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Tidal Tackle News Page, find out what is being caught as well  as all news affecting our fishing, Ted Tuckernan keeps this page fresh and up to date, log on here regularly. Our aim is to provide you with the best possible news on fishing as well as the best prices for your tackle to catch the fish.
Ted Tuckerman has also written a, Where to Fish guide that includes all charter boats and launching slipways around Torbay. Go to our Home Page tidaltackle.co.uk while there also click onto our Competition's page listing all the top matches this year.
Our aim is to provide you with the best possible news on fishing as well as the best prices for your tackle to catch the fish.
Log on regularly to our News page where Ted Tuckerman will keep you up to date on the big catches and where the fish are as well as news on things that will affect your fishing. On the links page (click links in top bar) you will find direct links to many interesting sites at home and abroad that will help you plan fishing holidays in the UK and far afield.
To check out our keen tackle prices now, click here www.tidaltackle.co.uk
Ted's News
Last Update on 30.7.10
Visiting Torbay this summer?
Then you will need bait, call at our Torquay harbourside shop, open 7 days, full selection of fresh baits or book it on line, our number in right panel on Home Page.
Big Ling
 How nice to see quality ling being caught, mostly from the offshore wrecks, but not all are being caught that far offshore. The Dartmouth based Gemini  skippered by Dave Harrison sent me these two pictures of big ling caugh from an inshore wreck off Start Point.
Dave Beaumont just pipped his brother John to the biggest at 29lb, johns best tipped the scales at 24.4.0
 I have just received these pictutures from Jeff Clark, skipper of the  Weymouth based, Duchess 2 of a turbot and a brill caught from the Shambles Banks. Jeff said this year they have seen a resurgence of these giant flatties that not only give great sport but are top of the range for the freezer. The 9lb turbot was caught by Paul Gale and the same sized brill by Peter andrews
Mullet.
 A lot of mullet are now being caught from harbours and rivers, the best reported, 7lb from the Teign. Jim hutchins a member of the Paignton club caught this one of 4 12.0 from Torbay.
picture courtesy Paignton SAA
Sea angling participation
• 4% (5%) of the population over 12 said they had been sea fishing in the last year (1.9 million people).
This compares to the Drew Associates estimate of 1.5 million for all ages in 2003.
• 6% (7%) of the population over 12 said they had been sea fishing in the last 2 years (2.8 million
people).
• Of the 3.3 million people who had been freshwater fishing in the past year, 28% (940,000) had also
been sea fishing in the past year.
• 940,000 people had been sea fishing in the past year but not freshwater fishing.
• Compared to the 2005 survey, significantly more sea anglers had also fished in freshwater, and fewer
only in the sea in 2010.
Smoothhounds sweep in
 The Bristol Channel is seeing really big smoothhounds, two Paignton club records have been broken there by father and son. Steve Doidge boateda starry smoothound weighing 21.14.1 and his sn Craige boated one of 12.8.14
On the south coast the sporty smoothhound is sweeping along the coast  and a lot our now being caught. These mini sharks offer real excitement for shore anglers as ratchet scream, soft back crab the better bait followed by peeler crab. Kevin Rouse won the Torbay and
Pictures courtesy Paignton SAA
Babbacombe weekend competition June 19/20th, with a club record starry of 13. 14.0, caught from a Dorset beach. Kevin said he lost count of the number he caught, most though he said were small. Interestingly he caught a Gilthead bream of 2.12.0 on the same trip.
 Now they are around the shores of Torbay with fish to 10lb being caught at Hopes Nose.
Big Garfish
 Denise Stacey from Teignmouth just missed out on a new Torbay and Babbacombe ladies record with her 2.6.0 garfish caught on float from Brixham Breakkwater. What did Hubby, Dave catch. Don't ask.
Big Smooothhound
 The Weymouth charter boat, Duchess2 skippered by Jeff Clark sent this picture of a massive smoothhound of 22lb caught by Joe Ransley, "The biggest I have seen off here for years", said Jeff. A whole squid tipped with mackerel was the bait.
