Like many anglers from across the UK, the lure of Chesil Beach frequently draws me away from my home turf. The basics of fishing at Chesil, the various venues and what to expect has been covered many times by magazines and online sources, so I’m not going to delve too much into that. What I’m aiming at with this piece is, for anyone thinking of travelling to Chesil, to offer some ideas about how to get the best out of your trip and talk about some of the things that I think are important to bring.
First things first, for me, a trip to Chesil begins weeks in advance. This probably sounds a bit anal to some, but the planning and preparation stage might be the most important element in whether your trip is a comfortable experience or a cold and wet disaster. I spend a lot of time on internet weather prediction sites beforehand, trying to make sure that I catch the right conditions for what I want to target. It’s also crucial to know whether to expect much rain or if the weather is going to be excessively hot or cold. More about planning and packing later.
The way I see it, there’s a couple of approaches you can take to making the best use of your time on Chesil. On some occasions, I have slogged all my gear to one area, set up and fished the same venue for the whole of the trip. On others, I have taken a more mobile approach, fishing a series of sessions at different venues. Both of these plans of attack have worked for me, although I’d have to say that the mobile method makes for a more enjoyable trip. Fish are not at all evenly distributed along Chesil and moving around gives you more of a chance to find pockets of fish and target different species than staying in one spot. On the other hand, if you do find a productive mark and stick on it, you could enjoy a bumper catch.
How I intend to portion out my time on the beach dictates some of the gear that I need to bring. If I am planning to concentrate on mobile day sessions, then I will be sleeping in the car and just need a duvet and some pillows. If I am going to be mostly night fishing or doing a long stint in the same area, then I’m probably going to want a sleeping bag and a floor mat as well as a full-on beach shelter in preference to just a brolly. Incidentally, a mat to sleep on is something that I would consider essential for kipping on the beach at Chesil. I have spent nights there without one and it is not the height of comfort.
If you enjoy the full camping vibe, then a stove and kettle/frying pan is an optional extra. No doubt, hot food can be a huge boost on a cold day and I have longed for a proper meal many times. Still, I tend to take cold food and use flasks of coffee to boost my body temperature and give an added caffeine kick. Chesil is one place where soup in a flask would also make a lot of sense. I like to take just a little more food than I think I am going to need, bearing in mind that weight needs to be kept to a minimum. It can pay to plan how to portion the food out, coordinating meals with sleep breaks to keep a decent energy and concentration level. I admit, I have not been smart about doing this at times, fishing into exhaustion, sleeping, and then waking up and overeating. When your first cast feels like you’re trying to throw a wet blanket over your shoulder and you don’t even feel like baiting the other rod up, you know you’ve gone a bit wrong somewhere.
This ties in nicely to another element that needs some coverage: how long to fish for in one stint. It is certainly possible to fish for 12 hours or more in one sitting but by the end of a session like this, I generally start losing touch with reality, never mind fishing at a decent level! I think this approach is probably best saved for times when there is a small window where conditions are right or if you only have limited time. The easier way is to fish 4-6 hour stints and try to keep going at a comfortable pace. If the fish suddenly turn on then you will have enough energy to capitalise.
All this talk of energy and pacing might sound a bit weak to those who have yet to tread the shingle of Dorset’s finest, but it is a very real concern, even for the fittest anglers. Walking across some areas of the bank is some of the most energy-sapping locomotion I have ever done, and most of my fishing involves cliffs and climbing. Add a few stone of kit to carry and it becomes torturous. Particularly up at the east end, the shingle just gives way under your foot and amplifies the amount of effort needed to keep ploughing forward. Suitable footwear is a must and heavy boots are definitely out; you want something light and comfortable that support your feet well.
As regards actual tackle, the major stuff is quite easy. Most of the time fishing any of the spots on Chesil you will be looking to cast a good way out as standard procedure. It’s not always necessary but it is the bread-and-butter approach and 90% of the other serious anglers you see along the bank will be sporting a pair of 5-6oz beach rods. If I figure that I can reasonably carry it all, I take a lighter beach rod and a spinning rod too. The value of the lighter rod comes in if you want to do a bit of searching around on the bottom to find out what you’re fishing over (fixed spool and braid is essential for this), if you want to feather up some mackerel or fish closer in with a lighter lead. A spinning rod is always handy and gives you the option of sport with mackerel, gars and possibly bass.
As for reels, I think that unless you are fishing in rougher seas where you might want some cranking power, the best ones to take are those that you cast the furthest with. If you are fishing the cleaner marks, you shouldn’t have to worry too much about skull-dragging your catch over any hazards. I say ‘shouldn’t’ because unexpected snags can be a bit of a feature on Chesil, especially up at the Ferrybridge end. Quite a lot of the time, I think these are little outcrops of rock or debris that steadily accumulate lost end gear until they become line snags of some magnitude. Often, you will find yourself fine for one side of the tide and then, as the tide changes, you will start losing gear. The best solution in this case is a swift move downtide of the snag. For this reason, I think it is always a good idea to bring plenty of line and shockleader with you and to be prepared for quick respools when necessary. Incidentally, a strong leader knot is essential if fishing over a patch of mud or clay as it can take a fair bit of grunt to release your lead from the gloop.
You can probably anticipate by now what I am going to say about rigs and leads: you want ample amounts of both. If you start hitting snags, you will need fresh rigs and weights to replenish your losses. It’s also a good idea to have a spare rig or two all set up and ready for double patting if you get a quick flurry of fish. It’s a good idea to have a variety of rigs for targeting different types of fish as all sorts can turn up. Also essential is plenty of spare hooks and a hook hone as the shingle can take the edge off your hooks within a few casts.
