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South Wales Sea Angling News (Past Reports)
By Dean Willis
A new report will be issued every Thursday by me, covering the previous weeks action on the South Wales Coast
Report for Week ending 25th June 1999
Hello again everyone sorry there was no section last week but its been busy here with me moving house and all.
So let's get straight on with this weeks news
Wayne Wellsby won the latest Penarth SAC fixture with a bag of 12lb 3oz which was caught at Ranny Pool and consisted of a 6.75lb Bass and a conger. Junior member Andrew Griffiths was second with 2lb 15oz which consisted of a bass and two eels caught the Dock Beach.
Cardiff based Elysian SAC fished near home, at the Lambys and the comp was won with a bag of 7lb 8oz which was made up of six silver eels, two flounders and a pouting.
Their next comp was fished at Cardiff Foreshore and was won with a bag of 8lb 5oz made up of a 4lb cod, a conger five pouting and a silver eel. A junior member recorded a 1.5lb Dover Sole.
The Gwent and District SAC competition at Beachley was won with three silver eels weighing 0.96kg.Second was four eels for 0.74kg.
Rhondda Valley SAC member Steve Llewelyn is making Welsh specimen claims for a dogfish of 2lb 10oz, a 4.25lb spotted Ray and a 7.25lb common smoothound all caught at Stout Point. Club member John Griffiths was fishing with him and he has put a claim in for a 12.5lb small-eyed ray that he beached.
Two other Rhondda Valley anglers have made specimen claims. Mal Jones beached a 9lb 10oz small-eyed ray at Porthcawl and Mike Stelling caught a 10.75lb common smoothound when he boat fished off Penarth.
I have received an email from David Argust who goes on to say :
"Hi, I had intended to try plugging at Oxwich Bay on Saturday morning. Unfortunately when I arrived I found that the car park does not open until 08:00hrs. Rather than wait I decided to move on to Port Eynon. The tide was well on its way in when I got there. I really should have got up earlier, but while the mind was willing the body was weak. The weather was dull and drizzly, nothing like the beautiful day we had on Friday. There was little wind and the water was quite clear.
I started out by the boat launching area and worked my way out along to Port Eynon point. I had been going for about an hour when I had a take on a blue jointed Rappala. I missed it and things went quiet again for about twenty minutes. I had changed back to a Silver/Black Rebel jointed J30. I cast in and the lure was taken after only a couple of turns of the reel handle. At first the fish tried diving repeatedly to the bottom which made me doubt that it was a Bass, as mostly they like to fight near the surface. After a couple of minutes he came to the surface and I could see that it was a Bass. When I got him ashore and weighed he came to 5lb 4 oz (my best Bass ever). After he recovered he swam off and then I realised that I had my camera with me and could have taken a photo. Too late he was gone.
Things went dead again and ten or fifteen minutes later I saw why; There was a seal swimming around about 20 yards off the shore. From then on it was dead. As the seal showed no sign of moving off I decided to call it a day. Talking to a gentleman out walking his dog, it seems that pair of seals has been around the bay for the past couple of weeks. I haven't heard any other news this week, apart from my brother went for a walk out along the Gower coast path and talked to someone plugging on Pwlldu point. He had had a single Bass of about 1lb"
Many thanks for that David and please keep us informed of your future excursions.
Another email received was from Huw Walford who writes
"Hello Dean,
Sorry it has taken me so long to find your site!
A little about myself: My name is Huw Walford and I live in Kenfig Hill, just outside Porthcawl. I have been sea fishing for about 20 years now. I first started when I was about 7.
Most of my fishing is done in the South Wales area, anywhere from Penart to Swansea. I have got a permit to fish the harbour in the Steel Works so this is where most of my fishing takes place in the summer. In the winter my mates and myself tend to fish from around Barry up to Ogmore.
Anyway, as I said most of my fishing normally happens in the Steel Works Harbour in the summer. The venue has been pretty hot of late but last weekend it was very poor. There was a nasty wind coming in from the sea which made fishing difficult, nothing was caught. The weekend before myself and my mate caught small whiting, dogfish, small conger and even a small tope. We fished into the harbour due to my hangover! The weekend before that I fished 2 rods into the seaward side of the short arm and caught over 15 small whiting, over 15 dogfish and 2 thornback rays. Hot bait seems to
be fresh mackerel and worm cocktail.
