Having been born in the Channel port of Dover, it was perhaps inevitable that Alan Yates would have a lifelong affinity for the Sea. He spent much of his formative fishing days chasing bass from boat and shore before taking an interest in match fishing. He was rather good at it.
Alan’s match fishing success through the 1960’s and 70’s led to him becoming a full time angling journalist, writing for magazines such as Angling Times and Improve Your Sea Angling. He continued to fish competitively, and represented England 15 times, twice winning gold medals. In 1980 Alan founded the Sea Anglers Match Federation, which saw the creation and management of several sponsored events. Alan also campaigned for the introduction of catch and release in match angling and sea angling as a whole, something that he is passionate about to this day.
In 1999 Alan published a book, Sea Fishing, while he still works as a photojournalist, and as a Contributing Editor for Sea Angler magazine. Having spent a fishing lifetime using a variety of manufacturer’s tackle, he has also begun to develop his own, and after a career such as his, he probably has a fair idea of what he’s doing…