SPECIES
April through to September produces plaice, bass, flounders and eels. From September to February codling, whiting, a few dabs and coalfish make up a good mixed bag.

BAITS
In summer use crab for the bass, eels and flounder, with rag and lug pulling out the bulk of the plaice, though crab also works as a tippet bait. Come September stick to lug or rag tipped with mackerel or squid for the whiting and dabs. Crab will take early cod through until November, when lug takes over as the best all round bait.

TACKLE & TACTICS
The promenade is on the right of the North Pier with the fishing being over a mix of deeper gutters, rough ground patches and weed. Most anglers choose to fish the four hours up to high water and the first hour back. Over high water you fish off the promenade wall. It produces fish on most any tide, but locals prefer the bigger spring tides for all species.

A 5-6oz beachcaster, with a reel like a Penn 525 loaded with 18lb line and a 60lb shock leader is ideal, though some anglers prefer a 7000 sized reel and 20 to 25lb line to reduce the tackle losses.

Top rigs are a two-hook flapper using 25lb hooks snoods and size 1 Aberdeen's for the smaller species. For the cod and bass a one-hook clipped down rig with two 3/0 hooks rigged pennel style is a good choice as the fish can be at longer range. There is some tide run here, so carry both 5oz and 6oz grip leads.

LOCATION
At Carlisle take the A595. At Thursby roundabout access the A596 for Maryport. At the first set of traffic lights in Maryport turn right and follow up the steep hill towards the promenade. Turn right as you come on to the promenade and continue for about a half mile to the car park.

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