My next door neighbour also does sea fishing and he was telling me that he recently fished a club competition from Marcross and a 2-3 bass was caught and a 12 pound conger as well. I have also heard from one of my mates in work that he took a 12 pound ray from there about 3 weeks ago (I can't remember what ray it was).
I know the Swansea Dockers competition is coming up but can you please tell me how I can find out about other small competitions are coming up ? I know a few years ago for instance, the entire small comps on Newport / St Brides foreshores were all advertised in the Sea Angler. Now they don't seem to advertise them, or am I just blind!
Any more news on the Dockers comp? How is it fishing? I will probably go down and fish it, I think some mates will probably come up from Devon as well".
Again glad to hear from you Huw and more of the same would be welcome indeed please keep in touch and maybe join up one weekend and wet some line.
I really need some more news from people to make this page viable and without your support there will be no page so any articles, news views etc.. please email the to me and I will put them up on the page. Any clubs wanting to advertise please get in touch. So lets have a good response this week and make this page one of the best for up to date news about out the South Wales area. Please contact me at deanwillis@freeuk.com
Competitions
There is a pegged down mini open with a 35-angler limit on the foreshore at Birds on Saturday evening. Fishing is from 3:45pm to 7:45pm and entry is £10 with £125 going to the top bag.
Entry must be made in advance to Roy Tapper on 01222 731181.
Dean
Midweek Updater
Hi everyone, this extra midweek update contains some of the latest news I have from around sunny South Wales but by the time you get to read this the "sunny" may not be appropriate.
Middleton, just to the east of Rhossili was our chosen venue last weekend Sunday 13th June.Forecast was good for a nice calm night which is a necessity in my opinion due to the rock platforms that you have to fish off. Left home at midnight Saturday and arrived at the venue at 2am which included a good thirty-minute walk. I was disappointed to find a fair swell despite there not being a breath of wind. Armed with a couple of dozen peeler crab, sandeel, squid and mackerel we rigged up with single hook pulley rigs with rotten bottom. With the tide rising fast and the swell not easing and with tackle losses mounting we decided to call it a day there with not so much as a bite between the three of us. We then made the long walk back to the car and headed for Oxwich Bay where expectations were low but maybe a chance of a Bass, on arrival we were disappointed to find our usual mark occupied by two other anglers which really summed up our night !!!!! As a last resort we headed for Mumbles Foreshore just to finish the night off not expecting a great deal at all. I decided to fish just down the side of the wall where I have had success before for Bass, Pollock and Dabs with just a simple running ledger baited with peeler. My brother decided to use a float rig baited with mackerel and my other mate with a two-hook paternoster at distance. The only fish came to my brothers float rig and were Garfish of 1lb 9oz and 1lb 11oz. So all in all not a good expedition by any standards. Hopefully this weekend will be better.
I have had some correspondence from several people via email this week and thanks to you all for that.
One report I have received is from Paul Sutton who sent me a report for Ranny Pool, near Penarth. He goes on to say
"Anyway, just to let you know Penarth Ranny area is fishing well on low water for congers. Big baits will produce big fish my best went off my 10kg scales and there are plenty of 6-8lb fish. Surprisingly enough Rag is outfishing crab, squid, mackerel and anything else. Also, don't cast to Weston-just lob big bait out. The congers are most active 1hour before and 1hour after low water although possible outside of this. The height of the tide does not seem to be important the conger just seem to prefer to feed as the water slackens. I had two more today, 8lb ish and 10lb ish (must get a weighing bag). These came to whole squid and rag/squid cocktail. Be prepared to lose tackle-rotten bottom doesnít help much as the hook usually gets caught on the ledges and flimsy hooks can lose fish".
He goes on to say, "My winter fishing is done at the Ranny and St Maryís Well Bay. Spring time its the Nash for rays and hounds and Aberthaw. Summer is Nash, Ranny, Rivers Taff + Ely (Mullet) and Wick. Autumn I'm off to the Nash for Thornies and Bendricks for congers. 99% of all my fish swim away after a quick photo shoot if worthy, the odd one goes in the pot."
Thanks very much for that Paul keep us informed of the area please.
Other reports I have received over the weekend have been as follows
St David's. Some good mackerel to over 2lb have been reported by some local boys I know together with some nice Pollock, Wrasse, Dogfish and Dabs. Fishing a mark only half way out onto the headland where the ground is not so rough as on the ìheadî itself.
