Bacton, Norfolk

SPECIES
Bass seem to be all year round here nowadays, but peak in May/June and September/November. Some good smoothound are taken in May and June if the weather is hot and settled. Whiting show from October through to January, with the main cod season running from October to January, with a spring run occurring through March in to April. Also expect a few sole, dabs and flounder.

BAITS
Crab is essential for the smoothound and picks out the bigger bass. Fish black lug for the cod and autumn bass tipping with squid or blow lug. Dabs, sole and flounder take blow lug or ragworm. Tip with fish for the better whiting.

TACKLE & TACTICS
Not much in the way of snags here and you're casting on mainly clean sand with patches of shingle in to a decent depth of water over both low and high tide. There is a gully running parallel with the beach that carries good fish, and a sandbank at 150yds or so out from the low water mark that sees good fish taken by casters who can reach over this.

Fish are caught by day, but it fishes best at night over high and low water. It can carry heavy weed after storms. The tide pull is strong on the spring tides.

Distance is the key here and reaching that low water offshore sandbank, so choose a 5-6oz beachcaster with a 6500 sized reel carrying 15lb line and a 60lb shock leader. The top cod and bass rig is a clipped down rig carrying two 3/0 Viking pattern hooks with a 5oz grip lead. Three hook flappers work well for the flatfish and whiting using size 2 Aberdeen hooks, but cut down to size 6 hooks when after the sole in the main gully.

The summer smoothies also tend to work along the outside of the low water sandbank, but along with the bass move in to the gully as the tide floods in.

LOCATION
Situated on the B1159 between Walcott and Mundesley. From North Walsham take the B1150 following the gas sites off the A149 at Stalham. There is limited parking here with the best bet being towards the Ship Pub.