With the recent capture of a huge 30lb cod from the shore of the Bristol Channel, there’s undoubtedly going to be a few extra rods out and about over the next few weeks. Personally, I prefer the spring time for my cod fishing and although the chances of finding a fish like this are pretty small, it’s not to say that there aren’t fish to be caught. Here’s a few marks that might just produce the goods.
Battery Point
This small, stumpy headland on the northern fringe of the famous town of Portishead offers very deep water within short casting range and it also provides probably the easiest access you will find to such fishing anywhere on the Bristol Channel. The depth here really is staggering and it will take a while to get your head around this, not to mention how to approach it from a fishing perspective. A hundred yard cast will still see your mainline enter the water a few yards from the edge of the rocks! Shipping containers heading up the channel just a few hundred yards away can be a bit of a distraction at times and this serves as a good indication of just how deep the water is in what is actually a shipping lane. At low water it is as much as ninety foot deep in places, so it’s little wonder there is tremendous potential for some very big fish. The area from the block house through to the point is favoured by locals and owing to the ease of access, it is advisable to arrive early to stand a chance of fishing your preferred spot. The key with Battery Point, as with many of the cod marks detailed here, is to fish during neap tides with most anglers opting to fish from low to high water and a couple of hours back again. Seven ounces of lead will be required to hold bottom in the strong run and casting up tide is essential. The ground is very rough and over the years line snags have added to this, so keep end tackle simple.
A pulley rig tied with minimal components and large hooks will give you a decent chance of retrieving your tackle. A rotten bottom should be used. Large lugworm and fish cocktails can score here for cod. The ground underfoot is often slippery and over the years several anglers have fallen foul of this, so take the upmost of care.
Ladye Bay
Laye Bay has produced some phenomenal fish over the years and was actually the first place I landed a double figure cod. Fishing is either from the high water ledges, of which there are many, or at low water from the sandbars. Again, Ladye Bay is a very popular venue and you may have to walk some way to find a sensible space to fish. The tide can be extremely strong here so as with Battery Point, large leads cast well up tide are the order of the day. When choosing your spot, consider how close you are to other anglers and whether your uptide cast could potentially impede their fishing. Many of the high water ledges present a sheer drop or at best difficult access to water level, so a long handled net or other means of retrieving a fish is vital. The hour up to high tide can produce the goods, but the turn of the tide will often see the fish come on the feed. Straight lugworm baits or peeler crab are great in the spring. Pulley rigs holding a 4/0 penell should be tied on heavy mono with the emphasis very much on strength and resistance to the terrain. Light snoods have no place in Bristol Channel cod fishing on this kind of ground. The sandbars that are accessible at low water offer comfortable fishing with similar results, but care should be taken as the sand can be soft and unstable in places.
Sand Point
A personal favourite of mine that has a long track record of producing cod through the spring.
Sandpoint is best fished over low water for cod. The ground you will be casting onto is notoriously snaggy, so you will have to decide just how many leads you will need to fish versus how many you are willing to carry on what is quite an arduous walk!
From the top, as you walk out along, the run of tide will be clearly visible and by fishing into this anywhere along the north face you will stand a chance of landing the target species.
Be warned, that the climb down the cliffs on to the rocks below is not for everyone and I wouldn’t recommend this venue to anyone with a health condition.
The early ebb tide (as soon as you can fish below the cliffs) can be fantastic, but the earlier in the ebb you start your session the greater the risk of snagging tackle. Most locals will concentrate their efforts around two hours either side of low water, with the first push of the ebb also a key time to have a fresh bait in the water. Black lugworm fished at range has proved effective over recent seasons. Their tough texture is resilient to nuisance fish and the strong tide plus they can be presented in a way as so to get maximum casting distance.
Fast retrieve reels are a must and it really is a case of winching like mad as soon as you break your lead out of the sea bed. Rotten bottoms will ensure that a snagged lead doesn’t mean a lost fish. From Sandpoint in the west, all the way to the now abandoned MOD base at St. Thomas Head, there are dozens of excellent marks that can all be fished as detailed above.
Brean Down
A stunning location with a stunning track record of producing spring cod. There is a large pay and display carpark and from here you will see the two-hundred-plus steps that you will have to scale the reach the summit. Travel light and be prepared for a good climb! Once at the top, follow the grass trail down to the narrow road that winds its way all the way to the fort. A number of rabbit paths will be visible on the right and these will lead down to the grass clad cliff tops where the majority of the fishing takes place. The bulk of these marks offer clean ground at less than fifty yards and anywhere beyond that you will be casting onto mud. This can make holding bottom difficult, especially on bigger tides, but the good news is that the majority of the fish are caught very close in on the rougher ground. Tides of around ten meters on the Weston scale are perfect and you should be able to comfortably fish for three hours either side of high water, often longer. Consider access to the water below the cliffs as this is tricky in places and ideally fish with a buddy who can land your fish should you get lucky. A net is a must have.
Low water fishing generally takes place beyond Sprat Bay, a large sweeping bay approximately half way to the end of the track and there are a number of comfortable ledges on which you can fish. The climb down can be a little dicey so care should be taken at all times. Fish a low water session two hour down and two hours into the flood. A big fish can show just as you are pushed off of your mark, so stay vigilant right to the end.
West Somerset Reefs
There are a number of very prolific spring cod marks, each accessed via the A39 that runs practically parallel with the coast all the way to Minehead and is well sign posted when leaving the M5 at junction 23. Rather than depict every single mark, I have decided to group them together as one under the premise that although individual locations in their own right, each is also very similar to its neighbour. Marks such as Hinkley, Shurton, Lilstock and Kilve have all produced fabulous cod fishing in years gone by and can be approached by fishing two hours either side of low water. Almost all of the ground through this stretch of coast is tackle hungry so be sure to pack an ample supply of leads. Most of these marks are not particularly deep, in fact some are fairly shallow, but cod will happily feed here in the coloured water by day or night. A southerly wind can see some good results and will also aid your casting. Black lugworm, blow lugworm or crab can do the business and most fish are found at the end of a modest cast. My one point of note, above all else, is to be aware of your access back to safety once the flooding tide starts pushing in. Gulleys filling up behind you here should be monitored at all times and if in doubt, pack up its soon as the tide turns and make your retreat. From a safe vantage point, you will be able to monitor the flooding tide and assess just how long you can potentially fish for in safety next time.