newbie. Should I fish these extreme conditions???

dappers

OK folks, pretty new to sea fishing all year round. Have tended to stick to the spring, summer, autumn fairly easy conditions (on some hol somewhere in Brit) but now really getting into a bit more serious sea fishing. Not afraid of a bit of bad weather (been up mountains in very, very extreme conditions)
However what should I expect this coming weekend if I go out. Conditions pretty windy and arctic.
Will I just be watching my rod flailing backwards and forwards with no idea if its a bite or the weather?
Do the fish tend to be more active in these conditions?
Tides fairly easy but do you get a big swell in these conditions?
Is it dangerous?
Probably fish day time to be on the safe side, but 3 hour drive there and 3 hour back, would I be better just staying in bed with my lovely warm missus? (that'll be a first, I mean her being warm)
If I went probably N Norfolk coast somewhere?
What do you reckon guys?
sad

Ace-of-spads · Member Joined: Nov 15, 2008 Posts: 79 Location: Sheffield

Well I've never fished the sea before, but I've fished inland, on and off all my life.
Me and my mate are off to brid tomorrow evening to catch the high tide at midnight. We'll be fishing off the harbour wall for whatever we can get. We know its likely to be a bit on the wild side, but by all counts these are the conditions that bring in the larger fish, such as cod.

If we're still alive on Saturday I'll post a report on our adventure.

mudlark · Occasional Joined: Jun 29, 2008 Posts: 174

I love fishing a good hooley, but only from the North round our part of the world as that gives you shelter from the land. If you are gonna do it, use one rod (easier to handle, two can be a pain in the rough), and stay well up the beach away from the water. You'll get feet ache walking up and down the beach but its safer.

Big lead, big bait .... chuck it well uptide (walk 50 yards or so if you have to on an open beach) and plenty of slack - if the tide is running the fish should hook themselves in the usual fashion (well a decent one anyway). Keep away from concrete promenades in the rough though, quite frankly in a 7 or 8 in the wrong direction they are death traps.

Don't let me put you off .... it can be exciting and even in that weather you will still see a decent take .... but ..... if you are in any way uncomfortable then your sense is trying to tell you something isn't it?

Why not watch the weather and wait for the rough weather to start to ease then hit the beach with less dangers but still a good surf running and loads of colour in the water - you'll have no worries fishing darkness then and results can be quite amazing!.

dappers · Posted: Thu Nov 20, 2008 10:05 pm Post subject:

Good luck ace
look forward to your reports on the broken rods and beach buddy chasing competition.

Mudlark
You're a diamond, nice to hear from you again. Good advice
big grin

Ace-of-spads · Member Joined: Nov 15, 2008 Posts: 79 Location: Sheffield

why should we have busted rods fishing close in off a wall?

dappers · Posted: Thu Nov 20, 2008 10:28 pm Post subject:

only joshing mate on the broken rods (shouldnt really joke. touch wood)
BUT admit it you've joined the beach buddy chasin competion. Havnt you?
winking

mudlark · Occasional Joined: Jun 29, 2008 Posts: 174

Don't know the particular harbour wall your talking about but in general they aren't the safest place to be in a good blow. If you apply some logic to the situation, Harbour walls are built solely for the purpose of protecting a harbour from the wind and waves ...... common sense would tell you where the roughest place in the harbour is going to be .... on top of that wall!

It may be that things are not going to be as bad as is made out, and maybe you know the place better than me (that wouldn't be hard as I've never been there) but when the weather roughs up there are two things that will keep you safe. One is knowing when to quit because it is just too risky and the other is sticking to familiar territory where you know how much you can get away with - even then a good few anglers, some of them extremely experienced, have been lost to freak swells.

eccles · Posted: Thu Nov 20, 2008 11:01 pm Post subject:

I suppose I am very fortunate down here on Hayling - although I live only one mile from the beach so can easily go and have a look at the conditions if I want when there is a sou-westerly blowing, I don't even have to do that. There is an automatic weather station just off shore at the eastern end of the Solent which I can automatically link my PC too, it's called CHIMET and instantly tells me the state of the tide, temperature, wind speed and direction and the average and largest wave height. I feel sure there must be others around the coast which you guys can tap into but I wouldn't know how to link into them. Having said all that, I don't think I would want to fish the north-east coast this weekend at my age - too much like hard work and freeze yer wotsits off.

dappers · Posted: Thu Nov 20, 2008 11:09 pm Post subject:

thanks eccles
so after consulting your optimum pc upper flange sprocket bracket, youre saying that the optimum for me would be to "stay in my pit where its warm??". Correct?
winking

stowaway · Member Joined: Aug 17, 2008 Posts: 98 Location: coast

Fish!!
You know it makes sense.
If you change your mind after you've been for a look see,at least you've had a look.
or there's Ant N Dec................ winking

robc22 · Member Joined: Oct 15, 2008 Posts: 50 Location: the beach

freezing,onshore wind, water full of crap, rod rings clog with weed when you try to reel in your rig, blowing sand, family members wondering if you have gone around the bend............but, if you got nothing better to do............nothing like a day at the beach!!

stowaway · Member Joined: Aug 17, 2008 Posts: 98 Location: coast

Your location noted. big grin

mudlark · Occasional Joined: Jun 29, 2008 Posts: 174

Fish4Fish · Posted: Sat Nov 22, 2008 2:20 am Post subject:

I suppose it all depends on whether you're just a fair-weather fisherman, or not. Personally, I like the sea to be in a fairly roughish state when I go fishing, particularly in Winter when going after cod. Of course, if the conditions are extremely rough and are therefore a possible threat to your safety it would be prudent not to go. But.......nothing ventured nothing gained. Some tips I would offer are: dispense using a rod-rest and hold your rod at all times, this way you will not mistake, or miss, a bite. If the sea is really lumpy then use big weights, big hooks and big baits.
Good luck and tight lines.

rabbi2 · Posted: Sat Nov 22, 2008 8:56 am Post subject:

My catch rate improves after a good blow not before or during, as for the cold, deep water fish come closer inshore as the weather gets colder.

A lot of people think cod is a winter species, they are for the shore based fisherperson but can be caught the whole year round in deep water all around our coasts.
Cheers keith big grin