KEEPING WARM THIS WINTER
You can't fish well if you're freezing cold and it's raining down your neck. Here's how to keep warm this winter.

The main thing in keeping warm is to use lots of layers of clothing. Two light sweatshirts give more warmth than one big thick jumper. The other thing is to make sure your feet and legs are warm as heat rises upwards and contributes to keeping the upper body warm. The key factor is to always wear a bobble hat. A high percentage of your body heat is lost through the head.

A thermal vest with long sleeves and a pair of Long Johns are a good starting point. Next wear two light pairs of sports socks. Lined outdoor trousers designed for hill walking give added insulation and have the advantage of loads of pockets. A light rugby type shirt with a collar goes over the vest followed by two of the thicker type sweatshirts. These retain heat but are flexible for casting. Before you put your waders on add a pair of walking boot socks. They do thermal ones, which are excellent. If it's fine but very cold weather, finish with a fleece type coat. This combination of clothing is warm, comfy but easy to cast and work in.

Wrapping up warm in winter

When shore fishing in potentially wet weather, go for a proper two-piece flotation suit. If you get hot landing fish and baiting up, the coat can be removed but you still have the protection of the trousers. The flotation capability is also worth having in rough winter seas. For boat fishing, then the one-piece suit is the better choice. Boots and Wellingtons should be chosen with deep soles that keep you up off the floor and insulated from the cold.

If you need to wade in the winter surf use the thermal underclothes again, but trade the outdoor trousers for tracksuit bottoms and wear neoprene chest waders. Neoprene is an excellent insulator and you'll be as warm as toast.

TIPS AND TRICKS
The latest tackle containers you can get for nothing and the current beach fashion are the Chinese Takeaway plastic boxes that hold the main savoury dishes and banana fritters. These are excellent for lures, booms, hook boxes, as line spool holders and much more, plus they are see-through clear plastic for easy identification of kit.

I keep my jellyworm lures in them, plus rubber eels that need to be kept lengthways to avoid creases and kinks in the tail that spoil the lures action.

BEACHING BIG FISH TACTICS

Beaching that special fish

Most big surf hooked fish are lost at the last minute when they are close in amongst the breakers. Anglers tend to panic and try and drag the fish ashore. This puts massive pressure on the hook hold, which can tear free. Sometimes the combined pressure weight of the fish and the surf will break the hook snood or even the reel line.

Before starting to fish always check that your drag can give line at a pull weight no more than one third that of your lines breaking strain. For example, if you're fishing 15lb line than check the drag gives at a maximum straight 5lb pull.

The fish is hooked and you've played it right in to the breakers. Don't rush the fish. A fish knows it's in trouble and will use the surf to surge off, usually parallel with the shore. Trust your reel drag and let the fish go when it wants. Only when the fish stops pulling and you feel the tension ease should you try to regain line. You'll know when big cod and bass are beaten, as they tend to go on their sides and wallow in the water.

This is the critical time. With the fish now clearly visible on the surface and close by in the breakers, wait until a good wave comes, and as you feel the weight of the fish ease on the rod tip as the wave picks the fish up walk quickly backwards retrieving a little line to keep the line tight to the fish. As the wave recedes your fish should be left stranded on dry sand. If the fish gets new energy and gets side on to the wave the wave may wash the fish back out. Trust that drag again and let the fish go. Wait patiently until another big wave comes to lift the fish ashore again. Don't gill the fish, but place your thumb inside the bottom lip of the fish and grip with your index finger to drag the fish to safety.