JOIN THE JET SET
During the last decade a number of exciting new opportunities have opened up for shore match anglers heading overseas
Exciting opportunities for match anglers.
Thanks to air travel, sea anglers can get to all corners of the globe to pursue their fishing dreams. Those seeking big fish mainly head to destinations such as Norway, Ireland, Iceland or Africa, while big-game fanatics seek out the superb sport in the Caribbean and many other exotic locations.
For shore match anglers, Ireland has been a regular ‘must do’ attraction, where the Irish Winter Shore Festival and Daiwa Pairs always attract large numbers of visitors from England, Scotland and Wales.
For those seeking something a bit more exotic, there are now plenty of other options, with numerous international open events springing up throughout Europe and further afield. Plenty of UK and Irish anglers have taken up this new challenge.
PERSONAL FAVOURITE
The event that always grabs my attention is the Magrini International held on the Mediterranean island of Sardinia. Based near Marina Di Sorso in the north of the island, this year the 31st Magrini International took place from May 31 to June 2. Ryanair flies into Alghero, while Easyjet and BA fly into Olbia, although I should stress this does involve a two-hour drive.
What is so special about the Magrini, which, like a magnet, draws many anglers back year after year? The Magrini is a competition of friendship, a huge angling family that unites yearly for a feast of angling and just a little gossip, good food and fun. This year was no exception and attracted anglers from 17 countries for the main twoday event, although only around half enter the big-fish match prior to the main event.
This is one fixture where I always visit for a week; Sardinia is a beautiful, unspoilt island with beaches and hospitality to match.
Joe Arch, Karen Hancox and Dave Morrell from Wales also arrived on the Tuesday, the day before the big-fish match and were staying for a week too. This is not a cheap adventure, but it’s fair to say the La Plage Noire hotel, which hosts the event, has great food and facilities to match – an ideal family retreat.
VARIED FORMAT
Under normal circumstances, the Mediterranean is not really noted as a bigfish venue, although in the past, stingrays exceeding 30kg have been needed to win the
Magrini big-fish match. On this occasion, the real biggies did not put in an appearance.
Unlike the main two-day event, the big-fish match takes place from a nominated stretch of beach. Any rays caught are measured across the wings, with a photograph taken, and then a length-for-weight chart is used. Any other species must be over 500g and returned to the scales, but most anglers target the rays.
Bait is really simple. Sardines, fresh or frozen, are really the only bait I use. The organisers normally arrange a free supply for the travelling anglers.
Fishing with two rods gives the opportunity to fish for rays and bream at the same time, although Joe Arch was surprised when a gilthead bream took one of his sardine baits intended for rays.
Further down the beach, Roberto Accardi, who is on the organising committee, was bending into the first stingray of the session, which was measured, photographed and returned. Karen Hancox was the next to strike, landing a double shot of bream, likewise Dave Morrell also got among the small bream, but none were making the minimum size of 500g.
With the majority of the competitors landing small bream, it was Joe who landed a tailless stingray, again not huge, but a tad wider across the wings than Roberto’s ray.
This was to prove important as they were the only two rays recorded on the night, which gave Joe his first victory in a big-fish-only match. In the final minutes Karen beached a small conger eel, which turned out to be the third heaviest fish, leaving two Welsh anglers in the top three.
Competitors get a rest day before the main two-day Magrini event gets underway with a five-hour match. Anglers can use two rods, with a maximum of three hooks on each, although it is less hassle to use two-hooks.
On this occasion, local anglers did really well, picking up many of the prizes. Joe and me had one good day and one poor day, finishing in the top 30, which was just about acceptable, while Karen Hancox managed to get on the podium in the ladies section. For the rest of us there is always next year. Preparations are already underway for 2020.
The Magrini concludes with a huge presentation followed by a rather special lunch. We always have a free day on the Monday before returning home on the Tuesday, which provides a great opportunity for a day freelance fishing from the rocks.
On this occasion I headed out with Dave Morrell and we recorded a dozen colourful species – a great day’s fishing followed by a cool drink.