Starting out

Sorry to wake you - ;-)

So where and when is a good time to go pier or (not very far!)
beachcasting? I was thinking either norfolk or cornwall. How many peirs
are left these days? What sort of rod/reel/bait combination has worked for
you? Which months have you had best results in?

Looking forward to hearing the collective wisdom of the group!

Thanks.

Matt

You say you don't want to go very far, but if you are prepared to go as far
as norfolk or cornwall you are thus prepared to cross the entire country ;o)

You don't say what you want to catch either.

As I have said here before, I am not an "angler" but I do "go fishing"
sometimes and IMHE the fish are often where you might not expect. That is to
say, I have caught bass within 30 yards of the shore (bournemouth) and
others by plonking a line off the wall (Weymouth) and have seen many types
caught of a short wall (mudeford). I think the major thing is WHEN, not
where. And the answer to WHEN is "when theres something to eat". If there's
been a storm and then the sea calms, there's all sorts of munchibles washed
into the coastal sea and the fish come in for it. Likewise, many narrow
harbours will be full of food when the tide starts to go out.

I don't know much, as I have said, but I am most succesfuil when I try to
think like a hungry fish.

I also find it very useful to find the local angling shops and ask them -
also good for local regs.

HTH, in a small way!

David


"Matt Nottingham" m wrote
in message
newsan.2006.04.01.14.09.50.370422@nospam4mepleas e.zen.co.uk.nospam...

Sorry to wake you - ;-)

So where and when is a good time to go pier or (not very far!)
beachcasting? I was thinking either norfolk or cornwall. How many peirs
are left these days? What sort of rod/reel/bait combination has worked for
you? Which months have you had best results in?

Looking forward to hearing the collective wisdom of the group!

Thanks.

Matt

On Sat, 01 Apr 2006 15:26:52 +0100, david wrote:

You say you don't want to go very far, but if you are prepared to go as
far as norfolk or cornwall you are thus prepared to cross the entire
country ;o)

I live in the middle, so its not that bad! I actually meant I can't cast
very far, so places you don't need to cast 100+ yds.


You don't say what you want to catch either.

Errr....fish! Other than that, not too fussed really. I'll catch a few
things (ever the optimist!) and take it from there.


As I have said here before, I am not an "angler" but I do "go fishing"
sometimes and IMHE the fish are often where you might not expect. That
is to say, I have caught bass within 30 yards of the shore (bournemouth)
and others by plonking a line off the wall (Weymouth) and have seen many
types caught of a short wall (mudeford). I think the major thing is
WHEN, not where. And the answer to WHEN is "when theres something to
eat". If there's been a storm and then the sea calms, there's all sorts
of munchibles washed into the coastal sea and the fish come in for it.
Likewise, many narrow harbours will be full of food when the tide starts
to go out.

Makes sense.


I don't know much, as I have said, but I am most succesfuil when I try
to think like a hungry fish.

I also find it very useful to find the local angling shops and ask them
- also good for local regs.

HTH, in a small way!

Thanks.


David


Matt


"Matt Nottingham" m
wrote in message
newsan.2006.04.01.14.09.50.370422@nospam4mepleas e.zen.co.uk.nospam...

Sorry to wake you - ;-)

So where and when is a good time to go pier or (not very far!)
beachcasting? I was thinking either norfolk or cornwall. How many peirs
are left these days? What sort of rod/reel/bait combination has worked
for you? Which months have you had best results in?

Looking forward to hearing the collective wisdom of the group!

Thanks.

Matt

Matt, if all you want to do is catch anything you'll be okay. Harbours are
very good, accessible, usually shops around to help you etc. Just watch
what the other anglers / fishermen are doing. If it works, copy but if it
doesn.t then don't!

You can gain tonnes of experienced instruction by going out on a boat too -
I've done a few trips and apart from the fact that (a) it is fun, (b) I
cought loads of fish i also (c) learnt a stack!!

David

David



"Matt Nottingham" m wrote
in message
newsan.2006.04.01.17.13.10.344352@nospam4mepleas e.zen.co.uk.nospam...
On Sat, 01 Apr 2006 15:26:52 +0100, david wrote:

You say you don't want to go very far, but if you are prepared to go as
far as norfolk or cornwall you are thus prepared to cross the entire
country ;o)

I live in the middle, so its not that bad! I actually meant I can't cast
very far, so places you don't need to cast 100+ yds.


You don't say what you want to catch either.

Errr....fish! Other than that, not too fussed really. I'll catch a few
things (ever the optimist!) and take it from there.


