Crosscanonby, Cumbria

SPECIES
Plaice, flounder, dabs, codling, whiting, dogfish and bass.

BAITS
Lug/rag and lug/rag/crab cocktails are good for the plaice. Peeler crab takes the summer and autumn bass. Crab takes the cod too, but black lug tipped with blow lug is the top bait from early November onwards. Tip lug baits with mackerel or squid for the whiting and dabs.

TACKLE & TACTICS
The beach is made up from coral and rock reef ground with clean sand in between, so tackle such as a 5-6oz beachcaster matched with an ABU 7000 sized reel is the best choice. Load with 25lb line with a 60lb shock leader. Distance casting can improve catches here, so some anglers prefer a Penn 525 Mag and 20lb line.

The top bass and cod rig is a pulley rig made from 60lb mono and armed with a two-hook pennel rig of 4/0 hooks. For the plaice fish a wishbone rig, and for the other species a two-hook clipped down rig works well in conjunction with size 2 Aberdeen hooks.

Ideal conditions here are a south-westerly wind coinciding with high water which stirs up good surf and brings the fish in. Wear chest waders, always fish in pairs and use caution as the tide floods quickly here.

LOCATION
Use the A595 heading west from Carlisle, and take the A596 at the Thursby roundabout heading for Maryport. As you enter Maryport take the B5300 Silloth road and continue on for about a mile to the mark. There are car parks on the sea side of the road and it's a short walk to the beach.