Mumbles Pier, Swansea Bay

BAITS
Live sandeel is the top bait for daytime bass, but at night switch to crab baits. The mullet take bread or small bits of mackerel flesh without the skin. Flounder take crab or worm. Odd trigger fish are also being reported here at the moment, mostly to fish strips or crab.

TACKLE AND TACTICS
Fish the sandeel for bass under a bubble float or freeline using just a couple of BB shot to take them down deep enough. Best tackle for this is a fixed spool and spinning rod with 8 to 10lb line and take a drop net. The mullet take the bread under a Crystal Waggler shotted to take the bait down quickly then fall naturally, but adjust the depth according to the tide. Ledger fishing takes the bass, dogs and flounder with a simple flowing trace and sliding ledger a good all round bet.

The triggers tend to work close in around the base of the pier. Use a paternoster with the hook trace coming off the rig a good 2 to 3-feet above the lead and make the hook trace about 24-inches long to flutter in the tide. Use a medium wire long shank Aberdeen size 1 like a Mustad 3261 to combat the triggers teeth and fighting power. Occasionally lift the lead off the bottom a few inches and drop it back to induce more movement to the bait. The triggers tend to hit the bait as it flutters down or lifts in the tide.

LOCATION
Come off the M4 at Junction 42 and take the A4067 through Swansea past the Marina and Mumbles is signposted. There is a fee paying car park by the pier.