The start of the calendar year has never been a time of huge interest to the sea angler, but with a view to maximising on the potential of the weeks to come, it is a good time to assess your tackle and form some solid game plans for a little later in the year.
January and February are notoriously poor months and although there will be exceptions, it’s fair to say that the fishing for the most part can be pretty slow.
March kicks off the angling year for many, but let’s take a look at some of the fishing options that we’ll have over the next few weeks and also begin to prepare for what’s to come.
Preparation really is key and getting your kit together now will mean that it’s not a rush job nearer the time.
Plaice are a favourite target in the spring, and being visual feeders, it makes sense that an increased number of hours in the day will produce extra fish. Plaice are easy enough to catch and will readily feed in clear water. A longer cast is often required, but if the water is clear where you are fishing, chances are that the wind is offshore. A tailwind will definitely assist your casting and more than likely your catch rate.
Rays will be present in some regions throughout the year and if the winter is mild then they could show in numbers. Rays love a fish bait and now is a good time to stock up the freezer. Mackerel and herring are both available to catch throughout the winter in some regions, but failing that there are plenty of online bait sellers or your local tackle shop to rely on. Rays can be caught using pulley rigs armed with either a dongle or a pennel rig. A dongle should be tied with a single 5/0 circle hook and a pennel made up with a pair of 5/0 J hooks such as the Varivas Big Mouth Xtra.
Large bass are another often overlooked winter species. Baits like squid are popular and tackle shops can run out during peak times, so stock up now whilst demand is low and ensure you have what you need. Bass fishing at this time can be hard going, but if you dedicate yourself and put some hours in, the rewards could be high.
Some regions experience a spring run of cod around this time and as the weather begins to warm, the peeler crab moult will begin. Cod, bass and other species will become preoccupied with nature’s bounty, so get ahead of time by stocking up on frozen crab now. Whenever your local shop has them in, grab a dozen that are splitting/popping and freeze them as they are in food bags. Don’t worry about removing shells or anything like that, just freeze them as they are.
When the fish arrive, you’ll then have a supply of bait ready to go.
As well as making rigs and maintaining reels, it is worth giving your entire kit a good look over, just to avoid any nasty surprises that might crop up. Rod rings are one thing that can ruin a session and a thorough inspection of them will reveal any cracks or tiny fractures that could damage your lines. Certainly better to do that at home before you open your rod bag on the beach!
Remember too, that the weather in the UK during the spring can be very unpredictable and conditions may not always suit the style of fishing that you had in mind. Targeting plaice in a rough, coloured sea for example is a huge waste of time and a waste of the rigs that you had prepared for the occasion. Save them for when the weather is better suited and opt for a target species that is more likely to be feeding in that coloured water.
Above all else, use these slower couple of months to make rigs, stock up the freezer and generally prepare for the more productive period to come.