READER STORY
Catch a specimen fish to stand a chance of winning some great reel prizes from Shimano
We stopped to look at a different venue, but the conditions were far from perfect for the elusive stingray. We were torn on whether to stay or return to the scene of the previous night’s success. In the end it was decided on the toss of a coin – heads we stay, tails we move. The chosen 50p coin landed on heads so we unloaded the van and hit the beach.
With a brisk onshore breeze, dirty water and only fish and squid baits remaining, the odds were stacked against us. The rigs were up-and-over pulleys on 50lb snoods, this time with a single 3/0 hook rather than the usual Pennell due to the size of the mouth of the stingray. Small squid and mackerel baits were carefully cut and whipped on ready to be deployed.
The tackle for this adventure was beefed up a bit due to the potential size of these brutes. I opted for my pair of Century Tip Tornado rods and Daiwa Saltist BG reels loaded with 30lb Trabucco line and tapered leader, while Alfie used a Tronixpro Cobra GT2. I set up a Trabucco Impera for Freddie.
With the first baits prepped and hanging under the rod tips, my wife and Freddie arrived. With the barbecue heating nicely, we cast out the first baits at a variety of ranges and sat back again watching in anticipation.
A few hamburgers and hotdogs later and with no interest from any fish, all three of us retrieved our untouched rigs, put on fresh bait and cast out again.
Twenty minutes into the second cast, I was kneeling in front of my rods showing the boys some different aspects of the rigs, when I heard a slow clicking and saw line being peeled from my reel. I jumped up, grabbed my rod and tightened down to what felt like a small car heading out to sea. All of a sudden, the nerves kicked in because I sensed I had hooked our target.
HEART IN MOUTH TIME
I managed to stop the fish about 100 yards from shore and turned it. The weight and power of it was incredible and nothing like I’d ever experienced from the shore. Ten minutes into the tussle, the brute surfaced about 20 yards out and decided to completely change the fight. My heart was in my mouth as, this time, it swam east to west.
With an audience gathering, the pressure was on, particularly in the building swell. Landing this fish was tricky. Alfie took over on the rod and, with a towel in one hand to eliminate the danger of its wildly flailing tail, I nervously picked my time to land the beauty.
Once ashore, I didn’t have time to relax because I needed to unhook, weigh and photograph the fish and make sure it was returned without delay. After some photographs, I released her back to the murky water and watched her swim off. I took some time out have a cup of tea and reflect on what had just happened. At 37lb, it was my personal best stinger by 30lb and the experience was an something I’ll never forget. To do it with the whole family present made it all the better.
As I sat reflecting on my catch, I noticed a shudder on Freddie’s rod tip that never developed. With new-found enthusiasm both boys were keen get fresh baits out and fish hard for one of those incredible creatures. As Freddie picked up his rod to retrieve his rig, I noticed him lean into some serious weight. Because he was 10 years old and using a 4.5-metre rod, I thought all the effort was due to a snagged lead weight. As I got up to him to help out, I noticed line beginning to peel from his reel and head out to sea. It was evident he had hooked our target species too.
Freddie’s Continental rod was pushed to its limits, but he began to win the battle, although it was a very different fight to the previous fish. He stayed on the rod as the leader knot came on to the reel and a slightly smaller stingray washed up at my feet. Following every precaution, we ensured the quick release of Freddie’s first shore stinger, which weighed 18lb. With the fish released, the family mood was unforgettable and a memory that we will never forget.
The evening progressed with some fantastic fishing for hounds. Alfie, who had tried everything to catch his first stinger, bagged up on them, while a tired young Freddie added his first shore-caught hound, weighing 10lb. It was certainly a weekend to remember. ■
Five common skate, each weighing more than 100lb, and a 25lb cod were boated by four anglers fishing off the Shetland Islands.
Biggest of the bunch was a fish that was too big to weigh, although it was estimated at 174lb. It was 82 inches long with a wingspan of 83 inches. It fell to Nathan Johnson, of Whiteness, who was skippering a private boat fishing off the small settlement of Sumburgh.
Nathan, along with Vic Simpson and Steve Glaister had three boat sessions over a week and caught all their skate on mackerel baits on running leger rigs with size 12/0 hooks.
Vic, who lives in Scalloway, caught four fish, the best weighing 105lb, and others of 71lb, 63lb and 57lb. As well as the biggest fish, Nathan also boated five more of 108lb, 106lb, 70lb, 55lb and 53lb. Steve, from Sandwick, caught a skate of 120lb.
The 25lb cod fell to Shetland angler John Spreull during the session off Sumburgh. He caught it on a mackerel bait on a size 10/0 hook.
Fancy winning tackle from Shimano by catching a fish? In our catch competition, your target is to catch one over the weight given on our nominated species list. If you do, enter our contest and you automatically stand a chance of winning a great monthly tackle prize.
Each issue we award a superb Shimano
Glen Devine, Withernsea, East Yorkshire. Fish: 23lb smoothhound. Bait: Shrimp. Venue: Withernsea, East Yorkshire. Date: July 8.