Ferryside. Some good Bass and Flounders to peeler crab bait have been reported from reliable people that I know, with Bass to 5lb but mainly small flounders. Baits to use a peeler and lugworm. Both can be found at the venue along with the local delicacy cockle, which also works on its day. The mark to fish is known locally ìBig Ben Rockî which is to the left of Ferryside village and is actually a small headland. Clean ground fishing with broken ground close in. Weed can be a problem after rough weather and in my opinion small to medium tides are best but thatís just a personal preference.
Cefn Sidan Reports of Bass to 6lb and flounders from this surf beach from a fellow newsgroup contributor Howell Rees which fishes best in a good SWesterly. Calmer conditions usually throw just the flounders and small school Bass can be a problem at times, so please think of all our futures and return this fish to fight another day. I have witnessed masses of these fish being taken away from this venue and I find this disturbing. These fish are only about the 1lb mark. Fish neap to medium tides as on the spring tides the tide comes in at an alarming pace due to nature of the flat beach.
Port Eynon Reports of Bass falling to plugs and spinners
Middleton. This mark on the Gower was fished by a few friends the weekend before last and it is a slightly different mark to where I fished last weekend. Fishing is onto cleaner ground with broken ground about 100 yards out and reports of plenty of Dogfish, some small turbot and small Smoothounds being taken on fish baits.
Langland Bay Just an occasional small wrasse was caught by the local tackle shop dealer there last weekend, not really a mark I regard as productive
Swansea Breakwater Reports of Bass to 3.5lb on light float gear fishing just over the side on the West Pier together with some small Pollock. Dogfish should be numerous on nightides. Live pouting is my preferred method at this venue and is best fished at low water on neap tides for the Bass. Pouting can be caught just by dropping down the side with small river hooks and some rag/fish baits.
Magor A few unconfirmed reports of Bass and eels thanks to Tony Parker for this info who also reports just dogfish from Ogmore Deeps recently.
Other News
"Fishermen net deadly quotas"
DESPERATE Swansea fisherman claim they are increasingly forced to chose between lives and livelihoods in a bid to make ends meet. Trawlermen are warning that stringent monthly limits on the amount they can catch are forcing them to go out in dangerous seas. Fishing quotas imposed by Brussels are applied so strictly that trawlermen are having to lay their lives on the line, they claim. They say rules, which mean one monthís unfilled fishing quota is lost forever, are driving fishermen to desperate measures.
Swansea trawlerman Barry Thomas says fish are regularly dumped back into the sea when catch quotas are reached early in the month. Now he is calling for government action to negotiate a better deal for Welsh fishermen.
"The problem is that I get an annual quota for a certain type of fish which is then divided into 12 monthly amounts", said Mr Thomas today.
"But if bad weather stops me catching one monthís quota of cod it is lost forever. It doesnít go over into the next month.
"That leads fishermen to put their lives at risk and go out in terrible weather if they are struggling to meet this quota close to the end of the month.
"Barmy bureaucracy is to blame but other countries fight for their fishermen far better than we do.
"We are forced to put our lives at risk just to ensure we can make a decent living. If I pass my monthly quota by one fish and get caught I face a £5,000 fine. I could go to prison in some cases."
Conservative European election candidate, Jonathan Evans, said today Welsh fishermen needed a strong voice in Europe.
"A top priority for a future Conservative government will be to secure a fairer deal for British fishermen," he said.
"British fishermen face ever increasing pressure from falling quotas and quota hopping, while the conservation of fish stocks is being undermined by the large amount of dead fish returned to the sea."
I have also heard from Haydn Matthews who runs an excellent website for the Penarth SAC and the address is: http://freespace.virgin.net/haydn.matthews/index.htm
This site will provide you with up to date info on the Penarth area and all the results from their competitions.
I have also had a question from Tony Parker which somebody may be able to answer he asks "Regarding Redwick, I have heard from a couple of people that the farmer has stopped fishermen driving down to the sea-wall. (Litter and open gates again!!!)".
I haven't been able to check this yet. Have you heard anything? The latest information I have is that the gates are still closed but things may have changed since the winter. Please get in touch with me and I will pass any replies onto Tony or you could always post in the newsgroup.
THE SEA ANGLING MILLENNIUM CUP : 1ST - 9TH JANUARY 2000
In order to promote the sport of Sea Angling and celebrate the New Millennium, Britanic Leisure Limited has inaugurated the Sea Angling Millennium Cup, U.K./Ireland Open Competition. The Competition is fully endorsed and supported by the National Federation of Sea Anglers and the Welsh Federation of Sea Anglers. The Competition is to be to be held annually, at the beginning of January.
