Holmesy

I shouldn think the harder bottomed creeks would be easier to fish. Have a go you've nothing to lose but whatever you do be careful on the marshes.

There are some good flatties in some of the creeks, I know I've stood on 'em! There's mullet and bass in some too.

Let's be very clear on a few things. This government has had several opportunities to show us, anglers, that they were serious about providing us with an "improved angling experience". There was a motion to raise the minimum landing size for bass to 45cm, backed by Bradshaw, a size that would've given the fish chance to spawn. What did we get? No change, its still acceptable to land juvenile fish. ICES scientists advise a reduction in the cod quota to maintain the species ( not for anglers but for the fish! ), what did we get? We got an 11% increase in the cod quota, fought for by our current fisheries minister. Along with the commercial bias who guides him, do they know better than marine scientists? They sent a pretty clear signal where anglers sit in the scheme of things. The one good thing this government have done was let the bank of England decide the interest rate, sensible to let people who know what they are doing make key decisions. What we do with fisheries "management" is manage for death and decline and its all over seen by a fruit picker turned council worker from Kent. Yes I'll pay for a licence because I'm a law abiding citizen who doesn't want to look over my shoulder everytime I go fishing, but I'll get less than feck all for my money.

Munty mate, your neck of the woods was fishing at least as well a week ago. I'd save my petrol money, spend it at Sam Hooks and go to Pakefield.

I'd go with Dale's spots, there can be a bit of tide at Labasheeda but it's a good spot. Poulnasherry bay holds a few around this time of the year usually, I'm sure its just a matter of time before you manage one.

What rods are the guys using down there? If its clean beach work and you're stuck with the £60 budget, buy a secondhand rod something that retails around £150 should be within your budget. I would recomend the Daiwa Supercasts but I'm thinking of the fishing off my local beaches (clean, distance, worm baits), you really need to match it to the conditions down there.

As Glenn said there's less commercial pressure than there was and the fish have managed a couple of good spawning years, doesn't mean they're out of trouble as a species though.

Don't spend a lot of money on leader, just buy the cheap stuff in bulk spools. If most of your fishing is done in the 4-6oz weight range 60lb will be plenty.

Thats a cracking flounder the first one, I hope the lad is hooked, very well done indeed. My old boy is only 6 but he's not showing any signs of any interest yet! I hope he does, I'm not sure mum feels the same though!!

I think somebody said try and find out why the sea trout men are getting them, match the hatch the fluff chuckers call it. If they're taking silvery lures fish an eel or a dexter wedge. If your bait fishing you'll find lug worm or peeler crab hard to beat at this time of the year.

You should try it, you might catch more sole

9" snoods, size 4 or 6 hooks old lug, preferably the ones nicked by the fork, french booms and the flood or ebb in darkness, slacks are a waste of time.

Pick your spot where your going to target them then ask for local knowledge. I'm sure most of whats above will catch sole, but I wouldn't dream of fishing with 3' snoods for sole, mine wouldn't be longer than 6-9" on french booms, flood, ebb, lug, rag etc etc will change depending where your fishing. Choose your mark then re-ask your question "sole fishing at xxx"

Are you mad? Me and a mate had a dozen pups the other night in Norfolk, in Suffolk they've had double figure smuts already at Orford mixed in with cod to 8lbs, bass at dovercourt, east anglia may look like a butt, but its a butt full of fish! Essex has seen good rays as has the north kent coast, you need to put the books down and get out more mate, WE have some of the best sea fishing in the uk here in east anglia.

The new updated mag elite is around £100, you should still be able to get the "old" mag ellites for around £70.

Good for you Barry, I like some of the features or I'll buy it if a mate has done a piece or something but I don't buy them on a regular basis. I'm amazed by the people that do only to complain about this that or the other, just don't buy it or thumb flick it before you do!

I've said it so many times its getting boring. the mags do a great job for those starting out and need to know how to tie a leader or that a flapper isn't a short tongued girl of disrepute. If you know it all don't buy it, if you do buy it don't moan about it, nobody made you pick it up off the shelf!

I have 4 mag elites and a shimano fs. All good reels but for fishing pleasure for me personally its the mag elites every time.

Why's that Barry, don't rsa's use bait ?

It might not be unusual if you have the gulf stream on your doorstep, try and get one out of my side!

Mackerel in January ffs its all gone Pete Tong.

There's been loads of codling mostly 2-4lbs off Lowestoft beaches this past week or so, odd fish to 7 or 8. You should do ok just offshore when you can get out.

There static mate ie 360/0 is always North and 180 South going clockwise. Down here I'm looking for north quarter winds probably same as you, so I'd be looking for winds from 315 to 360/0 to 45 NW through to NE. A good site for wind direction is the GB wind map at www.xcweather.co.uk

They might be the direction, if they were angles and degrees. 0 is North, 90 East, 180 South and 270 west. 315 will be NW, the angles given would give the swell/wind at about WNW for the first two and NNE for the last one, does that stack up with how it was?

The top fish looks in good nick, the bottom one looks a bit ropey to me!