YOUR FISHING 42 NEWS
Your round-up of catches and stories.
A324lb porbeagle shark was the highlight of a superb sharking session out of Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire, and is being claimed as an unofficial Welsh record. The charter trip on Phat Cat, skippered by Craig Deans, produced five porgies and six blues, with the 324-pounder falling to Matthew Burrett, who had travelled from Stranraer, Dumfries and Galloway.
The fish, which was returned, was bigger than the Welsh record of 296lb caught off Porthcawl in 1996. Matthew’s shark was taken on a 4lb coalfish that he had caught two days earlier from his local Luce Bay. He fished with an Okuma 30/50lb-class set-up.
The same boat produced a 222lb blue shark for Stephen Peters, of Gateshead. The big blue, which measured 111in x 40in, is a new boat record for Phat Cat. The fish, which was also returned, was the first of 46 sharks over two days, including eight porgies to 100lb.
Another group of anglers produced fish to 100lb. Phil Helmore, of Barry, caught a 100lb porbeagle on a fresh mackerel flapper, on what was his first sharking trip. He also caught a 90lb blue shark. Chris Reeks, of South Petherton, caught a 60lb blue, Ray Breton had a 70lb blue, while Mike Wallis, of Cirencester, boated an 80lb blue.
Jay Oxenham got his shark fishing season off to a good start on Phat Cat with a blue of 91lb. He caught it on a 1lb 8oz whiting bait.
“It gave me a great fight on one of my popping rod set-ups,” said Jay. “It doesn’t beat my personal best for a blue, but was a great fish for the start of the season.”