Sea Fishing & Walking in the UK

Fantastic Flounder, Flatties Under Your Feet

River Alt, Merseyside

Almost every angler who’s been sea fishing for a while will have caught a few Flounder in his or her day but there are still people out there that rate this fish as hard to find. Once you’ve figured out where they are – catching them is relatively straight forward and doesn’t require any special tackle although if you fish with a the lightest set up you can get away with these usually overlooked flat predators can put up a fait fight that during the spring months will put a smile on any anglers face.

Living in the North West we have a few areas that are very well known for Flounder fishing – probably the most well known is Arnside in Cumbria which lies where the River Kent enters the North East of Morecambe Bay. With ample parking along the promenade the best fishing is about a couple of hundred meters to the left of the car park. Fish here as the tide floods but be very careful as the tide is very, very quick so be prepared to move backwards as it comes in.

Almost on my doorstep is the Ribble Estuary at Lytham, Lancashire. The best fishing I’ve had here has been a couple of hours either side of low water but to get to the mark involves a bit of a trek through some mud so a lot of people fish the area at high water from the safety of the embankment. Again – once the tides start to come in keep an eye out behind you for gulleys filling in and if in doubt move. The mud is very sticky and it would be easy to get stuck as the tide comes in. The area we fish is at the bottom of Fairlawn Road, Lytham.

River Douglas at low tide

Going up the River Ribble (if you were in a boat that is) the large tributary to the right is the River Douglas. This really is almost on my doorstep and I do a lot of walking along the River Douglas. During the spring and summer I have had some very pleasant days sat on the river bank, casting ragworm into this river and snaring some nice plump Flounder. The easiest way to get to the river is to drive down Guide Road in Hesketh Bank and take one of the many small tracks to the right – all of which go to the river. For those of you interested in small boat fishing – if you’re in the area Douglas Marine, the manufacturers of the Predator 165 are based on the River Douglas so you could do a spot of fishing then have a look at some boats.

Flounder from the River Alt

Coming south along the coast, past Formby where Kev got some Bass last year you arrive at the River Alt at Hightown, Merseyside. This is one of our favorite Flounder marks, easy to get to, very close range fishing and a nice sandy beach (if you don’t stand in the mud at low tide). Park along Riverside then walk towards the yatch club (large gate on the West side of the road) – go left past the club and the river is over the dunes. If you walk left for a while you come to a bend in the river – fish just after this bend into the river.

We always fish this from low water up to high, the best sessions always seem to coincide with an early morning start but that’s probably because we’re mad and just like an excuse to fish somewhere easy and have a sausage fry up for breakfast. Here are a couple of reports from a while back regarding the River Alt; one form the end of April using lug as bait and one from June, a BLAS match using crab as bait.

The tackle we use is just the normal beach fishing gear unless it’s within the rivers (Alt or Douglas) in which case I use my light shore / Bass rod as I’m not casting far, as light a lead as I can get away with – usually about 3oz for close in work and that old favorite – a flapper rig armed with 2 size 1 fine wire hooks.

Bait can be almost anything from lugworms to chunks of Mackeral but during the spring the Flounder will be gorging themselves on the moulting crabs, or peelers as anglers call them, and during the latter part of April, May and in to June you’d be hard pressed to find a better bait for Flounder than half a peeler on each hook.

So there you have it, a few Flounder hot spots in the North West. Keep your tackle as light as you can get away with and go out and snare a few ‘bin lids’. You’ll be suprised how much fun can be had flattie bashing…

Steath Attack on Sea Fishing – Call to Arms

Now I’m not usually one for shouting about anything even vaguely political and to be honest I normally steer clear of anything remotely involving the policies of our government or the EU but there is a growing threat on the horizon from Brussels (just for a change) that all recreation anglers and sea fishermen should be made aware of.

Imagine having to pay for every single fish you caught while out enjoying your favorite outdoor activity or to prove that you were releasing the fish you’d finally managed to catch. The ‘big brother’ idea gone a bit mad you might think… read on.

