10 TIPS FOR TRAVELLING ANGLERS
1 For those thinking of entering any International event, choose your airline with care and check out its all-important baggage policy before handing over any cash. There is a huge variation, with some airlines charging a king’s ransom for additional luggage.
2 Some airlines have restrictions on the length of rod tubes. I use the Sportube 2 series, which is adjustable in length, has small wheels on the back making it easy to trundle through the airport, and can take a considerable amount of gear including all your rods, tripods, weights and shelter.
3 I take an old tackle box that I wrap in cling film for extra protection. You can put your waterproofs on top of the box before wrapping it in the film, giving more space in the box for your tackle. My clothing normally goes in the hand luggage.
4 For the small cost of an extra couple of nights, it is a real bonus to go a couple of days earlier for some practice sessions, especially if it is a new destination.
5 Make sure you order your bait online from a local tackle shop in advance. To enhance getting a reply from foreign tackle shops, send the message in their own language; there are a number of free online translation tools available. If you send the message in English, the chances are your message will be ignored.
6 Use social media and angling forums to contact other UK anglers who have entered the same event or fished it before to seek advice and share travel and fishing tips.
7 Check the local rules, which often vary from those in the UK.
8 The target species are often completely different, with a far finer approach required, especially throughout the Mediterranean.
9 Don’t expect immediate success. Go and enjoy, it’s a whole new learning curve, but eventually you will succeed, as well as making like-minded friends throughout the world.
10 Members of organisations such as the Sea Anglers’ Match Federation and European Federation of Sea Anglers also have the chance to fish events on the Continent.