Average size: 2-51b
Mega specimen: over 12 lb
British record: 18 1b lOoz (8kg 448g) Often referred to as a pike-perch, the zander is, of course, not a hybrid but an entirely separate, predatory species. Its introduction into the Great Ouse relief channel in the early 1960s caused great controversy. Zander were labelled indiscriminate killers and were blamed by some angling officials as the cause of worsening sport among shoal fish such as roach and bream throughout the Fenland drainage system. However, zander have always had a place in the balanced ecosystems of European freshwater fisheries, where all species flourish, and now that they have settled down in various types of British inland waterways, a state of equilibrium exists. The zander has a long, athletic body covered in extremely rough scales. The head is small with large, glassy eyes (for hunting in bad light) and strong jaws fitted with four large canine teeth at the front. Colouration is bluish-grey along the back fusing into metallic brassy-pewter below the distinct lateral line. The belly is silvery white. Several dark vertical bars reach down to the lateral line. These, however, only seem to be evident on zander living in clear water. The fins are large, especially the double dorsal, the first of which has strong spines and the second soft rays. Both are flecked with dark spots. The pectoral, pelvic and anal fins are pale, translucent grey, often with a warm tinge. The tail is large and forked. Zander usually feed close to the bottom, most actively in low light conditions and especially at night. They hunt in packs, searching for small shoal fish (including their own young) and have an excellent sense of smell in addition to superb vision. Reproduction occurs in the early spring, when eggs are deposited around reed or rush stems in gravelly shallows. The fry hatch after 2 weeks. (more…)

Average size: 3-61b Mega specimen: 10-l51b plus
British record: none at present.

Channel cats regularly attain weights in excess of 301b in North America, where the record is in excess of 501b (22;7kg) The channel catfish has a thick-set, smooth, scaleless, pale grey body with a wide, flat-tish head and a cavernous mouth containing bristle-like gripping pads inside both the upper and lower jaws. The snout overhangs the lower jaw and sports a long, thick barbel at each corner. Two erect barbels sprout from the middle of its skull, and there are four slightly longer ones immediately below the chin, making eight in all. Its fins are dark grey, large and powerful, and the tail is deeply forked. There is a strong spine to the leading edge of both dorsal and pectoral fins, and a tiny, rubbery adipose fin. It feeds on other fish, crustaceans and molluscs, and spawns in late spring or early summer.
(more…)

Average size: 3-61b Mega specimen: 10-l51b plus
British record: none at present.

Channel cats regularly attain weights in excess of 301b in North America, where the record is in excess of 501b (22;7kg) The channel catfish has a thick-set, smooth, scaleless, pale grey body with a wide, flat-tish head and a cavernous mouth containing bristle-like gripping pads inside both the upper and lower jaws. The snout overhangs the lower jaw and sports a long, thick barbel at each corner. Two erect barbels sprout from the middle of its skull, and there are four slightly longer ones immediately below the chin, making eight in all. Its fins are dark grey, large and powerful, and the tail is deeply forked. There is a strong spine to the leading edge of both dorsal and pectoral fins, and a tiny, rubbery adipose fin. It feeds on other fish, crustaceans and molluscs, and spawns in late spring or early summer.
(more…)

British record: 2oz (85g) - This blackish, smooth-bodied, thick-set aggressive little catfish rarely exceeds 12in in length. It has a broad head and a wide mouth sporting eight barbels in all, four on its snout and four beneath the protruding lower jaw. It has a tiny adipose fin and a large, squared-off tail. Bullhead catfish spawn in summer, and the resulting fry, which hatch in 5-6 days, are guarded by one of the parents. It feeds on crustaceans, molluscs, small fish and amphibians, and exists only in very localized waters in England. It is widespread in Europe, especially France.

