Bookie Is Back- Drone Disasters and Fun Fishing!

Bookie Returns – Smoothhounds & Small Eyed Rays from Swansea!

After a long break from filming, Dean Booker – better known to many as Bookie – is back on the Veals Mail Order YouTube channel, and he’s straight into action on the South Wales coast. This time, he’s heading for the marks around Swansea with one clear aim: to target summer favourites, the smoothhound and the small eyed ray.

It’s great to see Bookie back doing what he does best, blending genuine angling knowledge with a good dose of humour. From the off, he walks us through his plan for the day – the choice of venue, the tide times he’s working to, and the bait and rigs he’s selected for these particular species. Even if the fishing isn’t hectic, the information comes thick and fast, with plenty of insights for anyone keen to try this style of fishing themselves.

A big change for this trip is his choice of rods. Bookie has recently added the Century Graphex Match models to his arsenal and, for this session, he’s swapped out his usual heavy-duty Century T-900 and T-1000 for something lighter and more sensitive. He explains exactly why he’s decided to scale down his tackle – from the rod choice through to the finer points of his rig – and how that decision can make all the difference when targeting species like smoothhounds and rays.
Throughout the session, Bookie takes time to break down his full setup in detail: rods, reels, mainline, hook lengths, and rig configurations. He explains the thinking behind each component, offering tips on how to get the best from lighter gear without compromising on strength when it counts.

While the fishing on this particular day isn’t non-stop action, there are still moments when the rod tips bounce and Bookie gets the chance to demonstrate playing fish on the scaled-down setup. Viewers will see him land a couple of fish and hear his advice on safe handling, unhooking, and releasing them back in top condition – all delivered in his usual easy-going and often comical style.
As ever, it’s not just about the fish. Bookie also shares his thoughts on the Swansea coastline as a venue: the terrain you’ll encounter, the best approaches for different states of tide, and what anglers can expect to catch here at various times of the year. For anyone planning a trip to this part of South Wales, it’s invaluable insight straight from someone who’s spent years fishing these marks.

Whether you’re tuning in for the tips, the tackle talk, the venue information, or simply because it’s been too long since Bookie was last on the channel, this video has plenty to offer. Expect smoothhounds, small eyed rays, lighter tackle tactics, and plenty of laughs along the way.

Here’s a list of the tackle used in this video-
Varivas Yellow Sport – 4oz- https://www.veals.co.uk/product/variv...
Breakaway Seat Box Conversion Original SB1- https://www.veals.co.uk/product/break...
Century NG T-Shirt- https://www.veals.co.uk/product/centu...
VMO Shepherd’s Crook Bait Tool- https://www.veals.co.uk/product/vmo-b...
Seadra Super Bait Scissors- https://www.veals.co.uk/product/seadr...
VMO Grip Strip- https://www.veals.co.uk/product/vmo-g...
SKM Bomber Leads- https://www.veals.co.uk/product/skm-b...
Seadra X3 Power Crane Swivel- https://www.veals.co.uk/product/seadr...
Varivas Full Circle Hook- https://www.veals.co.uk/product/variv...
Ian Golds 7’ Super Match Rest- https://www.veals.co.uk/product/golds...
Asso Classic- https://www.veals.co.uk/product/asso-...
Bookies Rig’s Varivas Full Circle with Dongle- https://www.veals.co.uk/product/booki...
Bookies Rig’s Long Dongle Pulley (Ray) Rig- https://www.veals.co.uk/product/booki...
Century Tip Tornado Graphex Match- https://www.veals.co.uk/product/centu...
Penn Fathom II Casting Special – FTHII15SDCS- https://www.veals.co.uk/product/penn-...
Colmic Zero 7 WR T-80 420- https://www.veals.co.uk/product/colmi...
Shimano Power Aero 14000 XSC- https://www.veals.co.uk/product/shima...