Darren Golden, Plymouth, Devon. Fish: 36lb tope. Bait: Mackerel. Venue: Private boat, Plymouth, Devon. Date: July 11. reel to the captor of the best shore fish and best boat-caught fish, both chosen on merit. There is no choice of prize, which is awarded at our discretion.
Dave Evans, Sandown, Isle of Wight. Fish: 12lb 6oz smoothhound. Bait: Squid. Venue: Ryde Pier, Isle of Wight. Date: July 4.
Ben Bissett, Wick, Caithness. Fish: 188lb common skate. Bait: Mackerel. Venue: Loch Aline, Highlands. July 2.
Alex Theo, Kenfig Hill, Bridgend. Fish: 3lb 1oz spotted ray. Bait: Frozen sandeel. Venue: Porthcawl Pier, Bridgend. Date: July 2.
Dan Allen, Williton, Somerset.
Fish: 37lb tope. Bait: Mackerel.
Venue: Heritage Charters (Tommo Wright), Ilfracombe, Devon. Date: July 18.
Nick Kelly, Plymouth, Devon.
Fish: 15lb 8oz undulate ray. Bait: Mackerel. Venue: Happy Days (Aaron Lidstone), Weymouth, Dorset. Date: June 14.
Glen Devine, Withernsea, 7-10, Withernsea
Alex Swan, Inverkething, 8-8, Arbroath
Stuart Butler, Bridgend, 3-0 Dover sole & 2-6 flounder, Newport
Carl Campion, Swansea, 2-10 Dover sole, Redwick
Colton Jones, Neath, 2-0 Dover sole, Swansea
Colin Paterson, Dunrossness, 2-4 flounder*, Dunrossness
Stuart Butler, Bridgend, 2-9 golden grey, Loughor estuary
Ronan Doherty, Dublin, 4-13*, Roscarberry
Tyler Williams, Newport, 4-7*, Bembridge
Paul Shapley, Penarth, 6-10 thin-lipped*, Penarth
Phillip Basford, Swindon, 7-4 undulate*, Selsey
Ben Bissett, Wick, 188-0 common skate, Loch Aline
Stuart Butler, Bridgend, 2-7 spotted, Barry
Rob Dunk, Longfield, 11-120 undulate*, Shoreham
Derek Gamlin, Trowbridge, 16-8 blonde*, Sully
Steve Hobson, Newport, 13-1 undulate, Newport
Darrell Johnston, Belfast, 9-4 thornback, Fahan beach
Sean McCarey, Scalloway, 9-6 thornback*, Scalloway
Tom Jenkinson, Brae, 8-5 thornback, Brae
Charlie Rolph, Ferndown, 9-0 undulate, Southbourne
Alex Theo, Kenfig Hill, 3-1 spotted, Porthcawl pier
Stephen Waddell, Newbiggin-by-theSea, 10-4 thornback*, Balcary
Colin Voller, Haywards Heath, 13-3 undulate, Lancing
Chris Voller, Haywards Heath, 11-4 undulate, Lancing
Paul Black, Edinburgh, 12-0 undulate*, Weymouth
Ronan Doherty, Dublin, 192-0 common
Phillip Basford, Swindon, 11-1 smoothhound*, Selsey
Glen Devine, Withernsea, 23-0 smoothhound*, Withernsea
Mark Dibble, Ilfracombe, 11-10 smoothhound*, Peppercombe Dave Evans, Sandown, 12-6 smoothhound, Ryde pier
Lee Goodall, Burry Port, 15-9 smoothhound, Burry Port
Tom Goodall, Portsmouth, 12-0 smoothhound, Eastney
Josh Harrison, Cardi, 10-10 bull huss, Cardi
Darrell Johnston, Belfast, 8-8-6 bull huss, Ring of Kerry
Ross McKay, Castlehill, 40-0 tope, Dumfries & Galloway
Ken Merrett, Freshwater, 10-14 smoothhound*, Hampstead
Chris Minchington, Jersey, 40-0 tope*, St Catherine’s Breakwater
Aaron Sterling, Belfast, 8-1 bull huss*, Ring of Kerry
Paul Steventon, Telford, 8-6 bull huss, Aberystwyth
Robert Steventon, Telford, 9-8 bull huss, Aberystwyth
Dave Williams, Pontypridd, 10-4 smoothhound*, Porthcawl
Dan Allen, Williton, 37-0 tope*, Ilfracombe
Evan Barlow, Maryport, 11-0 smoothhound, Maryport
Dave Burdett, Wallasey, 12-0 bull huss*, Liverpool
Joshua Forbes, Bristol, 38-0 tope, Minehead
Alex Fowler, Aviemore, 42-0 tope, Drummore
Anthony Georgiou, Bristol, 95-0 blue, Penzance
Darren Golden, Plymouth, 36-0 tope, Plymouth
Brad Tremble, Maryport, 15-0 bull huss, Maryport
Stuart Butler, Bridgend, 3-0, Bridgend Steve Dawe, Okehampton, 4-1*, Devon Chris Hodgson, Okehampton, 4-5*, Devon Sean McCarey, Scalloway, 1-1 cuckoo*, Lunna
Bill Toleman, Beer, 4-4*, Beer