[CCRML]

hello guys!

I have been trying to land a Cod/Codling for two years now! This will be my third year on the hunt!! I have learnt alot over the past two years and still got a lot to learn. I tend not to give up that easily.. But I think this year is the last bit of hope!! . I am pretty sure my set up and rigs are on point.. And I am just not going to the right place! I was focusing alot on brighton beach to find out my chances were pretty slim!

I live minutes from Gatwick airport.. So my ideal spot are southern area.. I have got a few places in mind; Selsey, Shorearm, Lancing, Hove, Seaford, Eastbourne and Pevensey bay. Can someone tell me if I have a chance with these locations??... And when roughly should I start heading out there properly? I dont want to miss the timescale..

I am even considering chesil beach (3hrs drive)

When it comes to my rigs i will be sticking with the basic pulley rig (pennel) and pulley dropper.. If i can livebait as well.

Any feedback or advise from you guys would be very much appreciated.. Feel free to privately message me if you would like to share some good marks.. (Obviously i will keep it a secret too hahaha)

When it comes to tide.. Do i have to wait until there a masiive tide to head out there? I don't really like to ask.. I am more of a get out there and get it done.. But two years seems long enough lol.

Any help or guidance would be very much appreciated!!

 

[Bootster]

I'm no expert on that area but have seen reports of cod from Selsey in the past. I can't give details of best state of tide, and whilst bigger can help, conditions often matter more (biggest tides can be unfishable due to weed, tide etc).

They are starting to show up in dribs and drabs now, but the back end of Oct until Christmas is peak time. It can change around the country though, so more local chaps may give more accurate info.

 

[jackjock]

So what bait have you been using? You need to use bait as fresh as possible , match men very rarely use a pulley penal but target any fish that might swim past them . Rigs like a 3 hook clipped down or a Portsmouth rig are a good choice . A lot of anglers make the mistake of fishing on a crowded beach full of anglers, your sharing fish and if there's only 2 cod that come on that beach chances are you wont get them. Most beaches have hot spots and what you have to find out is where that hot spot is and at what state of the tide it fishes best. Hope this helps a bit.

 

[Shirleycodlin]

Someone say Cod?

First things first, lets start at the beginning.

Venue: Is it a known cod venue? Do you fish the right bit of the venue? Do you fish it at the right state of the tide? Do you fish it at the right time of day? Do you fish it with the right baits? Do you fish it in the right conditions?

Right, lets say that you have found out the answers to the above. (lots and lots of old posts on here, read them, make notes on tides, bait, times etc)
Your at your venue, you tackle up and cast out? Where do you cast? Have you cast a plain lead to find any gullies? Did you arrive at low tide to take a look at the sea bed you will be fishing over (if possible)?

Are you using the right rigs? For the love of Cod, throw those awful pulley and drop down pulley rigs in the bin, unless you are fishing very rough ground. Bite to hook up ratio on pulley's is awful compared to a standard fixed paternoster.

Baits, are they big enough? Half or a whole baby cuttle, five or six black lug is about right.

Hooks, match them to the bait. An 8/0 Pennell is about right for the above.

'Soak' time. If whiting and dogs are a problem, 15 minutes max. If not, 20 to 30 if the bait is really big. If fishing a live bait rig, 30 mins is the absolute max. Though I would stick to conventional baits to start with.

Try to fish lots of short, peak time sessions rather than a marathon weekender.

I am not familiar with your listed venues, but I am sure a successful Cod Hunter from the South coast forum will take you under their wing.

 

[peewit]

wait for a good onshore blow (gale) then get on the beach as soon as possible when its fined down slightly, (or during) load a large hook with plenty of natural bait, fresh lug or peelers are winners, chuck it out

 

[Malcsy]

Dungy, or any of the nearby spots, if it was me.

I'd think twice about Eastbourne, Pevensey and the like. Unless you like whiting fests.

Langney Point throws up the odd cod, but it not a given.

Regards,

Mal

 

[CCRML]

Thanks guys!!! All noted and the homework continues!! The hunt carries on!!

 

[gummybat]

Dungeness I believe is considered a good cod beach or atleast used to be, surely that's closer than chesil.

 

[fiveyardcast]

It's a good time to ask.. early 'season' etc. Selsey and Dungeness are traditionally good shouts but look for coloured seas and be prepared to be using big baits on big hooks/ pennells out on fixed paternosters (yes, avoid the pulleys). If you get towards the new year with no joy do have a pop at Chesil or the Bristol Channel, but keep an eye on here for catch reports to make it worth the drive.. Good luck, and let us know

 

[Shirleycodlin]

Dungeness I believe is considered a good cod beach or atleast used to be, surely that's closer than chesil.

It lives on reputation.
More are caught from Hythe to Deal.

