Chesil 15th and 16th August

[Threepiers]

Up at 3.15 and picked Daz up at 4.20 quite an uneventful trip to Weymouth although we did stop for a brew at Sedgemoor Services where I guy from London engaged us in conversation and asked us if this road, he meant the M5, was the way to Cornwall!! We asked where he was going and he said Haven Park as if everyone knew it well. We said what town and after some thought he said St Ives, there was a real temptation at this point to tell him he was going the wrong way but we resisted and told him just to keep going until he ran out of road.
We hit the carpark at Ferrybridge at 10.20 and parked up next to Mark who had travelled down the night before, it was almost high tide and the tide had come all the way round behind the carpark.

Mark got his stove fired up and before you know it we were into bacon and egg barms, absolutely top notch so thanks Mark.

After our brekkie Daz and I went back into Weymouth to pick up some bait and bits at Weymouth Angling Centre, but not before we took a peak in Newton Cove which was full of bait fish and shoals of Mackerel. I showed Daz some plugging marks under the Nothe Fort before a leisurely stroll to the Angling Centre. Bait and bits purchased we headed back to Ferrybridge, but were delayed by the bridge lift to let the yachts out of the inner harbour.



Taking our time we headed over the bank and set up on the left of Mark, who had Steve and James on his right. As we set up Mark had his first fish on his first cast, a Red Mullet. I have fished Chesil many times and only caught 4 or 5 of these so I thought this is going to be a good session.
As I was setting up my camp and gear Mark shouted he was in again, here he is leaning into a fish.

And finally here is the result, a nice Bream and an Edible Crab.

There was now a rush by Daz and I to get our baits in the water, lol.
My first fish was a Maccie on worm, can't beat the Fyldes finest.
The afternoon wore on with a steady stream of fish coming in for us including, Red Mullet, Bream, Mackerel, Scad, Poor Cod and Gurnard.

Heres Daz trying to crib Marks technique.

Daz, and in the background two lads from Southampton I got talking to.

Daz still trying to crib.

Portland as evening came on.

A Gurnard for me.

A steady stream of fish were now coming in, mainly at distance, and I would say as far as I could chuck it.
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Mark and I decided to walk back to the visitors centre for a beer, but not before I showed him the plugging mark at the entrance to the fleet. When we got there we saw a father, son and two grandsons having a go at plugging and fly fishing. It was obvious the son was a bit of a novice with the fly rod so Mark nipped down and showed them how it was done. Having done that we retired to the visitors centre to enjoy a cold beer. While having the beer the father came up to us and started asking Mark for advice which he readily gave. The upshot was that the gentleman offered Mark a free day ticket on a 7 mile beat on a chalk stream just by Dorchester. Its great being friendly.
More Bream continued to come to us.


Evening started to creep in and Mark decided to try the fly.



I then had a double header of Scad.

[Threepiers]

The fishing then died as darkness fell and around 11.00pm Mark went back to his van for the night, Steve, James and Daz got their heads down but I decided to fish on.
Just after low water which was midnight, Paul the lad from Southampton next to Daz started taking a fish a chuck. Intrigued I wandered over to see what he was doing. Everything was falling to worm and he was only chucking it 60 or 70 yards he thought. Asking what time he was leaving he said not long as he was nearly out of worm. I gave him 2 packs of black and then watched his first chuck with it land a 3lb Codling.
I wandered back to my rods, loaded up the black on a 2/0 loop rig and single 2/0 clip down and overhead thumped it out. Immediately I was into Codling and Pouting every chuck. About half an hour later I had 3 Hounds one after the other. Wound a rod in unhooked the Hound rebaited, chucked it out, wound next rod in unhooked the Hound etc, it was mental, they weren’t big but they were great fun.


Pouting started to swamp everything.

Then a Hound, then a Codling, it just went on and on. The action was so fast and furious.
About 2.30 Paul shouted and whistled me, waking Daz lol, I wandered over to find he had a Codling, which helping him weigh it, tipped the scales at 7lb. You guessed in on the worm I gave him.
Then suddenly about 03.15 it switched off and nothing was caught, so I retired to bed somewhat exhausted.
Up at 05.40 I was soon followed by Daz then James.


I then cooked Daz and I a fry up before fishing again Bream continued to come.


I went over the bank and woke Mark up and he joined us shortly after and at 08.50 Lord Steve of Sleep arose.


Mark got a Codling and another Bream.


And my final fish, a rather brown Gurnard.

The weather was getting windier and we really didn’t want to spend a night in a beach buddy in the wind so Daz, Mark and I packed up and went into Weymouth for tea. We went to Bennetts on the Waterfront where I had a Mackerel bap (battered mackerel) with lashings of tartare sauce and a bag of chips.
We left Weymouth at 17.40 and I got home about 11.30.
A great weekend in good company, the craic was continuous, and the fishing was epic. Roll on next year.

[grumpyppops1]

Oh you lucky sods,sounds like a dream,very well written blog with some fantastic photos,jealous BigTime

[grandadruss]

Brilliant read.
Pictures told the story as well,looks to have been the perfect session.
Fish a plenty,beer,good food and weather.chums all about and passed some knowledge on to a newbie so well done.a free pass as well,what goes round comes around as they say.well done to all....envious mate

[sharpey]

Fab report guys, great place by the look of it. Thanks for a superb read..!!

[PJ_coarsefishing]

Great report and pictures

Lovely area of coastline.

I don't think the general public in this country realise what colourful and varied fish are in our waters.

Chesil Beach used to be noted for large conger eels at night. Is that still the case?

One nice here.....

http://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/168503 ... ough_ride/

Nice report mate