Just when I thought my days of taking test’s were over it seems I may need to take another.. I picked up the AnglingTimes today to find that various bodies are calling for it to become manditory for all anglers to sit an exam before they can buy a rod licence. Apparrently this all came about after the owner of the Angel of the North Fishery  has turned down over 2000 fisherman over the last few months because they had a “basic lack of angling knowledge” Ann Adlington the fishery owner says her actions have caused controversy and many arguments at the water but is adament she has made the right decision. Ann has now set up a free fishing coaching course at the fishery free of charge. Anglings most influential bodies and top fisherman are joining forces to compaign for the launch of the test that would be sat by all newcomers.

 I was woundering what your thoughts were on this? I personaly think its a good ideas as I hate to catch fish that have been badly treated. Some of the pools I have visited in the past have a lot of fish with no lips, where it looks as though the angler has just yanked the hook out… On the other hand how would this work? I think if this was put into practice the only way of affording the cost would be an increase in licence fees. let me know your thoughts..

Average Size : 30-40lb
Mega Specimen : Over 60lb
British Record : 64lb 12 1/4oz

This strange almost prehistorinc sea fish is not unlike the freshwater bullhead in shape. with a steeply tapering body, a bulbous, wide, flat head and a cavernous mouth. It is equiped with a line of long, inward-pointing teeth in both its upper and lower jaws, from which its prey stands no chance of escape. It has huge pectoral fins, with a pair of spines on the body immediatly above them, and two dorsal fins. It is aptly called the angler fish because it attracts its food(other fish) by wriggling a flap of skin, joined to the first spine of its first dorsal fin, that hangs forward over its mouth. Its blochy, grey-brown, scaleless body had and unmastakeable outline of small skin flaps, and the belly is pure white. It spawns in late spring/early summer, depositing a ribbon-like sheet of eggs up to 3ft wideand over 20ft long. The eggs remain near the surface in a long trail until they hatch. (more…)

This slender, cylindrical, silvery little sea fish rarely exceeds 7-8 inches. It has large, easily dislodged scales, a disinct, underslung mouth and a rounded snout. It masses in huge shoals close inshore and in estuaries during the warmer months, feading on minte planktons. It is and important fissouth-european food fish, but is rarely caught by anlers on rod and line

Apart from loch-style fishing for trout (see Fly fishing) there is little scope for drift fishing on huge stillwaters, except when fishing for pike, and to a much lesser extent for perch and zander. Ideal waters for drift fishing are large reservoirs, lakes and lochs, and even wide sluggish rivers, and results often rely on covering as much water as possible. And when pike Save been located, a mudweight can be owered for a more thorough search of the entire area.

Drift fishing is a matter of using the wind to your best advantage, so take into account its strength and direction. Choose long areas, either through the centre channel, or parallel with the shoreline so that at least one angler (if two are sharing the boat) has (more…)

The swimfeeder is used for all species of coarse fish on all waters and is an excellent method for feeding accurately at long range.

A swimfeeder is a bait-holding container attached to your line that gradually allows its contents to escape. It is weighted so that it sinks quickly to the bed of the river or lake and stays there. You can fill the feeder with the same type of bait that you are using on the hook and, because of its closeness to the hook, this gives a very accurate means of feeding the swim. This is particularly useful for fishing deep waters and fast-flowing rivers, where it is difficult to ensure that hookbait and loose feed end up in the same place.

When to use a feeder

Whether to use a feeder or not will depend upon the fishes’ feeding habits on the day and how far away the fish are. Feeding habits Because the feeder is fished as a leger, presenting a static bait on the bottom, there is no point using a feeder if the fish (more…)

Ahoy there one and all! This is the best day so far of the season!!! The ocean today was oily slick calm. We left the dock with 12 passengers who were enjoying the anticipation of an early start and heading out of the harbor with the dawn’s early light just starting to emerge over the costal mountains. A day full of promise and it sure did deliver!
 
We headed southwest from the harbor and one of my regular customers Terry came up to the wheelhouse and said that the new propeller was so smooth was this the same boat???? I had changed the old propeller on Wednsday from a three bladed prop. to a 4 bladed prop with a different configuration and pitch. The change is dramatic to say the least!!! Kind of like driving on snow tires and then switching to a set of regular tires. 
  (more…)