fishyfishy: January 2007

Wednesday, 24 January 2007

Seasickness.

If you are out on a boat, seasickness can be a problem. Sensible precautions like not eating a big greasy breakfast or taking an anti-sickness pill, before you set off can help. Seasickness is a result of the balance mechanism in your ear and brain getting confused; look at a fixed point like the horizon or something on land, staring down at the bottom of the boat is not good.

My grandfather who served aboard this ship, HMS Invincible, back in the 1890's before seasickness pills were invented, told me that the best thing was to eat lots and lots of raspberry jam; it did not stop you being sick but it tasted a whole lot better when you were.

The only sure remedy for sea sickness is to go and sit under a tree.

Monday, 22 January 2007

Weymouth Stone Pier

The Stone Pier, Weymouth, from the Pleasure Pier.

The Stone Pier lies at the end of the short peninsula called the Nothe which is dominated by the Nothe Fort; pay and display car parking can be found at the top of The Nothe which is signposted from the road leading out of Weymouth towards Portland. Car park attendants are zealous in their pursuit of motorists, don't overstay your expensive ticket.
This is a child friendly spot to fish, however kids of ankle-biter size will need to be closely supervised as the railings are widely spaced.
This is a good place for species hunting, many and varied little fish can be caught on simple tackle and without the need to cast far. Use a small piece of ragworm or a sliver of fish bait on a fine wire hook of size four or smaller; I favour a small sliver of sand eel over mackerel as I seem to have more success with it. Use a simple rig tied without swivels and expensive bits as you will lose tackle in the weed and snags; drop the baits in close to the wall, watch for bites and react quickly as the fish will dive for cover in the snags. Bottom fishing out from the end, or towards the town is onto fairly clean ground and a great many species can be caught using ragworm or fish baits such as mackerel, herring, sandeel or squid..
Long casts are not required and put you at risk of losing your tackle to boat traffic as they travel in and out of the harbour. Boats have the right of way, reel in if one is heading for your line.
The seaward side of the pier has extensive kelp beds and although some big wrasse, bass and conger can be caught tackle loss will be high. Best all round bait will be ragworm and mackerel or squid. Float fishing for mackerel, bream and garfish is the most popular type of fishing in the summer. It is also possible to catch both black bream and gilthead bream.
The juniors from the local fishing club have their competitions here on Monday evenings during the summer, the matches are very well attended and are a confusion of boys and girls rushing about to get their fish recorded and to get back to fishing.... competition is intense !
If you are near Weymouth and want to start sea fishing the club will give you a great start with help and advice.
The nearest tackle shop is the Weymouth Angling Centre near the Town Bridge.

During the summer months there is a café and snack bar on the landward end of the pier with a toilet block adjacent.

Disabled anglers can best access the pier along a level path from the town along Nothe Parade, there is wheelchair access from the Nothe car park, head towards the fort and turn left.... but the path is steep and uneven where tree roots have lifted and cracked the tarmac.

Tide Times for Weymouth for the next 7 days

updated 9th June 2014

Monday, 8 January 2007

Baits.

Common baits:
Sandeel, Squid, Ragworm,
Slipper Limpets
Lugworm,
Mackerel, Herring,
Crab,

Wednesday, 3 January 2007

Pembrokeshire, Fishguard.

Fishguard is at the end of the A40 and is a ferry terminal for Ireland. The large area of water sheltered by the outer breakwater is actually Goodwick, not Fishguard but the marks are included here for easy reference. Fishing spots at Fishguard are, Goodwick Beach, The Inner Breakwater, Lower Town Harbour etc.
The main outer breakwater is closed to fishing for the general public although some clubs fish matches there regularly.
Frozen Bait is available at Goodwick Marine which is located off the roundabout after the garage before the ferry terminal entrance. Lugworm can be dug at low tide if you are feeling energetic.

Pembrokeshire, West Wales

Evening at Solva.

Fishing marks in Pembrokeshire include....
Amroth Beach,Saundersfoot Harbour, Tenby Harbour, Freshwater East, Stackpole Quay and Barafundle, Freshwater West, Newgale Beach, Hobb's Point Pembroke Dock, Brunel Quay, Neyland, Milford Haven, West Angle Beach, Solva, Porth Clais, Fishguard, Cwm-yr-Eglwys, Newport, Ceibwr, St Dogmaels,

if you are moving north into Cardiganshire, look here

Some Bristol Channel marks of the Somerset coast are Porlock, Minehead, Dunster Beach, Blue Anchor, Watchet, Burnham on Sea, Weston super Mare, Clevedon.

Further west into Devon there is the harbour at Ilfracombe

updated 24th Oct 2010 Ilfracombe added

Weymouth, Dorset

low tide Weymouth Beach

Weymouth is a major centre for sea angling, there are many charter boats based in the town.

Pier and shore fishing from The Stone Pier, The Pleasure Pier, Greenhill Beach, Preston Beach, Ringstead Bay etc and Church Ope Cove on Portland. Chesil Beach offers many good venues.

Tide times for Weymouth for the next 7 days.