46 Winners - Minimum of £20.000 Cups and Cash, plus additional Tackle Prizes.
4 Categories: Shore - Adult/Junior (Under 16). Boat - Adult/Junior (Under 16).
Entry Fees: Adult - £12.00 per day. Junior/Senior Citizen - £5.00 per day
Competition Entry Tickets: Available only from Britanic Leisure Ltd, enclosing Cheque or Postal Order made payable to Britanic Leisure Limited. Please print clearly on the back of the Cheque, full address including postcode, the full name(s)/age of each entrant. Closing date for entries 31st October 1999.
Official receipt/entry form/book-In/weigh-in ticket/full competition rules/map showing the fishing limit boundaries/and list of host clubs will be returned to each entrant.
Fishing at participating Federation Clubs only. The Sea Angling Millennium Cup Rules will apply.
Full Competition rules and Information available prior to entry by sending a S.A.E. to Britanic Leisure Limited.
To support the initial launch of the Competition, a Full Colour Poster/Competition Rules are to be inserted into the June issue of the N.F.S.A. Journal. The W.F.S.A. are to send out the literature with their June Newsletter mailing. Both are to support the launch with editorial copy.
The I.F.S.A. and S.F.S.A. have been invited to participate. They have received copies for their approval and we are confident of their support. All other Federations, Angling organisations and clubs are being invited to lend their support.
Further promotional material we are currently considering:
A4 full colour poster, plus A5 flyers to every fishing tackle retail outlet in the U.K. and Ireland.
40,000 Sea Angling Millennium Cup Car Stickers.
Britanic Leisure Limited Web Site with pages dedicated to the Competition. The Angling community would be offered the opportunity to contribute content to the web site.
Planned to run through to January 2000, we are in the process of developing further media coverage to bring awareness of the Competition to the widest possible perceptive audience.
Should you require further information please contact me on :
Telefax : 01792 645093. E-mail :peter@umedia.co.uk" or Contact Mike Jones on : Telefax : 01792 797234. Mobile: 07971 797234
That's it for this edition, please keep sending me reports views and news so that I can keep the page as informative as possible and a few new faces in my mail box would be welcome contact me on deanwillis@freeuk.com
Best of luck to you all
Report for Week ending June 5th/6th
Hello again everyone , its been another quiet week on the fishing front here with only a few reports to bring to you. Unfortunately I've received nothing in the way of reports from anyone so please send the reports in and make this page a good reference for all anglers. Anyway here goes with this weeks news.
The Gary Evans Team Wales Open with an entry of 150 to Cardiff Foreshore, but most struggled for fish and all Splott angler Paul Titt needed to take first prize was 4lb. Peeler Crab and Rag accounted for two eels, two flounders and a pouting. Runner up, Colin Richards, was by the scrapyard and the same bait found him 3 eels and 2 pouting for 3lb 2oz. Roy Tapper finished in third place with 3lb1oz.
Penarth SAC had a poor match and the best effort was just 14oz from club secretary Robert Galley which was 2 eels and a flounder at Dock Beach.
The second round of the WFSA Personal Members Shore League was a disaster with only 2 using the scales. The winning bag being a solitary 2lb1oz conger from St Brides.
Bargoed SAC fished at Ogmore Deeps and the winning bag of 5lb10oz was made up of a conger and two dogfish and second place was a conger and one dogfish for 4lb6oz
Competitions
The next chance to win Seamaster points is on Sunday 13th June when the Gwent and District SAC Open is fished from 6pm-9pm at St Brides. Gary Evans Fishing Tackle are sponsoring the competition which has a £300 first prize. Entry costs £5 for adults and £2 for juniors and pensioners and booking in starts at 1:30pm at the Lighthouse Hotel and Black Pipe. Advance booking is available at tackle shops on Saturday.
Newport and District SAC hold their Open Sea Angling Championships at St Brides Foreshore on Sunday 11th July and fishing is from 5pm ñ 8pm and is a S.W.I.C.A. qualifier. More information will be made available at a later date.
Boat News
Skipper, Steve Jones of the Lady Helen out of Penarth could have claimed a new Welsh Record with a 21lb Common Smoothound he caught from his boat but instead he returned it alive. Another big fish was a 17lb Starry Smoothound caught by 16 year old Rory Jenkins of Tonyrefail.
