Fishing Aldeburgh , Southwold , Walton-on-Naze , etc ?

Regular Joined: Sep 05, 2006 Posts: 333

Hi guys. I'm new to this and looking to fish a night session somewhere along the east anglia coast in a few weeks so I was hoping for some advice...

1. At these deeper east coast spots, are they fishable throughout the tidal cycle - what I mean is, when the tides are out is there still sea within casting distance?
2. Are night sessions miles better than daylight sessions?
3. Do you guys prefer to use aluminations such as starlights on rod tips, or bells?
4. Is fishing at night better when there is a full moon or new moon?
5. Is it better fishing with any particular wind direction?
6. Is it better when fishing when water is clear or muddy?
7. WOuld appreciate any other tips on what makes you think you're going to have a good or a bad day (condition-wise)

Would be most grateful for your wise words chaps. Many Thanks

Guest

Dear Ginger angler

I did my first night fish at East lane last Saturday and I have to say it was very hard work- I'm not experienced but this is what I learnt- East Lane in Suffolkf near Bawdsey can be fished throughout the tide but it's hard work climbing back up the shingle beach during low tide

without moonlight you are reliant upon artificial light-in hindsight I wish I'd waited till there was more of a moon present before doing my first night fish but not sure how that affects the qualoty of the fishing (mind you I caught nowt anyway so a full moon would have made no difference to me)

I would def recommend getting a decent head torch so you can work hands free- a torch in the mouth whilst trying to bait up or tie a shock leader on is not recommended.

A shelter would have been helpful as the weather wasnt too good but for the hard men shelters are a bit poncy (however- I'll be investing in one when I have saved up) plus a light inside the shelter gives you far more light to work with under cover

I didnt have a light on my rod tip so had to shine a torch on them to look for bites- this worked fine but not very professional- not sure whether tip lights are better so I'll leave that to someone more experienced to suggest

Finally- I have to say I found it very hard work and felt downcast and pretty negative about doign another noght fishafter virtually twelve hours wthout a bite- so I would recommend if you can to perhaps aim to do a short night fish around the tide rather than an entire all night twelve hour session- it really is more tiring than you thik casting into the darkness.

Also be realistic about how much bait you think you will use and don't expect to catch a monster- I bought far too much and brought a load home (my fault)- I also expected to catch a double figure bass on my first noght fish and ended up catching nowt so although many reports talk about catching bigger and more fish at noght it doesnt necessarily happen that way.

Sorry its a bit of an essay- just reporting my experience

Stuart

Member Joined: Jul 31, 2006 Posts: 90 Location: out to sea

I hope this helps ... I have sort of substituted night fishing for a method of trying to do my fishing on evenings where the high tide is an hour or two before its completely dark. This allows you to go fishing right up till the point where you cannot see to tie hooks etc but at the same time you are getting the tide state( 2hours before high and 2 hours or so down) combined with the very late evening. This means you go tackled as normal but equip yourself properly for the return journey from your spot in the dark. ie planned routes,notify someone when return time is,mobile phone and most of all high qaulity torches and back up batteries. Staying out all night flogging a low tide when you are often more likely to get snagged can indeed be very hard work. As for weather I prefer calmer weather, clear sky as bright sunlight isnt a problem and the more moon the better, however I also like to avoid spring tides if possible. Another rant, just hope its useful to you.

badger

Guest

We use tiplights but not the chunky ones. Our local tackle shop got them in a couple of months ago and they cost about £3.50 each.You get approx 16 hours beforeit dies and then you throw it away. It looks a bit like a big swan vesta about an inch and a half long and has a red led. Push down the top and it lights up. Pull it up and it goes off. I guess its a halfway house between the battery operated ones and the cyalume sticks. For bite detection we found them very effective and they're easy to fit and remove. If you don't want to fix the holder to your tip permanently, just use a couple of small cable ties.

I can' t remember who makes them and I've thrown the pack away. Give Petes Tackle a ring and he might do them by mail order or tell you what they're called. His number is 01702 348600.

For other illumination, we use a gas lantern. The cartridges last for ages and if you keep them turned low and well away from the water they don't seem to have much effect on the fishing-unless you're going for bass in which case, put that light out!

Hope this helps.

Member Joined: Oct 31, 2005 Posts: 36

Easterly winds tend to be less productive.

Night sessions are usually better than day sessions.

I usually forget my tip lights - doh, but they do help!

I've heard a Full moon or just after is most produtive.

Don't be put off!

Regular Joined: Sep 05, 2006 Posts: 333

Appreciate the replies so far chaps. Very helpful. Anyone else fancy contributing?

Guest

I dislike tip lights, I prefer to use a decent headlamp and have my rod tips spiralled with highly reflective tape. There are times when you get out of the car and think to yourself that you're going to waste your time. A few weeks back on the big tides we went to the River Ore, there was a horrible east wind blowing and things didn't feel right. We had a few fish but nothing like the numbers we had been getting on previous trips when it had been calm and humid, which is my favourite weather for summer fishing. In winter I don't mind a good onshore wind as this seems to bring the codling in. I've had good winter fishing in some horrendous conditions. As far as fishing these east coast beaches, in general I like to fish from high tide down or low tide up. So often there is a lull in the fishing two hours before low water and about an hour or so before high water. I'm sure someone on here will question my findings, but that's fishing for you, there are no hard and fast rules.

concrete.

Regular Joined: Sep 05, 2006 Posts: 333

Cheers conrete. You obviously have alot more experience than me, and are also based in Essex. If I'm not being too cheeky would you mind advising me the best places you have found to fish in the area?

Posted: Fri Sep 29, 2006 2:19 pm

There is some truth in a lot of old sayings, and the one for fishing applies here:
When the wind's in the East, the fish bite least.
When the wind's in the West, the fish bite best.

I too have noticed a distinct lull in the quality of fishing in Essex during the last two hours of the flood tide, particularly around the Southend/Canvey area; the second, third and fourth hours of the flood are more productive by far. The quality of fishing then picks up again about an hour into the ebb tide.

As for rod-tip nite-lites, I never bother with them. Rods lying in rod-rests etc means a lot of missed bites due to the angler's reaction time of picking the rod up and striking. I constantly hold my rod whilst fishing and keep one finger crooked around the line; this way I very rarely miss even the smallest of 'touches'. I will only put my rod down whilst fishing if it is absolutely necessary; a lot of tasks can still be completed whilst holding the rod. However, I do wear a cap-lamp for tying rigs and baiting up etc, but turn it off once I am fishing.

I have found moon-lit nights more productive than non-moon-lit nights; however, fish activity such as feeding patterns etc are induced not only by the phases of the moon, but also by the daily cycle of moon-rise and moon set. (similar to the way sun-rise and sun-set affects the behaviour of fish) Fishing an hour either side of moon-rise or moon-set produces good results. Moreover, if the times of moon-rise and moon-set roughly coincide with that of sun-rise and sun-set, the quality of fishing will be at its best.

Whether Spring-tides or Neap-tides are best really depends on the the species of fish that you are targetting. For example, cod and bass prefer a strong tidal-flow of water, whereas flatfish tend to be more active during weaker tides. Similarly, whether it is better to fish the flood-tide or the ebb-tide depends on the location of the fishing venue. Trial and error is the only way of discovering the best time to fish a particular venue, or to seek advice from other anglers who fish a particular venue regularly.

'Coloured' water, especially after a storm or a strong on-shore wind, is usually productive for coddling and whiting, particulalry on the east coast.

Tight Lines.