Reading the conditions

[likewise]

I already posted this in the south wales bit of the forum, but realised it should be in here really.

I'd like to ask what people have learned about reading the sea, the weather, winds, temperature, shoreline etc to make a better guesstimate on the best place to set up?

Any suggestions welcome ;)

Gavin

[dabcatcher]

you will need to learn a little about the species your after or the available species at the time on the venue you plan to fish.

the lads and lasses here will help with that if you ask prior to going.

reading the sea and what you are looking for will depend on the target species.

some will like clear water, some dirty. others like it rough while others flat calm.

again some like to sit or feed in gullies and others feed in the surf.

think of the species your next likely to come accross and the venue youll be fishing. let myself or others here know and we can tell you exactly what to look for when you get there. you might even get a local with specific advice.

good luck.

[Rob]

Most people who go fishing spend time staring at rod tips or chatting to friends, but miss the things going on around them.

Sea birds are generally ignored and sometimes swore at, but watching their behaviour can help, after all they have to find fish to survive, it's more than just a bit of fun for them, it's life or death, they will be well practised in the art of fish finding so watch them.

Went fishing once, not a bite for about 3 hours, the wind changed direction and suddenly the rod tip went mad, so worked out that that particular venue fished best when the wind was from that direction.

Watching where weed gets washed up on the beach helps, if there's more of it in one spot than anywhere else, there's an underwater current that sweeps it there, where's there a current there's food and where there's food, there's fish.

There's loads more, but I'll give the floor to someone else with their experiences. :)

[likewise]

That's some damn fine advice Rob! Many thanks,

Gavin

[Lugworm]

Hmmm, good question.
Venue-wise, I would say it depends on the particular venue you are going to fish, some fish best at the top of the tide while others fish best at low water.
If you can't get any local knowledge from fellow anglers then it is a case of keeping an angling diary. Record your catches, taking notes on the state of the tide, time of day, type of weather etc, and over the course of time a pattern should emerge which will indicate when a particular mark is most prolific.

As a rule of thumb, the South, Southwest and West winds are more favourable to catching fish than the North, Northeast and East winds.
Similarly, cloudy and drizzley days tend to fish better than those of hot bright sunshine, although flatties, particularly plaice, like it bright and clear.

Tight Lines