Salcombe Cod.
The Salcombe based Anglo Dawn skippered by Chris Roberts fished a wreck with members of the Torbay and Babbacombe ASA on board including their records officer, Nigel Foord who did not quite top the day with a cod of 14lb. He said they found  cod thick on the wreck. The biggest at 15lb was caught by Paul Roberts who caught the most. Sidewinder lures accounted for all the fish, most were on the bright blue model and the Rhubarb and Custard.
Cod are being caught from the inshore wrecks, best to date 24lb caught by Paignton angler Adrian Coles from the Dartmouth based, Gemini skippered by Dave Harrison, Sidewinders the top bait.
See are very competitive prices for Sidewinders and other lures and tackle before you log off, speedy delivery.
Fish are coming on a regular basis from the Skerries bank including an unexpected small angler fish af around 6lb caught by Jamie Hopwood from brixham on the gemini skippered by Dave harrison.
Another big turbot has been caught from the Skerries, the latest, 27.10.0 See below.
Are Turbot returning to South Devon?
  The season has barely started and already two turbot have been caught from the Skerries Banks by Gordon Richards, a memer of the Paignton club who was fishing as a guest on the Clare Anne skippered by Kevin Tate as a guest of the Teignmouth club on a regular monthly competition. Paul Flavel from Briham caughtthe smaller fish.
Pictures courtesy Paignton SAA and Jason Upham.
Turbot were in their prime from the late 1950's through until the late seventies. Half a dozen on a boat was not unheard of, the record one day catch by the late Harry Goode was 45, thee were catches topping twenty on a few occasions.. I don't think we shall get back to that fishing, but it does look promising for some kind of revival.
Plaice are being caught on the Skerries, when weather allows boats to reach the mark, East Portlemouth, but they are tiny and Chesil Beach at Cogdon and West Bexington where they are nice fish, the best to date, 3.14.0
WAS THIS THE LAST OF THE FLOUNDER?
This was possibly the last throw of the dice this winter for flounder. The Torbay and Babbacombe ASA staged a Catch and Release competition on Exmouth Beach hoping to grab a few flounder as they made their way to sea, and they did. Half a dozen were caught, all just short of two pound. The fish were caught, weighed .jpg) and returned to the water. This is the way many matches will be fished in the future.
1st was Dave Sandford 1.14.0. Picture
2nd Kevin Rouse, 1.13.8 the best of two
3rd Dave Wood 1.12.12
picture courtesy Nigel Foord
Nick's Plaice
Nick Best, competition secretary for the Torbay and Babbacombe  ASA has stolen a march on everyone else by catching the first plaice of the year from the Skerries Banks off Dartmouth, and what a fish, it weighed in at 4.4.0 but was so thin after spawning that it would have been a six pounder later in the year. Nick is a great conservationist and his fish was returned to the sea after weighing.
Big Ling
The Duchess 2 fishing from Weymouth took advantage of a calm  weather day an steamed to a mid Channel wreck where skipper, Jeff Clark gave his anglers a great day catching pollack, conger and ling.
The best of the ling was a real big'un for the time of the year and tipped the scales at a touch over 26lb, the lucky angler was Dave Philpots from Hertfird.
Picture courtesy Jeff Clark
West Bay Catches
Jeff Clark, skipper of the West Bay based Duchess 2 sent me thes pictures of a ouple of nice fish caught fro a local reef in January. Now he is waiting for the first black bream to show itself, somewhen in March.
 
Young Harvey holds a 4.9.0 whiting and Phil Jones has a 46lb conger.
Big Pollack
Pollack catches are improving by the week, last Sunday, (Valantines Day) we saw the biggest to date caught on the Brixham boat, Silver Seas skippered by Torbay Lifeboat Coxswain, Mark Criddle. He found an 18.4.12 pollack for Brixham club fishing chairman, Doug Mousedale
Skerries waking Up
Nick Best, competition secretary for the Torbay and Babbacombe ASA took his own boat to the Skerries, off Dartmouth and caught a couple of dabs to 14ozs. "It was the biggest tide i have seen there" he said, "the tide was screaming". It will not be long before the first plaice hits the decks.