This sums up this weeks report. I don't think I am fishing this weekend but the plans are to make a visit to Aberthaw and surrounding area to gather some information on these marks for future fishing. So until next week, tight lines and any information big or small please email me.
Dean
Llanybri Report for Sunday 6th June
Myself, Paul Thomas of the NG and two other mates made the 3:30am start for the venue this morning only for me and Paul to stopped by the friendly Camarthen Police at 5:00am in regards of a rear bulb not working which delayed us for 20 minutes don't you just love that!!!! .
Eventually arrived at the venue at a 5:30am bang on low water.The weather was great, blue sky, not a cloud and not a breath of wind quite different to what the forecast was.Picked a couple of dozen of peeler at the venue to add to the ones we had bought before setting the rods up with 2 or 3 hook flapper rigs. Other baits used were Rag and Mackerel which produced nothing.
Started fishing at about 6am . 30 mins later an excited shout to my left heralded the first fish a nice 4lb Bass to my brother on is rotten bottom rig ..lost the weight but landed the fish a great start to the day.. Approximately 30 minutes later a nice tug on Paul Thomas' rod resulted in a fine flounder of 2lb in prime condition.Plenty of fish could be seen working up the estuary with some coming clean out the water, the signs were good.Almost immeadiately another flounder for my brother of 1lb quickly followed by another for Paul of about 1lb 2oz..Myself and the other Paul remained fishless at this time.
With the tide now running hard fishing went a little quiet for an hour with weed becoming a problem. As the tide eased towards high water one mighty thump which took the rod seawards! on Paul Thomas' Bass rod resulted in another fine Bass of 4lb almost a matching pair on the beach. The action started to pick up again well for my brother and Paul anyway!!!!!.
Another flounder for Paul was beached this time at 1lb 4oz and yet another for my brother at 1lb 1oz. and then Paul had another of about 1lb.By now yours truly was trying everything but to no avail and to makes things worse the other Paul (Mellish) had his first of the day at about 1lb also..By now the ebb was in full flow and the weed was a big problem so we decided to call it a day and good day it was with some happy chappys leaving the estuary and only me remaing fishless!!!! but as we all know some you win some you lose.
So the grand total was two 4lb Bass and 7 flounders to 2lb, all in all a very enjoyable day coupled with some great weather ..the fishing will improve again at this venue when we get a settled spell and the signs are good for the Bass later in the summer.. If anyone is interested in coming along next time just give me shout.I know Paul Thomas' first venture with us proved to be very enjoyable indeed...........
Please send me your Welsh reports so that I can add them to the webpage later this week
Dean
Report Update 5/6/99
Many competition anglers will be gearing up to fish the Swansea Dockers Club Open Competition on Sunday, July 4.
While it's a great fun day for pleasure anglers I wonder how many of you think through the event thoroughly beforehand and take a positive approach on the day.
With the venue split between Swansea Breakwater and East and West the fishing ground will vary from rough to sand, mud and the river. The nearly medium dropping tides will offer some flow but the choice, not forgetting the luck element, could come down to big or small baits or perhaps a little specimen hunting.
Swansea Breakwater the same as the East Pier cat-walk is always inclined to produce the odd good specimen.
The right bait could see you catching a conger, ray, sole smooth-hound or even a bass.
The sea side of the West Pier also offers you options but perhaps a large fresh-bait will be productive.
Both piers one way or another will allow you to fish for mullet which has won top prizes in the past and there is £1,500 at stake for the heaviest fish first prize.
For an update of the fishing nearer the date visit the tackle shop of your choice who will probably have the latest news.
The Dockers Club deserves your support so enter early through Dave Edwards,
6 Miers Street, St Thomas, Swansea, SA1 8BZ.
ON the local charter-boat scene catches seem to be improving with signs of summer species starting to show.
Rays, conger, smoothhound, pollack plus turbot and some good bass are the main species.
Seren-y-Mor - Skippers Dave and Kevin Axtell: Alan Foster 4 s/e ray to 8lb; Dick Barton 6 s/e ray to 6lb, conger 12lb; Mick Doy s/e ray 6lb; Kevin Atkinson s/e ray 6lb, 2 conger to 11lb; Paddy Murphy s/e ray 6lb, conger 10lb; John Chadburn s/e ray 6lb; Roger Symmons 12 s/e ray to 7lb, t/b ray 8lb, bass 8lb.
