YOUR TRAVEL TACKLE CHOICES
With the luggage allowance on our trip being a 23kg suitcase, one item of hand luggage and a small bag, it meant tackle had to be chosen carefully.
There are a multitude of quality travel rods available, and the majority fit into a standard suitcase, sometimes minus the tubes, so pack your clothes between the rods for protection.
All reels and weights go in the hand luggage, minus grippers, as these are regarded as sharp objects.
I took a Shimano BeastMaster STC travel rod, and Kevin a 13ft Bison travel. A shorter, beefy travel beach rod, such as the five-piece 11ft 6in Shakespeare Agility is the perfect weapon for battling ballan wrasse at kelp and rock marks. For boat fishing, it can be easier to hire them on the charter boats.
Reels must be able to handle rough ground, so go for a Daiwa Slosh or Penn 535 and a large fixed-spool reel for heavier long-range float tactics.
A long (9-10ft) spinning rod is ideal for lure fishing, touch legering and light float fishing for mullet and bream. I use an Abu Diplomat 9ft four-piece partnered with a small 2000-4000 sized fixed spool loaded with 8-12lb mono or 15lb braid.
Take plenty of bait elastic – put one in every pocket. Pack a folding drop-net with long rope, which is essential for a lot of marks, especially Sark. A folding, longhandled landing net, a fly-fishing one is ideal, can be clipped to your belt.
Include a large selection of lures and large Mepps-style spinners, which, when baited with worms, are great for thin-lipped mullet. A very wide range of terminal tackle, weights, hooks and hooklengths are needed as fine-tuning your rigs for the many varieties of species is essential. Pack some feathers for the mackerel and garfish. Spark plugs are a good cheap lead substitute for wrasse bashing, weighing around 2oz-3oz.
The most common float used by the locals in calm seas for bream and mullet is a 5g Drennan Piker, with 4g olivette. Use the smallest float stops to allow easy passage through the rod eyes, as some of the jetties and walls are 40ft straight down.
A folding bucket and a large plastic spoon are essential for making and slopping out bread and fish-based groundbait. We also pack a light rod and baitcaster. I favour a Nomura and Kev loves his Dave Barham travel rod, both partnered with an Abu Black Max, for fishing down the edge of the harbour walls and jetties.
Quality thermal and wet weather clothing are required, along with a pair of hiking boots for rock hopping. A compact lifejacket and portable VHF radio is recommended.