To quote Nigel Farage MEP and Leader of the UK Independence Party (UKIP)

Article 47 requires sport anglers to declare their catch so it can be included in the national fish quota. This is ludicrous. It will:

1. Place further pressure on the already beleaguered commercial fishing industry.

2. Make a criminal of every sea angler who fails to declare their catch. For failing to declare a mackerel caught off Brighton Pier, a child could face a fine from the EU of up to £50,000. That is just not acceptable.

Brussels hopes to ram Article 47 through by April and avoid any debate or opposition.

Why should Brussels bureaucrats ruin a sport loved by millions of people all over Britain and tighten the screw even more on our commercial fishermen?

That is why we have launched our SOS Campaign.

On our website www.ukip.orgwe have a petition for people to add their names plus there is also a poster which can be downloaded from the website which we encourage people to display in their home, local fishing tackle shop…just wherever they can!

And it’s not just UKIP that are against this idiocy.

Neil Parish MEP (Conservative) West Country says

I am very concerned by these proposals

Quite why anglers have been targeted is beyond me. Instead of targeting an innocent recreational activity, the European Commission should be looking at the real cause of the crisis in commercial fishing, namely the monstrosity which is the Common Fisheries Policy.

You can also find the petition at the e-petions website, resist the proposed changes from the EU in relation to Recreational Sea Angling.

As you can see, this is madness and I hope you’ll go and visit the websites and sign the petitions. Next we’ll have to have straight carrots – oh, they’ve already done that haven’t they…

Sea Fishing at Night. Essential Equipment – Light

Sea Fishing as the sun sets

As we’re in the middle of winter a lot of us will be sea fishing well into darkness, not because we’re mad (although in this weather we obviously are), but because during darkness the fish seem more confident and come closer to the shore to feed so reaching them casting from the shore is a lot easier.

You’d be suprised at how many people are caught out by not having sufficient, or the right type of, light while fishing in the dark. All the clothing to keep you warm and dry and all the tackle to land that fish of a lifetime is utterly useless if once it goes dark and your target fish start feeding you open your tackle box only to remember your light is on charge in the garage. And that’s before we even mention safety.

I’m not talking about lighting up the whole beach like a search and rescue helicopter here either (although there are some lamps out there that are that bright) but just enough light to enable you to sea fish safely and to see what you’re doing without disturbing everyone else. Looking up the beach on a lovely peaceful night only to have you’re night vision ruined by someone shining an industrial strength power light at you can is a little annoying to say the least.

I take 4 lights with me when i go fishing at night. That sounds a lot but let me explain what they are and what they do.

1. Base Lamp: This is a quite a large rechargeable light that is fairly heavy. We usually leave it where the tackle boxes are so that it gives light where we need it and has the added advantage of helping you work out where your stuff is on the beach after you cast in. There are lots of makes and types but I prefer this one as it’s not too bright but the charge lasts ages – even so, if i can get away with not taking it I leave it behind, no matter how small it still weighs a fair bit. The one we have is Halfords Rechargable Lantern & Remote

A Dab in the dark

2. Headlamp: Yes, the daft light on our heads that seems to give everyone an excuse to make jokes about us being miners. The ones we have, have two settings, an LED only setting which is just bright enough for most things and a beam setting which we realy only use when we know we’ve caught something as it’s a bit to bright otherwise, as well as using more battery power. We have a couple of headlamps made by Petzl but I don’t think they’re made anymore – the nearest I can find is MYOBELT SB5 headlamp, almost identicle but ours have the batteries in a small pack on the head strap.

3. Tip Light: There are many variations of lights for the end of your rod – to help you spot bites in the dark but we’ve found the best and least intrusive to be the chemical lights called Starlite, available from all good tackle dealers. These were always a pain to attach to a long beach casting rod until I came across a very clever gadget called the sea light adaptor, made by Enterprise tackle – it is essentially a tube that you can put your chemical light into that is held onto the rod by two rubber clamps that are held shut when pushed into the tube. Not a very good explanation but if you look at the website you’ll get the idea. Enterprise Tackle -Sea Rod Nightlight Adaptor

4. Backup Torch: I have one of these in my tackle box at all times – just in case. Can’t go wrong with a Maglite – the one I have is the 2 x AA battery size. Mini Maglite Flashlight

The other thing we always take is a spare 4 pack of AA batteries kept dry, it would be a shame to remember your light – only to have the batteries fail.

