Having spent the spring and summer fishing for both Sole and Bass upon my home marks within the counties of Norfolk and Suffolk, it was time to head south to Chesil in search of some beasties. As while I'd been fortunate enough to catch some cracking Sole and Bass to 9lb 2oz, I dearly wanted to catch a doormat and a double.
Luckily for me, Pete not only offered to guide me to his fave marks, but also to accommodate me at the home he shares with his lovely lady Vera. I arrived at 18.00 Tuesday, having successfully made the 250 mile journey to their place. Unloaded, sorted gear, drank coffee and then we got on the road for the 50+ mile journey to the Bass beach, where we started fishing at 21.00.
It was a pretty rough sea with large uprooted weed blocks ripping leads out when they hit the line. We caught large Pout, strap Conger, Dogs and a single Huss, but sadly no Bass. Pete did have a big hit and slack liner but didn't connect, while I had a hit on a half Mackerel bait, which whacked the rod tip right round and sent the bait runner screaming for 2 seconds before bouncing back straight. So close, but yet so far.
Wednesday saw us try for both Sole, Bass and just maybe a Cod at Cogden. Where we were joined by Gray the Ray, who it is always a pleasure to meet up with and fish with for a few hours.
Boy was there some fish there, even though the vast majority were Dogfish and Pouts, with a few Tings also. I reckon we had in excess of 150lb between the three of us. As far as the target fish were concerned, it a appeared to come down to the distance you can cast, as with Pete going the furthest, he had the most with 4 Sole and a Codling. I had 2 Sole on the rod at my maximum cast distance, while my big Bass bait in the gutter only found Dogfish. Unfortunately Gray didn't manage to find a target fish, but had at least 2 kennel full of dogs. Ted the wonder dog guarded the shore to make sure they all stayed in the water after being returned.
Great day and evening spent on the big beach, with good people and my favourite dog.
Thursday was abandoned without a bait being cast, the sea was huge.
Friday was the last chance saloon, but would Pete's favourite Bass mark deliver the goods, would it even be fishable? Well for the first 4 hours it really was tough going just trying to keep a bait in the water. Pete probably summed it up best when he described the waves as 'like a block of flats coming at us'. The power was frightening and the sound of the moving shingle was deafening.
Finally the water started to fall and the swell relent. We stuck it out for a further 4 hours and were eventually rewarded when Pete caught a Bass of 3lb 9oz, at 52cms it should have weighed more but was a very lean fish. We hoped that would signal the start of the Bass action, but after a couple more hours and just a few Pout and Dogs, we reluctantly called it to a close. In reality it was too rough for even the Bass to enjoy, crashing surf is one thing, trying to catch fish in a washing machine is another thing altogether.
Strange beach is Chesil, the way it switches from species being present, to species being seemingly absent so quickly. We did not see, or hear, of a single Plaice, Ray, Mackerel or Garfish. Clearly there are a few Cod about at the moment if you target them at the right venue, at the correct time and with the best bait. But personally they provide little of interest to me, its the big Bass that I desire. Pete said, 'don't be a stranger', thanks boi, I won't be. :thumbsup:
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The path to Cogden beach
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Off the mark with triple shot of Sole, Pout and Ting
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Ted poses for the camera
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Pete attempts to hit the 40 yard line
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Everybody gets excited when Pete has a slack liner
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The excitement didn't last long, as Pete attempts to explain to Ted how that huge Cod managed to transform itself into an average Dogfish!
![Image]()
That's more like it
![Image]()
That's not!
![Image]()
Doormats......
![Image]()
........ R Us
Luckily for me, Pete not only offered to guide me to his fave marks, but also to accommodate me at the home he shares with his lovely lady Vera. I arrived at 18.00 Tuesday, having successfully made the 250 mile journey to their place. Unloaded, sorted gear, drank coffee and then we got on the road for the 50+ mile journey to the Bass beach, where we started fishing at 21.00.
It was a pretty rough sea with large uprooted weed blocks ripping leads out when they hit the line. We caught large Pout, strap Conger, Dogs and a single Huss, but sadly no Bass. Pete did have a big hit and slack liner but didn't connect, while I had a hit on a half Mackerel bait, which whacked the rod tip right round and sent the bait runner screaming for 2 seconds before bouncing back straight. So close, but yet so far.
Wednesday saw us try for both Sole, Bass and just maybe a Cod at Cogden. Where we were joined by Gray the Ray, who it is always a pleasure to meet up with and fish with for a few hours.
Boy was there some fish there, even though the vast majority were Dogfish and Pouts, with a few Tings also. I reckon we had in excess of 150lb between the three of us. As far as the target fish were concerned, it a appeared to come down to the distance you can cast, as with Pete going the furthest, he had the most with 4 Sole and a Codling. I had 2 Sole on the rod at my maximum cast distance, while my big Bass bait in the gutter only found Dogfish. Unfortunately Gray didn't manage to find a target fish, but had at least 2 kennel full of dogs. Ted the wonder dog guarded the shore to make sure they all stayed in the water after being returned.
Great day and evening spent on the big beach, with good people and my favourite dog.
Thursday was abandoned without a bait being cast, the sea was huge.
Friday was the last chance saloon, but would Pete's favourite Bass mark deliver the goods, would it even be fishable? Well for the first 4 hours it really was tough going just trying to keep a bait in the water. Pete probably summed it up best when he described the waves as 'like a block of flats coming at us'. The power was frightening and the sound of the moving shingle was deafening.
Finally the water started to fall and the swell relent. We stuck it out for a further 4 hours and were eventually rewarded when Pete caught a Bass of 3lb 9oz, at 52cms it should have weighed more but was a very lean fish. We hoped that would signal the start of the Bass action, but after a couple more hours and just a few Pout and Dogs, we reluctantly called it to a close. In reality it was too rough for even the Bass to enjoy, crashing surf is one thing, trying to catch fish in a washing machine is another thing altogether.
Strange beach is Chesil, the way it switches from species being present, to species being seemingly absent so quickly. We did not see, or hear, of a single Plaice, Ray, Mackerel or Garfish. Clearly there are a few Cod about at the moment if you target them at the right venue, at the correct time and with the best bait. But personally they provide little of interest to me, its the big Bass that I desire. Pete said, 'don't be a stranger', thanks boi, I won't be. :thumbsup:
The path to Cogden beach
Off the mark with triple shot of Sole, Pout and Ting
Ted poses for the camera
Pete attempts to hit the 40 yard line
Everybody gets excited when Pete has a slack liner
The excitement didn't last long, as Pete attempts to explain to Ted how that huge Cod managed to transform itself into an average Dogfish!
That's more like it
That's not!
Doormats......
........ R Us
