TIME MACHINE

Looking back through our archives.

APRIL 2008

■ West Midlands anglers Mitch Johnson and Roger Lovell caught pollack of 20lb 8oz and 18lb 8oz during a charter session on Dave Harrison’s Gemini, out of Dartmouth, Devon. The fish took blue or white shads.

Aerospace technician

George Sumsion caught a 27lb blonde ray from Nell’s Point, at Barry, Vale of Glamorgan. The fish took a sandeel and lugworm cocktail on a single size 2/0 Varivas Champion hook.

The National Federation of Sea Anglers had signed a letter of intent to join a new angling group for coarse, sea and game anglers. It had the working title of Angling Unity, but would become the Angling Trust. The expectation was to form a strong, well-funded professional organisation with a powerful voice for British angling interests in Europe and at national and local level in this country. Connor McNeill, of Portadown, Co Armagh, used a whole coalfish bait to catch a 202lb common skate, while fishing from Hamish Currie’s Predator II, out of Red Bay, Co Antrim.

1998

A superb coalfish of 31lb 4oz was landed from a South Devon wreck. It was caught on a red artificial eel by Mike Miles, of Plymouth, while fishing from Graham Hannaford’s

Tiburon.

Pub landlord Martin Bembsnek, from Dudley, West Mids, caught a 24lb cod on a pirk and feathers while fishing from the Minehead charter boat Magic, skippered by John Lush. Cavaliers SAC member Colin Chuter, of Newport, Devon, fished a fresh mackerel fillet from the charter boat Samuel Irving, skippered by Ray Hill, out of Dartmouth, and caught a 33lb ling.

Plumber Andy Loveridge, of Port Soif, Guernsey, caught a 4lb 1oz 8dr flounder in St Peter Port harbour. He fished a cocktail of white rag and rag. Simon Dunn, of Tuffley, Glos, caught a 26lb 12oz cod when fishing with black lug and squid on Steve Webber’s charter boat Osprey, out of Minehead, Somerset.

1988

Englishman Ken Robinson, from Whitley Bay, set a new Scottish shore-caught cod record for a cod with a massive 40lb 11oz 8dr fish from the famous Balcary Point. The session had already produced fish of 12lb, 10lb and 5lb for Ken, while his pal Ken Grimmer, from Wales, had landed a fish of 20lb. The previous record of 38lb was also caught from Balcary Point. Dover breakwater in Kent, which had been damaged by a hurricane in October 1987, was re-opened to anglers, while at Grimsby, the North Wall was closed to visitors and only open to permit holders for security reasons. One of the most famous shark angling clubs got back into business after being defunct for six years. The Falmouth Shark and Deep Sea Angling Club had 35 members, including secretary Peter Woodley. There was good news and bad news for 12-yearold Damian White, of Bridgend. He caught a 22lb cod during a charter trip with Christie Tyler Angling Club, but later in the day he got a hook in his face and his father had to take him to hospital.

1978

Remember Webley sea fishing rods? The Birmingham company Webley & Scott Ltd was advertising its four boat rods and two beachcasters, all British made from Fibatube blanks.

Fishing the Gantocks in the River Clyde, Derek Bridge, from Burnley, his son and a friend caught 250lb of cod, most being doublefigure fish, with the best weighing 22lb, 18lb, 17lb and three at 15lb. They also caught dozens of coalfish.

Steve Howells, of Bynea, described as the “Welsh casting prodigy” was organising the Welsh Surfcasting Championships at Llanelli in May, with four events planned, 4oz multiplier level line, 4oz fixed spool with leader, 4oz multiplier with leader, and 6oz multiplier with leader. Uptiding, which had been developed in the shallow waters off Essex, was finding success elsewhere, with the method spreading to Morecambe Bay and off Lincolnshire. Orkney Boats was advertising its popular Longliner 16, dubbed the “big boat with the big reputation” for £544.50. How times have changed! ■