Borth Y Gest, Porthmadog, Gwynedd

LOCATION
Take the A487 to Porthmadog. Look for Woolworth's store at the north end of the High Street and take the west bound road signposted for Borth-y-Gest and Morfa Bychan. Take the next sign-posted left branch road for Borth-y-Gest. There is a car park in the village which quickly fills in summer. Fish either the left or right hand side of the bay in to the estuary channels.

SPECIES
The first spent flounder show towards the end of March along with school bass and dogfish. April sees flounders, bass to 4lbs, dogfish and eels taken. Bigger bass, mullet and garfish arrive in May, plus occasional plaice to 2lbs are reported. Peak catches of bass occur in June. July and August gives good mullet fishing over high water at dawn, plus flounders and eels. Evening high water and big spring tides during July and August sees occasional mackerel shoals work close inshore.

Bigger bass move in here through September and October, along with whiting and dabs. Typical winter catches include dabs, dogfish, school bass, whiting, flounders and rockling. The biggest flounder show from January to early March as they filter out of the estuary channels and head to the open sea to spawn.

WEATHER
A south-west wind fishes well for bass here, but with the channels of the Traeth Bach Estuary running past the marks fish are always on the move. The flounder take best when the estuary water is clear and not contaminated with acidic flood water from the mountains. Hot, calm weather gives the best of the mullet and garfish. It's also a good time to spin for the bass. Stick to night tides through the summer as tourist activity by day is heavy.

In autumn, whiting take best at night in calm seas. Dabs prefer slightly rougher conditions which also brings big packs of dogfish inshore. Daylight gives flounders.

TIDES
Again, due to the adjacent estuary, the tides are less critical here than on normal marks. The neaps produce the better numbers of flounders and eels, but stick to the spring tides for the chance of any better bass. Spring tides bring in the autumn whiting and dabs.

Low water on neaps is okay for most species, but on big tides the water is shallow and the fish don't show until there is some depth. High water fishes best, and even the ebb fishes okay as you'll be hitting the fish coming back out of the upper reaches of the estuary.

TACKLE & RIGS
No need for heavy beach gear. Choose a carp rod and light multiplier or fixed spool reel with 12 to 15lb line. Leads need to be between 1oz and 4oz, depending on where you're fishing, and carry a couple of release wire leads for the peak run during big spring tides.

Carry a lighter rod for spinning and float-fishing for the gars and mullet, and to target the flounders inside the bay over high water.

Two hook rigs are most popular for the eels, flats, whiting, dogfish and school bass. Target bigger bass with a sliding ledger rig using a couple of feet of 20lb mono and cast short in to the channels.

BAITS
Garfish take small bits of mackerel under float tackle, with mullet taking freelined bread or float fished mackerel flesh. Also try spinning from the rocks at each end of the bay for bass and garfish. Bass also take a float fished sandeel.

The best general summer bait is peeler crab which accounts for the bass, flats, dogfish and eels. In winter, swap to black lug tipped with mackerel for the whiting, use mussel for the bigger dabs, and razorfish for flounder.

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