Bait: Slipper Limpets

Slipper Limpets, the larger ones are about the size of a man's thumb.

Slipper limpets can be bought shelled ready to use and frozen, these make a good bait but they are too fresh; a better bait is got by collecting your own after a storm has washed them up on a beach. Birds are quick to find them, shells on the promenade at Weymouth and crows on the beach were the sign that the bait in the photograph was there for collecting, thanks to a storm three or four days earlier.
Do not rush to freeze the bait, the slipper limpet works best when it is 'a bit ripe'. The meat of the limpet is quite easy to remove from the shell, a fairly blunt knife like the one in the photograph is used to twist under the shell to lever it from the one it is clinging to and then the tip is run around the edge of the orange 'foot' where it attaches to the shell; when this is loose the knife can be used to gently pull the dark body portion from under the white shell dividing section.
Slipper limpets are a very good bait to use for species that patrol the beach looking for such a bait, bass, flounders, sole and plaice are very keen on them, on their own or in a cocktail with lug or ragworm.If you are fishing from a pier, harbour wall or jetty you will find that most fish will readily take this bait.
The limpet flesh is soft and will not take hard casting, but then.... if you will realise the fish are coming in close to find just the bait you are offering, it would defeat the object of using it if you cast it a long distance. You can bind the bait on with bait elastic to stop it flying off or tiny fish pulling it from the hook.

The Solent, Weston Shore.

Weston Shore, morning sunshine and a rising tide

Netley Abbey is fairly well signposted on brown signs from the M27 exit at Burseldon via the A3397;Travelling from Netley back towards Southampton you come onto Weston Parade, a road that runs alongside the shingle beach. There are free car parks and additional parking on the road. There are toilets at the far end where the road swings sharply inland. West of this bend is the area known as The Rolling Mills section, the mills are long gone, they used to roll brass for shell cases for WWI. The area is now a grassed public area leading around to Woolston.

About half tide, water has reached the shingle

This is a fairly shallow venue, there are extensive mudflats at low tide where worms can be dug. The venue becomes fishable when the water reaches the shingle at about half tide. Species caught here are flounder, eels and bass all of which are quite happy to hunt in shallow water. Fish can be caught very close to shore so it is worth a cast of a five or ten yards if you are not catching further out.
Light tackle such as a carp rod set-up will work well here as heavy weights are not required to hold in the tide. At my last visit two ounces was enough to hold.... and a fish came at five yards.
Best baits here are worms or shellfish such as slipper limpet, razorfish or mussel. larger flounder and school bass will readily take fish or squid bait.
There is a tackle shop in Bridge Road, Woolston and another, coincidentally, in Bridge Road, Burseldon on the A27. There are some shops in Netley. A fairly child friendly venue, there is a playground half way along the road where it is possible to fish and keep an eye on the kids.


OTHER LOCAL VENUES.... Netley.....Magazine Lane

Approximate Tide Times for the next seven days

A short distance across loose shingle to fish at high tide

updated 27 June 09 tide time link added
6th July note re. Rolling mills added

Pembrokeshire, Milford Haven.

The Mackerel Landing

Milford Haven is on the north bank of a large natural harbour that serves the oil and gas industry. It is reached by the A4076 from Haverfordwest if travelling south or over the Cleddau Toll Bridge on the A477 from Pembroke Dock if heading west. The Marina is well signposted, at the bottom of a steepish hill you will need to turn back sharp left and follow that road until the junction where a right turn will get you onto the road along the containing wall of the dock. There is plenty of free parking alongside between the road and the wall.The venue is good for disabled access and fishing can be done from the back of a car along the sea wall or from a wheelchair on the Mackerel Landing ( so called as it was built to service the Russian ships that once worked the area hoovering up the shoals of fish).
There are signs saying no unauthorised access affixed to the landing, I have yet to see anyone take any notice of them..

Fishing from here is over fairly clean ground although you will lose some tackle to snags stones and seaweed. The yellow post with a cross on top, in the above picture under the middle of the sailing ship,marks a large cube of concrete ( 8' cube maybe ?) that will snag tackle. Legering fish or worm baits will get pout, codling, dogfish, eels, whiting, bass, pollack , wrasse and flatfish. In summer float fishing for mackerel and gar is the most popular method.

The sea wall provides a handy rod rest; although if you do this be aware that a bass is quite able to flip your rod over the wall. Fish can be caught right up to the wall so distance casting is not required.

