Mike's Diary Archive 2003
Getting more fishing time and using a bait pump
FASTER FISHINGMaking a big catch is not just about having the right bait in the right place at the right time, its also about maximising ... Full story
Flapper baits and specimen wrasse tactics
ALL IN A FLAPGetting both movement and scent in to a fish bait is essential if you aim to maximise your baits bite potential. Cutting the ... Full story
Boat blonde ray fishing, sea weed
BOAT BLONDE RAY TACTICSBlonde ray continue to show right through to Christmas in the western half of the English Channel with the Kidney Banks off ... Full story
Using bait shields and fishing for rock cod
LITTLE AND LARGEI was recently fishing down at Goldcliff, South Wales and while chatting to some of the local lads noticed just how varied the ... Full story
Catching big pollack from wrecks and wind farm power
BIG POLLACK WRECK TACTICSThe biggest pollack are usually underneath the main shoals of average sized fish tight to the wreckage and hugging the seabed. The ... Full story
Shrimp rigs for flatties and winter harbour tactics
SHRIMP RIGS FOR FLATTIESI was recently fishing inside Cork Harbour with Irish boat international Dermot O'Brien. Dermott showed me a neat little dodge that accounted ... Full story
Moon phases effects and last minute beach cod fishing
MOON PHASEDMost UK shore anglers understand little about the moon phase's bar that they govern the size of the tides by gravitational pull, the biggest ... Full story
Use fresh baits and fishing in the mud!
GET FRESH!During a recent night session in South Wales I was standing amongst maybe 30 other anglers, none of us getting much in the way ... Full story
Irish fishing signs and using beach groynes for more catches
IRISH ANGLEHave you noticed just how many "No Fishing" signs are appearing on piers, jetties, breakwaters and quays? More than a few, eh! I can understand ... Full story
Freshwater gear in the sea and Gurnard Tactics
SWAPPING SIDESCoarse and carp tackle for sea fishingWith the summer holidays almost upon us, if you're a freshwater fisherman but taking the family to the ... Full story
Feel good fishing and flounder tactics
THE FEEL GOOD FACTORI never was a messy worker. I like things neat and squared away otherwise my mind can't settle and my concentration goes ... Full story
Cool box tips and bass on the fly
KEEPING IT COOLCool boxes are indispensable, but you can improve their performance with a little extra thought and some DIY. It's worth making some flat shelves ... Full story
Using fixed spool reels and how to play fish
FIXED INTERESTFixed spools tend to require much less maintenance than multipliers, but there are still jobs to be done to keep your reel fishing at ... Full story
Using fluoro carbon lines, fishing in hot weather
WHAT IS FLUORO CARBONIt looks like standard clear mono line, but is stiffer and more abrasion resistant. It has very low refractive properties, and when ... Full story
The Edge Effect for good marks and float fishing at night
THE EDGE EFFECTThe edge effect is one of the key lessons in choosing a reliable mark to fish. The term "Edge Effect" relates to finding ... Full story
Fishing mark portfolio's and using float beads
PICK A PORTFOLIOToo many anglers limit themselves to fishing just two or three beaches or piers all the time. They get good days and bad ... Full story
Fishing rod length and sole fishing
THE LONG AND SHORT OF ITThere is a lot of confusion over the length of surf rods. Walk the tackle shop racks and you'll see ... Full story
Stopping gill netters and catching cuckoo wrasse
LETS SAY NO TO NETTERSI've had loads of e-mails from you asking what can be done about illegal gillnetting inside bass nursery areas. The areas ... Full story
Which line to use, autumn big bass tactics
ALL LINED UPIf you're new to sea angling knowing which line to load your reels with in terms of breaking strain for different ground types ... Full story
Sea Fishing Licence, Beach Reading Tactics
LICENCES: LOGIC OR LUNACY?I've had a few e-mails from readers asking where I stand on the sea fishing licence issue? Would it be good or ... Full story
Sea Fishing Rod Rests, Pier Fishing Tactics
GIVE IT A REST!We take our rod rests for granted and figure they are all much the same. Wrong! Rod rests need to be versatile, ... Full story
Looking at natural signs and plaice fishing tactics
ALL THINGS NATURALVisiting one of my local tackle shops recently I got chatting to a couple of guys from Solihull who were getting a few ... Full story
Log in
J Knot: Braid to Mono
This is the best knot we’ve found for joining a mono leader to main braid reel line. We first came across it when fishing for ... Full story