BUZZBAIT
Tiny British seaside village overrun by annual kayak competition
GOD SAVE SWANAGE
Swanage is the picture of a sleepy English seaside town. It has a Victorian pier, stands that sell “Kiss me quick!” hats and a Punch and Judy puppet show on the beach. The peace is only broken by a steam train whistle and children’s laughter. But one day each year all this changes. On an early spring Saturday, it is immediately evident
something is out of place. Long before the sun comes up, kayak fishermen—many have slept in their cars—emerge onto the beach. By dawn, over one hundred kayaks litter the small shoreline. Anglers from all over the United Kingdom and Europe mill through the scattered fishing sleds waiting for the start of the annual Swanage Classic Kayak Fishing Tournament.
Trophy hunters need not apply. Savvy anglers target the tiniest fish.
The excitement builds until a horn sounds and the
competitors stampede into the cold English Channel. Tourists stand dumbstruck as a melee of men who should know better rush down a small beach no bigger than an average front yard, and into the dark water. Each angler has his favorite spot in the sheltered Swanage
Bay. Some of the competitors have pre-fished for weeks to store GPS coordinates of the hottest spots. The reef is home to many species of fish, which is good for the tournament participants. These anglers are competing to catch, photograph and release the most species of fish, not the biggest fish. This creates a unique definition of fishing success. The
winner will have to change and adapt tactics, rigs and baits in order to catch many different types of fish. Trophy hunters need not apply. For a podium position, an angler will have to catch at least eight species of fish. The winner is a master of many fish, he has to understand where each fish lives, what it eats and how it behaves. Savvy anglers target the tiniest fish. They go after
diminutive scorpion fish and tompot blenny with tiny No. 16 hooks and four-pound test. One of the strangest species, the undulated ray, has swirls and sprinkles on its back. Black bream are another prized catch, they can grow to four pounds and fight like a heavyweight boxer. In the 2015 Swanage Classic, 19 different species of fish
were registered by over 100 anglers. Mark Radcliffe won the event with 10 different species and took home a new Hobie Outback provided by retailer Hobie Cat Centre. The tournament raised money for the local lifeboat rescue service. After the tournament, David Morris, organizer of the
event, joined the rest of the crew back at the local campsite. When I asked him about his thoughts on the day’s events he replied, “I don’t think Swanage has seen anything
like it before. I can’t wait to do it all again next year!” IAN "DIZZYFISH" HARRIS
16…KAYAK ANGLER MARK RADCLIFFE CAUGHT 10 SPECIES OF
FISH TO WIN THE 2015 SWANAGE CLASSIC. PHOTO: IAN "DIZZYFISH" HARRIS
BLACK BREAM, LIKE THIS BEAUTY CAUGHT BY MARCUS
WARD, ARE A REAL PRIZE. PHOTO: IAN "DIZZYFISH" HARRIS
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