South West Autumn sole hunt

[squidword]

Before the storms hit, there was a small window in the weather. With the wind due to swing to NE and a clear sea, big tide topping out late, a plan was made to head to chesil. With all the commercial activity at Cogden I decided to try the ground by the coastguard cottages at Abbotsbury for a change, knowing there is some good ground but a longer cast required. I was greeted with a SE but clear water, hoping the wind will swing as predicted.

I

Before the light went, I managed a nice plaice and tub Gurnard as the ebb stopped. As the first trickle of flood started, the wind swung as predicted and 3 hook clips were sent long. As soon as the lead settled a gentle pull down produced the target, a nice sole of 1lb6oz. This continued through the flood a steady stream of sole, odd pout, a bonus codling (dropped another on small hooks). Unfortunately tiredness got the better of me, and I left feeding fish with plenty of flood left. A fair few sole were landed, with plenty released.


Over the last neaps I've tried for a late sole on a very muddy mark close to me. Plenty of thornbacks, females from 8lb to a best of 10lb13oz. Bass to 6lb and plenty of pin whiting and straps. Finally, last cast as I was about to give up, a very violent bite and I was adamant it was another strap, a tidy autumn sole pops up, the best of the year at 2lb12oz.

On another note, I have a caravan down on Chesil and with the parking charges and the commercial activity I think I've fallen out of love with the area. I could probably stomach the 1000s we spend down there on eating out, shopping, parking, overpriced pints etc... But the netters/trawling was the final straw, I've never known it so bad. I'll still fish the odd session but going to explore Pembrokeshire or maybe Scotland. We will see.....

 

[Trampster]

Great report and photos Squiddy! Lovely Sole to finish the session.

 

[Bass&Chips]

Great catch and report. yum yum

 

[chesilpete]

Before the storms hit, there was a small window in the weather. With the wind due to swing to NE and a clear sea, big tide topping out late, a plan was made to head to chesil. With all the commercial activity at Cogden I decided to try the ground by the coastguard cottages at Abbotsbury for a change, knowing there is some good ground but a longer cast required. I was greeted with a SE but clear water, hoping the wind will swing as predicted.

I

View attachment 72913Before the light went, I managed a nice plaice and tub Gurnard as the ebb stopped. As the first trickle of flood started, the wind swung as predicted and 3 hook clips were sent long. As soon as the lead settled a gentle pull down produced the target, a nice sole of 1lb6oz. This continued through the flood a steady stream of sole, odd pout, a bonus codling (dropped another on small hooks). Unfortunately tiredness got the better of me, and I left feeding fish with plenty of flood left. A fair few sole were landed, with plenty released.
View attachment 72915

Over the last neaps I've tried for a late sole on a very muddy mark close to me. Plenty of thornbacks, females from 8lb to a best of 10lb13oz. Bass to 6lb and plenty of pin whiting and straps. Finally, last cast as I was about to give up, a very violent bite and I was adamant it was another strap, a tidy autumn sole pops up, the best of the year at 2lb12oz.
View attachment 72916
On another note, I have a caravan down on Chesil and with the parking charges and the commercial activity I think I've fallen out of love with the area. I could probably stomach the 1000s we spend down there on eating out, shopping, parking, overpriced pints etc... But the netters/trawling was the final straw, I've never known it so bad. I'll still fish the odd session but going to explore Pembrokeshire or maybe Scotland. We will see.....

I agree with your Chesil remark, every other session we used to get quantity of target species it's got a lot tougher.
We usually get the target but no quantity.

 

[Mr Fish]

Well done Squiddy, good sole session there!

 

[Shirleycodlin]

Great report.
I hope it doesn't end up like Dungeness.
A venue full of dogfish and pin whiting.

 

[squidword]

Great report.
I hope it doesn't end up like Dungeness.
A venue full of dogfish and pin whiting.

You speak to the old boys who've fished chesil for 70 years, it's amazing the changes to the fishing. Used to be crawling with spurs, huge pollock 15lb+, not as many cod but bigger fish, 4lb plaice regular, could go a whole year without seeing a dogfish!

 

[Shirleycodlin]

You speak to the old boys who've fished chesil for 70 years, it's amazing the changes to the fishing. Used to be crawling with spurs, huge pollock 15lb+, not as many cod but bigger fish, 4lb plaice regular, could go a whole year without seeing a dogfish!

Similar here.
My old mate George who taught me about sea fishing, went his whole life without catching one from the Kent coast.

 

[RemoteWanderer]

Great session and tidy sole, I've always wondered about how widespread sole are on many marks but due to hook size or tactics, don't get picked up due to ppl not deliberately targetting them.

Sad to hear the decline in chesil, I don't know when the state of commercial fishing/netting will finally be addressed, or if it ever will, but would be interesting to see the general public consensus if what occurred at sea happened on land where it would be easier to view... anyways, don't want to turn it into one of those threads, great session mate, tight lines,

 

[Live in hope]

Noticed the decline in the numbers over the years down Chesil and I think now a lot of the reasons I go there are just for the memory. The money I’ve spent on bait fuel and parking along there just don’t warrant so many visits. I tend to cherry pick a few tides and if conditions are favourable I will go. If not I don’t stress and go up the channel , which now has taken over as my preferred area to get a few hours in.