New here in Surrey

[Leonr]

Hi

i just moved here from the States where I did a lot of Kayak fishing in Boston and New Jersey.

I am hoping to get going again here in the Uk, my kayak arrived this week so I am ready, I just need help with places to go and different ways of fishing here as I only flyfish but I suppose that will have to change.

Many thanks

 

Leon

[SpeciMan]

Hi Leon

 

Welcome to the site.

 

I can't help you with information about flying fishing in the UK although I'm sure some of the other members will be able to step in and give good advice.

 

Whereabouts in the UK are you based ?

 

 

-----

oops its late just noticed the thread title!

 

Surrey. Not too far from the South Coast . Myself and a few others are located near the central south coast. Are you interested in sea fishing from the kayak?

Edited January 22, 2006 by SpeciMan

[Stevo]

Leon

 

Most people here would want do the reverse of what you have done!

 

I'm in the next County along from you and so will probably be fishing similar areas (when my kayak arrives) to you.

 

All around Chichester & Langstone harbours look a good starting point.

[Leonr]

Yes I would prefer to fish the ocean thats what Ive always done, I live in Reigate.

I know I'll have to do something other than flyfish but am willing to learn.

[Simon Everett]

Welcome Leon,

 

You have definitely come to the right forum - we are all mad here!

 

Plenty of fly fishing down there on the south coast - and you only have to go due south from Reigate to the Surrey cliff coastal area - find a spot to launch your kayak and look for birds working, or the rough ground areas of the inter-tidal zone. Fish around the "structure" areas, just like you would at home. Flies to use - 2/0 deceiver is good. size 2 clousers. Stevo will fill you in - he is also a very good tyer!

 

The fish you can expect to catch over here on fly are nothing like as big as you are used to (hence Stevo's comment above!). There are bass - the most sought after of the fly fishers target fish - and subject of a massive conservation program over here. We are trying to get the powers that be to do like you have over on the Jersey Shore, and put in place measures that will provide decent sized fish for sport anglers - instead of letting the commercials scoop them up in their tens of thousands while they are still IMMATURE babies for portion size meals.

 

The minimum landing size for bass in this country (no slot size, just a minimum) is 36cm = 14" TOTAL LENGTH, not fork length! The reason this was brought in was because B.A.S.S. (Bass Anglers' Sportfishing Society) pressured for a MLS - so 36 was the figure introduced BECAUSE THE COMMERCIALS SAID THAT WAS THE SIZE THE HOUSEWIFE WANTED!! It wasn't for any conservation reason whatever (we wanted 55cms = 4lbs roughly).

 

Currently DEFRA (The Ministry responsible) is undertaking a consultation because we have put sufficient pressure on, and made a strong enough arguement, for the 36cm to be revised and hopefully we will get 45cms - the bass will have spawned just once by then.

 

I am going off track here a bit - but i'll come back to your question after!

 

PLEASE LEON - write to DEFRA and state how the striper program has worked, both for the commercial fishermen and the anglers. Tell them that introducing a MLS that has allowed the fish to spawn wil benefit all parties and how it has been proven to work.

 

You could tell them how surprised you are to find that there are virtually no regulations in place to protect our valuable fish stocks and that bringing in the 45cm MLS (together with an increase in mesh size for nets to 110mm - important) is absolutely vital for the future well being of the bass stocks and the fishery as a whole.

 

Currently, licensed boats under 32' don't even have to declare their catch! NOTHING. They can fish right up to the breakers on the beach if they can, and then they don't even have to report what they catch, just sell it.

 

It is an absolute travesty. Please do your bit to help. Thank you, rant over!

 

The address to write to is:

Nicola Clarke,

Bass MLS Consultation,

Coastal Waters Policy,

Fish Industry Management,

DEFRA,

3-8 Whitehall Place,

SW1A 2HH

 

Right back to your fishing - there are bass, anything over 4lbs is a good fish - we try to encourage people to use a voluntary slot size of under 4lbs and over 6lbs so as to provide a much of a balanced population of bass as possible - but many don't because they are totally ignorant of what the fishing could be like.

 

Next up is pollock (coalfish too, very similar) - over rough ground. A kelp/rock/wreck dweller wich comes up in the water column in the evening - massive power dive when hooked. Excellent fish to catch, on fly or crank bait. Found in depths from 2 to 50 fathoms (12 - 300 feet, sorry). Use sandeel or deceiver types on sinking lines. Evening time is the best because then they come up and are easier to reach (less deep) - they also like a running tide rather than still water, if you know what I mean by that - tide in this country refers to current also! Two countries seperated by a common language.

