It's not just rock anglers that are at risk from rogue swells. Those of us who fish breakwaters, harbour walls, promenades and even piers face the same danger, yet give little, often no thought to our personal and friends safety.

Simple precautions outlined here can save your life.

BREAKWATERS
These are the most dangerous. They build breakwaters to protect inner harbours and quays etc, from the elements of the tide, therefore expect big waves to break across them and even fully over them, but also the rocks and concrete they are built from to be covered with slime and weed and be extremely slippy.

Just because all looks okay at low water, get a change in wind direction and a rising tide and minutes can make the difference. Obviously, the time to fish breakwaters is during reasonably settled weather and not during unsettled spells with constantly changing wind strengths and directions adding to an already confused sea. The moral here is to make sure you have an easy way off if things get suddenly nasty.

On any breakwater venue, set up your rods on a base some way away from the breakwater edge to give a degree of safety. Don't go right to the edge when playing a fish as a sudden lunge from a decent fish can over balance you and in the drink you go! The same applies to casting!

Pre plan a strategy to land big fish. This needs to be done from a platform of rock etc, if the sea has some swell, and above the waterline using a long handled gaff if necessary, but not by going down to the waters edge in between swells as you so often see happen. A safety line off a solid object above tied to the gaff mans waist is the best insurance policy.

PROMENADES
Although these may back a shallowish beach you get big waves smashing into the front of these forcing a huge wall of water up vertically which the wind pushes up and over onto the promenade. We've all seen this on the TV after a big storm.

Believe it or not but you get some idiots trying to fish off promenades in this type of weather. What happens is that the wave pushed onto the prom then gets washed back seawards and drags you with it. Even railings won't stop you because you get washed through under them.

The other danger here is that the waves lifting over the prom wall carry sizeable lumps of shingle with them, too! Catch one of these around the head and you'll know about it!

If you must have a go on a promenade in rough weather, stay well away for a while and watch what's happening to the surf before committing your self.

PIERS AND JETTIES
These are usually less exposed and have railings along the sides, but still present dangers.

The chances of high waves are less likely fishing from a top deck, but are possible if the structure has a lower deck.

Getting down to a lower deck to land fish puts you at risk from not only rogue waves, but also from slipping on wet planking. If you have to go down, set up a simple safety line using stainless steel snap link carbineers linking one end around a railing or post as an anchorage and the other around your waist tied with the rope facing forward of the stomach.

Set up like this, if you do get dunked you can pull yourself forwards with the rope to safety. Tie the rope to your back, which most people do, and you'll find it difficult to turn when in the water to grab the rope.

HARBOUR WALLS
These look fairly safe at the outset, but hidden dangers lurk where you least expect them.

First off, when casting, stand well back from the edge, about 5yds makes sense, providing you can cast without hitting Joe Public. The same applies to playing fish. Stay back a little from the edge to allow for slipping, or a decent fish throwing you off balance.

Harbour walls will have boats tied to them and boats need to be moored, so watch out for ropes, fish boxes and lobster pots when playing a big fish such as a conger or bass that may walk you around a few yards.

The best way to land a fish from a wall type structure is with a large drop net. Lay on your stomach with only the head and arms over the edge of the wall and let the angler bring the fish to net.

Alternatively, if you have steps that give access to the water level, assess just how slippy the steps are before starting fishing. Concrete steps are especially bad at collecting a film of slime that's got the surface coating of an ice rink. In fact, years ago anglers after conger etc, from such structures used to wash the steps off with neat bleach to rid the steps of slime, but this is not acceptable anymore in our green when it suits you society.

Again, if you use steps, or ladders even, to get down to a fish, tie yourself with a safety line to a mooring post, ring, or stanchion.

HAVE YOU SEEN THE LIGHT?
Essential is large amounts of illumination to flood you fishing area. Pressure lamps are okay providing you set them up on a tripod a good 5ft off the ground. Sat on the floor they are useful and give a tiny pool of light. Their weakness is that any spray or water getting onto the hot glass will smash it. Also mantles are weak and fiddly to replace on the mark if they shatter.

Better still would be a rechargeable lamp like the Samalite which we reviewed in a past issue. This type of light has an adjustable arm to focus light where you want it and is not affected by a sudden dousing in water.