Susan Jane - Skipper Dave Griffiths: Richard Petts starry smoothhound 11lb, bass 5lb and 5&Mac184;lb; Alex Redden starry smoothhound 15lb; Phil Carroll conger 14lb, 3 pollack to 5&Mac184;lb; Gary King bull huss 14lb; Catch of the week was a cuttlefish 6lb while smooth hounds are numerous plus rays with garfish also showing.
Report for the week ending 29th/30th May
Hello again everyone from a thundery South Wales, didn't do any fishing last weekend but got some reports from around the coast for you.
Cardiff side "Team Ultima" won the third round of the WFSA East Region Shore League which was fished at Rumney. It was a tight finish with Ultima just edging out "Elysian Strongbow" and "Bargoed Beach Boys". Winning individual bag was 14 silver eels from the "Lambys" to put 3.94kg on the scales. Runner up weighes in with 6 eels, 3 flounders and a whiting totalling 2.42kg. Heaviest fish of the day was a flounder of 0.4kg.
So all in all plenty of small fish about but nothing of any size.
The Penarth SAC competition attracted 55 entries to the beach and pier. Dock beach was the place to be as the top 3 anglers fished there. Winning bag was 8 silver eels for 4lb 6oz. A junior member clinched second place with 3 eels for 3lb 11oz.Third place consisited of 3 eels, a pouting and a flounder for 3lb 5oz.
Newport SAC visited Porthcawl and the winning bag came from the just by the harbour consisiting of a conger, a cod and a pouting weighing 2.94kg. Second place was four dogfish for 2.87kg.
The Cardiff SAA roving event was won with a bag of silver eels from the mudflats around the River Rhymney with a weight of 11lb 12oz. Second place was filled with a bag of eels of 11lb 6oz also from the mudflats. Third was a bag of 3lb 11oz consisiting of a conger and a rockling from Aberthaw.
The latest Matchman's Night Open which was fished at Ogmore-by- Sea was won at Witches Point with a total of 20 dogfish for 26lb 14oz. The next competition is on Wednesday at Marcross and Monknash.Fishing is from 7:45pm to 11:45pm and competitors should book in by 7pm at the ìHorseshoesî
Paul Thomas of Penarth fished at Monknash on the weekend and caught a Spotted Ray of 4lb and 3 dogfish.Another mate of mine Jason Nott ventured to Cardiff Foreshore on a thundery Saturday night and came away fishless and then followed up with a trip to Newton Point, near Porthcawl and managed a dogfish and a pouting.
General News
Many thanks to the few of you who have emailed me during the week this was encouraging indeed. One of those was Jason Pritchard , a member of Camarthen SAC who wrote:
"Carmarthen Sea Anglers was set up just over a year ago, and we have around 20 members. We get a regular turnout of 10 or more for club matches every fortnight. We try to encourage "catch and return" as much as possible, so we work on best fish rather than biggest bag. We also have a rule that everything takes precedence over dogfish!!
This may not suit everyone, but most of us have had a gutful of league fishing where bucketfuls of doggies or whitng are killed just for the weigh-in.
If you are willing to give us a mention on you website I would be most grateful."
This has been done Jason and hopefully meet up one day down your way who knows possibly a match against my club??
Another person who has been in touch is Howell Rees who originates from South Wales but now resides in Oxford wrote.
"My experience with fishing started back in my lucky days of spending 7 years of my childhood fishing in the Arabian Gulf. As this is where my father worked, where fish are very abundant and plentiful, where you can put a bare hook in the water and catch fish and depending on the size of the hook pended on the size of the fish.
I gave that up for about 7 years, as I took up sailing both dinghy and big boat cruising and racing, this I kept upf for a further 7 years until I joined the RAF, where I found myself posted a station called RAF Locking about 2 miles outside of Weston Super Mare. There I found my calling back to sea fishing, so I borrowed an old 9ft rod and reel from my younger brother and started and got rehooked on my very first outing. I was fishing just to the side of the old pier and got stuck in the rocks. On my next cast and 15 minutes later I picked up my old line on the retrieve and brought in a much heavier wait and there on the end was a fine 5&half pound coldling. HOOKED!
