How to start fishing in the Portsmouth area

Member Joined: Dec 31, 2006 Posts: 13

Hi, My Name is Jay. Im 17 and just wanted to no a few basics about fishing. I Have been fishing a few times along the Portsmouth area e.g. Eastney and Southsea and have hardly caught anything. So i know i am doing something wrong.

Just wondered if any could tell me what is the best tactics to use along the coast of Portsmouth e.g. what traces are best? what rigs are best? and what is the best bait to use for particular fish?

Also does anyone know any hotspots along the Portsmouth coast? Als struggling to detect bites ?

Cheers Jay

Guest

I've fished the area a few times and done OK, but I think night time is better for most fish there. Eccles is your man to talk to as he has fished the area since the dawn of time. Perhaps he might see this post. If not wait until you see his name appear and post the question again.

Member Joined: Dec 31, 2006 Posts: 13

Cheers hopefully will speak to him.

Posted: Mon Jan 01, 2007 3:24 pm

Hi there young'un. Used to live at Eastney before I moved to Hayling: Here we go with a bit of knowledge: 1. This time of year is a bit iffy anyway but you should be able to to take the odd whiting or dab (very tasty) and maybe even a codling. With all of these their will be little doubt when you have a bite but don't "strike" as so many advocate let them get on with taking your bait until it is ruddy obvious that you have hooked something then reel in. 2.Occasionally something small will get on your line and you won't even realise it is there until you reel in (please put the small stuff back to grow into something wortwhile, most of us do). 3. Dabs and whiting are not that big - use size 1 or 2 hooks, bait can be lugworm, ragworm, mackerel, squid or a mixture of two of these. 4. When the weather goes quiet and especially if there is just a light easterly or N-easterly breeze as last week, don't bother the fish will not be feeding at this time of year. 5. Best chances of bites will be straight after a blow because this stirs up the beach area fish food and they come in looking for it, e.g. tomorrow - tuesday, I will be going. 6. Evening/night fishing is always more productive especially this time of year - get an LED headlamp for £6 - £10 and off you go. Also, try to fish the two hours before and two hours after high water. There are some spots which fish OK at low water but you have to get to know them. If I was still in Eastney I would be going to the blocks, opposite St. Georges Road bus shelter and Clarence Pier. That will do for now give us a shout when you catch something.

Member Joined: Dec 31, 2006 Posts: 13

Thank you very much for that, Also i was just wondering would it be best that I go fishing this time of year, or shall i wait till about March..?

Cheers Jay

Member Joined: Jan 11, 2006 Posts: 77

i fish the portsmouth beaches a bit. eccles has got all that spot on . i can only really add what rigs have worked for me . i have used 2 and 3 hook flappers. [if you go to the home page on this site .on the left hand colume there is sea fishing rigs1 2 and 3 these will show you what they are]. you can also use a running ledger. this is where your wieght runs on your main line. stopped with 2 beads and swivel and then you tie your hook length to the other end of the swivel. i hope this helps any other questions just ask. good luck needafish

Posted: Mon Jan 01, 2007 10:57 pm

Acko, It will be "iffy" from now until around the third week in April - the falling water temperature just slows everything up (fish are cold-blooded creatures), until spring starts to make a difference. You/I will take the odd fish here and there, you might have a good bass session after a storm and take 3 or 4 and you might strike lucky and get a decent codling but don't count on it. Last year when it was really cold, Sean and I caught bugger all from january through to middle of april. Why on earth we went out about once a week I cannot imagine - for a chat and a cup of coffee on the beach I suppose (LOL). But suddenly the bream started coming back and the fun began. If you don't want to put yerself through this self-inflicted pain my friend, forget it until end of April then find the deepest spot on Eastney Beach and try for a bream or two at high water - my old Dad always used to get them around the end of St. Georges Road in the summer. Having said all that, there do seem to be quite a few whiting around this year and they will probably be around for another 2 - 3 weeks yet. Sean caught one last week around 2 lbs and it gave a hell of a tug - thought it might be a bass 'til he reeled it in.

Member Joined: Dec 31, 2006 Posts: 13

Cheers Guy thats brilliant information. Can i make 2 or 3 hook flappers...? if so what equipment do i need to make them and how long does the trace have to be etc.

Cheers Jay

Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2007 2:43 pm

I don't like flappers meself - get tangled too often when there is a tide running. I always use a "memory-free" line for rigs - usually Amnesia 15lb BS for the hook snoods and 20lb BS for the main body. My hook snoods are usually about 25 - 30 cms long. BTW I find that zip sliders (little red plastic thingies which your line slides through) are the best way to hang yer weights on the main body and reduce tangles. Havng said that, Sean uses two hook flappers all the time with hook snoods about the same length as mine. You absolutely must have swivels at the top of all hook snoods and preferably at the top of the main rig body too. The first time you hook a sizeable fish which spins like a top as you are reeling in will show you why you need swivels. A lot of guys use nail clippers to cut the line when they are making rigs - I prefer a decent pair of wire cutters meself - Wickes sell them for about £7. Thats about it except for attaching yer rigs to the main reel line: I use small links (bit like paper clips) which I have permanently tied to the end of my reel line and small enough to go through the rod eyes. Thus when I get to the beach, all I need to do is put the swivel eye of my rig into the mainline "link", bung on some bait and heave it out there. It also means I can de-link quickly, put a fresh rig on and sling it out if I hook a fish which is gut hooked and takes time to deal with.

Member Joined: Dec 31, 2006 Posts: 13

Sorry about this new to fishing so do you recommened buying zip sliders and how do you recommened my rigs not getting tangled up.

Cheers Jay

Member Joined: Jan 11, 2006 Posts: 77

hi

you can make all the rigs yourself. most of the tackle shops will point you in the right direction. you also might think about buying one so you can copy it when you get it home. do you know where one is in portsmouth. if not let me know which area of the city you live in and i will let you know the nearest to you. also there is a good book that will show you the most common rigs and how to build them. it is called the sea angler's step-by- step guide to bait and rigs. [ i tell you just after christmas when you could have got it as a prescent ]. again eccles has got it spot on . a zip slider is a great little thing to use on a running ledger rig. if you are going to use this rig i would def get some.all rigs can tangle sorry to say some more than others.

Guest

hi jay. my name is hugh and im 27 and live in waterlooville. i fish portsmouth and hayling area, when the weather is good give me a shout at hskilling@ntlworld when your next out maybe we could meet up. im waiting for better weather then trying hayling beech. been fishing around 15 years on and off. laters