Fox International Web Log

EELY GOOD
Because of a shortage of quality sandeels in recent years I have been forced to cast some rubbish at times, eels that were soft, with burst bellies and off colour because they were not blast frozen or were ruined by tackle dealers. They end up on the hook in a mush looking nothing like a sandeel. But Ammo blast frozen eels have long been the most reliable, in fact so good no other frozen sandeel came close. But now Bait Box, who gave us the superb Bluey, have greatly improved their sandeels which are now as good as Ammo. (Word has it they are using Ammos supplier) Whatever, check them out at your dealer – because they are brilliant - When thawed out and mounted on the hook they look like little bars of silver, the rays love them. One word of warning – All frozen sandeels will deteriorate rapidly once thawed so transport your eels to the beach inside a stainless steel food flask and only take each eel out of the flask as you use it.
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The thornback rays continue to come from the beaches between Sandwich Bay and Sandown near Deal in Kent with fish to 14lb landed and reports of up to seven a tide to one angler, although they are not being landed in that number every tide. Best time is low water up to high with the shorter neap tides most productive. Watch where you park, residents have threatened to clamp vehicles parking on the Sandwich Bay Estate, better to park and walk from the track behind the Cinque Ports Golf course at the 10th Green. Baits include Sandeel and peeler crab, but the best is the Bluey. This frozen fish bait is a recent addition to the tackle shop bait freezer. The species is a Pacific Saury (Cololabis saira) is a commercial food fish found in the North Pacific between Japan and the Gulf of Alaska and south to Mexico. It caught near the surface using bright lights and it’s a relative of the flying fish and is also called the mackerel pike. As a hook bait it is soft, but extremely oily hence its attractiveness too many of the predators like rays that are found in UK waters.
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FOX POLLACK CHALLENGE
Brighton Marina 6th April 09
The Fox sponsored Pollack Challenge was loosely based around the American boat bass fishing events with each angler allowed to landed five pollack, although it was the biggest fish that took the prizes. The event was organised by the Skipper of Brighton Charter boat, Brighton Diver, Paul Dyer and Brighton Marina tackle Shop owner, Dave Grinham. 15 boats took part including charters and privateers with Keith Arthur of Sky’s Tight Lines in attendance along with Fox Consultant Alan Yates who awarded the prizes. The anglers could fish anywhere they wished with an 8 hour duration times with all boats back on the dock by 4pm.
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The Sea Anglers Match Federation has just sent out its early year newsletter and membership forms. As a founder member it’s a bit sad to see interest in SAMF dwindling although, it is the big match scene that has suffered a drop in interest and numbers in recent years. There are now two types of match angler, those that fish the opens and those that fish club events. This has come about because of the domination of the top match anglers at Open events in recent years. The matchmen have just become too good and the average angler feels he cannot compete. This is especially the case with catch and release, measure and return and small fish events.
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I enjoyed a great trip to Ireland to fish the European Federation of Sea Angler, Irish Winter beach Festival at Wexford and Waterford, despite some of the worst weather on the Irish South East coast for years. The gales and rain battered competitors fishing all three days and I was glad of a set of neoprene chest waders. The entry included a large number of International anglers from Scotland, Ireland, Wales and England. It is an event I helped to start back in 1988 along with Dave Houghton of Leisure Angling, Liverpool.
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At the time of writing, I am sitting in my warm office and staring out of the window to a bitterly cold landscape, snow slowly trickling down and adding to the blanket already covering the ground. There’s no way I’m going to suffer in that! Over years of fishing for pike I’ve learnt when to go and when NOT to go.
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My region of the Kent Coast has enjoyed its best cod season for years, BUT as in the past the New Year will bring a major down turn in cod numbers. Like many other regions of the UK the bigger cod and most of the mature of the major species, move away from the coast to spawn. All that are left are the fish that are not big enough to spawn, the fish that have already spawned, the fish that spawn inshore and the rockling.
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Winter has struck hard and early this year, and is set to last a while. As expected the fishing has been affected and is overall harder than in previous years. However, it is still possible to enjoy a bit of carp fishing providing we are well prepared and set ourselves realistic targets. In the next few posts I will review all aspects of winter fishing I have found paramount to get right in order to get results, starting with possibly the most important, the carp angler’s own welfare!
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My part of the world is being snowed upon like it hadn’t happened in over two decades, and it looks like the Alpine Winter of the old days is back with a vengeance. Being stuck indoors I finally get the chance to look back on the second part of this 2008 campaign, an eventful year if any!
My team mate Chris and I carried on a streak of good results in the various competitions we attend each year.
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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.
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