MY FAVOURITE GEAR CHOICES

This 23lb 8oz hound was brought to the boat on a 6/12lb-class boat rod

■ Dave Barham DB1 rod and Daiwa Saltist BG20H reel: I use this for almost everything from float-fishing livebaits for bass to downtiding for conger eels, tope, blonde rays, cod, smoothhounds and nearly everything else that swims.

I also use it when drift fishing over wrecks for cod, bass and pollack, or sandbanks for turbot. This is also the perfect uptiding set-up, even in the fast waters of the Bristol Channel.

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This is my ‘go to’ selection for most of my summer fishing. These spinning rods (in my case the DB4) are light enough for targeting black bream and plaice, but also a great topwater lure rod for bass.

I use them for all manner of lure fishing situations when lure fishing for bass, cod and pollack too. This set-up also provides superb sport when downtiding for smoothhounds and bass with bait at anchor. Although I normally use 2oz or 3oz lead weights for this, I know they can handle a lob with 6oz-plus bait if required.

■ Snowbee Kuroshio 7-28g rod and HTO Lure Game 3000 reel: This is my fun choice, which I use in shallow water or when the tides and conditions allow me. The Kuroshio (now discontinued) is a fourpiece travel rod, but you’d never know it once it’s put together. I quite often use this for black bream, wrasse, plaice and any situation where some light lures need to be used – such as when the bass are smashing fry on the surface.

It’s also perfect for mackerel and garfish sessions, with a 7-10g lure on the end, and I use this when fishing for harbour mullet too.

The Lure Game reel is a real cheapy, but it’s got a super smooth drag and I have abused mine for more than five years and it’s still going strong!

USE A LEADER

I always add some form of leader when using braided mainline. The problem with braid is that it has no stretch, which is great for allowing you to use lighter lures or less lead and it also gives you instant contact to a hooked fish, but it can lead to hook-pulls.

Species such as cod and bass will shake their heads quite violently in an attempt to shake the hook, and although the lighter rod will provide a degree of shock absorption, a mono leader will stretch much more and help keep your hookhold firm.

I use 50lb leader when targeting tope or big rays, but I like 40lb fluorocarbon for most other species on my heavier set-up, and 12-20lb fluorocarbon on my lighter rods.

As far as length goes, you should have half-a-dozen turns of the leader on your reel, with the leader stretching the entire length of the rod, plus a further 5ft from the tip ring.

When fishing lures, I often only use a 4ft length of 12-20lb fluorocarbon. I’ve found that I don’t need to use a full length leader, and it hasn’t impacted on my catch rate at all.