Port of Call: Cardiff and Penarth

Over the past decade the Cardiff and Penarth area has established it'self as arguably the top rod and line cod fishery in the UK. But it doesn't end there, for the summer fishing is just as good with a large variety of species, and for the adventurous there are also huge numbers of wrecks littering the seabed of the Bristol Channel within a couple of hours steaming.

The main port is Penarth which sports a large marina facility, but charter boats also work out of the old docks in Cardiff too. The whole area though is undergoing massive transformation with facilities improving almost daily.

WHERE TO FISH
The ground here is a mix of clean ground, rough patches, rock and coral reefs. Some of the more noted marks are The Ledge just off Sully Island, One fathom Bank off Barry, ground adjacent to Flat Holm Island, The Monkstone, and the sand banks called Cardiff Grounds. Many of the boats make the longer journey westwards to the Aberthaw area and to the famous Nash Sands and Nash reef off Monknash, especially in the summer. It's the Nash area that gives up the best variety of species. Reef ground is also visited on the English side of the Bristol Channel for conger, cod and tope in season. Long range trips to the wrecks are undertaken in the summer, with a few vessels pushing out the 70 odd miles to Lundy Island off Ilfracombe in Devon when the weather allows.

SPECIES
January, February and March still give good cod fishing here with the biggest fish, some touching 40lbs, showing during the mid January to end of February spell. Codling remain inshore right through until June, though their numbers obviously drop. By late April bass have moved onto the rougher patches along with thornback, spotted, and the first of the small eyed rays. All the rays, including blondes, are well established by mid May with early turbot also taken. By the end of the month, then attention turns to smoothound and some good fish well into double figures are caught along with the odd monster. Huss and dogfish, plus pack tope to 25lbs are also around. July and August sees some porbeagle shark move eastwards up the channel with the mackerel shoals. Shark average about 100lbs but fish to 200lbs plus have been taken. The wrecks are well visited in June, July and August giving quality pollack to 15lbs, huss, conger, and rays. Monkfish move in on the sand banks around the Nash, too. August sees the first codling back inshore, along with whiting, and whilst conger, rays etc, continue to be caught right through the autumn, most boats focus on the cod fishing from here on in.

TIDES
The Bristol Channel has the second biggest tides in the world, only the Bay of Fundy in Canada has larger, so this tells you that even the neaps run at a fair pace. The bonus is that the fishing does not differ too greatly on a day to day basis. Fish will be caught on all tides. Having said that, obviously any wreck trips have to be centred on the neap tides, and some of the shallower reefs are best fished only over the slack water periods. Very heavy and persistent rain water flushing down the estuary can push the cod out at times and effect the distance travelled by the shark during the summer. These fast moving channel waters never clear and always carry silt making the water permanently coloured.

TACKLE
Due to the ferocity of the tides this is mainly uptiding country. You'll need big leads too, so choose an uptider rated to cast 4-10ozs using a multiplier loaded with between 18lb and 25lb line. Most anglers choose the heavier line because big fish will have to be bullied back against the tidal current. Carry leads from 5ozs to 8ozs with both release and fixed grip wires. Sputnik leads with their oversize grip wires are very popular here. Keen local anglers tend to fish only a two hook pennel rig for cod and also for rays. Hook lengths need to be between 2-6ft. The uptider also does a good job on the wreck pollack, but what downtide fishing is practised can be done with a 30lb class rod and reel with leads around the pound. This downtide method is the best way to take the bigger cod by trotting a big bait well downtide of the boat.

BAITS
For cod and general species you'll not beat black lug or king rag baits, and make them big, at least 9ins long. Squid works well both as a tipping bait, or whole for the bigger cod and bass. Conger like a small pout or whiting. Edible and shore peeler crab is good for bass and smoothound over rough ground. Frozen sandeel is the best bait for the small eyed and spotted rays, with mackerel and herring strips okay for tope, conger etc.