The Lock Pit.

If there is no boat traffic you can fish into the lock pit for mini-species or if you are optimistic a conger eel. Bait and tackle can be obtained from Anglers Corner which is on Pill Road, on your left and visible from the main road if coming in from Haverfordwest. ( opposite junction with Coombs Drive...... tel 01645 698899).
There are no facilities at this venue, there is a Tesco supermarket not far from where you turned off the road to skirt around the marina and some bars and cafés have appeared in the new buildings that have sprung up around the marina.
If you are prepared to put in the effort, soft or peeler crabs can be found on the beach to the left, seek them out among the weed covered rocks but put the stones back how you found them if you move them.

Tides Times for the next seven days

Cardiganshire, Patch

Hoping for a flounder at 'Patch'.

From the town of Cardigan take the Gwbert Road, the A4548, along the north side of the Teifi Estuary, the road drops down to run alongside the beach at Coronation Road; at the end of the flat as the road swings up and to the right there is a boatyard on the left and a narrow lane running down to the beach. To the other side of the lane is The Patch Caravan Park. The beach is firm enough to drive on but you should be aware of how high the tide might come up and park accordingly.

The seaward side of 'Patch'.

This venue is a ridge of stone and sand formed by strong currents in the estuary, the beach to the seaward side is scoured by the tide and is fairly rough ground so some tackle loss can be expected, the upside to this is that crabs hide under the rocks and soft or peeler crabs can be collected. If you do look for crabs make sure you replace the rocks carefully as you found them. Leaving the rocks turned over with weed trapped underneath means the habitat for the crabs is ruined. Fishing a legered bait of crab or worm will perhaps tempt a bass, flounder or pollack.

The landward side of 'Patch'

On the other side of the bank conditions are quite different, the current swirls back around and deposits sand which forms a large sandbank which is exposed at low tide. Lugworm can be dug on the bank if you are feeling fit. the inlet can be waded across without too much trouble or you can walk around dry-shod. The inlet here is prime hunting ground for flounder and the mullet which can be seen cruising in large shoals, legering works for flounder and maybe a bass but float fishing is the way to go for the mullet. Mullet fishing is a black art and possibly to succeed you must sell your soul or spend years learning the techniques for this most frustrating of all fish. Just ponder, they don't get that big or occur in such numbers by being caught!
From the end of the spit you can fish into the main channel, there is a strong current for most of the tide cycle so techniques have to be modified to suit, grip leads will be needed but if there is a lot of weed even these will be ineffective; you could try float-fishing a bait with the depth set to drag the bottom or try a spinner or plug.
This is a good safe place for kids, in summer there are pontoons where the kids can hand line for crabs or paddle and explore the sandbank at low tide.

pontoons at Patch.

Approximate tide Times for the next seven days


There are no facilities at all at this venue.

firm sand and shingle

Poole Harbour, Bramble Bush Bay & Gravel Point

Sunset over Jerry's Point, from Bramble Bush bay.

If you head towards the ferry from the Studland direction then Bramble Bush Bay and Gravel Point are on your left. If coming over on the ferry park soon after passing the toll booth and mini roundabout. There is parking at the side of the road, just be sure to keep clear of the yellow line. Parking is not permitted overnight, if you are fishing a night session use the car park near the toll booth. Walk along one of the many paths through the heather and gorse and you will come onto a narrow beach, well you will if it is not high tide; at big high tides the water will force you back up onto the bank. Make sure you have a line of escape back through the undergrowth or you may have to wait for the tide to drop or get wet feet. Tides are as other Poole harbour, double tides and hard to get your head around; fish most of the tide during neap tides but the water will go a way out on spring tide low. This venue is quite safe for children.... although adders sometimes can be seen in the heather, leave them alone and they will go away, they are unlikely to be found on the beach.

Houseboats at Bramble Bush Bay, Gravel Point behind.

You can use light tackle here as fish are caught very close in, sometimes within five yards. If you cast as far as the houseboats at high tide that will be far enough. Flounder and school bass are caught here on worm baits and worms can be dug in the bay if you are fit enough, otherwise buy them at The Poole Sea Angling Centre near Poole Quay , The Wessex Angling Centre on Wimborne Road in Poole, or at The Swanage Angling Centre

Please observe the fire safety rules, the gorse and heather are often tinder dry and fires here do great damage to the heathland ecosystem.

