When's a good time?

[Satchmo]

Of course there are many hardened anglers go out fishing at all times of year in all weathers. But for the rest of us who can only manage odd weekends after 2 months planning, when is the best time of year to start getting out on the rocks and beaches again after the winter lull and have a good chance of getting some decent fish and what are the best targets down here around Portland and Chesil. Summer and Autumn are no problem but I'm not sure what's around at this time of year.

[Jim Roper]

I spent 4 hours with a rod in my hand on Chesil on Saturday night for 1 poorcod.

Two weeks before I had 7 doggies.

There have been a lot of Pout around the pound mark caught in the last month or two, but not this week for me!

What made it worse was the hour long walk on the pebbles in either direction.

"There's no gain without pain", somebody said. Most good places involve a lot of walking nowadays.

 

If you only have a few weeks to spare, leave it for August and September. Early June will see things liven up a bit, but it depends how much time you are allowed out.

 

You should be able to catch Wrasse in daylight off the rocks at Portland all summer and up until Christmas.

 

Chesil Beach at Abbotsbury must be the most over-rated beach in the country for anything but mackerell. Convenient for parking though!

 

We used to go to Ringstead quite a lot, years ago. I got something heavy into the surf one night, then 2 tugs and it was gone. The next night someone had a 50lb conger from the same spot!

 

I heard of one of 42lb, I think, being caught on the west side of Portland last summer.

 

If you want to travel west, then the water would be a little warmer earlier, I suppose. The first mackerell of the year at Lyme Regis, is often caught on Jan 1st.

 

http://www.mikeladle.com

 

[ 08. March 2004, 03:26 PM: Message edited by: Jim Roper ]