Any main light source needs backing up with a top quality headlamp. Tape a spare bulb into the battery compartment or similar of the lamp and carry a further spare in your tackle box.

FOOTWEAR
Assuming any near the sea surface is going to be damp at least, then what you put on your feet needs careful choice. The expense in a waterproof pair of climbing boots for breakwaters and any other stone based structure is well worth it in the long run. The ones with the carbon based soles seem to give the best grip for fishing situations.

On piers with no direct access to the sea and safety railings, then normal wellies may be okay, but rubber soles are very slippy on slime covered rocks and wooden planking, so check this out.

Trainers, waders and normal street shoes, seen everyday worn by anglers on the local pier, give no protection from the elements and prove extremely slippy in anything other than dry, warm conditions.

Some anglers prefer a full one piece floatation suit. Fine! But whichever you get make sure that there is enough arm room in it. Being restricted in your movement makes you easily overbalanced and increases the danger factor.

Something else to consider are the neoprene gloves which seem to be flooding the tackle shops at the moment. Not only do these keep the hands warm, but they have amazing grip and prove ideal for both holding onto rails etc, when needed, but are equally good at grasping landing net handles, ropes and gaff handles.

TIDY TACKLE
On these types of marks, if you fish with your gear strewn all over the place, sooner rather than later, you'll cop a wave that washes the whole lot into Neptune's pocket.

A proper box is the best bet and keeps everything reasonably dry. If you buy a small clip on bait tray to fit on the inside, then all the usual essentials like scissors, thread, sharpening stone etc, can all be stored in there with instant access. Buy a second tray for the bait!

Rods need to be tied to the railings or something else if you're on breakwater to avoid a big cod or bass whipping the lot into the sea. It's an added danger too, that you trying to save your rod rush forward and slip falling into the sea. Rods tied with rod bags to the railings are useless because it takes too long to free the rod to respond to a bite.

Make up another short 6ft safety line with small carbineers and clip this to the railings and then around the rod just above the reel. This lets you work the rod and play fish without having to release the line first. You can remove the line when the fish is securely hooked. It's worth having a second safety line to tie a rod rest down if you're fishing an open topped breakwater.

FIRST AID KIT
This is the last bit of advice you're likely to listen to. But think on this! Breakwaters, piers, jetties and harbour walls are all likely to be the home of rats. Rats carry a variety of diseases, some of which can kill. Cuts and scratches quickly treated and cleaned with antiseptic cream and protected by a plaster are less likely to become infected by any germs you come in contact with and can save real heartache.

FINAL THOUGHTS
Just the same as rock fishing, when you're fishing an exposed structure tell one of the family or a friend where you are, how long you'll be fishing, and when you're expecting to get home, even when you're fishing with a few mates.

If you're visiting a venue for the first time watch the locals. If the weather is worsening and they start to pack up, you do the same. The breakwater at Alderney in the Channel Islands is a good example of this. Anglers have been washed away from here and the locals know the signs and will tell you to head for home. It's amazing, but in other places some anglers know the score yet fail to tell others without this knowledge.

Don't blindly go fishing. Check out the weather forecasts and especially the shipping forecast for your area for the few days before the trip. This will warn you of any incoming gale and storms that may suddenly pounce on you as the tide turns.

TEN STEPS TO SAFETY

• Never fish exposed venues you're unsure of during periods of unsettled weather and spring tides.
• Stand well back from the edge when casting and to some extent when playing fish.
• Listen to the local anglers and if they pack up in worsening weather, you do too!
• Always carry a long safety line and clip yourself to a solid structure when gaffing or landing fish at water level.
• Have plenty of light to illuminate your fishing area and always fish with a headlamp which can also be used for signalling for help if necessary.
• When choosing coats and suits, go for a flotation type with reflective tape added so you can be easily seen.
• Wear good waterproof walking boots with carbon soles for extra grip on slippy surfaces.
• Fish in close proximity to other anglers, or try to always fish with a companion.
• Tell a friend or family member where you are and give a time you expect to be home.
• Carry a simple first aid kit with a few plasters, antiseptic cream etc.

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