 

Mackerel - a small member of the tuna family. Great sport on light tackle and fabulous eating. Anything small(ish) with a bit of sparkle and movement in it. Size 4 - 2 hooks type of thing. They will come up on the surface almost (sometimes you will see a bait bust where mackerel are chasing fry - called "brit" over here. The birds will be there too)

 

Garfish - an underated sportfish in my opinion. Very sporting, acrobatic, but small and difficult to hook on a fly. Plenty on the south coast. Orange seems to be a favourite colour for them - again just under the surface to 15'. Expect fish in the 1lb - 2lb range. A 2lb gar is a big one. I thnk the British Record is only about 4lbs.

 

Scad - or Horse mackerel. Same tactics for mackerel or pollock will catch them. Off rocky headlands in deeper water best areas. I don't like these boney things, but the others go mad for them. I will actively avoid them!!

 

Bream - few are caught on fly, but I did get one last year! You have loads down there, black bream and they turn up about May. Clousers in small sizes seem to be the best bet. These fish are crsutacean eaters and if you use a TINY piece of mackerel on a size 2 hook you can catch them one after another - but switch to fish the same spot on a fly......!

 

Those are your main target fish in the UK, there are others but they are not caught in any numbers, so get into these and then diversify from there. Most popular rod is a 9' #8 or #9. From the kayak you can use a #6 for the small flies happily, but you need to scale up only with fly size, not for the fish handling requirements.

 

Lok forward to seeing you on the water - and you should think of joining BASS - it is a very worthwhile move. Have a look at the website on www.ukbass.com and see what you think.

 

May the wind be always at your back and the sun on your face!!

Simon.

[Leonr]

This is starting to sound better than I thought. I have flyfished in the ocean all the way from South Africa(My home country ) to both sides of the US.

I was on the commity of the Flytiers Guid and an active flytier.

Most of my rods are 9wt and up to 17wt so that might give an idea as to what I like.

I have never fished bait or artificials like spinning so I have no experience with that, but I think you can catch anything on fly, from croakers and Hallibut on the west coast to sharks abck home.

 

In Boston we used to post on a simmilar site when and where we were going to launch and whoever wants to would just turn up and fish, some days we had 20+ kayaks out!

 

I was wondering about safety regulations over here, wherther there is more needed than the basic stuff.

 

Oh by the way I have an Ocean Kayak Scrambler XT with GPS and Fish finder and Scotty flyrod holders.

So if you see someone in a red Yak often wearing a wetsuit flinging a fly around it will be me!!!

 

PS What about fishing licences?

[SpeciMan]

Hi Leon

 

I don't think you are alone in thinking you can catch most species on the fly. A few of the members here will be targetting tope, a species of shark, in Wales this summer on the fly.

 

There are no official safetly regulations set for kayak fisherman. For a list of safety equipment try www.anglersafloat.co.uk . Most of us carry flares, at least one method of communication (vhf radio, mobile phone) and the right clothing suited to our weather and water temps. The safety list on the site I have linked to covers these items and more.

 

You do not need a licence to fish in the sea in the UK (although a licencing scheme is being proposed at present). However to fish in freshwater you will need a rod licence (issued by the Environment Agency ) . You may also be required to buy a permit to fish a freshwater venue although there are some free stretches/areas in places.

Edited January 22, 2006 by SpeciMan

[Leonr]

Hey Gogga

Hooked my first Marlin on my 12wt just outside Durban thats why the 17wt came along.

Done a lot of fishing all over Zululand and have family in PE(Skippies and Leeries) and then lived in Capetown for a while.

As long as I can flyfish I stay happy, missus dont always see it that way but got used to that.

Leon

[Starvinmarvin]

Hi Leonr, welcome to the madhouse.

 

I'm based down in Hampshire and mainly fish the Solent areas, do a little fly work, and hoping to do a little more this year, hopefully our paths will cross at some stage.

 

One thing you will notice over here is there aren't so many of us about, so please take care and carry all the necessary safety equipment and wear that PFD, oh and don't forget your camera, we love photo's.

 

SM

[Leonr]

Starvin we need to hook up some time if you can.

Leon