If the name Bramble Bush Bay seems familiar, it is the name of the chain ferry that works between here and Sandbanks.

Tide Times for the next seven days

Parking warning ! The signs say 'no overnight parking'.... this means you may get a ticket for parking at any time during the 'night', even if you stay just a short time.
Check the signs, I believe it is between 11pm and 06.30 am.

A tip when using mackerel as bait.

If you are using mackerel as bait, your carefully cut strip or fillet will not stay fishlike after you have cast it out. The fish bait tends to slide down the shank of the hook and lie, doubled over, in the bend of the hook..... not looking a bit like a fish but obscuring the hook point. To overcome this I tie a double overhand loop in the end of the line and put the hook on as shown below.

The piece of fish bait, I've used a piece of paper to demonstrate, is hooked through and back again and the small end put into the loop that holds the hook.

The loop is then pulled up tight trapping the small end and preventing the strip sliding down the hook. If you want to be doubly sure then a few winds of bait elastic around the small end and the hook eye will do the job.

The technique can also be used to keep sand eels on if you are float fishing or 'spinning' with them.

Poole Harbour & Studland, Studland Beach

Only Google knows why, when searching for fishing in Poole Harbour it dumps you here !
You need to be here, and click on the orange links to different venues

Studland, Knoll Beach looking east towards Poole and Bournemouth.

Studland Beach is one of the best bathing beaches in the country, it is usually crowded in good weather. To the left of Knoll Beach is a popular naturists' area. If you fish here it is best done out of season. Studland is a National Trust property and is reached either by the Sandbanks to Studland Ferry ,via Corfe Castle or Swanage.

Car parking is free to NT members but non-members will pay the attendant during the holiday season. The car parks are closed at night, check times before setting off to fish a late session ! There is a café and shop at The Knoll car park (on the Ferry side of Studland Village ).

looking east from South Beach, Studland.

There are other access points and car parks, South Beach is less popular and is reached by a pleasant walk down a shady wooded valley from the car park by the pub. There are toilets at the head of the valley path and a café/snack bar at the beach during the summer season.

South Beach Studland looking towards Old Harry Rocks.

There is another car park and café in the middle of the two mentioned beaches, named in a moment of inspiration... Middle Beach. A high spring tide will leave you little room, dog walkers can be especially troublesome, The National Trust guidelines state
In welcoming you and your dog to our beaches all we ask is that you keep your dog under control, observe local signs, notices and restrictions, and dispose of dog poo thoughtfully.
Neither the dog nor the owners will have read this and the owners think that a dog nosing in among your tackle and bait is perfectly normal behaviour..... the dog owners may often be seen studiously staring out to see whilst their dog empties itself... so mind where you tread.

Middle Beach, Studland..... High Tide

Fishing here is mainly for bass and flatfish with other fish such as smoothound, black and gilthead bream, gurnard or rays turning up from time to time., it is a gently shelving beach and the water is shallow for a long way out. The bottom is sandy but watch out for mooring ropes to the right of South Beach; more unusual hazards are kite surfers, kayakers and morons on jetskis. Wading and lure fishing using a spinner or plug can be effective in early morning or late evening.
Bait can be collected here on low spring tides, razor fish if you know how to get them, slipper limpets, cockles etc.... especially after rough weather. Any bait you discover on a beach will be the food being looked for by the fish so will usually bring results.

Bait and tackle can be bought at the angling shops in Poole, Wareham or Swanage.


OTHER LOCAL VENUES.....Redhorn Point......Swanage

Tide Times for the next seven days

updated 14th Nov 11

Pembrokeshire, West Angle Beach.

West Angle beach at low tide.

West Angle is as far as you can go west from Pembroke, follow the B4320 and go through the village of Angle, the beach is signposted with a brown information sign. At the end of the road there is a car park, a café which is open during the holiday season, and toilets. The beach is shallow and sandy with rock fringes and has rock-pools for the children to investigate.

Fishing from the rocks at low tide with plugs or spinners will sometimes get a bass and bottom fishing at higher tides will provide sport with dogfish and flatfish with bass and pollack a possibility.

At high tide the water reaches the shale and stone beach.Lugworm can be dug at low tide but it will be hard work, a flat tined potato fork is the best tool for the job. Bait, including ragworm, can be bought from Pembroke Angling in Meyrick Street in Pembroke Dock ( look for the shop painted tangerine !). The beach faces direct out onto the Atlantic so it will be rough here in a westerly blow

Approximate Tide Times at West Angle for the next 7 days

Pembrokeshire, Solva

Solva, rock mark.

