Fairbourne Beach, Gwynedd

Turn left of the main A470 at Dolgellau onto the A493 for 9 miles. Turn right into Fairbourne and follow the car park signs through the village to the sea wall car park. Fees are payable in season.

FEATURES
A shallow, clean sand beach with parallel gutters running the length of the beach. Rising cliffs dominate the southern end and the Mawddach Estuary the north side.

PROSPECTS
A good January into February venue for dabs, flounders and dogfish fishing marks infront of the car park and towards the cliffs on the south side. Dogfish are the mainstay through March and into April, then flounders, school bass, occasional thornback ray, eels and turbot to a couple of pounds move in during May and stay all summer. Big spring tides that fall in the evenings during calm, warm weather from July to September can bring big shoals of mackerel tight inshore that take spinners and feathers. Garfish also show.

September brings whiting back inshore and a second run of thornbacks which stay close in until October. The same period sees odd sizeable bass taken. Best of the whiting numbers occur during November and are backed up by flounders, dabs, dogfish and school bass.

TIDES
For the rays, whiting and mackerel you'll ned to fish the spring tides. The winter dab fishing is just as good during the neaps as it is on springs.

WEATHER
Fishes best in a light southwesterly for the flounders, dabs, dogs and school bass. Onshore winds to force 4 produces a good surf and is best for bigger bass. Thornbacks show during warm, calm night tides. Whiting need a settled weather spell with flat seas and a hint of frost for peak returns. During windy weather weed accumulations can be horrendous and make the mark unfishable. easterly winds kill prospects dead.

TACKLE AND RIGS
A bass rod casting upto 4ozs is the best overall choice for whiting, dabs, dogs, flounders and the bass with a small fixed spool or multiplier reel and 12lb line.

You need to be able to cast a true 130yds for the rays, so normal 5-6oz beachcasters, multipliers and 15lb line with a shock leader are needed.

For mackerel, go down to a light spinning rod, small reel and 4lb-5lb line with 5/8oz silver spinners. This gear also takes any garfish.

Top rig for variety is a wishbone paternoster - one hook on top with a two hook wishbone low down - taking everything except the rays, mackerel and gars. Hooks for this need to be size 4 Mustad Aberdeen 3261 BLN's. Use a clipped down one hook rig for the rays and bass with a Mustad Viking or Mustad Bass 2/0 hook.

BAITS
The only natural bait on the beach are small, scattered colonies of razorfish on the mean low water spring tide line and odd sandeels. Lug baits are good for the flatties, whiting and even takes the rays, but you'll need to bring bait in with you as there is next to nothing locally. Fish baits also take the rays, dogs and whiting. Frozen sandeel and fresh crab is best for any bass.