Catch report & fishing forecast for Dorset including Chesil Beach, Portland & Weymouth

Light winds, some sunshine and almost calm conditions on Chesil. Ideal for a days Plaice fishing, and yes there are some Plaice showing. It seems that each year the Plaice are getting earlier and earlier, and this year is no exception. Other Plaice marks along the South coast such as Eastney and Brighton have reported some excellent catches already. The Plaice target areas such as Cogden and West Bexington to feed on the Mussel beds that are within casting distance. It is not only Mussels that they are feeding on, but that is one of the main draws to those areas. With that in mind, some consideration must be given to  Mussels as a bait. They are fairly easy to get hold of from fishmongers and even supermarkets.

Another species that I would expect to start making an appearance soon are Rays. Thornback’s and Undulates will be the main ones, but Small Eyed and Starry may also show. At this time of year they love Peeler Crab and Sandeels. Squid is also a good alternative bait.

Sea Conditions:

Chesil Beach: Small waves, and very little swell. The water  has a lot of colour in it still.

Portland: Calm with a small swell and clearer water.

Portland Harbour: Calm with clear water.

Weymouth Bay: Calm with clear areas away from the harbour entrance.

Chesil Beach forecast:  It could be a busy weekend at Abbotsbury and West Bexington, as anglers desend on the Plaice. Personaly I would wait a few more weeks, at least then they will start to put a bit of weight on. Plenty of Rockling  and Dabs in the same area. Fishing towards the Portland end of the beach will see plenty of Dogfish and Pout but not a lot else at the moment.

Portland:With the water a lot clearer it should produce some Wrasse which can be targeted on both bait and soft plastic lures, such as this nice on caught by my friend Steve.

Portland Harbour: I have tried in the harbour this week with no success, but I did meet someone fishing at Hamm Beach that was doing well on the Flounder. I seen him catch two in quick succession on Ragworm.

Weymouth Bay: Stone Pier and Preston are still producing Whiting and plenty of Rockling.

Species Hunt: I think I will create an album to show the different species that I catch this year and see how many different ones I can catch. I know that species hunting is very popular on a number of forums. Why not join me and see what different fish you can catch over the year. I am going to set myself a target of 30 different species. Drop me an email and let me know your targets and how you get on throughout the year. I especially want to see your pictures of some of the more unusual species that you catch.

Guiding & Lessons: I know it is the heart of winter, but now is a good time to think about booking a 1 to 1 lesson or get on one of my fishing workshops. This will give you plenty of time to practice the techniques you learn before the fish turn up again in the spring. Have a look on the guiding link at the top of the page or drop me an email for more details to [email protected]