Team Sakuma hit shore tope jackpot

by David Proudfoot

shore tope

Shore tope record holder Kev Legge has beaten his 66lb benchmark set back in 2006 with a 66lb 8oz monster from a North Devon rock mark, while his SAKUMA team mates have also enjoyed some top tope action.

TEAM SAKUMA anglers have been among the big fish again. Monster fish supremo and current British shore tope record holder, Kev Legge, crowned the group’s several notable captures with a 66lb 8oz potential new British record fish from a North Devon rock mark at night on November 6th. By strange coincidence or simple fate Kev’s current 66lb record shore tope was also caught on the 6th of November back in 2006.

Kev from Braunton, North Devon was fishing with regular angling buddies Wayne Thomas and Derek Ferret. His successful tactics were a flounder fillet bait mounted on Sakuma 8/0 Manta Extra 545 and 8/0 Pennel Manta Extra hooks on a pulley rig, incorporating a 150lb wire biting length. The record-breaker was weighed on calibrated scales and witnessed by the other anglers before being returned alive. All information has been passed on to the British Record Fish Committee for ratification.

TOPE TRUMPS

The following night Sakuma’s Alex McDonald and John Patten also enjoyed superb tope action on a different mark. Alex bagged the best fish – a cracking 45lb tope – which once again fell to a large flounder bait offered on Sakuma 8/0 Manta Extra & 8/0 Pennel Manta Extra hooks on a pulley rig.

But Alex was later left deflated after a much more substantial tope was lost. Alex said: “I was on a high and the adrenaline was still coursing from the 45 pounder when another more powerful fish picked up the fresh flounder bait and charged off. I could only watch as a silly amount of line was run off… I had to do something as I had very little left on the reel! I had no choice other than to apply thumb pressure to the spool, which is always risky of course, and the big fish smashed me up big style! I was gutted, and examination of the trace showed it to be badly scoured, while the 70lb wire bite-piece was rasped and bitten through. Next time, I’ll follow Kev’s example and use heavier wire!”

Pictures: TEAM SAKUMA

Facebook Comments Box

You may also like

Leave a Comment

I accept the Privacy Policy

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.