St Bees South Heads, Cumbria

SPECIES
Cod, coalfish, dabs and rockling feature from September  through to March. Plaice begin to show during late March running through to  September, with eels, wrasse, pollack and bass appearing in late April. Some  conger eels are taken throughout the year, along with dogfish. July and August  sees a run of mackerel on the bigger tides if it’s calm.

BAITS
Top winter bait is black or blow lug tipped with mussel for  the cod and coalfish. Lug or rag will take the plaice, dabs and rockling, with  mackerel strip the conger and dogfish bait. Fresh peeler crab is best for the  bass. The pollack will take mackerel strip off the bottom, but its best to spin  for these with Wedge type lures, especially late in the evening.

TACKLE & TACTICS
There are plenty of snags here, so a 5-6oz beachcaster, 7000  sized reel and 30lb line with a 60lb shock leader is the best choice. Pulley  rigs from 60lb mono are standard here armed with single 2/0 to 4/0 Viking  pattern hooks. For the conger, fish 6/0 hooks.

A two-hook clipped down rig with size 2 Aberdeen hooks is ideal for the smaller  species at range.

Rough ground lays out to about 70yds, so fish a weak link  system to the lead weight, which needs to be no more than 5ozs.

The best of the fishing is below the sandstone cliffs at the  South Heads for the three hours either side of low water. This gives access to  deeper water casting off the ledges and rocks. There is rough ground close in  which is good for the cod and pollack, but long casts find cleaner ground  carrying the dabs etc. In calm conditions you can stay on the marks over high  water, but you can get cut off and experienced local knowledge is required  here.

LOCATION
From Whitehaven take the A595 and at the roundabout at the  end of the Henerigham by-pass take the Barrow road. Take the second turning on  your right, then turn left on to St    Bees Road at the end. As you enter St Bees down  the sharp hill turn right where the road goes sharp left. This road comes in to  a car park overlooking the beach, leaving a short walk on to the cliffs.