Solva is a picturesque inlet on the A487 between Haverfordwest and St Davids. It is popular for boating and has a busy quay area. There is a free car park at the head of the inlet and coast paths lead out to rocky headlands on each side. There is a toilet block in the car park and another at the quay which is on the right hand side of the inlet along a level path, wheelchair access is as far as the Quay. Shops and cafés are a short walk away and there is a shop, Bay View Stores up the hill towards St Davids on the right, that sells fishing tackle and frozen baits and is open until 7 or 8pm.

Solva, at the seaward end of the mooring inlet.

Fishing near the moorings is difficult when there is boating activity and crabbing or fishing the fringes for flounder is about as much as is possible. Local children head out along the coast path to the right and a short way along there are paths down to rock ledges from which a few anglers can fish. There is rough ground so tackle loss may be expected. Restricted space for casting means scaling down to a spinning rod rather than a beachcaster, pollack and bass will take a spinner or plug worked along the creek edge or out into the deeper water. Float fishing can be employed for bass, wrasse, pollack, and mackerel in season.. Paths lead out to other rock marks on the headlands but this is not recommended for children or beginners.

Worms can be dug here at low tide but do not dig around the boat moorings and backfill any holes. Crabs can be found in the weed and under rocks, the small hard-backed crabs can be hooked through at the base of a leg and float fished for wrasse.

Tide times for Solva for the next 7 days.

as far as the Quay only

Pembrokeshire, Saundersfoot Harbour

Saundersfoot Harbour, Inner wall.

Saundersfoot ( pronounced Sandersfoot by the locals ) is to the north of Tenby, just off the A477/478 and the B4316.
It is a convenient spot for children and parts are accessible to wheelchair users. The harbour dries out at low tide so check tide times for fishing here. Parking is right alongside the harbour wall and toilets, shops and cafés are a short level walk away. 
The easiest fishing is from the inner wall casting onto clean sand. A long cast is not needed, fish come very close to the wall. Dogfish, flatfish, bass and other bottom feeding fish are caught along with mullet, mackerel and gar in season to float fished mackerel strip.
In the Autumn there are usually plenty of Tub Gurnard to be caught and sometimes smoothhounds although they are likely to be small pups.
Squid, mackerel or sandeel will take most fish. 

Very light tackle and size 6 or smaller hooks dropped down the wall or by the rocks will get blennies, watch out with these they have sharp teeth and they are not averse to giving a nip as you get the hook out.
There is a wall dividing off a small section at the back of the harbour, this wall is usually crowded with people catching crabs.

Saundersfoot Harbour, the outer wall.

The outer wall has a stone and concrete apron which can make fishing from here difficult when retrieving tackle or landing a fish. At the end of the wall at the round section there is a vertical drop to the water which makes that section the favoured spot. Summer fishing spells mayhem here as people will come and fish from the apron under where you are trying to fish from the top. There is access at the start of the wall onto a small beach which can be fished on a rising tide although at high you will be forced back onto the steps.

At most times light tackle and smooth leads can be used, there is not much tidal current.

Razor fish and black lug can be got from this beach at low tide on spring tides by those who know how to get them.

Bait including ragworm can be got at Tenby, Tenby Angling within the Old Market Hall which is on the High Street * ( edit. June 2015, I heard that this has now closed ) or at Pembroke Dock

updated Mar 2012 local Tackle Shop now closed, ref deleted.

Tide times for the next 7 days

Inner wall only, see top photograph.

Pembrokeshire, Newport, The Parrog

Behind the Boat Club, on The Parrog.

This is a popular spot for crabbing from the wall; the car park and toilets are a short walk away. The tidal pull is very strong through here and it is fishable only at high slack water if using legering techniques. Spinning is possible, casting into the main tideway although weed in the water can make this method tiresome. Bass, mullet and flounder make their way in and out of the estuary through this narrow channel.

You can get frozen bait for crabbing from a shop by the garage workshop in the village. At low tide you may find peeler crabs in the weed at the base of the wall. Lugworm can be dug out on the flats but do not dig near boat moorings and backfill any holes.

.Evening on The Parrog with tide tide creeping in.