As I have said here before, I am not an "angler" but I do "go fishing"
sometimes and IMHE the fish are often where you might not expect. That
is to say, I have caught bass within 30 yards of the shore (bournemouth)
and others by plonking a line off the wall (Weymouth) and have seen many
types caught of a short wall (mudeford). I think the major thing is
WHEN, not where. And the answer to WHEN is "when theres something to
eat". If there's been a storm and then the sea calms, there's all sorts
of munchibles washed into the coastal sea and the fish come in for it.
Likewise, many narrow harbours will be full of food when the tide starts
to go out.

Makes sense.


I don't know much, as I have said, but I am most succesfuil when I try
to think like a hungry fish.

I also find it very useful to find the local angling shops and ask them
- also good for local regs.

HTH, in a small way!

Thanks.


David


Matt


"Matt Nottingham" m
wrote in message
newsan.2006.04.01.14.09.50.370422@nospam4mepleas e.zen.co.uk.nospam...

Sorry to wake you - ;-)

So where and when is a good time to go pier or (not very far!)
beachcasting? I was thinking either norfolk or cornwall. How many peirs
are left these days? What sort of rod/reel/bait combination has worked
for you? Which months have you had best results in?

Looking forward to hearing the collective wisdom of the group!

Thanks.

Matt

Re-ordered

"Matt Nottingham" m
wrote in message
newsan.2006.04.01.14.09.50.370422@nospam4mepleas e.zen.co.uk.nospam...

So where and when is a good time to go pier or (not very far!)
beachcasting? I was thinking either norfolk or cornwall. How many peirs

Never - or (this -is- fishing) almost never ;-)

It is almost always a mistake to cast off a pier if it has any depth beneath
it. The fish will usually be straight down next to the structure and the
weed and the accumulations of detritus that wash against the pier itself.
So fish straight down or even back underneath a little if possible.

are left these days? What sort of rod/reel/bait combination has worked
for you? Which months have you had best results in?

Everywhere has it's own timetable which you will have to learn - or somehow
elicit from locals.

In article , david
wrote:
Matt, if all you want to do is catch anything you'll be okay. Harbours are
very good, accessible, usually shops around to help you etc. Just watch
what the other anglers / fishermen are doing. If it works, copy but if it
doesn.t then don't!

Read that twice. It's correct. If you go with a mate then take it to the
logical extreme and unless there is some very obvious reason not to, start
out fishing different methods. That way you will find the best method twice
as quickly then you both use the successful one and cash in.

You can gain tonnes of experienced instruction by going out on a boat too -
I've done a few trips and apart from the fact that (a) it is fun, (b) I
cought loads of fish i also (c) learnt a stack!!

I live in the middle, so its not that bad! I actually meant I can't cast
very far, so places you don't need to cast 100+ yds.

Long casting is a specialised technique that is necessary on very few trips.
For no very food reason it has become fashionable and distance cast has
become a macho boast. In general, if there are any fish there at all you
will catch at least some of them within thirty yards. It can be useful to
be able to cast double that but on most of the occasions that I spot fish
feeding over 100 yards away I can walk along the shore to them and fish at
twenty yards...

As I have said here before, I am not an "angler" but I do "go fishing"

Ptooie. You'll do.

sometimes and IMHE the fish are often where you might not expect. That
is to say, I have caught bass within 30 yards of the shore (bournemouth)
and others by plonking a line off the wall (Weymouth) and have seen many
types caught of a short wall (mudeford). I think the major thing is

I've lost count of the times when I've -seen- fish feeding close in or at
the surface and yet there are a row of anglers with heavy tackle nailed to
the bottom as far out as they can cast catching nowt. Use your eyes, copy
other anglers only if thay are catching and be prepared to experiment.

Around most of the UK coast you'll do far better spinning or floatfishing
than you will with a beachcaster and ledger.

WHEN, not where. And the answer to WHEN is "when theres something to
eat". If there's been a storm and then the sea calms, there's all sorts
of munchibles washed into the coastal sea and the fish come in for it.
Likewise, many narrow harbours will be full of food when the tide starts
to go out.

This is what you'll find hardest to learn. You may have to spend a lot of
time at a venue to find its best time (usually state of tide but it might be
when the harbour cafe chucks its scraps over the side or the mussel dredger
sweeps the rubbish out of the scuppers.)

I don't know much, as I have said, but I am most succesfuil when I try
to think like a hungry fish.

