LIAM FAISEY
RTM KAYAK FISHING TEAM
I am lucky in having the productive waters of west Cornwall as my local grounds. The area is diverse, with a mix of deep-water reefs and sandy ground, shallower sandy bays, rough ground and estuaries, all within close proximity.
I split my sessions between species hunting or targeting specific ones. One day I could be anchored in a sandy bay targeting blonde rays or tope, another I could be drifting over deep-water sandbanks and reefs targeting a variety from flatfish and greater weevers to pollack, ling and wrasse.
I shore fished for many years, targeting specimen fish prior to discovering kayak fishing, and the natural progression was to continue targeting the bigger fish. I also spent several years freshwater match fishing, so I enjoy the finesse of targeting mini-species in the competitions.
I have two kayaks of choice: the RTM Abaco 4.20 – a super, stable fishing platform with plenty of deck space, storage and useful features that is used when I am not paddling too far, and the RTM Tempo – a fast, light kayak for when I’m paddling several miles to reach a mark or constantly paddling back up tide when drift fishing.
The Tempo handles big sea conditions with ease, so it is my selection when the swell and wind have kicked up.
In species competitions I aim to find a productive patch and fish Sabikis baited with worms, mackerel or squid on a light lure rod. I often chuck out bigger bait on the off-chance a different species comes along.
It can be frustrating fishing for the minispecies, but once you find a spot where they're biting, you can soon build up the numbers.
Good photography and species identification skills are just as important as catching the fish. Knowing the difference between the various wrasse, gurnards and other juvenile fish can see you collecting prizes or missing out.
Likewise, a blurry photo showing a fish that cannot be identified may see your count drop. It’s all part of the fun of competition fishing.