Welsh catch Pollack
South Devon charter boats are landing pollack. The calmer weather has  allowed skippers to venture out to the mid Channel wrecks where the big fish are. The biggest so far reported is 17lb the prize catch for Pontypool angler, Nicky Malson who was on a regular trip with skipper Dave Harrison on the Dartmoth based Cat, Gemini.
A Rhubarb and Custard Sidewinder was the killing bait, it can be seen in its mouth.
Have a look at our keen prices before you log off
picture courtesy Gemni
South Devon Dabs
Following the severe weather and with access to fishing marks restored, South Devon anglers have found dabs feeding from many marks including Slapton Beach, Torcross end and Hopes Nose at Torquay.
Fish are not massive, few top half a pound.
Don't click off until you have seen our special prices for Sidewinder and Shad lures. Click on in the left hand panel
Big Pollack on the Feed
As weather conditions improved charter boats are at last able  to  reach the deep water wrecks in the Channel and are hitting into good conditions fish. The Gemini out of Dartmouth sent me these pictures part of a catch on Sunday 23rd Jan. On board were members of the Blandford SAC.
Derek McFarland and Andy Gorrie took the biggest, both in the upper teens, weight not given) Sidewinders and shads were the successful baits.
Pictures courtesy Dave Harrison, Skipper Gemini
ANGLING TRUST
CONTACTS: Mike Heylin, chairman
Tel: 01442 235821 or 07836718187 mike.heylin@anglingtrust.net
Alan Brothers, marine committee abrothers1037395@aol.com
January 17 2010
Eel slipping off the menu
Anglers who for centuries have caught a few silver and yellow eels to eat - smoked or jellied or in a pie - won’t be doing so for much longer.
Stocks of the young slippery creatures have “crashed by over 95 per cent”
in rivers and estuaries across England and Wales, according to the Environment Agency. The story, they say, is the same elsewhere in Europe.
So the agency is to order anglers to immediately put back any they catch and limit commercial eel fishing.
No one is sure what caused the problem or how long the ban will last.
The Angling Trust representing recreational anglers, is demanding the rules go farther by asking European lawmakers to stop all eel catching.
“Our members want a total ban and for those catching and processing eels commercially to find new ways to earn their living,” said the chairman, Mike Heylin. ”Consumers can help, too, by not buying eel products.”
At present the agency plans only to refuse future commercial licences to catch eels at sea, to reduce and toughen up licences to catch them in freshwater, and introduce a close season.
Eels in British waters are immature. When they begin to reach maturity they change colour to silver and swim off to the Sargasso Sea in mid-Atlantic to breed but they never return.
The tiny elvers they produce make their way back to Europe to develop into eels and remain in fresh and salt water for 20 years or more, before themselves returning to mate in the Sargasso Sea.
End
Kingsbridge Flounder
 Gary Messenger, chairman of the Torbay and Babbacombe ASA went to the Kingsbridge Estuary to blow away his Christmas hang over and was rewarded with a flounder of 3.2.0 and another of 1.8.0; both were photograhed and weighed and returned to the water. Well done Gary.
picture submitted by Gary
A Wandering Octopussy...
A Falmouth fishing crew made a surprise discovery earlier this week when they hauled up a rare Mediterranean octopus in one of their crab pots.
The octopus, which measures close to a metre in length, was discovered in a pot two-and-a-half miles south east of Falmouth Harbour by fisherman Ned Bailey.
Ned brought it back to port on his boat before contacting staff at the Blue Reef Aquarium where the unusual catch is now recovering.
“Octopus have a reputation as one of the marine world’s most intelligent inhabitants,” explained Blue Reef's Matt Slater.
“They are also incredibly manoeuvrable and - because they have no skeleton - can fit their bodies through the tiniest of gaps.
