible number of reasons for the reduced haul of the seafood.
This August was the fifth wettest on record in the UK, with 139.8mm (5.5in) of rain falling, causing widespread problems.
This will effect the fishing in not only the west coat of the UK but all areas of the UK where water runs off from the land and joins the sea water reducing the salt in the water, this could not only affect boat fishing but fishing from the beach also.Shrimp is the staple diet of all UK fish in the UK but also worm and crab but this bait could also be affected by the lack of salt in the water.  
Sea anglers will have to make there own mind up when making the decision on where to fish, from the beach as the lack of bait in the area because of the fresh water run off will reduce the amount of fish in the area.
If you have any comments on this subject and or evidence of a lack of fish in an area because of the fresh water run off please comment above.
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Free Fishing UK
Free Fishing UK
free carp fishing, free pike fishing,
free trout fishing, free coarse fishing,
free salmon fishing and free barbel fishing
Have you got your rod fishing licence?
Do you buy day fishing tickets normally?
Did you know you can go free fishing in the UK?
No! Well get your fishing rods ready!
Do Free Fishing - UK
free carp fishing, free pike fishing,
free trout fishing, free coarse fishing,
free salmon fishing and free barbel fishing
Have you got your rod fishing licence?
Do you buy day fishing tickets normally?
Did you know you can go free fishing in the UK?
No! Well get your fishing rods ready!
DIRECTORY OF FREE FISHING
LINK
Some of the places in the UK that you can fish without paying for a fishing day ticket – all you need is a valid Environment Agency rod fishing licence of the correct type. Then you can go free fishing, free coarse fishing, free barbel fishing, free pike fishing, free trout fishing and even free salmon fishing!
You can even go carp fishing for free! Yes free carp fishing!
The regions are listed as per The Environment Agency and not by county.
Every effort has been made to make sure that the information contained in this Directory is accurate. Do be aware, however, that Fishery ownership can change at short notice and that telephone numbers and personalities may change also.
Rod fishing is permitted in all tidal waters, however much of the estuarine waters are privately owned and permission from the owners of these waters should be sought. Ordnance Survey 1:50,000 series maps show the normal tide limits (NTL) on river estuaries. Fishing from the shore thereabouts is free as it is considered a public right of way between the high and low water marks. If you are fishing in tidal waters for sea fish or eels an Environment Agency Rod Fishing Licence is not required.
WHEN FISHING PLEASE ABIDE BY NATIONAL, REGIONAL, DISTRICT OR LOCAL ACTS AND BYELAWS. IGNORANCE OF THESE BYELAWS IS NO EXCUSE IN LAW – TIGHT LINES
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