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

Not looking great for Plaice fishing this weekend. Although the wind is from the East and Chesil will be fairly sheltered there is a fairly large swell and the water is coloured. Combine this with a small tide and things don’t look so good.

It doesn’t have to be all bad news. The surf is well up on Preston beach and if there are any Bass around then that would be my number one choice for a chance of something decent. Peeler Crab, Mussels, Slipper Limpet and Razor Clams all make good Bass bait in the surf.

Slipper limpets can easily be gathered along the shore especially when the surf has ripped them up off the seabed. Put 4 or 5 on a 4/0 hook. Use a running ledger rig and cast out about 20 to 30 yards allowing it to roll about in the surf. You can  use light tackle for this technique.

Sea Conditions: 

Water temperature 6.9*c

Chesil Beach: Small chop with a 2m swell and a long surf run off. There is a lot of colour in the water.

Portland: 2m swell and lightly coloured water

Portland Harbour: Surf running on most of the beaches in the harbour with the exception of Castletown.

Weymouth Bay: large surf running for over 100m with a lot of colour in the water.

Chesil Beach forecast: You will pick up Dogfish, Pout and small Whiting through out the day with the odd Dab and Rockling. It is not impossible that you will get a Plaice but conditions are not great for them.

Portland: Coloured water and a large swell make for poor fishing on the island, with the exception of Bull Huss. For the best chance of a Huss you will want to target them after dark using fish baits. Fishing at dusk today should see some Pollock. Tides are better on Sunday as high water falls just before dusk. Lures work best for Pollock.

Portland Harbour: With surf running on most of the beaches in the harbour it could offer a chance of a Bass. There is not too much weed around at the moment so fishing will not be too hard.

Weymouth Bay: Preston Beach is my number one choice this weekend for the chance of a Bass. In truth it is too cold for them but you do get shoals of fish all year round that sometimes come inshore when the conditions are right.

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]