NO MORE ‘SEEK AND DESTROY’
A trip to Denmark convinced me of the need to ‘lighten up’
What many of us take for granted now was not always so obvious to anglers of the past, whose approach to the sport was, to be frank, far less subtle.
For instance, many years ago I was on a filming trip to Denmark and it involved fishing with the local anglers. It gave me an insight into the best tackle to use.
We fished out of a little harbour town called Kertiminde, and on the boat with us were about 40 other people. Yes, 40, it was one of those big ‘party’ boats.
Not many people in Denmark fish for the sport, but for the table. Whole families, including babies, were on board and anyone capable of holding a rod was fishing.
Everyone was given a big plastic box, which was filled with fresh sea water – the idea being that any fish caught was kept alive as long
“I was getting a good hiding and it was really embarassing”
as possible so that it would be fresh when it was taken ashore.
The majority of anglers in Europe used very light tackle compared to many in the UK – normally spinning rods and fixed-spool reels, 12lb line and small lures.
Here I was, surrounded by this kind of tackle, and using what can only be termed as British ‘seek and destroy’ heavy gear. Everyone was catching fish, even the youngsters, but, you’ve guessed it, I was getting nothing. I was getting a good hiding and it was really embarrassing.
Thankfully, Bernie, the director, had spoken to one of the Danish anglers before we started filming and had arranged with him that if my gear didn’t work, he would walk down the deck and offer to lend me his spare rod and reel. Fortunately, he did this, and with my first drop down with a little red 40g lure I took a lovely 17lb 8oz cod.
That is what convinced me all those years ago to do away with this heavy gear I had been using. Nowadays, for all of my boat fishing, I use a 12/15lb-class Abu Suveran Uptider teamed with a small multiplier reel. Some of my reels are loaded with braid, and some with mono, but none of it is heavier than 20lb breaking strain. I’ve never seen the need to return to ‘seek and destroy’.