Contrary to popular belief, it is possible to catch plaice throughout most of the year when conditions are suitable. Although generally associated with spring in many areas, the majority of anglers will neglect the first couple of months of the year and make a start in March. But were they missing out on some good sport? We’d say yes, but to be successful its important to pick your venue and in particular, your weather conditions accordingly.
The UK winter can be harsh and weeks of wet and stormy weather that batter the coastline are often favoured by anglers seeking species such as cod who recognise the effect this kind of weather has on the water. It churns it up, smashes the larder and reveals the food. That’s fine if the fish are feeding on scent, but if the water is coloured, visibility will be extremely poor and the sight feeding plaice won’t get a look in. Literally.
Plaice are primarily visual feeders and probably the most important thing you can do to give yourself the best chance is to target them when conditions are right. Light offshore winds will flatten the sea off and cause any suspended sediment to drop to the sea bed. This in turn will leave clear water and enable the plaice to see your bait.
When conditions are right, there are a number of tricks you can use to attract fish to your baits. Remember, plaice lay flat on the sea bed, often shuffled in to the sand with just their eyes protruding, on constant watch for a meal coming in to view.
Plaice are hugely inquisitive fish and respond positively to attractors placed above the bait. But remember that for every additional piece of plastic/rubber you add, you will be compromising your casting distance. Small beads and sequins will not restrict your cast too much, but consider whether this additional attraction could compromise your cast meaning that your baits haven’t actually reached the fish in the first place.
Good quality bait is paramount and personally I would suggest a simple sequin with a rubber stop placed just above the bait. This adds a little interest to your bait without compromising your casting distance. It will also act as a bait stop, preventing your bait from moving away from the hook and flying up the snood on the cast. Worm baits are without question what you will need, with both ragworm and freshly gutted black lug both at the top of my list. Wild ragworm will trump farmed ragworm every time. There are many online bait companies that specialise in black lugworm, the beauty of this being that the bait will be deliver straight to your door. Your local tackle shop will also be able to help with fresh worm, the added bonus being that they will also know how your venue of choice is likely to be fishing and give you a few pointers too.
Choose a rod and reel that you are most comfortable casting and fishing with. Plaice are not huge fish, as long as you can cast a 6oz lead and a baited trace a sensible distance, that’s all that you will require from your tackle.
Keep rigs simple and hooks small and sharp. I favour two hook clip pier down rigs armed with size #1 Varivas Aberdeen hooks. These are incredibly sharp and are the perfect size for the both the target species land the baits you are going to be using to target them. Keep baits small, a couple of worms on each hook is more than enough and don’t be afraid to mix your baits up. For example, a black lugworm tipped off with a head section of half a ragworm can be really effective.
Bites are often subtle so allow time for them to develop. Hooked fish will often pull the rod tip around or even break the lead out and cause a slack line, so wait for a positive bite before winding in.