Pembrokeshire, St Dogmaels

Teifi estuary, St Dogmaels low tide looking seaward.

Take the road from Cardigan to Poppit Sands, the B4536, in the village of St Dogmaels turn right and at the bottom of the hill there is a low sea wall. There is a small amount of roadside parking at the far end of the wall towards a new boat park. You can get access to the beach near the small pumping station or via the slipway further up the road. There are boat moorings here which make fishing difficult except at low tide, the beach here is muddy. Walk to the left towards the sea, past the boat moorings and where the estuary narrows a little and where the rocky bank starts, two channels of the estuary meet. The beach is firmer sandy silt here.This is a good mark for flounder fishing, my only ever near 3lb fish came from here to a soft crab bait tipped with mackerel. If you look you may find soft or peeler crab bait nearby although flounder will take fish baits, especially the larger fish. Locals used to use earthworms here with great success.
On big tides there is a lot of water moving in the estuary and the current is too strong for easy fishing at maximum flow, especially if the river is in spate. You will need to fish over low or high water slack times or when the flow abates. On very high tides it is possible to get cut off at this mark so consult tide tables before heading out there.
Bait is a problem in West Wales. Mackerel or frozen raw prawns can usually be bought from Tesco in Cardigan, there is a tackle shop in Cardigan (Castaway Tackle Shop in College Row 01239 621856 ) which sells frozen bait and very expensive farmed, boxed ragworm. As you go through the High Street on the one-way system you will notice a small square with what used to be Woolworths to the right, immediately turn left down the hill, this is College Row, there is a car park about 50 yards further on.

Approximate Tide Times at St Dogmaels for the next 7 days

Pembrokeshire, Ceibwr, Moylegrove

Ceibwr, looking east.

Ceibwr is a small bay and headland at Moylegrove which is signposted from Newport or Cardigan via St Dogmaels. It is a beautiful spot and the fishing can be good. There are no facilities at Ceibwr, there are toilets back in the village in the car park; the nearest place to eat and drink is the Pavilion Cafe at the garden centre, Penrallt Ceibwr, which is a turning on the left as you leave Moylegrove towards St Dogmaels up a very steep hill.

At Ceibwr you can walk along the rock ledges to find a spot; long casting is not required as the fish are in the gully between you and the rock reefs which rise only yards away. Float fishing is fun and wrasse, pollack and even dogfish can be caught this way. There is kelp in the gully so fish will try to dive into it to escape; keep hold of the rod and react quickly and you should not loose too much tackle. Bottom fishing picks up the same species plus some mini-species but tackle loss can be high. Use old nuts, bolts, spark plugs etc to keep costs down you will not need a lot of weight to find bottom.

Casting into the rough ground in the cove entrance can provide sport with dogfish, bull huss, conger eel or even tope on rare occasions.

Do not go down onto the ledges if there is rough weather or a big swell running, wear sensible footwear the rock edges are sharp and slanted. Barefoot or flip-flops are not an option.

Ceibwr, looking west low tide.

The water is usually much clearer than it is in this photograph. Spinning in the gulley can get pollack,bass and, in season, mackerel. Please keep this lovely spot clear of litter, old line and bait. There are no bins.... take it home.

Bait is a problem in West Wales. Mackerel can usually be bought from Tesco in Cardigan, there is a tackle shop in Cardigan (Castaway Tackle Shop in College Row 01239 621856 ) which sells frozen bait and ragworm, best to phone to check they have some in stock or to order some in advance. As you go through the High Street on the one-way system you will notice a small square with what was Woolworths to the right, immediately turn left down the hill, this is College Row, there is a car park about 50 yards further at the bottom of the hill. Soft or peeler crabs can be found at St Dogmaels along the waters edge where the boats are moored.

Approximate Tide Times for the next 7 days

Pembrokeshire, Newport Bridge and Estuary.

from the bridge looking seaward, low tide.

The estuary at Newport contains some large flounders that swim up into the estuary to feed on the mudflats. Bass, mullet, eels and sea trout (sewin) also can be caught although it is illegal to fish for sea trout or salmon without a license. The photograph shows the channels of deeper water. it is worth walking down the estuary on the eastern bank (golf course side) of the estuary to note the bends and gullies. At certain times during the flood or ebb tide there will be strong currents in the deep water channels and, if there has been rain recently, a lot of weed and debris in the water which will make fishing difficult. There is a spot just past the second white cottage, the one between the path and the water, which looks a good spot; I have not fished here though so cannot say what it fishes like. If I can get the time and worm or crab bait I will give it a go and edit this post accordingly.