Since then I started fishing for the Station Team in regular league matches (unfortunately it was all boat fishing). My first sport is shore fishing, but I excelled more quickly on the boat and started winning league matches regularly and leagues overall, with regular top 5 placing's in the championships. From this I have gained considerable knowledge and experience of fishing all of the UK from as far afield as Scrabster in north Scotlanddown the East coast (Bridlington, Whitby) South East ( Dover, Folkestone), all along the south coast through the solent (Langstone, Poole, Weymouth, Dartmouth, Mevagisey) around the English side of the Bristol Channel (Ilfracome, Watchet, Minehead, Weston super Mare) Down the Welsh side (penarth, Swansea( one of my favourite ports) Milford haven, Tenby) and Anglesey North Wales.
Fishing all types, Wreck, Reef, Rough ground, Big Game ( I have been fortunate to go to Ascension Island every year for the last 7 years for 2 weeks Tuna, Dorado, Wahoo, and shark fishing.) I am about to go there again in a weeks time, but this time I am taking my wife as it will be the very last opportunity I will ever have to go again. I have represented the RAF boat team for the last 4 years against the Army, Navy of which we have won every year for the last 11 years and also fished against the various police forces(west mids, metropolitan) and England A team and acted as opposition for their selection matches. I fully intend, when I get settled in Civvy street at having a crack at the Welsh team.
And thats just the boat side, but I do enjoy shore match fishing, but I am not that good unfortunately. I have some good placeings in various comps. I have had a 11th in the Loughour Flounder fest, and if itwas a case of the biggest bag, on my very first outing at the flounder fest, I bagged 38flounders all over min size, my brother-in-law who fishes along side me also bagged 35 over min size (not bad eh) and the one time he wasn't with me, I picked up a second place in the South Wales Dockers Club comp (£600) he was so gutted, he had to go to a christening and I point blankly refused, my wife went on her own, as that competition comes first for me. Well I'm gladd it did that day. I enjoy cod fishing in the winter and I especially like fishing Redwick (I only discovered it 3 years ago), but I do manage to catch at least one cod on every trip and last year I bagged my first double (13&halfpounds) along with 6 others. I also like bass fishing in the summer, I frequently fish Cefn Sidan and enjoy clambering around the rocks in the summer with my trusty spinning rod off the Gower Coast looking for the elusive bass.
I think that should be enough for you to be getting on with. And I have lots more fishing chat, I tend to warn people first before they start talking about fishing (or my brother in law does) that I live, sleep, eat and breath fishing). Unfortunately I don't do it as often as I would like to anymore, as I live in Oxfordshire.
I will leave it at that for now and speak to you again soon, good luck with the fishing on the weekend and if you want to put other South Wales anglers in touch with me, i.e. pass my e-mail, ICQ, Web address(try the one thats on
the bottom on now, its correct this time), I won't mind in the slightest."
The website can be found at http://website.lineone.net/~south_wales_sea_fishing
And the email address is mailto: howellrees@lineone.net and his ICQ number is 38538691
Another angler who wrote was Justin Ball from Swansea and he wrote
"Well I followed you info and tried Worms Head today at low tide.
Out of the twelve or so anglers there 2 of us were plugging whilst the rest were using crab. And did anyone get anything, No, not even a feel of a bite. If you know of any other possible plugging sites in the Gower area I wouldbe pleased to know of them, if you don't mind telling.
I hope you have had better luck than me."
So if anyone can give any advice for Justin get in touch with me an I will pass the news on..Other people to contact me include Julian Cassell, Colin Doyle who is the General Secretary of the Welsh Federation of Sea Anglers and the other Colin whose surname I don't have . So all in all a good start to the page but more reports, info and general news is welcome and can be sent to me at the email address at the top of the page. So tight lines everyone, speak to you all next week
Dean
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Report for the week ending 23rd May
Not a great deal of news for the weekend of the 22nd/23rd of May.
Penarth S.A.C. held a competition on the pier and beach and the winning bag of 4lb 5oz came from a mark on the Dock Beach and comprised of a 2lb 6oz silver eel, a smaller one and two pouting. Ranny Pool produced a small conger and two pouting for a bag of 3lb 14oz for second place. Eels and pouting seem to be the mainstay of the fishing at present but decent sized Congers are a possibility.
Just around the corner at Cardiff Foreshore, eels are also in abundance together with flounders and pouting and a bag of seven eels, two flounders and two pouting was enough to win the Cardiff SAA event with a total bag of 7lb 2oz.
Further up the coast Newport SAC fishing at Redwick caught eels and flounders with much the same coming from Magor and Goldcliff.