Anglers Get A Louder Voice

The merger of six angling and conservation bodies creating the Angling Trust, the new voice of angling, was completed to plan on Monday, January 5 2009.

“The Angling Trust is the new, single organisation to represent all game, coarse and sea anglers and angling in England. As the governing body for all angling, the Angling Trust will seek government funding to develop the sport from grass roots participation through to elite performance.”

Visit the Angling Trust website

This can only be good news for all anglers as with a larger membership base than individual organisations we can hopefully now have more of a say in how our sport, and hence the environment and countryside we all love, is managed.

Llandudno – Odd Year Part 2

Llandudno, North Wales

So what else did we do last year? Not a lot of sea fishing or fel walking that’s for sure. We did manage to suprise my father though which is a task in itself. For the past few years he has been entering the Three Castles Welsh Classic Trial with a friend, Bill. He works as the navigator and Bill, the proud owner of the car – a beautiful bright red Triumph TR5, is the driver.

This year (2008) we arranged to go down to Llandudno but we took company. Every year Dad and Bill go for 4 days leaving my mother and their dog, Megan – a black lab, behind. So – we picked up mum and Megan and took them to see the finish of the rally.

Three Castle Rally, TR5

Did we suprise my father?

I think we can safely say yes – it’s not often we can ‘get’ him, although how we’re going to top this one i’ll never know.

Once again the weather was stunning and after a good chat and a look at the cars we meandered our way back along the promenade only for me to spot a few guys fishing for Mackerel from the shore. It looked like they were doing fairly well and every so often a flash of silver and blue / green could be seen as their prizes were beached.

If there is anything quiet as frustrating a watching fish being caught when your tackle is almost 100 miles away I’ve yet to discover it. We left them too it, another great day in Llandudno and managing to suprise my father – priceless.

A Very Odd Year – Part 1

Pollack for Wendy

Not entirely sure why I stopped blogging, a few other things going on but no particular reason but I’m back now and hopefully I’ll get some more fishing done and some walking done. So without any more mumbling what have we been doing fishing wise.

Well, to be perfectly honest, not a whole lot, we went to Anglesey for a week at the beginning of June and stayed at Ty Cristion, was fantastic.

We didn’t really catch much but as it was going to be the end of September when we had our main summer break we needed a week’s break just to get away.

Anglesey is a fantastic place and the weather was stunning. I don’t know how we manage it but once again it was shorts and T-shirts weather and we spent almost as much time just relaxing in the sun as we did fishing.

We caught a few of the usual suspects. Namely Dogfish, Wrasse, Pollock and an early Spider Crab and as always, I was out fished by Wendy although I did manage to grab a few Bass from a beach we’d always tried but never before had any luck at.

A Sunset Bass

Cemlyn beach is the seaward side of an important nesting site for many types of seabirds which, as we waiting for evening to fall and to start fishing, were a fantastic sight to see diving into the bay after fish. We fishing an hour before and an hour after dusk using simply gear and peeler crab as bait and managed to snare a couple of Bass before the dogfish turned up – at which point we left.

We fished to the right of the bay, just in front of the car park, casting no further than 20 feet out.

As usual we either got bait ourselves or from Gareth at fishing4u who’s website seems to change more than the weather on the island. If your thinking of going to Anglesey fishing I thoroughly recommend giving the forum a look and maybe popping into the shop at Menai Bridge.

A Long Rest From Blogging

Small Whiting

Well… that was a bit of a long gap between posts, I don’t know what happened or why I stopped but I guess it was something to do with the the fact that we haven’t really been fishing properly since last summer. We’ve dabbled a bit but I think we were both a bit run down after the disappointment of our Devon trip and just couldn’t get motivated. But thats all over now!