Do not be tempted to walk far out onto the mudflats, it is gooey sticky (and deep) stuff. Peeler or soft crabs can be found in the intertidal zone if you are lucky.

Mullet can be targetted by float fishing bread or mackerel flesh at slack water over high tide or on the tide ebb tide when an overdepth set up can be trotted down the flow to target flounder and bass as well as the mullet. If you can get near the water level a spinner may take mullet bass or flounder.

Pembrokeshire, Newport

Newport is between Fishguard and Cardigan on the A487. Fishing marks here are Newport Beach, The Parrog, The Bridge and Estuary and The Slipway area.
Crabbing is popular with the ankle-biters along the wall behind the Boat Club at high tide.

Bait is a problem in West Wales. Frozen bait is sold at the garage in Newport. Mackerel can usually be bought from Tesco in Cardigan and there is a tackle shop in Cardigan (Castaway Tackle Shop in College Row 01239 621856 ) which sells frozen bait and very expensive farmed, boxed ragworm. As you go through the High Street on the one-way system you will notice a small square with Woolworths to the right, immediately turn left down the hill, this is College Row, there is a car park about 50 yards further on.
Bait can be collected in the estuary at The Parrog; soft or peeler crabs will be lurking under weed and rocks, mussels and limpets on the rocks and lugworm can be found in the sand/mudflats behind the boat club building but there are not found in great numbers and it is hard work to get enough for a session. If you look for crabs please put the stones back exactly as you find them, if you rolll the stones over trapping the weed underneath you do great harm to the marine environment and spoil the chances of anyone else finding bait.

Pembrokeshire, Newport Beach

Newport Beach, mid tide looking north.

Newport is east of Fishguard on the A487, the beach is reached by car by turning off as you are leaving the village on the Cardigan side. The turn is signposted Moylegrove and Golf Course. You will cross the river and head uphill, left turn at a cottage and follow the golf course signs, you will find the car park just past the Golf Club. Pay the attendants in season, free out of season. There is a snack bar/shop in season and toilets nearby.

This is a venue where you can take your vehicle down onto the firm sand beach. Be aware of the tides if you do go onto the sand make sure you have a look at the "strand line" which will show where the last tide reached.The beach is shallow and the tide races in. Species that are caught here are dogfish, bass, flatfish and rays. Other species turn up but bass and dogfish are the usual catch. A cast of fifty yards or so will get fish, sometimes less. Worm baits will catch most fish but squid, sandeel and mackerel will take fish and are cheap and easily obtained. Wading here will enable you to get your baits further out.

The beach is popular with tourists so most angling is done to the rightin front of the rocks, check tide times and make sure you are not cut off, otherwise you may have a long wait to get back. The other spot to fish is to the left, at the end of the spit at the river entrance, this is a spot for light tackle fishing on the move because you will need to move frequently as the tide changes. You can reach the main beach by paddling/wading across the river at low tide but you will have a long walk around the estuary footpath if you get your timings wrong.

Bait is a problem in West Wales. Frozen bait is sold at the garage in Newport. Mackerel can usually be bought from Tesco in Cardigan and there is a tackle shop in Cardigan (Castaway Tackle Shop in College Row 01239 621856 ) which sells frozen bait and very expensive farmed, boxed ragworm. As you go through the High Street on the one-way system you will notice a small square with Woolworths to the right, immediately turn left down the hill, this is College Row, there is a car park about 50 yards further on.

Bait can be collected in the estuary at The Parrog; soft or peeler crabs will be lurking under weed and rocks, mussels and limpets on the rocks and lugworm can be found in the sand/mudflats behind the boat club building but they are not found in great numbers and it is hard work to get enough for a session. If you look for crabs please put the stones back exactly as you find them, if you roll the stones over trapping the weed underneath you do great harm to the marine environment and spoil the chances of anyone else finding bait.

Oddities are washed up onto the beach, dead whales have been found and recently a dead trigger fish.

Dolphins and porpoises can be seen from here quite often in summer.

Tide Times for the next 7 days

Park on beach, sand firm when damp.

Bristol Channel, Blue Anchor.

Blue Anchor, Looking east.

