Recommended Charter Boats

I have noticed on some fishing forums there is an emerging tendency to "name and shame" skippers and boats when people have had a poor day. I think this is unfair as our sport is not an exact science and so thought I'd supply a list of charter boats and skippers with whom I have had a good experience.

Atlanta - Weymouth

Atlanta is skippered by the very experienced Dave Pitman. Dave works very hard to find fish and frequently has a "secret" mark up his sleeve providing great variety in a port that offers a very wide range of sport indeed. Atlanta has been the venue for many of my best days Bream fishing and was the provider of my first (and to date only) Blonde Ray.

Dave often runs trips that are accessible for individuals and small groups making it a mainstay of my fishing programme.

You can read more about Atlanta by following this link to the boats home page;

http://www.deepsea.co.uk/boats/atlanta/index.htm .

Bonwey - Weymouth

Bonwey is skippered by Ken Leicester, the senior statesman of the Weymouth fleet. This is a very comfortable boat to fish with seating for 10 anglers, making it an excellent choice for anglers who find it more difficult to stand all day.

Bonwey was my introduction to Weymouth angling and the venue for my personal best Bream and Plaice. Ken is a top skipper who is excellent with novice and experienced anglers alike. Other notable days include a day when my personal catch included some 40 whiting and 8 Bass on the same day one December.

Kens individual dates tend to be advertised at shorter notice than some of the other boats so I've not been able to fish with Ken for 12 months or so.

Follow this link for the Bonwey home page;

http://www.deepsea.co.uk/boats/bonwey/index.htm

Dalora - Torquay

I have only fished with Kevin Tate once. We had a February Pollack trip in what looked like it was going to be trip canceling weather. But a call to a commercial pal confirmed to Kevin that conditions were better in the Channel than close in so we fished in a fairly large but comfortable long swell at the 30 mile mark.

The fishing was very good in the morning but went off with the change of tide. Kevin worked hard to keep us on the fish and we tried four wrecks in the day. Perhaps the most unique element of this boat is however the fact that the skipper will often cook something for all of his guests to eat. On our trip a cold and wet day was definitiley brightened when we were served piping hot sausage and bacon sandwiches for a mid morning breakfast!!

I have read that Dalora (the original Evolution 38) is being replaced with a new Catamaran. I hope I get the chance to fish with Kevin again before too long.

http://www.deepsea.co.uk/boats/dalora/index.htm

Flamer III - Weymouth

I first saw skipper Colin Penny on the TV, hosting John Wilson on a trip in search of Rays. Most of Colins' trips for individuals are mid week but a small number do appear from time to time at the week ends.

Colin, like all the skippers listed on this page, is very helpful with advice for novices and experienced anglers alike. I caught my personal best Pollack on this boat which Colin photographed and submitted to Sea Angler magazine on my behalf so I could get my "Mission Accomplished" badge.

Colin regularly sends a news letter to all of his previous customers and is very organised and professional with his booking system.

http://www.deepsea.co.uk/boats/flamer/index.htm

Leo I - Falmouth

Well, we are going back and forth on this one a bit. I was told that Ken Dodgson had retired but apparently this is just an annual rumour and Ken's regular anglers won't let him! It is a good number of years since my family moved away from the Falmouth area so it is similarly a good number of years since I fished with Ken on his old boat as part of St Mawes sea angling club. I never had a bad trip with Ken with lots of quality fish always boated. I had one very memorable trip when I had double figure Pollack, Coalfish, Conger and Tope all on the same day as well as Gurnards, Pout and Whiting to complete the set.

http://www.deepsea.co.uk/boats/leo1/index.htm

Shande III - Exmouth

I have unfortunately only managed to have one trip aboard Ian Goffs' boat but do intend to book another trip when I get the chance. The trip I took was in early June a couple of years ago and we went 40 miles in search of Cod. We had a good number of quality fish as well as double figure Pollack and a wonderful 11lb Coalfish. This was also the scene of a "one that got away" for me. First drift and well off the wreck I hooked a fish on the bottom that tore off and I couldn't stop it. Sadly my line appeared to snag on the spool and it was enough resistance to cause a break off. Ian cheered me up by explaining that far off the wreck it was likely to have been a 20lb plus Turbot - thanks Ian!

What is most apparent on this boat is how keen Ian is for you to catch fish, and he works tirelessly putting you back on the marks to get the most number of drifts for your money.

It was on Shande III that I got to see a skipper more dumbstruck than at any other time in 30 years of fishing. It was the look of shear bewilderment when one of the less experienced anglers on the boat asked him to drive more slowly when putting the boat back on the mark as he was kicking up too much spray and getting him wet!!

http://www.deepsea.co.uk/boats/shande/index.htm

I hope you find these recommendations useful and if you use any of these boats, you have as much enjoyment as I have!