The tackle has been cleaned, line replaced on the reels and all those bits and pieces you loose either while fishing or down the back of the sofa have been replaced.

Our first venture of the year was to Anglesey during the first of the May Bank Holidays in search of Bass where we stayed at Ty Cristion Holiday Cottages. As it happens we we’re too early even though May has been one of the hottest on record the proceeding months hadn’t been warm enough to encourage the Bass to move up the coastline to North Wales.

Wendys' first Turbot

We had a fantastic time though – the weather and countryside we fantastic and although the bass didn’t show up we managed to snag a few fish, one of which was Wendy’s first ever turbot. We’ve already booked another weeks visit for later in the year.

My latest fishing trip was a bit of the spur of the moment thing with a few of the lads from wirralseafishing.co.uk and involved a quick drive down to Formby. Once again Bass were the target but as I couldn’t get down to the beach in time to gather some black lug for bait I purchased some from our local tackle dealer, Waynes Tackle, Preston, which as usual was very good quality.

I arrived about 2 hours after lo-water to see a group of about 12 intrepid anglers eagerly awaiting a bite. After the usual banter I was offered more fresh black lug than I have seen in a long time – the bait collection by the guys had been stunning and I beleieve Dave W managed to get over 100 in about an hour.

Quickly setting up I joined them as the tide gradually pushed us back up the beach, filling in gullies behind us. This is why when fishing here it is essential to go with a group and preferably wear chest waders – there have been many cases where people have been cut off by the incomming tide and safety is much more important than anything else.

A Formby Bass for Kev

As per usual (how does he do it) Kev was the first into a fish, a Bass of just under 2 pounds caught on peeler crab.

As darkness fell it was starting to look as though this was to be the only fish caught until, to our left, we spotted Shaun playing a similar sized fish in the surf.

Hi-water arrived and still only 2 fish between 12 anglers – it wasn’t looking good until I spotted a slight knock on my rod. I waited a while, saw it bounce again and struck into the fish.

After the initial pull on the line it it went ‘light’ and I thought I’d lost it. I kept winding in, hoping against hope that a nice shiney Bass was running towards me, eager to see that glint of silver in the beam produced by my light.

Finally the fish became visable, a lowly Flounder, but a fish is a fish and it saved a ‘blank’. First outing in a long time, was it worth it for only 3 fish amongst a dozen anglers? Damn right it was!

A Flat Formby Flounder

It’s fantastic to be in good company, on a beautiful clean beach with the prospect of a fish or two.

I’m fired up ready for a week on Anglesey soon so look out Bass, here we come.

100 Miles per Fish, South Devon

A couple of Spider Crabs

We had been looking forward to going sea fishing in South Devon since we booked the cottage this time last year. Alas – things we not to go as we’d hoped.

We managed to find the local tackle shop which I’d found on the internet and initially they seemed very helpful, with all sorts of information on where to fish but in our eagerness to catch we were blinded by our own enthusiasm.

The first place we tried was Beesands, a very steep slopping beach, we didn’t know what state of tide to fish it or really what bait to use so we took everything… and caught 2 spider crabs in 4 hours!

We tried all sorts of places but most of the rock marks we were pointed towards needed climbing gear or a helicopter to reach the water.

One of the nicest places we fished was Prawl point but after being told the water was deep we were a gain disappointed to find casting out only landed your bait in very shallow water.

A Wrasse for Wendy, Start Point

Wendy did manage to catch a couple of small Wrasse but again, I had nothing.

Another problem we encountered was the lack of bait in the area. The quality of the frozen bait was not up to the standard we are used to and with the weather being so bad there were no Sandeels available.

It became apparent after fishing at another very beautiful area in the Kinsbridge Estuary called Mill Bay but not getting any fish that the information we were getting was also not of the standard we were used to in Anglesey – we were not getting any details on tides to fish, conditions or tactics and we were getting a bit frustrated by this point.

Eventually after nearly two weeks of no fish and watching a few people trying for Mackeral off the beach at Torcross, where we had a very good sea food diner, I resorted to trying for Mackeral. Finally I caught some fish!!!