“It must have been attracted by the presence of crabs in the pot and squeezed inside to investigate,” he added.
As its name suggests the Mediterranean, or common, octopus is normally found in warmer southern waters although individuals do occasionally appear around the south west coast in the summer months.
It’s thought that their numbers are on the increase, possibly due to the effects of gradually rising sea temperatures.
The octopus, which has been nicknamed Inka by staff at the Blue Reef Aquarium, is settling in well to its new home and has already begun to feed.
Octopus have a highly evolved nervous system. They’re eyes are more developed than humans and they have the largest and most advanced brains of any invertebrate.
Despite the fact that they belong to the same family as slugs and snails, octopus can perform highly complex tasks.
As well as unscrewing jars, they can open boxes, distinguish between different shapes and colours and complete mazes.
According to Israeli scientists some of the octopus’s intelligence is actually contained within its tentacles.
Each of the octopus’ eight arms is controlled by an elaborate nervous system consisting of 50 million neurons.
The 46th annual RNLI Charity match organised by the Torbay and Babbacombe ASA saw plenty of flounder caught, and the size was good.  There were 6 over two pounds with the winning fish was over three pound, that weighing 3.1.4 gave Steve Mason from the Teignmouth club the biggest of the Turkey Hampers and the RNLI silver spoon.  Second spot went to another local angler, Steve Lynch with a 2.11.14 flounder. 3rd was Derek Radmore from the host club, 2.11.6. Top Junior from the same club was the chairman's son, William Messenger, 1.13.12 and Fran Dack from Paignton was the top lady, 1.5.8.
Winter Catches on the increase in South Devon.
Reports coming in show that a more cod are coming from Torbay, fish to six pound from Berry Head and whiting to over 2lb from Hopes Nose. Flounder to over 2lb from the river Teign and the Kingsbridge Estuary.
Below is the latest Press Release from the Angling Trust.
ANGLING TRUST
A Falmouth fishing crew made a surprise discovery earlier this week when they hauled up a rare Mediterranean octopus in one of their crab pots.
The octopus, which measures close to a metre in length, was discovered in a pot two-and-a-half miles south east of Falmouth Harbour by fisherman Ned Bailey.
Ned brought it back to port on his boat before contacting staff at the Blue Reef Aquarium where the unusual catch is now recovering.
“Octopus have a reputation as one of the marine world’s most intelligent inhabitants,” explained Blue Reef's Matt Slater.
“They are also incredibly manoeuvrable and - because they have no skeleton - can fit their bodies through the tiniest of gaps.
“It must have been attracted by the presence of crabs in the pot and squeezed inside to investigate,” he added.
As its name suggests the Mediterranean, or common, octopus is normally found in warmer southern waters although individuals do occasionally appear around the south west coast in the summer months.
It’s thought that their numbers are on the increase, possibly due to the effects of gradually rising sea temperatures.
The octopus, which has been nicknamed Inka by staff at the Blue Reef Aquarium, is settling in well to its new home and has already begun to feed.
Octopus have a highly evolved nervous system. They’re eyes are more developed than humans and they have the largest and most advanced brains of any invertebrate.
Despite the fact that they belong to the same family as slugs and snails, octopus can perform highly complex tasks.
As well as unscrewing jars, they can open boxes, distinguish between different shapes and colours and complete mazes.
According to Israeli scientists some of the octopus’s intelligence is actually contained within its tentacles.
Each of the octopus’ eight arms is controlled by an elaborate nervous system consisting of 50 million neurons.
Plenty of Flounder in the River Teign
CONTACTS:
Mike Heylin, chairman
Alan Brothers, marine committee
December 2 2009
MPs’ praise for sea angling “just fine words”
Agreement among MPs on the importance of recreational sea angling (RSA) were just “fine words”, according to Mike Heylin, chairman of the Angling Trust.
