Winter Cod

[den]

It's not long now until i start Beach fishing for Cod and whiting in the Severn..

Does anyone else have a tickle?

[Grizzly]

Would like to try am so far the worlds worst beach fisherman...
1 turbot 4" dia,2 weaver fish,and a crab and that wanted to fight..
Whereabouts do you fish and what baits rigs etc are used.

[rapidboy]

Last couple of years the fishing has been terrible over here and I wasn't going to bother this year but my mate is really into it at the moment so looks like i will be getting cold and wet once again :roll:

[den]

I’ve just got back from my first tickle of the season .No cod.
I only went for four hours but not a sausage not even a bite.
It’s a bit of hit and miss with the old cod fishing.
Not been very good here too rapid boy the last two years. Last year was the worst for me so.
I’m just hoping that things will pick up.

For bait I use squid or cuttlefish, which I’ve potted in the summer. Peeler crabs I collect in the summer and freeze and I buy worm. It’s worth making the effort collecting baits when you can or it can turn out expensive. Some mates of mine will spend £30 on bait for a session. I normally make a mixed cocktail of all the baits tied on with a bit of bait elastic.

[Greenpete]

Hi!
Isn't there a big shortage of cod at the moment?
Which creates two points; 1 it's not going to be easy to catch!
and 2 shouldn't we leave them alone so their numbers increase.
I have I got it all wrong?
Pete :roll:

[den]

I agree people should leave them alone. Thinking they can just walk into a super market for some cod
I don’t think what I do will make a difference. I’ll stand on a beach in the freezing winter for days on end just to catch one fish.

It’s the way it should be.
Commercial fishing in so many ways is bad news.
:240:

[Greenpete]

It seems it's a mixed bag. On the one hand there is a problem, but your right one man on the beach catching his own dinner isn't going to make a difference!
I have thought my self over the last couple of years or so that I would like to only eat food that I had gone out and hunted, grown or foraged, It seems the only true and pure way to do it right. Unfortunately it isn't that easy!
But yes if you catch it yourself then that makes a big difference. :confused: :chill:

[den]

It does take up a lot of my time trying to provide all my own fish/shellfish but I enjoy the hard work of collecting it.
It does become seasonal. Cod, whiting and dog fish in the winter off the beach. From my pots crab, lobster, cuttle fish in early summer prawns in late summer.
Cockles and razor fish on low spring tides. I also know a spot where can snorkel for scallops if it's clear enough.

Once you go down this road it's hard to go back to supermarket fish. It' all looks mushy and on the turn With that smell I always thought was just fish smell but after catching my own I know now that it's the smell I get on my fish when it's on the turn.

Getting a mackerel off the beach and putting it straight on the waiting fire can’t be beaten It's got a taste more like chicken than fish. Even if you wait 20mins to get it on the fire the taste will be fishier.

[Greenpete]

That sounds wonderful!
It makes sense that you wouldn't want to go back to the supermarket fish, and the way you describe the taste of fresh fish makes it sound more than worth the hard work. Nice one!
Pete :super:

[Little Mole]

I love fishing. I would love to catch a cod. I've caught rainbow trout (lovely) and mackerel (barf). I've tasted fresh pike (lovely) and that's about it. I tried fishing in a mountain river last year but caught nothing except a fright.

[rapidboy]

Getting a mackerel off the beach and putting it straight on the waiting fire can’t be beaten It's got a taste more like chicken than fish. Even if you wait 20mins to get it on the fire the taste will be fishier.

I know exactly what you mean ,we used to cook them in the bottom of the boat in a little home made smoker and they hardly need cooking ,leave them a day or two and they are strong ,oily and take a lot longer to cook.
Mackerel are my favorite fish ,really meaty and a great flavour when fresh.

[Little Mole]

Maybe the fact they were caught off Dun Laoghaire pier may have contributed to their unattractive flavour.