The area known as Blue Anchor takes its quaint name from the pub at the Watchet end of the beach. It is a high tide mark and can be found on the back road from Watchet to Minehead. It is fishable for a few hours either side of high water from the sea wall or the beach to the west. There is car parking on the landward side of the road or alongside the seaward side of the road for much of the venue. There are only a few places where there is access to the beach so fish have to be retrieved by use of a drop net, risking a loss by lifting the fish up by hand-lining or 'walking' the fish along the wall to an access spot. A large portion of the wall is unfishable due to the rock armour placed under the wall, this makes it next to impossible to land a fish.

Blue Anchor Beach, east towards 'Broken Wall'

A good selection of species can be caught from the wall or from the beach. Dogfish seem to be ever present with cod and whiting in the winter. Large conger eels are quite common; also taken are pouting, thornback rays, small eyed rays, bass and rockling. Small turbot sometimes put in an appearance. Baits used here are ragworm or lugworm , squid and fishbaits, ( if you are feeling energetic it is possible to dig lugworm from the beach ), sensible people buy them from Westcoast Angling in Watchet, ( 53 Swain Street TA23 0AG Tel: 01984 634807) or Minehead ( a kiosk on the harbour wall ) . There is a shop and café just inside the entrance to the caravan park which sells frozen bait and has a selection of basic tackle bits and pieces.
There is a toilet block about halfway along the bay and a café at the western end where there is also a station serving the steam railway.
At the eastern end of the beach there are some reefs which are exposed at low water; the locals who are aware of the dangers, local weather conditions and tides fish these reefs. Do not attempt to fish here, there is a real danger of drowning. Near the reefs are patches of soft sinking sand which are dangerous enough before you get out onto the rocks.

updated 17th August 2010

Tide times for Minehead/Blue Anchor for the next 7 days

from wall only

Crabbing, Crab species.

A common shore crab.

If you go crabbing then the shore crab is the crab you are most likely to catch, its colour varies from brown, green and sometimes orange or red. The crab changes its shell periodically as it grows; the shell does not grow so the crab sheds it and grows another. If the crab is just ready to pop off its old shell it is called a peeler crab ( because you can peel off the shell and the leg coverings). Peeler crabs make good bait for most species of fish, they usually hide under stones and weed at this stage as they are vulnerable to predators. When the shell comes off there is a short period before the new shell hardens, the crab is now a softy or jelly crab and is also excellent bait. You are not likely to catch peeler or soft crabs, you have to hunt them out at low tide. Wrasse and other fish will eat hardback crabs with no bother, some cod are found to be stuffed with them when gutted.

A Velvet Swimming Crab.

As you can see, the Velvet Swimming Crab is a much more handsome fellow than the shore crab. It is covered in a velvet coat that catches the sunlight to make varying colours. The legs are flattened as an adaption to help it swim in the water. These are not as common as the shore crab but they nip just as hard, and they are usually very aggressive...

Stage one in picking up a crab.

Use your index finger to press firmly enough on the crab to stop it scuttling away. Not too hard or you will damage the crab.

Stage two in picking up a crab.

Having got the crab pinned down, place your middle finger and thumb on opposite sides of the shell and pick the crab up. He cannot get at you; if you are a child you can now terrorise little sisters, mothers, grannies etc with the crab, but remember it is a living creature, not a toy. Don't harm it and put it in a bucket and/or put it back in the sea at the end of your crabbing expedition.

Spider crab

This spider crab is about 40cm across and they grow much bigger, you will need a big bucket to keep these in. This example has lost a claw, this is quite common, it will grow a new one eventually. Spider crabs are vey docile compared with other crabs. The shell is spikey and uncomfortable to hold. Spider crabs nip off hooks and make bottom fishing nearly impossible during the summer along large stretches of the south coast. They are edible, most are exported to the continent if caught commercially.

Squat Lobster (Munida rugosa)

You may find a funny looking crab-like creature with very long claws and long antennae, this is the squat lobster. These grow a body about 10cm long but you are likely to catch specimens very much smaller.

.Hermit Crab

The Hermit Crab does not bother to make a shell on its body, it makes a home in a suitably sized whelk shell or similar and must find a bigger shell at intervals as he grows out of each shell. The crab will draw himself right back into the shell using his armoured claws as a defence. This crab makes a top bait for many larger species of fish and for this purpose can be removed easily from its shell by immersing it in fresh water.

There is another common crab, the Edible crab, when I can catch one in a drop net I will post a photograph.

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