Catch them while you still can.

I mentioned earlier in the week, that it would be a good idea to take advantage of the summer fish that are still around. I took some of my own advice and spent a few days trying to target Bream, Bass and Garfish. I certainly managed to catch plenty of Garfish and a few Bream. I didn’t do so well on the Bass, as every one that I hooked I managed to lose. However Fraser Munro did manage to land a few from Portland on soft plastic lures. 

Another species that is still around in good number all along Chesil are Plaice. Robert Garth managed 3 Plaice up to 1lb 9oz using Lugworm from Abbotsbury. It goes to show if you go out to target a specific species at this time of year, you can be very successful.

The window to target the summer fish is rapidly closing, especially as we have some unsettled weather heading this way over the next week. Talking of changeable weather, it looks like early Saturday will be reasonably calm conditions, before the wind picks up over night. The wind will settle down again on SUnday morning. With a bit of luck the wind will stir up the sea and create rough and coloured water, that should calm down quite quickly; this should create some good Cod fishing conditions.

Sea Conditions:

Water temperature 15.1 °c.

Chesil Beach: Small chop with 1m waves the water is lightly coloured water. This will change on Sunday to much rougher conditions and more coloured water.

Portland: Small swell with 1m waves and almost clear water, again changing to almost 2m waves, but the water should remain reasonably clear.

Portland Harbour: wavelets with clear water

Weymouth Bay: Calm with slightly coloured water

Chesil Beach forecast: It looks like it will be a chance to get some late summer species like Bream on Saturday. Sunday should see some Codling coming during the day. Night tides will produce Whiting, Pout and Dogfish. A few Mackerel are still being caught by those still persevering with feathers. Garfish are in abundance all along the beach. A simple bubble float set up with a 12 to 18 inch trace tied to a size 2 hook and a sliver of Mackerel, will get you into a Garfish or three, as long as the conditions are not too rough or coloured.

Portland: The Wrasse fishing is now coming into its peak, with the fish in prime condition and looking to feed up for winter. The next few weeks are when you will have the best chance of a big Wrasse. Most of the larger wrasse fall to crab baits fished hard on the bottom. Rotten Bottoms are essential if you have any chance of getting them back. Hard back Velvet swimming crabs and Hermit work really well for the big Wrasse.

I hope to see some more Pollock around the Bill, especially on lures.

 Portland Harbour: The harbour is fishing very well at the moment for Bass and Flounder. I have had several reports of good numbers of Bass up to 5lb from all along the shore. 

Weymouth Bay: Both the Stone and Pleasure pier will offer reasonable shelter and the chance of picking up a variety of species.

Preston will give you an opportunity to pick up a few species and the chance of a bous Bass. It will also offer some shelter when the wind picks up.

Guiding: I still have a few slots left between now and the end of the year, so if you are interested in lure or bait fishing over the next two most productive months of the year then drop me an email to [email protected]