When you do get one open it and see what it's been eating. Were you right?
Is there something else there you could try for bait? If it's full of
prawns for eg then a live prawn would be a good bet, if small fry then a
small fly, tiny spinner, small whole fish or thin sliver from a larger fish,
get the idea? If you see smallish fish feeding wait a while and watch,
there might be larger fish below or beyond them taking their own harvest
from them - and if you're really ambitious watch beyond even those, you never
know... I've even seen thresher shark within thirty yards of the beach.

As to when. The far southwest is just waking up now. Garfish and pollock
should be spreading along the south and west coasts any day now. Bass will
be inshore as soon as the water warms a little, they are not too far off
even now. Don't bother nailing a bait to the bottom for any of these
species.

Cheerio,

--

OK, thanks for all your advice. The summary of which seems to be:

1) Fish can be caught at most places, but to catch a fish, the fish need
to be feeding. When fish feed is fish species and environment dependent.

2) Learn from experience - by your own by trial'n'error and/or talking to
other local anglers.

3) Casting a long distance is not necessarily the most likely way to catch
a fish. Near shore spinning or floatfishing are often better options.

I shall purchase a rod & reel and see what monsters of the deep I can land :-)

Thanks,

Matt

On Sun, 02 Apr 2006 00:07:02 +0100, Derek.Moody wrote:

Re-ordered

"Matt Nottingham" m
wrote in message
newsan.2006.04.01.14.09.50.370422@nospam4mepleas e.zen.co.uk.nospam...

So where and when is a good time to go pier or (not very far!)
beachcasting? I was thinking either norfolk or cornwall. How many
peirs

Never - or (this -is- fishing) almost never ;-)

It is almost always a mistake to cast off a pier if it has any depth
beneath it. The fish will usually be straight down next to the structure
and the weed and the accumulations of detritus that wash against the pier
itself. So fish straight down or even back underneath a little if
possible.

are left these days? What sort of rod/reel/bait combination has
worked for you? Which months have you had best results in?

Everywhere has it's own timetable which you will have to learn - or
somehow elicit from locals.

In article , david
wrote:
Matt, if all you want to do is catch anything you'll be okay. Harbours
are very good, accessible, usually shops around to help you etc. Just
watch what the other anglers / fishermen are doing. If it works, copy
but if it doesn.t then don't!

Read that twice. It's correct. If you go with a mate then take it to the
logical extreme and unless there is some very obvious reason not to, start
out fishing different methods. That way you will find the best method
twice as quickly then you both use the successful one and cash in.

You can gain tonnes of experienced instruction by going out on a boat
too - I've done a few trips and apart from the fact that (a) it is fun,
(b) I cought loads of fish i also (c) learnt a stack!!

I live in the middle, so its not that bad! I actually meant I can't
cast very far, so places you don't need to cast 100+ yds.

Long casting is a specialised technique that is necessary on very few
trips. For no very food reason it has become fashionable and distance cast
has become a macho boast. In general, if there are any fish there at all
you will catch at least some of them within thirty yards. It can be
useful to be able to cast double that but on most of the occasions that I
spot fish feeding over 100 yards away I can walk along the shore to them
and fish at twenty yards...

As I have said here before, I am not an "angler" but I do "go
fishing"

Ptooie. You'll do.

sometimes and IMHE the fish are often where you might not expect.
That is to say, I have caught bass within 30 yards of the shore
(bournemouth) and others by plonking a line off the wall (Weymouth)
and have seen many types caught of a short wall (mudeford). I think
the major thing is

I've lost count of the times when I've -seen- fish feeding close in or at
the surface and yet there are a row of anglers with heavy tackle nailed to
the bottom as far out as they can cast catching nowt. Use your eyes, copy
other anglers only if thay are catching and be prepared to experiment.

Around most of the UK coast you'll do far better spinning or floatfishing
than you will with a beachcaster and ledger.

WHEN, not where. And the answer to WHEN is "when theres something to
eat". If there's been a storm and then the sea calms, there's all
sorts of munchibles washed into the coastal sea and the fish come in
for it. Likewise, many narrow harbours will be full of food when the
tide starts to go out.

This is what you'll find hardest to learn. You may have to spend a lot of
time at a venue to find its best time (usually state of tide but it might
be when the harbour cafe chucks its scraps over the side or the mussel
dredger sweeps the rubbish out of the scuppers.)

I don't know much, as I have said, but I am most succesfuil when I
try to think like a hungry fish.

