BIG MATCH TACTICS
Two past junior winners of the EOBC, Josh Wilson and Leon Hope, who won in 2019 and 2017, reveal their approach to fishing the Holderness Coast
Two former winners reveal their tactics.
Few will be surprised that East Yorkshire anglers have traditionally done well in the European Open Beach Championship because the Holderness Coast is their local stomping ground. Knowing the marks definitely gives them an advantage in all the big event’s categories, be it the overall win, daily prizes, juniors, pairs and team section.
Two past junior winners of the EOBC are local lads Josh Wilson and Leon Hope, who won in 2019 and 2017 respectively. Both are the third generation in their family to fish regularly on this coastline, usually with their dads and grandfathers. Both Josh and Leon will not be eligible to fish the junior section this year, but will be in the senior event.
Along with my son Leon, I’ve fished with Josh and his dad Glen Wilson a couple of times. One of their usual fishing spots is a mark I like to fish on the northern end of the Holderness Coast. I only fish this mark on the larger tides, but the Wilsons do very well on all tides here. Recently, we fished alongside them in November during a pairs and teams of four event staged by Hornsea SA. Although the match didn’t go so well for us, it was a perfect opportunity to talk about preparations for the ‘Euro’. We did manage a few fish, mainly undersized, and I caught a 1.90kg thornback ray that was the biggest fish of the day in what was a biggest bag match.
Watching Josh in action was very similar to fishing with my son Leon, even comparing the tackle they use, how they cast, and their rigs.
TACKLE CHOICES
Their Holderness Coast tackle selections were similar enough. Josh uses an Anyfish Anywhere GB FS Pro and has recently purchased a Zziplex, while his reel is the Penn Spinfisher 7500LC fixed-spool reel. Leon goes for a Century C Curve matched with a Penn Battle II 8000LC.
Both use braid on their fixed-spool reels; Berkley Whiplash 35lb with 80lb Whiplash shockleader. Braid offers increased bite detection, although in rough conditions Josh uses 15lb to 18lb mono with a 60lb shockleader for most of the Holderness beaches.
BEST RIGS
Both make their own rigs. Josh’s rig wallet features Pennell pulley rigs, pulley droppers and loop rigs, with size 1/0 to 3/0 hooks. He’ll used 5oz or 6oz breakout grip weights
to deal with the tidal pull. Leon also favours the Pennell pulley for distance and two or three-hook flapper rigs to drop close into an inside gully or to lob over an outer bank at low water, usually at the start of the match. Hook sizes are size 1 to 4\0.
TOP BAIT
Josh and Leon had plenty to say on the subject of bait. Both agreed that top-quality, well-kept bait provides an edge. Josh and his dad dig their own yellowtail lug and blacks on the really big tides, and have an excellent tank system that can hold more than 300 live worms. If they are running low and can’t get out to dig to top up their supply, they will buy bait. I’ve even had Glen look after worms in his tank when my bait fridge was full. If ordering bait locally to the event , do it well in advance because it will be in high demand. We take a good selection of bait to use over the weekend, and really put some time, effort and money in to obtaining the best. If conditions are good on the best set of big tides a week or two before the match, we take a road trip across from our home outside Hull to North Wales armed with bait forks and bait pumps in search of some top-quality worms. These are kept refrigerated in trays and need a change of fresh seawater daily to keep in top condition. Remove any that blow. Other baits are peeler crabs, razorfish, mussels, unwashed squid and ragworms. We use a large polystyrene fish box to transport the weekend’s bait. I fill a couple of twolitre plastic bottles with water and freeze them down to use as ice packs. Everything is wrapped really well with newspaper, so nothing is in direct contact with the ice packs.
MARK SELECTION
Turning to the best venues, I asked the lads how they choose where to fish during the match and if they change venue for the second day’s fishing. Josh quickly replied: “We fish our chosen venue regularly on the lead-up to the match, getting in plenty of practice and really getting to know all the gullies and holes that the mark holds.” He confirmed he doesn’t change venue just because it may not have fished well the first day. A poor first day doesn’t mean it will not fish the next day because it’s a different tide. This tactic paid off for the pair last year. After a poor first day, with Josh managing only a good size whiting to the scales on the Saturday, they returned on the Sunday to the exact same spot. His dad Glen went on to catch a 3.855kg cod – the biggest fish of day two and placed him fifth overall. Leon doesn’t always fish with me during the match, so we split up and he’ll go off and fish with his grandad or a friend. “On the lead-up to the event we put as much practice in as possible, not just fishing but casting too,” said Leon. “We take a look at the beaches at some of our favourite marks at low water looking for good holes and deep water to fish. The marks we do best at on the run up to the match are usually the ones we choose to fish on the first day of the match.” Final choices are discussed over dinner before going to the Sand la Mere HQ clubhouse in the evening before each match. “This has even been decided for us by the toss of a coin in the past when we haven’t been able to make up our minds,” said Leon. “We hire a caravan at the match headquarters for the weekend, which saves some of the travelling because we live an hour or so from the coast, so we can enjoy the entertainment and chat with some of the other anglers, watch the prizes being awarded and also take in the atmosphere of this fantastic event,” he said.