Holyhead Deep – GO Angling

Spurdog Fishing 2016

Posted on 15th November 2016 by Gethyn Owen

Although packs move through during winter, spurdog fishing generally starts around March time, with the best fishing to be had the following two months. Plenty of spurdogs are still around right through to October and beyond, but numbers start to decline over winter with the packs harder to locate. These are hard fighting little sharks, that can often be caught two at a time, three if you’re brave enough. Early season, the northern edge of Holyhead deep is available to us on all tides, thus delivering an abundance of spurdogs on many trips. Fishing can be tough, 200ft of water, […]

Holyhead Deeps Spurdog

Posted on 13th October 2016 by David

Through the General Fishing articles I have tried to write on the merits of different fishing rigs to help us all get the most from a day afloat, whilst at the same time not needing to set sail with everything but the kitchen sink packed away in the tackle box. All too often you see anglers with a seat box, on which sits a top box on which sits a winder box, too many rigs it gets far too confusing at times. With a small selection of rigs and a few bits of tackle, you are adequately prepared for most […]

Tope Fishing

Posted on 12th October 2016 by David

One of the largest draws that the charter fleet of north Wales has for the numerous boat anglers around the UK is a fairly consistent run of big tope. Holyhead is no exception to this rule, with the current Welsh record for a boat caught tope, 79lb, being caught and then released aboard My Way in August 2005. The fortunate angler, Anthony Meli, is pictured here with his massive catch. It is firmly believed though that there have been bigger fish hooked by many anglers, these have proved too powerful to beat – for now! Tope can be found all […]

Conger Eel

Posted on 12th October 2016 by David

Conger fishing, especially for the bigger specimens is often associated with the south coast of the UK, fishing into some of the big sunken wrecks in the English Channel. Many eels however are caught from around the north west Wales coast and from the wrecks in the Irish Sea and Liverpool bay. The current British boat record for a conger eel stands at 133lb taken from Devon in 1995. Whilst the Welsh boat record pales slightly at only 62lb taken from Milford Haven in 1996. The welsh record though is there for the taking, and with eels to 50lb coming […]

Spurdog Fishing

Posted on 12th October 2016 by David

Spurdogs have seen something of a revival in recent years. Sadly the spurdog was long lined to near extinction not so long ago, with pleasure anglers suffering the loss of a good fighting fish. I was talking recently to acclaimed angling journalist Mike Thrussell, from World Sea Fishing , he was telling me of a drift way back in the late eighties whilst out sharking some 30 miles off the west Wales coast. The drift, over 13 miles long saw them catching and returning spurdogs throughout the drifts length, since then though Mike has failed to catch a spur off […]