Opening the fisheries debate last night (December 1) the fisheries minister, Huw Irranca-Davies, declared: “It would be remiss of me not to mention also the contribution of sea angling which…makes a significant contribution to the UK economy.”
Richard Benyon the Conservative “shadow” fisheries minister echoed him saying sea angling was an extremely important activity.
“Fine words, indeed,” commented Mike Heylin chairman of the Angling Trust afterwards. “Neither promised support to improve and expand the remit of sea anglers and their involvement in managing stocks.
“We are are pursuing them to force government action to enable decimated fish stocks to recover and regenerate, including increasing minimum landing sizes so that more fish live to spawn before being killed by commercial fishing.”
In the debate two other MPs urged the minister to ensure full angler representation on the new Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authorities (IFCAs) replacing the 1880s-era sea fisheries committees.
Bill Wiggin (Con. Leominster) said it was essential that angling was properly represented on the IFCAs, “not just lumped in with other interests.”
Martin Salter, Labour’s parliamentary spokesman on angling, agreed that anglers needed a proper voice on the new bodies. They were “woefully under-represented on the old sea fisheries committees.”
Mr. Salter also demanded that the minister again consider the issue of minimum landing sizes (mls) for bass and to say when he would do so.
13th TEIGNMOUTHSEA ANGLING SOCIETY
2009 NATIONAL FLOUNDER SHORECHAMPIONSHIPS
Saturday 27 & Sunday 28 November
Supported by the main sponsors :-
Dunraven Windows, Bridgend, South Wales, and Fishing Tackle Manufacturers Any fish Anywhere,
The winner was local man Peter Guscott of Teignmouth with a fine fish of 3lb 8.4 oz caught on the Sunday and he wins £1000 first prize plus £216 pools
The 13th National Flounder Championships retains its popularity with a increase in entries and good quality fish, four over 3 lbs, being brought to the scales, including a cracking fish of 3lbs 10.7 by junior Chris Cockram. The recent bad weather did not deter the 260 entries who braved the winter winds and rain on both days, although the conditions obviously did affect the juniors and some of the junior prizes were not awarded.
The Championship from its inception has always been fished with conservation of the species in mind and all but two fish were returned alive to the river and these were kept and donated for the table. The success of these Championships is in no small way down to the excellent backing of the sponsors who support the prizes of - £1000 first place, and £250 day prize for Sat and Sunday, plus good quality tackle prizes down to 10th place on both days of the championship. The presentations were held at the Lifeboat Station and made by Julian Shambrook on behalf of the main sponsor Anyfish anywhere who was amongst the prize winners. A cheque for £250 was also made to the Teignmouth RNLI Branch Society which was received on behalf of the branch by their representative.
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Overall Winner Senior -
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Wins £1000 plus 1st Pool £216
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Flounder :- 3lbs 8.4oz
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Peter Guscott
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Teignmouth : Teignmouth SAS
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Overall Winner Junior -
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Wins Fishing Tackle to the value of £300
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Flounder :- 3lbs 10.7oz
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Chris Cockram
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Dawlish :
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Best Flounder Saturday Senior -
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Wins £250 plus 2nd Pool £130
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Flounder :- 3lbs 6.6oz
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Tony Burslem
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Barnstaple : Triple Hook SAC
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Best Flounder Sunday Senior -
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Wins £250 plus 3nd Pool £86
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Flounder :- 3lbs 1.2z
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Nick Goodwright
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Teignmouth : Teignmouth SAS
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Kyak Fishing
Mark Chinnok was very excited when he caught this fine bass from a Torbay mark, it tipped the scales at the Paigtnon club HQ to 7.5.12; caught on live prawn it is one of the  biggest caught from the Bay this Autumn. Well done Mark.
Fishing from a Kyak is a growing sport, they are easy to transport to those out of the way marks and you can quietly paddle in close to rocks for the timid bass that is easily spooked with a motor.