When you do get one open it and see what it's been eating. Were you
right? Is there something else there you could try for bait? If it's full
of prawns for eg then a live prawn would be a good bet, if small fry then
a small fly, tiny spinner, small whole fish or thin sliver from a larger
fish, get the idea? If you see smallish fish feeding wait a while and
watch, there might be larger fish below or beyond them taking their own
harvest from them - and if you're really ambitious watch beyond even
those, you never know... I've even seen thresher shark within thirty yards
of the beach.

As to when. The far southwest is just waking up now. Garfish and pollock
should be spreading along the south and west coasts any day now. Bass
will be inshore as soon as the water warms a little, they are not too far
off even now. Don't bother nailing a bait to the bottom for any of these
species.

Cheerio,

Torquay not to bad for small fish at moment can use beech or bod rod
with a normal reel rag or lug work i like to put a it of macral on the
tip

Ah, if you have yet to purchase then a word to the wise...

Gear is cheap these days, very cheap, but be warned...a sparkly rod is
designed to catch fishermen, not fish! Fish see flashes, you want a black
rod therefore!

Also, some sea rods are very stiff and hard to use as a beginner (i.e., you
and me) but a river rod is too soft. A very experienced chap off here taught
me to go into a second hand shop and ask for LAST years carp rod! Carp rods
tend to be good and VERY expensive. But last years rods are very good and
cheap, because they are a time-expired fashion item.

e.g., I bought a Wichwood carp rod...price last year, c /£200, price to
me...£25. Unused and mint. Carp fisherment obviously wear leather shoes!

They make very good sea rods, very versatile, easy handling etc etc etc.

I also bought (prior to this event) a sea rod / beachcaster. It's very stiff
and would pull the lips off a smaller fish, whereas the carp job has
sensitivity and strength.

If you intend to go boat fishing then my advice is that you do NOT buy your
gear. You can hire very good kit for a fiver a go, far better kit than
you're likely to buy yourself unless you become mega dedicated.

HTH

David




"Matt Nottingham" m wrote
in message
newsan.2006.04.02.13.08.22.27404@nospam4meplease .zen.co.uk.nospam...

OK, thanks for all your advice. The summary of which seems to be:

1) Fish can be caught at most places, but to catch a fish, the fish need
to be feeding. When fish feed is fish species and environment dependent.

2) Learn from experience - by your own by trial'n'error and/or talking to
other local anglers.

3) Casting a long distance is not necessarily the most likely way to catch
a fish. Near shore spinning or floatfishing are often better options.

I shall purchase a rod & reel and see what monsters of the deep I can land
:-)

Thanks,

Matt

On Sun, 02 Apr 2006 00:07:02 +0100, Derek.Moody wrote:

Re-ordered

"Matt Nottingham" m
wrote in message
newsan.2006.04.01.14.09.50.370422@nospam4mepleas e.zen.co.uk.nospam...

So where and when is a good time to go pier or (not very far!)
beachcasting? I was thinking either norfolk or cornwall. How many
peirs

Never - or (this -is- fishing) almost never ;-)

It is almost always a mistake to cast off a pier if it has any depth
beneath it. The fish will usually be straight down next to the structure
and the weed and the accumulations of detritus that wash against the pier
itself. So fish straight down or even back underneath a little if
possible.

are left these days? What sort of rod/reel/bait combination has
worked for you? Which months have you had best results in?

Everywhere has it's own timetable which you will have to learn - or
somehow elicit from locals.

In article , david
wrote:
Matt, if all you want to do is catch anything you'll be okay. Harbours
are very good, accessible, usually shops around to help you etc. Just
watch what the other anglers / fishermen are doing. If it works, copy
but if it doesn.t then don't!

Read that twice. It's correct. If you go with a mate then take it to
the
logical extreme and unless there is some very obvious reason not to,
start
out fishing different methods. That way you will find the best method
twice as quickly then you both use the successful one and cash in.

You can gain tonnes of experienced instruction by going out on a boat
too - I've done a few trips and apart from the fact that (a) it is fun,
(b) I cought loads of fish i also (c) learnt a stack!!

I live in the middle, so its not that bad! I actually meant I can't
cast very far, so places you don't need to cast 100+ yds.

Long casting is a specialised technique that is necessary on very few
trips. For no very food reason it has become fashionable and distance
cast
has become a macho boast. In general, if there are any fish there at all
you will catch at least some of them within thirty yards. It can be
useful to be able to cast double that but on most of the occasions that I
spot fish feeding over 100 yards away I can walk along the shore to them
and fish at twenty yards...

