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Aberthaw Beach

Mike Thrussell 01 January, 2006 05:55:00

West on M4 motorway to Junction 33 turning left onto A4232 towards Barry. Turn right onto A48, then left onto A4426 towards St Athan. Aberthaw sing posted from St Athan. Parking available above beach.

PROSPECTS
Beach immediately in front of where you park fishes over both high and low water for bass, rays and smoothound in summer. Codling and cod, plus whiting and pout are winter targets. Some good bass and conger come from the right hand side of the beach which gives way to boulders and rock ledges. Smoothound and conger are also caught here.

Follow the concrete footpath leftward skirting round the front of the Aberthaw Power Station, a distance of about half a mile, brings you to some groynes. The beach here is rough boulders and pebble at high water, but is less rough around the low water line. Cod, whiting and pout, plus occasional big winter bass fall to medium and short casts here. Summer months give smoothound, odd rays, conger and good bass to ledgered baits. Mullet shoal here too.

TIMES AND TIDES
Smoothound can be caught in daylight, as can bass if there is a good surf. Night tides produce the best action, though, for cod, rays and conger. A shallowish area in parts, so spring tides fish best, but some good fish show on the smaller neaps around low water.

BAITS AND RIGS
Crab is the best summer bait for bass, smoothound and even conger. Rays take fish, squid or sandeel in cocktails. Black lug or ragworm is the best choice for winter cod. Harbour rag fished on float tackle is good for the mullet.

Most anglers fish a standard fixed paternoster for all the species with a weak link attachment to the weight. In the rough ground areas, a pulley rig may be the better choice.

Hooks should be Mustad Viking 4/0's or the Mustad Bass hook for all species, and use two hook pennel rigs for cod in winter.

WEATHER
Takes a good surf in south and southwesterly winds, these being best for bass. Calmer conditions suit the smoothound. Southeasterly winds are poor.

WSF Tackle
SEARCH FOR TACKLE
DEPARTMENTS

BERKLEY FRENZIED POPPER £3.91 Each
Berkley PopperThe most versatile topwater bait ever produced. The Frenzy Popper just might be the best ever! Its unique balanced design allows it to be fished several ways. Chug it or pop it, and it spits water like a big fish chasing little ones. Slow it down with soft twitching actions, and it walks with the best of 'em.

TIDEWATER LURE RIGS 83p Each
FeathersAs any boat or shore angler will tell you, lure rigs when used alone or with bait are great for catching all manner of species. We've selected the very best rigs from the Shakespeare TideWater range that are idea for boat and some shore work.

7" WSF Jelly Worms
Berkley Power WormsDeadly 7inch jelly worms that are deadly for all manner of predator fish, especially pollack. We allow you to buy individual colours so you can mix and match what you want!
Jelly worms are 30p each!

Get ready for the new Plugging Season, Buy 3 get one of them for free, Blue Pilchard Divers
Blue PilchardBuy 3 Devil's Own Diving Plugs you get one of them for free in our 3 for 2 offer.
Check out our Devil's Own Lures.
These lures are ideal for bass and other predatory species. Price: £2.74 each. or £5.48 for 3.

WSF NOW STOCKS SAKUMA HOOKS
Sakuma HooksSuper strong Japanese Hooks from Sakuma. We now stock the 545 Manta Extra, 540 Manta, 560 Stinger and 543 Pennel Manta Extra hooks. All hooks are supplied in boxes of 30.

Bass PoppersBASS POPPERS! FROM £3.67
These excellent long range casting popper lures are ideal for numerous saltwater species including Bass. Berkley Frenzy Poppers.

SALTWATER FLIES FROM FULLING MILL FROM £1.25
Saltwater FliesWSF Now stocks the high quality range of saltwater flies from Fulling Mill. We have picked out a deadly selection from the Fulling Mill range that will help any saltwater fly angler this season.

BACK IN STOCK PENN CAPTIVA CV2 REELS
Captiva ReelsPRICE FROM: £37.18
Sea spinning reel, ideal for use with the Shakespeare Salt Spin Rod. Packed with features including an ultra smooth front drag, permanent instant anti reverse and a metal spare spool. The 5000 is idea for use with spinning with heavier nylons between 12 and 15lbs and Braid.

BACK IN STOCK SALT / CAPTIVA SPINNING COMBO DEAL
Captiva Reel DealsIdeal spinning combo from Penn and Shakespeare. Featuring the hugely popular Salt Spin 10ft, 3 piece spinning rod, and the fantastic Captiva 5000 CV2 Spinning Reel from Penn. PRICE: £73.39

BACK IN STOCK ABU CARDINAL 304FD PRICE: £37.18
Abu CardinalThis Front Drag version of the popular Abu Cardinal range of reels is an ideal reel for braid. Each reel features 7 bearings (1AR) Bearing, Instant Reverse and a spare spool. It holds 210/10lb line. Each reel comes with a free Abu Cardinal Reel Bag.


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