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Print versionDinas Dinlle, Gwynedd
LOCATION
From the north, take the A5 to Bangor, then the A487 through Caernarfon. Just past Llanwnda, branch right at the roundabout onto the A499. Some 2 miles on, look for the right-hand turn to Dinas Dinlle. From the south, take the A470 then the A487 through Porthmadog. Remain on the A487 to the roundabout at Llanwnda, then bear left on to the A499. Take the right-hand turn 2 miles further on for Dinas Dinlle.
SPECIES
Gives good catches in the early part of the year from January to mid March. Expect dabs, whiting, dogfish, school bass, codling, rockling, coalfish and flounders. Dinas can surprise as early as late February with bass between 3 and 6lbs, providing the weather has been mild with south-westerly winds.
April and May are quiet, but during the spring tides and calm weather thornback rays move within casting range and occasional sizeable turbot are taken. In surf conditions expect bass.
June again sees rays inshore, but a few smoothound also make an appearance fishing from the beach south of the cafe, or walk northward past the airfield gates a few hundred yards at the north end of the beach. This latter area also produced bass, some plaice, and used to give tope, but few people target them now.
Tourists use the beach during July and August, but calm weather and night tides give the chance of mackerel and garfish. Rough seas bring bass back inshore and the smoothound.
September sees the start of the autumn whiting run. Peak catches occur in late November and early December, but the whiting stay right through to March with the biggest fish showing in January. Big bass are also to be caught during rough seas up to November.
Dabs are inshore by October and joined in November by coalies, both staying through until late February. Codling move inshore during November, but the best fishing is over the Christmas period and January as they move out of the nearby Menai Straits.
WEATHER
Dinas Dinlle is a true storm beach and takes on a big surf during south-west and westerly winds over force 3 and can be difficult to fish, but produces good bass, coalfish and codling at night in these conditions. North-westerly winds are poor along the main beach, but fish well north of the airfield, especially for bass.
Light winds, even from the east, give good catches of whiting, dabs and dogfish, plus it's the best time to target the spring and summer rays and turbot. A light onshore wind with just a short surf seems to suit the smoothound best.
For the adventurous hoping for tope, then a hot, flat calm June night over high water gives the best prospects...providing there is minimal moonlight.
TIDES
Neap tides over low water are okay for general catches of dabs, whiting, dogfish, school bass and flounder. For the bigger bass and smoothound choose a medium tiding rising towards a spring fishing both low and high water. The biggest spring tides produce the rays and turbot, also the winter codling and bigger whiting.
The bulk of catches occur through the flood tide, the ebb can be slow, but good casters will still pick fish up at very long range.
TACKLE & RIGS
The best compromise is beachcaster casting 5-6ozs of lead and your choice of fixed spool or multiplier reel loaded with 15lb main line.
Even in a high surf a 5oz grip lead will hold, but a couple of 6oz grippers are useful if the surf is pushed by a side wind.
For the bass and smoothound, go for a one hook rig and short hook trace of about 12ins. For long range rays and turbot, stick to a clipped down one hook rig with a 3-ft hook length. For general catches at close range a three hook rig takes all species, with a two hook clipped down rig best on the ebb. Also fish a wishbone rig at range for the better whiting and codling.
BAITS
Black lug takes the codling, whiting, dabs and smaller bass. Bigger bass prefer peeler crab or lug tipped with squid or razorfish. Coalies take frozen crab or mussel. Dabs and whiting also take small fish strips. Try frozen sandeel for the turbot, and mackerel and squid cocktail's for the thornbacks. Stick to crab baits for the smoothound.
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