Chilling Spit, Hants

SPECIES
Spring plaice show from March through to May, but sport improves in late May with bass, smoothound, black bream flounder and eels. The autumn months see pout, bass, flounder and whiting.

BAITS
Locals rate rag better than lug for the plaice, whiting and bream, but crab takes the flounder, smoothound, eels and bass. In autumn try a whole squid for a bigger bass, or tip black lug tipped off with squid.

TACKLE & TACTICS
The Spit is to the rear of the Hook Park Nature Reserve and lies at the entrance to the Hamble River. You're fishing off a shingle spit with the seabed comprised mainly of sand with only a little tide run, even on the biggest tides.

A 2-4oz bass rod and a 6500 sized multiplier with 12 to 15lb line and a light 30 to 40lb shock leader is perfect here. For the eels, flounder, pout and bream either fish a three-hook flapper with size 2 Aberdeen hooks, or try a Cascade one up/one down rig for the plaice and flounder.

The bass and smoothound are best targeted with a simple sliding ledger rig using a 24-inch hook trace and single 3/0 to 4/0 hook. Leads need be no more than 4ozs with 2ozs holding most of the time.

Some big flounder can be caught here between October and Christmas fishing mackerel tipped off with ragworm.

LOCATION
On the M27 come off at junction 8 heading eastwards on the A27 for Swanwick. About a mile after crossing the Hamble River Bridge turn right for Warsash and straight over the roundabout in Warsash for the signs for the Navigation School. Go past the school, cross over the river and about 150-metres on you can park to the left. Take the footpath on the right and the mark is a ten minute walk away.