Prospects for this weekend
With the larger tides for this weekend there should be plenty of options especially if the weather remains calm and settled. The last Spring tides produced some excellent fishing from the Monknash area so this would be worth considering again this weekend. In fact anywhere in this area this weekend should produce some good Ray and possibly some Smoothound action. Preferred baits will be Sandeel for the Ray and Peeler Crab for the Smoothound.
As mentioned last week Aberthaw should soon start to come into its own and I would not be surprised to hear of Smoothound coming from that area this weekend.
Feedback request:
I would like to have some feedback from this page and also any contributions would be welcome. Any news from Clubs around the principality please send to me for publication here and likewise any advertising for your Club Competitions.Please feel free to email me.
I have yet to decide where I will be fishing this weekend if anywhere, I got a funny feeling the other 'arf has got some plans for me on DIY front.
So good luck to all of you this weekend. Tight Lines Dean
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Report for the week ending 16th May
Welsh Boys Take It so Close
The two South Wales teams in the Angling Times team final at East Lane beach in Suffolk, turned in brilliant performances to take second and third places.
It was a hard fought two day event contested by 23 five-man teams who had won through from all parts of the UK.
A Sussex team carried of the first prize of £4,000, then came Cardiff based team "Team Ultima" with £2,000 and then Gwent team "Gwent Don't Knows" who pocketed £1,300 for third place.
Fishing for "Team Ultima" were Mark Pearcy, Steve Chadwick, Colin Richards, Joe Arch and Roy Tapper.
And for the "Gwent Don't Knows" were Midge Verrinder, Paul Jones, Clive Vedmore, Greg Bowes and Ivor Smith.
Fishing was hard at the venue, with few fish being caught over the two days. Those that were included species such as Pouting, Eels, Cod and Bass.
Reports from around the coast
Gwent and District SAC found plenty of Flounders and Eels at Rumney foreshore just to the East of Cardiff with the winning bag of 3.72kg.
Porthcawl beach turned up a specimen pouting of 15.75oz and a dogfish of 2lb 10oz. Expect much the same from the pier together with some Rays and Conger. A Conger of 11lb was reported there last week. Room is scarce so get there early and a considerable run of tide is experienced on the end of pier so 6oz breakaway leads are a must.
Lantwit Major producing Small Eyed Ray and Dogfish to sandeel bait. Stout Point much the same but also possible Spotted Rays.
Aberthaw where fishing is starting to improve for Pouting, Conger and Spotted Rays and it wont be long before the first Smoothhound puts in an appearance at this venue. Marcross just to the West of Nash Point producing Small Conger, Dogfish and Rockling. Monknash just a little further West again producing lots of Rays on the Spring Tides at low water with some small Bass and Conger on the rougher patches. Should also be some turbot mostly in daylight hours.
Ogmore Deeps and Witches Point will also be worth a a try for much the same species as above but extreme care is needed here and don't venture onto them in rough conditions.
Further down the coast into West Wales the surf beaches of Langenith, Cefn Sidan and Pendine will produce Bass and Flounders. Its essential that there is a decent surf for the Bass though. Pick the Smaller tides and fish from about 2 hours before Low Water to a couple of hours up. Best bait will be Lugorm and Razorfish. Best fished after a good South Westerly blow. Estuaries further west like Ferryside, Llanstephan, Laughrne and Llanybri will produce plenty of flounders to peeler bait and Bass to the same. Eels can be a problem at times.
Up and coming Competitions
The popular Match-Mans series has its next match on Wednesday June 9th at Marcross and Monknash and fishing is from 7:45pm to 11:45pm. Booking in at The Horseshoes pub by 7pm.
The South Wales Beach open series starts on Sunday June 6th with the Garry Evans Team Wales Open at Cardiff Foreshore. All proceeds from the 10am to 2pm competition go to the Welsh World Shore Championship Team. First prize is £300 and there is a lengthy prize list as well three junior prizes. The competition is a Seamaster Qualifier with points going to the top 20 anglers. Entry to the event is £5 for adults and £3 for juniors and pensioners. Booking in on the day at Heliport Road and weigh in is at the Fleurs Club were scales close at 3pm.
Many thanks to the Phil Whiting for hosting this page and hopefully some more of you will send me some reports from your own excursions on the Welsh coastline. If anyone requires any information on marks in South and West Wales I will be only to happy to help in any way I can. Thanks also to South Wales Echo and Ron Cousins for some of the information provided. If anyone has any news, views and reports don't hesitate to write to me Dean Willis
Bye for now and Tight Lines