Finally - two Mackeral

You could actually see the Mackeral about 10 feet from the edge of the sea so it wasn’t skillful fishing by any means but I was desperate to catch.

We tried a few other areas but eventually just decided to enjoy the rest of our break without doing any more fishing.

So what went wrong?

I think we are so used to getting valuable local advice from the tackle shops in Anglesey, North Wales and the North of England that we assumed we’d get the same standard of information from the ones in Devon. We were wrong and a valuable lesson was learned.

So – what now! Well next year we’re hoping to go to South West Ireland but we’re staying at a place that specifically caters for the needs of the sea angler, with local guides, a boat, bait and tackle and as much information as you could ever need – I hope.

14 Damp Days in Devon

Bigbury on Sea, Devon

Who’d take a holiday in Britain in this weather? We would that’s who. We’ve just returned from a very relaxing, if not a little damp, 2 weeks in South Devon where we stayed at a working farm near a small village called Loddiswell.

Our intention was to do some sea fishing and walking around the area but to say the weather was against us would be to understate the amount of rain drastically. I’ll go into the fishing in a later entry but thought I’d give my impressions of the area and show a few photographs fist.

Prawl Point

South Devon, around the Kingsbridge Estuary area is a beautiful area and at the time we went was very quiet due to the schools not being closed for summer until just recently. But, it is almost impossible to enjoy the countryside in the same manner that I am used to in North Wales or the North West of the UK due to the massive hedgerows on either side of the many single track roads. When I say massive I mean at least 10 feet tall and with only a few passing places on the roads meeting another vehicle coming the other way was a bit daunting.

Another problem from the fishing point of very was access to the sea from the cliffs. I think the locals must be part mountain goat!

Hallsands Cliffs, Devon

One of the better days out we had was a simple drive to Start Point, sandwiches and drinks packed we parked the car up and walked down to the lighthouse – looking back we could see the whole of Start Bay which in the blazing sun (yes, we did have a couple of days of it) was fantastic.

You can’t really see it in the photograph but about halfway along the bottom of the cliff is the remains of the village of Hallsands which ‘fell’ into the sea during January 1917 after a heavy storm, due to the removal of gravel off shore which used to protect it from the worst of the weather. Hopefully people will learn from this mistake and not take our natural resources for granted although I doubt it.

While we were looking for a way down the cliffs in our never ending quest to find places to fish Wendy spotted this little chap sun bathing in a gap in the bracken. The last time I saw an

Adder at Start Point, Devon

Adder (Vipera berus) was at Abersoch in North Wales about 14 years ago so to see one and to be able to get a photograph was brilliant.

As for fell walking and bird watching – the weather just put us off and I’m sorry to say our impression of South Devon was probably tarnished by this as well as the other things I’ve mentioned. And I haven’t even talked about the cost of the car parks!

So would I go back?

No – I don’t think so. I think we’ve been spoilt by the fantastic countryside of Lancashire, Yorkshire, Cumbria, North Wales and Anglesey and we were expecting something similar with good access to all places which South Devon just didn’t provide. Don’t get me wrong – it’s a beautiful place but just not suited to our style of holiday – especially as it’s about a 5 hour drive!

The Gardeners Friend

Hedgehog in the Garden

A lot of the time we have to go out of our way to see some of the amazing things mother nature has to show us in the country, but sometimes nature comes to see us.

We sere sitting outside enjoying a brief spell of sun before darkness fell and more rain came down when we heard a shuffling at the bottom of the garden, thinking nothing of it and assuming it was one of the many cats from the surrounding homes we carried on chatting until I looked up and spotted this little fellow looking back at me.

I managed to get very close and as you can see, the Hedgehog was in no way camera shy.

We left him to his evening stroll hoping that he would eat as many slugs as he could find, they eat up to 15 a night so that should save a few of the leaves on the plants.

We haven’t been sea fishing or walking recently as the weather has been atrocious for June but we’re hoping to get out and about once the rain stops but looking at the weather forcast for the coming weeks it looks like we’ll have to keep our wellies handy for a while yet.