Tackle Shops

Weymouth Angling Centre

Weymouth Angling Centre is just like an Angling Centre should be. It is quite small in terms of floor space but is absolutely crammed full of stock that makes it feel like an Aladdins Cave! The staff are very knowledgable and full of tips of where is fishing well and what is being caught on the boats. If you are on a charter boat you can also get a parking ticket from the shop so you can dump the car before the skipper arrives if you are early. The shop opens at 6.30 am, 7 days per week and you can order your live bait in advance. I always ring to notify the shop if trips are cancelled and there is no charge for this.

The shop also has an excellent online and mail order service.

http://www.weymouthangling.com/

Clives Tackle & Bait, Plymouth

Another top quality tackle and bait shop. This shop is like all tackle stores used to be with a community of tea drinking anglers invariably in the shop as well as the staff. A great stock of sea angling equipment and good quality frsh and frozen baits. Also the staff at Clives are happy to offer advice and tips for your trip.

I'm not sure what the operning hours are at Clives but they are certainly normally open before 9am. Parking is available outside the shop if you are lucky.

http://clivestackle.com/

Alderney Angling

Although I've never been to Alderney I use Alderney Angling quite a lot, and they have been the source of many of my Christmas presents from my wife over the last few years!

There is an on line catalogue but you can't purchase on the internet and you will have to phone your order through. Mark Harding is very helpful and always seems to recognise the address and treat you like he knows you.

When you view the site bear in mind that prices are ex vat and shipping, but even when you add this on they are very competitive. I find some of the bulk deals very useful (e.g. 1000 x 8mm beads for �7.99 + VAT). Alderney Angling also stocks my favourite Fladen Maxximus solid carbon rods at good prices.

http://www.alderneyangling.com/

Trago Mills

Unless you live in the South West or are a regular visitor you may not have heard of Trago Mills. They are an enormous discount retailer with stores in Falmouth, Newton Abbott and Liskeard (and soon to be in South Wales). I assume their business model is to buy very large volumes of specific items (and end of line) at cheap prices and then discount them heavily. Therefore if they have what you want they are brilliant value, but the lines they carry can vary from month to month.

My main reason for listing them here is becasue they have quite a large sports department and carry a lot of Fladen equipment which I use. I have bought most of my Solid Carbon boat rods from Trago mills for between �53 and �60 when most retailers are charging �80 plus. They also do a decent range of essentials such as feathers and lead weights which are typically competitive. They will not have the range of products you would find in a specialist tackle retailer but if you are after a good value mid range rod or reel they are definitely worth a look.

P.S. As they also do a huge range of other goods such as DIY, furniture, electricals, footwear etc, you may get less resistance from other family members if you suggest doing some shopping here!

http://www.trago.co.uk/

Moonfleet Angling

Moonfleet make sea fishing rigs out of the best components money can buy. These are supplied via the internet / mail order. They are beautifully made and supplied on foam winders keeping tangle free and making them easy to pack away and reuse.

Excellent service for those of us who struggle to tie a know let alone build a complex rig!

http://www.moonfleet-angling.com/

Other Useful Links

Baits

If you indulge in Carp fishing you may want to check out Sedgemoor Baits (Crab and Orange flavoured boilies sound like this years must have accessory!).

http://www.sedgemoorbaits.co.uk/home.htm

Planet SeaFishing

Planet Sea Fishing is a professional magazine style site edited by Steve Souter, a regular contributor to many of the top Sea Angling titles on sale today. Well worth a read, especially for those who regularly fish in the north of England and Scotland (and with my content the south west as well!).

http://www.planetseafishing.com/

Rodbenders

Another site offering catch reports and political commentary on the major issues facing fishing today. This site is well supported by a number of charter skippers and often contains photos of catches up and down the south and south west coast.

http://www.rodbenders.net/

Shore Angler

Shore Angler is a new venture being launched by Lloyd Rush. It is a professional venture that delivers tackle reviews, features and catch reports as well as hosting a forum specifically aimed at those that prefer to fish from terra firma rather than bobbing like a cork on the sea! I have woeful beach casting skills but must try my hand at a bit of rock hopping this summer so that I can make a contribution!

http://www.shoreangler.co.uk

Boat Fishing

I found this link in a forum post about tying knots. I have just followed the instruction to tie an "improved albright knot" and it worked first time and looks just like the one in the video. Now I am useless at tying knots and this is the easiest to follow tutorial I have ever seen. The site as of 27th Feb 2010 is still under construction but well worth keeping in touch with as I expect it will have more useful tips in the future.

http://www.boat-fishing.co.cc/

Madpolka Publishing

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www.madpolka.co.uk

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