Pete Hutchins of Paignton fishing from a boat in Torbay had a good ays wrasse fishing, the best of his day was a beauty of 6.0.7
Teign Flounder
 Nick Best, Competition secretary of the Torbay and Babbacombe ASA had a succesful few hours fishing from a boat on the River Teign catching a flounder of 3.3.6. Thats the biggest of the winter so far and this augers well for the rest of the winter and for the two big matches to come, the Flounder Championships over the last weekend of November and the popular RNLI Christmas Fayre on December 13th.
Bull Huss.
I had this email from my club's fish recorder that shows that sometimes an unplanned fishing trip can be very successful
Hi Ted
 I took young Archie fishing yesterday near Hopes Nose yesterday shore fishing around Hopes Nose and caught this bull huss of 14.2.8. I caught it at 2pm on a small mackerel strip close in. Myself and Archie only popped down for a couple of Hours just trying for whatever was about. Shame Archie didnt have it , it would have smashed the junior record. Cracking fish whih beats my best by 3lb. Not quite as big as the Conger we lost from the same spot last year estimated at 35 to 40lb.
Cheers Nigel
Big Reef Pollack
 My friend, charter skipper, Jeff Clark is working his Duchess 2 out of his home port of West Bay at the moment and he tells me with good results, including this very good reef pollack of 17lb that he caught himself while fishing with a 6lb class rod. "I have to show them I can stiil do it" he said. he also told me his anglers are still catching bream and the first whiting of the winter have also been caught.
picture courtesy Jeff Clark
Congers Upstaged
The annual conger haunt (Oct 18th) on the Breakwater at Brixham (South Devon) was the 11th organised.
The 109 anglers had a quiet evening for once with calm winds. Competition for thebest conger was intense as always at this popular conger venue, a  number were caught but there was the big fish of previous years, the winning fish, 17.5.0. But what a win for local angler Simon Porter on his first ever conger trip and what a time to catch your first conger. He went home well satisfied with £200 cash and £680 worth of tackle.
Second spot went to Keith Nathan from Paignton with an eel of 16lb that made his £135 richer and with £450 worth of tackle.
In third place was another local angler, Tim Bird his conger15.10.0 winning him £65 and £320 of tackle.
 But without doubt the fish of the evening was a three bearded rockling of 2.12.0 that won the sweep stake for the best of other species for Tony Searle of Totnes club Bat Water Anglers, his pool winnings £105.
pictures courtesy Martyn Green
William Rules the Waves
10 year old William Messenger, son of Gary Messenger, chairman of the Torbay and Babbacombe ASA is fast  making a name for himself; in the past month he has broken two club junior boat records, first with a bull huss of 10.7.0 now he has boated a wrasse weighing 5.12.14 caught on hardback crab from a mark outside the river Dart on the family boat named aptly, Wizard.
Also on board was another member, Mike Johnson who caught the best wrasse of the day, his tipped the scales at 6.2.2.
Wreck Turbot
 A turbot caught from the Dartmouth based, Gemini skippered by Dave Harrison by a member of the Welsh club, Cyback Preadors SAC, Wayne McKeown was for many the catch of the week; it came while drift fishing over a wreck. Arare fish these days, no weight given but it must be in the high teens by the picture.
Picture courtesy Gemini.
The Brill Of The Year?
 What is likely to be the biggest brill of the year dropped on to the deck of the Weymouth based, Duchess 2 skippered by Jeff Clark in September while drift fishing over the Shambles Banks off Portland. It weighed in at a massive 9.5.0 and was caught by Portsmouth angler, Carl Fuggle.
picture courtesy Jeff Clark
A small party of anglers from the Wash fish each August on the Dartmouth based, Gemini at Dartmouth, the aim to catch a ton up conger. The past two years were washed out so this time they were confident.
 Unfortunately the weather won once again meaning two days over the Skerries Banks where a few reasonable sized plaice were caught, plus red gurnard and LSD, all poor substitutes.
On the third day they did reach a wreck but the conger were still hiding from the weather, the biggest they caught...a modest 35lb. A few ling did grab baits as a consolation prize, but they barely topped twentty pound.
