Things have certainly been heating up in more ways than one recently. With the onset of warmer weather the fishing locally has been good with bass still showing prevalently in most places, a lovely sprinkling of dover sole and hounds showing in patches over low water reef marks.
For those after an adventure there has also been some tope showing from the shore over the bridge in Wales. Arguably the ultimate UK shore caught challenge. If you fancy trying for these toothy critters, speak to our team who will be able to advise. These fish can be incredibly powerful and being set with an array of razor-sharp teeth, traces should be substantial. 100lb+ wire as a hook length is proffered by most. Fresh mackerel is deadly but hard to come by at present. Fortunately, we have some nice Cornish macks in our freezers here at Reel Fun so take advantage whilst we have stocks.
Ray fishing is picking up by the day, especially for the boat anglers who are reporting double figure catches regularly at present. Large fish baits presented on pulleys either with a Pennel arrangement or dongle will be worth trying. There’s some superb launce in store at the moment, check them out if popping in store. High water venues like Kingston Seymour can be productive for rays on 11.5m-13m tides. A nice safe and easy venue that’s worth considering if you fancy targeting rays.
Upper reaches of the channel are still producing the odd flounder, sole and bass although small strap congers are now starting to be caught more regularly which can pose a challenge when targeting the more ‘premium’ fish as they have an uncanny habit of getting to baits quickly. Worm baits reign supreme in the upper reaches of the channel. Take a sufficient disgorger, forceps, or long nose pliers to aid in unhooking any fish.
Bass have been showing in good numbers of late, especially on the clean beaches of Brean, Burnham and Berrow. Again, worm baits really reign supreme although crab and whole squid baits can also take their fair share of fish too.
Mullet have been showing well in Portishead marina if you fancy pulling your hair out. Standard float fishing tactics will work although free lined bread can also be deadly. You may only get one or two chances, and it pays to be patient when mullet fishing, they can be a frustrating fish to catch. If you’re struggling, try fishing deep with a float to pick out better fish that are sometimes a little more cautious in their approach. Failing that, thin lips can be caught readily with mullet spinners baited with ragworm, try our home-made mullet spinners that we make in store.
Further afield gilthead bream are still showing readily in some south coast estuaries along with the occasional red bream and bass. Lure fishing for wrasse can also be good fun if you fancy trying something a little different. Creature baits and soft plastics like Fiish Minnows will be worth trying for these beautiful, yet strong fish. A light lure fishing setup is all you need. Fish tight to rock ledges or around kelp for that bigger fish that may be residing nearby. They do like to have cover nearby.
As we continue into the month, consider areas like Redwick, Goldcliffe, Aust and Littleton on Severn if you fancy some mixed fishing where eels, bass, sole, flounder and congers should show. With the upper reaches in mind, pictured below, Thomas has been keen to improve his angling and has started to get some great results of late including a lovely sole and bass from the upper channel. A great start to his sea fishing career!
On a coarse fishing front the rivers locally have reportedly been a little slower of late, perhaps spurred by the warmer temps. t times like this it can pa y to fish small, scaling down traces, hooks and baits. Pay particular attention to deeper pools or areas with plenty of flow where fish may congregate during this warmer spell. Remember to take care of any fish caught, keeping in the water to unhook where possible.
Carp venues will see fish move up in the water columns during these brighter warmer days. Try zigs or similar. We’ve plenty of options in store, have a chat with our resident carp/coarse guru Ben if you drop in.
Maggot supplies will likely be disrupted in coming weeks if this warmer weather continues and we’ve already seen challenges with both lug and ragworm supplies. We strongly advise booking well in advance to try to avoid disappointment. Call us on 01275 848652 to get your baits booked in.
Tight lines,
The Reel Fun Fishing Team