Corton, Suffolk

SPECIES
Cod run from October through to April, with a quick dip in  numbers during February. By early May bass show over the rougher ground. Some  good sole are taken from June to late September, though of late sole were still  being caught here in late October. Whiting and dabs move inshore from September  and linger until early January.

BAITS
Black lug tipped with blow lug, or just big blow lug baits  works best for the cod. For the whiting and dabs, fish lug or rag tipped with  mackerel, squid or sandeel. Peeler crab in the spring and summer is best for  bass, with squid a good late autumnal bait. Peeler crab is also the killer bait  for the spring codling run in late March and April. Ragworm is best for the  sole, though blow lug will take fish too.

TACKLE & TACTICS
You can fish between the wooden groynes where the sea comes  right to the top over high water, or where the sea wall has broken up around  the headland, but tackle losses can be high here. A top spot is Tramps Alley  which has been a top rated cod spot for years with some big fish taken from  here.

With the likelihood of snags go for a 5-6oz beachcaster, Penn  525 type reel and 20lb line. Carry grip leads up to 6oz as the tide run is fast  here, though most fish are caught at medium range during the small to medium  sized tides, but the spring can fish well if you can cope with the tide run..

For the bass and cod fish a pulley rig using 60lb main rig  body line to a 30lb hook trace with single size 4/0 hooks better than two-hook Pennel  rigs. For the smaller species a three-hook flapper works well using size 2  Aberdeen’s, but drop down to size 4 or 6 Partridge Aberdeen Perfect’s or  Kamasan’s for the sole.

LOCATION
Take the A12 northward out of Lowestoft  and take the right turn in to Corton Long lane just before the A12 becomes a  dual-carriageway. Turn right at the T-junction passing through a wood, then  where the road dips there is a footpath down to the beach. You can park  opposite the Pitch and Putt car park.