Years ago I read an article on how to catch winter whiting from a popular estuary mark and a friend of mine piped up, “next month they’ve a feature on how to get wet in the bath”. But a little help to maximise your catches can only be a good thing, read more here
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With My Way due back in the water this coming week, we take a small look at the great fishign that cna be expected through March. In more recent years the weather has become a lot more settled than we are generally used to in March. Granted it is still cold and with the odd fresh set of winds to try our patience, but the calmer seas have My Way setting sail regularly with some great rewards for her anglers. Fish are normally plentiful with resident species through March including dogfish, whiting, dabs, codling, conger, ray and bull huss plus […]
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Around the world there are over 500 species of rays. Related to the shark family these cartilaginous fish are of extreme value to the recreational angler, from both boat and shore. Sadly though, the numbers of rays being landed either commercially or during recreational angling has dwindled vastly over the last couple decades. According to the Shark Trust there have been 15 species of ray recorded in UK waters, of these only 5 of them are relatively common around the north Wales coast. These are the blonde ray, cuckoo ray, spotted ray, small eyed ray and thornback ray; I have […]
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With cod the prime target this time of year; lug worm is one of the most sought after baits, to avoid disappointment anglers often needing to grab some worms either by digging themselves or buying from the local tackle shop at the earliest opportunity. Some anglers secure their bait days in advance of a planned fishing trip. Then there is also the potential headache of having the bait all set to go out fishing only for the weather to turn foul and scupper any thoughts of a good fish supper. Keeping baits alive and in prime condition is often looked […]
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Years ago I read an article on how to catch winter whiting from a popular estuary mark and a friend of mine piped up, “next month they’ve a feature on how to get wet in the bath”. Needless to say that is something I am keen to avoid here, whiting fishing is certainly no dark art! They shoal and when they are in any great number in your waters you cannot fail when afloat. When you set out for a good day’s general fishing later autumn or in the depths of winter, the humble whiting can offer some great sport. […]
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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 […]
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General Fishing can be used to describe various types of fishing, for many it is when that planned day goes slightly pear shaped and your intended targets don’t play ball. It also describes in fairness much of the fishing to be had off Anglesey and especially from Holyhead. Yes we have our smoothhounds, tope, and spurdogs to name a few, but we’re not blessed with some of the fishing that you read about regular on the south coast I’m talking about the big plaice, turbot and bream etc. Sadly you cannot charter from Holyhead with those particular fish as specific […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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