Witch's Point, Southerndown

Leave the M4 at Junction 36 for Bridgend. Turn on to the A4524 from Bridgend signposted Ogmore and Southerndown. Car parking available.

SPECIES
A noted ray mark from late April through to August producing mainly thornbacks and small-eyed's. The biggest of the small eyed's often show late from mid August onwards.

Long casts with smaller fish baits find turbot to 3lbs and brill in May and June. Pollack and mullet move in close during July and August which is also a good time to try the feathers for mackerel and scad.

Autumn fishing is excellent for whiting and dabs. It's worth fishing a whole squid or big lug and crab cocktail close in during settling seas after storms for the chance of big bass from September through to November.

From November, numbers of smaller codling appear with again, rough but settling seas giving the best catches. Over the Christmas and early New Year period, some big cod to 20lbs plus are reported from this mark.

The beach immediately to the right-hand side of the point is equally good for rays, whiting and codling in season, with bass taken from each end with a surf running

WEATHER
You're fishing from a rock ledge casting out over rough on to clean sand, but it's a dangerous mark, especially in south and south-west winds which can create massive waves that wash right over the ledges so extreme care is needed, even in calm seas.

For the rays, try to fish light south-westerly winds which also produce the best catches of autumn whiting. The cod and bass show best in westerly winds. Summer mackerel should be targeted in the evenings.

TIDES
Stick to spring tides here. These create a good tide run just off the point and across the ledges on the left-hand side which helps to hold the fish.

TACKLE & RIGS
A 5-6oz beachcaster and 15-18lb line is required for the rays, cod, whiting etc. Spinning rods, small fixed spool reels and 10-12lb line is adequate for the mackerel, garfish and pollack fishing spinners. Mullet are taken float fishing.

Use a long & low rig with a hook trace about 5ft long. You'll catch more rays using a two hook pennel rig using Mustad Viking 2/0 to 3/0 hooks rather than a single hook. A single hook clipped down rig is best for the cod and codling, but a two hook rig clipped down, or standard three hook rig with 9in snoods will maximise your catches of whiting, dabs and dogfish.

BAITS
Target the rays with pout fillets, squid or whole frozen sandeel. Lug tipped with squid, or cocktails of lug and king rag are the top cod and codling baits. Black lug is okay, but adding a few fresh blow lug for extra scent will increase you chances of cod. Small strips of mackerel or sandeel pick out the turbot, brill, dabs and whiting. Crab is good for autumn bass.

Add to: del.icio.us Digg Technorati

Fishing Rods Fishing Reels Rod Rests Fishing Hooks Rig Components Accessories DVice & Leads

Plugs, Lures Lines & Leaders Shore Fishing Rigs Feathers & Lure Rigs Luggage Clothing & Hats Deals

WSF Tackle Shop:	Sea Fishing Tackle
Fishing Rods:	Sea Rods | MTI Shore and Boat Rods | Ugly Stik Boat Rods | Shakespeare Salt Rods
Fishing Reels:	Penn Fishing Reels
Rod Rests and Tripods:	MTI Storm Tripod
Sea Fishing Hooks:	Sea Fishing Hooks | Mustad Hooks | Kamasan Hooks | Partridge Hooks
Rig Components:	Rig Components | Gemini | Breakaway | Beads and Sequins | Swivels and Links | Tubing and Booms
Accessories:	Bait Elastic | Gemini Disgorger | Calcutta Tools
Leads:	The DVice
Lures:	Lures | Popper Plugs | Diving Plugs | Spinners and Lures | Split Tail Minnows | Shads | Jelly Worms | Grub Lead Heads
Lines:	Lines and Leader | | Sufix Fishing Lines | Penn Lines & Braid | Ultima Lines | Snood Lines
Fishing Rigs:	Feathers and Rigs | Moonfleet Rigs
Luggage:	Luggage | Shakespeare Salt | MTI Luggage
Clothing:	Clothing and Hats
Clearance:	Clearance Items
Brands:	Shakespeare Fishing Tackle | Gemini Tackle | Breakaway | Ultima Line | Calcutta | MTI | Penn