 

[Fishylee76]

if I we're you id give the Thames a go when they start showing shorne fort always throws them up for me

 

[sinking man]

as fishylee said the thames is a very good choice,ive had a fair few out in the past aint herd of any yet but got me ear to the ground tho best of luck bud

 

[the_cod_father]

Dungeness is only half the distance from you than Chesil and better in my opinion. I'm originally from London and moved down to Devon 6 years ago but still drive up occasionally to fish Dungeness because I think it's that good personally. In my opinion being able to put a bait over a 100yds is a massive advantage when it comes to cod because they prefer deeper water and don't like daylight (so also pays to fish at night) Also being able to put a bait a long way means you can still get a bait out a reasonable distance in a good onshore blow when the average overhead thumper has to pack up and go home.

I started sea fishing when I was 9 years old and I'm now 23. When I first started all I was catching was whiting, dogfish and the odd bass because I had a rubbish casting technique plus I was young and small. A few years after I started sea fishing once I'd grown a bit, I had some casting lessons and all of a sudden my catch rate went up and I caught my first codling from the beach when I was about 13. A simple ground cast will quite easily put a bait past the 100yd mark, if performed right. There has been a few occasions when I've been on the beach pulling out codling and the person next to me is only getting whiting and the only difference is I'm putting a bait about 120yds and they are only putting a bait about 40yds. A lot people think they can put a bait over 100yds but in reality they can't, anyway that's my two pence worth!

 

[cehaigrek]

Like the the_cod_father I think sometimes casting distance is more important than anything else. Just recently I share the details about my fishing spot with someone who asks for advice. I didn't blanked there this year (worst was only one cod due to lack of required bait). He had everything what is needed only one thing which I can't do for him is casting over the phone lol. You need good 100 meters and more to reach deep gully.
He blanked complaining that I sent him on [email protected] spot

 

[Wabby]

Distance can help.

More times than I can remember I have been into the cod whilst my old man is into nothing.
Same baits. 10 yards apart. Difference is the distance at which the bait is placed.

Other days (much fewer days) close in works better though.

 

[IMAndrew]

I am just like you CCRML. Desperate to land a decent and proper COD.

Read the sad case of my pursuit of the elusive COD on another thread.

Reply #31 on
http://www.worldseafishing.com/forums/threads/why-cod.15298529/page-2#post-21867313

Nobody likes to be told that they have a relatively poor chance of catching a cod, I'm afraid. Neither did I.
Checkout the statistics. It is normally the few that consistently keeps on bringing the cod home, while most just keep on picking up little whitings etc but no cod.

Most might think they have all the right equipment money can buy, the right rigs and bait, the right venue to fish at, for eg. Dungeness. But if they do not know where the cod comes in close enough for you to get your massive bait out to where there are, the possibility of hooking one is limited.

But unless I have the tools, the knowledge, and the ability to use it to put the hugh bait way out into Cod territory, it may just stay a dream until if there is such a day when a cod just happen to lose it's way and stumble onto my hook.

I thought that just by being there and putting in the hours etc, I might just get lucky. Being landlocked and living in NW London lends no help ...

 

[rcorteil87]

Get down on a beach between brighton and worthing after the 1st day of a nice south to westerly wind. Couple of fresh blacks on either a pennel paternoster or 2 hook clipped down short snoods, say 8 to 12 inch max. There's been a fair few in the 6 to 9lb bracket and now the whiting are showing inshore there will be a few doubles in there too. Fish 2/3 hours up and 2 hours down for best results, although some have come 3 to 4 hours down from what I've seen. And make sure your terminal tackle is up to the challenge.... a few decent Congers about now too

 

[IMAndrew]

Get down on a beach between brighton and worthing after the 1st day of a nice south to westerly wind. Couple of fresh blacks on either a pennel paternoster or 2 hook clipped down short snoods, say 8 to 12 inch max. There's been a fair few in the 6 to 9lb bracket and now the whiting are showing inshore there will be a few doubles in there too. Fish 2/3 hours up and 2 hours down for best results, although some have come 3 to 4 hours down from what I've seen. And make sure your terminal tackle is up to the challenge.... a few decent Congers about now too

Thank you for the info rcorteil67. Heard there has been quite a number of good size fish coming up from Sussex lately. Are the beaches at La quite weedy? Have not been there but looking to give it a go this Wednesday evening high tide

 

[rcorteil87]

I'm not familiar with la beaches, but I can't imagine we'd to be much of an issues as of late. I would say your choice of day would be a little off, ideally a building tide with winds from South to West otherwise water will be clear and the fish will be feeding off shore. Winds might be ok currently but probably not enough to colour the water. Tide looks a little bit of a dead one

 

[IMAndrew]

Thanks for your assist in reading the forecast. Guess for now it is just waiting and anticipating the ideal forecast?
Will definitely start fishing Sussex when the time looks right.