Mike Thrussell is one of the most respected names in angling journalism with 25-years experience and a published article count probably in excess of 2000 features. He’s written for 14 different UK based magazines, plus numerous overseas publications. His books, written over 20-years ago now, Bass: Strategy & Confidence and Shark: First Run have become much sought after collector’s items. Mike also writes a regular blog for the Pure Fishing web site.

Mike became involved in tackle development and design in 1990 first working as a consultant with Shakespeare, then being asked to move to Leeda late in 1991 to take up a similar role which also saw additional development and design work on Mustad hooks. In 2003 Mike accepted an offer from Fox International to assist in designing their first range of saltwater tackle. Fate took a hand again in late 2005 when Shakespeare UK approached Mike again to see if he was interested in returning to Shakespeare. Although very happy at Fox, the chance to resume a strong working relationship built up at Leeda with Rob Wyatt, then Product Manager at Shakespeare, proved a key factor. Having worked solely with Rob on the highly successful SALT range of rods, Shakespeare bought Penn out, then Pure Fishing took control of both Shakespeare and Penn bringing the powerful brands of ABU, Shakespeare and Penn all under the same roof. Mike now works on products in all three of these top brands, as well as other brands under the Pure Fishing portfolio.

Media work has included TV appearances on the BBC’s Great Whites: Great Britain programme with Steve Leonard, as a regular guest on SKY Sports Tightlines presented by Keith Arthur, and ITV’s Screaming Reels with Nick Fisher. Mike was also a regular contributor to Radio 5’s Dirty Tackle fishing show, and also as a weekly contributor and presenter alongside Nick Hancock on Radio 5 Live’s highly successful angling show “Fish on Five”.

Mike was also the compiler of the original angling information service on Teletext TV for seven years, often being the first to cover news stories such as the imposition of Bass Nursery Areas, the original Charter Boat White Paper, and numerous new UK record fish etc.

Due to his comprehensive working knowledge of the angling industry, Mike is also often asked to undertake survey work in to areas little if ever previously fished by anglers and to asses their infrastructure to help Tourist Boards and other tourism related companies and representations form a future business plan.

Mike is also the International Game Fish Association Representative for Wales helping anglers in Wales have a link with the IGFA and to assist with any potential record and line class claims, queries etc.

FISHING HISTORY
With 51-years of angling experience and a varied interest that covers all aspects of saltwater fishing from beach, to rocks to boats and big game fishing Mike seems to have lost none of is interest and remains a true obsessive about the sport.

He began fishing the estuaries of North Wales for flounder and eels at the tender age of four under a watchful non angling father’s eye. Spending all his pocket money on angling magazines from an early age he soaked up everything he could. By his early teens he’d graduated to bass fishing and became a great admirer of the late and truly great John Darling and the bible that was Angling magazine, finding out quickly that what John had written he too experienced to prove the point that good journalism is true journalism.

Mike went to live and work in Western Australia in 1974 until 1979 and fished for shore bronze whaler sharks, big red snapper, jewfish, King George whiting, flathead, bluefish and much more.

On returning to the UK he went straight back to bass fishing and spent the best part of the next decade preoccupied with them. It was his success with bass that led to him being asked to write for the magazines.

All bassed out by now, he switched to general species and specimen hunting using the experience he’d gained from hunting big bass. He’s now “collected” 97 different sea species in the UK and Ireland and has recorded 114 in Northeast Atlantic waters. In 1989 he also became the first angler in Wales to break the 200lb barrier catching a porbeagle shark weighing 205lbs.

He’s now fished in 15 different countries catching blue and striped marlin, sailfish, yellowfin tuna, rooster fish, big dorado, tarpon, giant stingray, lemon sharks, bull sharks and giant grouper to name a few. He rates his best catches as a bull shark estimated well in excess of 200lbs caught on 15lb test line and a spinning rod in the Florida Keys, a 120lb Florida tarpon, a yellowfin tuna of 80lbs taken on 18lb test and an ABU 7000C reel in Mexico, a 35lb Mexican rooster fish on 12lb line, and the blue marlin just because it was a blue marlin and a fish that as child he thought he’d never be able to fish for.

SOME OTHER FACTS ABOUT MIKE
Mike used to drive competitive rally cars in his late teens!

He was born close to Hillsborough, home of Sheffield Wednesday Football Club, and though it’s been a hard ride supporting the Owls since 1959, he was, is, and always will be an Owl!

His rates his best freshwater fish a 36lb 2oz carp!

When he needs a rest from sea fishing, he goes fly fishing for trout!

His favourite TV show is Tour of Duty an American series about the Vietnam War, and his favourite film is Platoon with Charlie Sheen.    

HIS LIKES
Real ale, brunettes, fast cars, fast boats, most things he can’t afford.

HIS DISLIKES
Bad manners, cities, slow drivers, jobs worth’s, jealousy!

FAVOURITE SHORE RODS & REELS

RODS
MTI 300 Beachcaster
Penn Affinity Surf Beachcaster
MTI Bass

REELS
Abu 6500 C3 CT Mags
Penn 525 EVO
ABU 9000C (Original 2-speed)

FAVOURITE BOAT RODS AND REELS

RODS
MTI 15lb Offshore
MTI 20/40 Braid
MTI 12/20lb Braid (Prototype)
Any Penn Waveblaster EVO
Any ABU Suveran 09 onwards

REELS
ABU REVO Toro 60HS
Penn TRQ100
Penn TRQ 200
Penn International 16S
Penn International 30SW

SPINNING/FLYFISHING

RODS
ABU REVO prototype spinning rods
Scierra Bluewater 9wt Fly rod

REELS
Penn Atlantis 4000 (Bass plugging)
Partridge Fly Reels

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