As I have said here before, I am not an "angler" but I do "go
fishing"

Ptooie. You'll do.

sometimes and IMHE the fish are often where you might not expect.
That is to say, I have caught bass within 30 yards of the shore
(bournemouth) and others by plonking a line off the wall (Weymouth)
and have seen many types caught of a short wall (mudeford). I think
the major thing is

I've lost count of the times when I've -seen- fish feeding close in or at
the surface and yet there are a row of anglers with heavy tackle nailed
to
the bottom as far out as they can cast catching nowt. Use your eyes,
copy
other anglers only if thay are catching and be prepared to experiment.

Around most of the UK coast you'll do far better spinning or floatfishing
than you will with a beachcaster and ledger.

WHEN, not where. And the answer to WHEN is "when theres something to
eat". If there's been a storm and then the sea calms, there's all
sorts of munchibles washed into the coastal sea and the fish come in
for it. Likewise, many narrow harbours will be full of food when the
tide starts to go out.

This is what you'll find hardest to learn. You may have to spend a lot
of
time at a venue to find its best time (usually state of tide but it might
be when the harbour cafe chucks its scraps over the side or the mussel
dredger sweeps the rubbish out of the scuppers.)

I don't know much, as I have said, but I am most succesfuil when I
try to think like a hungry fish.

When you do get one open it and see what it's been eating. Were you
right? Is there something else there you could try for bait? If it's
full
of prawns for eg then a live prawn would be a good bet, if small fry then
a small fly, tiny spinner, small whole fish or thin sliver from a larger
fish, get the idea? If you see smallish fish feeding wait a while and
watch, there might be larger fish below or beyond them taking their own
harvest from them - and if you're really ambitious watch beyond even
those, you never know... I've even seen thresher shark within thirty
yards
of the beach.

As to when. The far southwest is just waking up now. Garfish and
pollock
should be spreading along the south and west coasts any day now. Bass
will be inshore as soon as the water warms a little, they are not too far
off even now. Don't bother nailing a bait to the bottom for any of these
species.

Cheerio,

Thanks for that.

Matt

On Sun, 02 Apr 2006 16:19:15 +0100, david wrote:

Ah, if you have yet to purchase then a word to the wise...

Gear is cheap these days, very cheap, but be warned...a sparkly rod is
designed to catch fishermen, not fish! Fish see flashes, you want a black
rod therefore!

Also, some sea rods are very stiff and hard to use as a beginner (i.e.,
you and me) but a river rod is too soft. A very experienced chap off here
taught me to go into a second hand shop and ask for LAST years carp rod!
Carp rods tend to be good and VERY expensive. But last years rods are very
good and cheap, because they are a time-expired fashion item.

e.g., I bought a Wichwood carp rod...price last year, c /£200, price to
me...£25. Unused and mint. Carp fisherment obviously wear leather
shoes!

They make very good sea rods, very versatile, easy handling etc etc etc.

I also bought (prior to this event) a sea rod / beachcaster. It's very
stiff and would pull the lips off a smaller fish, whereas the carp job has
sensitivity and strength.

If you intend to go boat fishing then my advice is that you do NOT buy
your gear. You can hire very good kit for a fiver a go, far better kit
than you're likely to buy yourself unless you become mega dedicated.

HTH

David

[snip]

snip


I live in the middle, so its not that bad! I actually meant I can't
cast
very far, so places you don't need to cast 100+ yds.

Long casting is a specialised technique that is necessary on very few
trips.
For no very food reason it has become fashionable and distance cast has
become a macho boast. In general, if there are any fish there at all you
will catch at least some of them within thirty yards. It can be useful to
be able to cast double that but on most of the occasions that I spot fish
feeding over 100 yards away I can walk along the shore to them and fish at
twenty yards...


*yawn*


I've lost count of the times when I've -seen- fish feeding close in or at
the surface and yet there are a row of anglers with heavy tackle nailed to
the bottom as far out as they can cast catching nowt. Use your eyes, copy
other anglers only if thay are catching and be prepared to experiment.

*yawn*

Around most of the UK coast you'll do far better spinning or floatfishing
than you will with a beachcaster and ledger.

*yawn*

snip

... I've even seen thresher shark within thirty yards of the beach.

*yawn*

As to when. The far southwest is just waking up now. Garfish and pollock
should be spreading along the south and west coasts any day now. Bass
will
be inshore as soon as the water warms a little, they are not too far off
even now. Don't bother nailing a bait to the bottom for any of these
species.

*yawn*

Cheerio,

--



An open mind to the many and varied techniques - just what I was thinking...


ETV