Well there is always next year!
Pictures Steve Tame plaice, Karl Elsey Ling
courtesy Gemini
Sidewinders pull in the cod
 Jamie Hopwood, a member of the Brixham club organised a trip aboard the Dartmouth based, Gemini skippered by Dave Harrison to target cod with Sidewinder lures, and what a successful day it was as can be seen on by the picture, none were record breakers but they were a nice eating size.
picture courtesy gemini
If you would like to see a comprehensive range of sidewinders go to our home page and click on Sea.
John Dory are not caught very often, but I was  aboard the Weymouth based charter boat, Duchess 2 skippered by Jeff Clark when Steff Francies caught this one on a blue storm shad, it weighed just short of two pound. As He reeled in he was cussing because he thought a pout had taken the bait. Dory's of course are one of the nicest fish to eat, so there was much ribbing about it being the skippers perks!!.
Big Dorset Bass,
 Fishing from his own boat out of West Bay,Cheff, Dan Clark, son of Charter boat skipper, Jeff Clark boated the first double figure bass of the summer on a shad lure, it tipped the scales at 10.4.0.
On the same trip his daughter Hollie aged 10  proved she was a chip off the old block by catching a double a figure pollack.
Dan is hoping to start his own charter boat from West Bay this summer, and there is going to be something different about it, watch this space.
pictures courtesy Jeff Clark
A Kenya Bonanza
While holidaying in Mombasa, Kenya I managed to get some exciting fishing from one of Walter Brun's Sports Fishing boats. Based outside of Mombasa these well fitted boats are very reasonably priced, I paid  £80 for a half a boat for a half days. Fishing was excellent, on one morning we had one triple and two double hook ups on Dorado. I also caught a small wahoo on that trip. I was sharing the boat with Dave and Sonia Wilkinson from Devon on their first ever sport fishing trip and Dave had the best fish that day, a Dorado weighing 26lb. "Terrific" he said.
This is what Day Dreams are made of.
This has come in from Pemba Channel in Kenya, one of the countries top resorts, read all about the tremendous fishing so far this year as you sit through our cold winter waiting for the sring to arrive.
It was tangible, it was within reach, it was a Super Fantasy Slam of Six Different Billfish – Almost . .  . !
Morne Basson, an avid fisherman from SA, caught, tagged, photographed and released this potential All Africa Record Short Billed Spearfish whilst fishing aboard Shuwari on 10 January, 2009. This very rare and seldom-caught caught species (Tetrapturus angustirostris) is a pelagic, off shore, deep-water fish.
I received these pictures of Golden Ray on the move from Western Australia, fantastic pictures. Congratulaions to Sandra Critelli on superb pictures
Hi Ted. Do you get ray like this in the UK? Graham
 Looking like giant leaves floating in the sea, thousands of Golden Rays are seen here gathering off the coast of Mexico. The spectacular scene was captured as the magnificent creatures made one of their biannual mass migrations to more agreeable waters. Gliding silently beneath the waves they turned vast areas of blue water to gold off the northern tip of the Yucatan Peninsula. Sandra Critelli, an amateur photographer, stumbled across the phenomenon while looking for whale sharks.
 She said, 'It was an unreal image, very difficult to describe. The surface of the water was covered by warm and different shades of gold, and looked like a bed of autumn leaves gently moved by the wind. It's hard to say exactly how many there were but in the range of a few thousand. We were surrounded by them without seeing the edge of the school and we could see many under the water surface too. I feel very fortunate I was there in the right place at the right time to experience nature at his best.'
 Measuring up to 7ft (2.1 metres) from wing-tip to wing-tip, Golden rays are also more prosaically known as cow nose rays. They have long, pointed pectoral fins that separate into two lobes in front of their high-domed heads, that give them a cow-like appearance. Despite having poisonous stingers, they are known to be shy and non-threatening when in large schools. The population in the Gulf of Mexico migrates in schools of as many as 10,000, clockwise from western Florida to the Yucatan.
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