As far as bait goes, I tend to try to arm myself to the teeth before I set out. There are plenty of shops up there that you can ring and reserve bait from to collect on the way, but I prefer to try and sort mine out in advance so that I know its quality is guaranteed. The exception to this would be fresh mackerel (when in season) which I will try and gather as I’m fishing. However, it’s a good idea to take some frozen with you just in case they aren’t playing ball.
To close, I would say that I really recommend the Chesil experience to anyone with even a remote interest in trying it for the first time. The fishing (particularly in the late summer/autumn and winter) can be brilliant and there is so much variety in the species to target and the tactics to catch them that at some points in the calendar you are really spoilt for choice. Insider knowledge on what species are showing well and where the fish are likely to be can be critical to your cause and it is really a good idea to call on any friends or sources (or failing that, tackle shops) that you might know in the area to see if you can get an idea how the beach is fishing before you go. Talking to other anglers that you meet on the shingle is a great idea too; it can be a real eye-opener how far people regularly come to fish the place and what they have caught there. The general standard of angling can be really high at times too and it is always advisable to have a chat with the stand-out rods and watch them at work. Lastly, if you don’t have the trip you were hoping for, don’t feel too shabby about it and don’t judge the place on one visit. It might take a trip or two to catch Chesil in a good mood but when you do, you will find the place a joy to fish.
First things first, for me, a trip to Chesil begins weeks in advance. This probably sounds a bit anal to some, but the planning and preparation stage might be the most important element in whether your trip is a comfortable experience or a cold and wet disaster. I spend a lot of time on internet weather prediction sites beforehand, trying to make sure that I catch the right conditions for what I want to target. It’s also crucial to know whether to expect much rain or if the weather is going to be excessively hot or cold. More about planning and packing later.
The way I see it, there’s a couple of approaches you can take to making the best use of your time on Chesil. On some occasions, I have slogged all my gear to one area, set up and fished the same venue for the whole of the trip. On others, I have taken a more mobile approach, fishing a series of sessions at different venues. Both of these plans of attack have worked for me, although I’d have to say that the mobile method makes for a more enjoyable trip. Fish are not at all evenly distributed along Chesil and moving around gives you more of a chance to find pockets of fish and target different species than staying in one spot. On the other hand, if you do find a productive mark and stick on it, you could enjoy a bumper catch.
How I intend to portion out my time on the beach dictates some of the gear that I need to bring. If I am planning to concentrate on mobile day sessions, then I will be sleeping in the car and just need a duvet and some pillows. If I am going to be mostly night fishing or doing a long stint in the same area, then I’m probably going to want a sleeping bag and a floor mat as well as a full-on beach shelter in preference to just a brolly. Incidentally, a mat to sleep on is something that I would consider essential for kipping on the beach at Chesil. I have spent nights there without one and it is not the height of comfort.
If you enjoy the full camping vibe, then a stove and kettle/frying pan is an optional extra. No doubt, hot food can be a huge boost on a cold day and I have longed for a proper meal many times. Still, I tend to take cold food and use flasks of coffee to boost my body temperature and give an added caffeine kick. Chesil is one place where soup in a flask would also make a lot of sense. I like to take just a little more food than I think I am going to need, bearing in mind that weight needs to be kept to a minimum. It can pay to plan how to portion the food out, coordinating meals with sleep breaks to keep a decent energy and concentration level. I admit, I have not been smart about doing this at times, fishing into exhaustion, sleeping, and then waking up and overeating. When your first cast feels like you’re trying to throw a wet blanket over your shoulder and you don’t even feel like baiting the other rod up, you know you’ve gone a bit wrong somewhere.
This ties in nicely to another element that needs some coverage: how long to fish for in one stint. It is certainly possible to fish for 12 hours or more in one sitting but by the end of a session like this, I generally start losing touch with reality, never mind fishing at a decent level! I think this approach is probably best saved for times when there is a small window where conditions are right or if you only have limited time. The easier way is to fish 4-6 hour stints and try to keep going at a comfortable pace. If the fish suddenly turn on then you will have enough energy to capitalise.
All this talk of energy and pacing might sound a bit weak to those who have yet to tread the shingle of Dorset’s finest, but it is a very real concern, even for the fittest anglers. Walking across some areas of the bank is some of the most energy-sapping locomotion I have ever done, and most of my fishing involves cliffs and climbing. Add a few stone of kit to carry and it becomes torturous. Particularly up at the east end, the shingle just gives way under your foot and amplifies the amount of effort needed to keep ploughing forward. Suitable footwear is a must and heavy boots are definitely out; you want something light and comfortable that support your feet well.
As regards actual tackle, the major stuff is quite easy. Most of the time fishing any of the spots on Chesil you will be looking to cast a good way out as standard procedure. It’s not always necessary but it is the bread-and-butter approach and 90% of the other serious anglers you see along the bank will be sporting a pair of 5-6oz beach rods. If I figure that I can reasonably carry it all, I take a lighter beach rod and a spinning rod too. The value of the lighter rod comes in if you want to do a bit of searching around on the bottom to find out what you’re fishing over (fixed spool and braid is essential for this), if you want to feather up some mackerel or fish closer in with a lighter lead. A spinning rod is always handy and gives you the option of sport with mackerel, gars and possibly bass.
As for reels, I think that unless you are fishing in rougher seas where you might want some cranking power, the best ones to take are those that you cast the furthest with. If you are fishing the cleaner marks, you shouldn’t have to worry too much about skull-dragging your catch over any hazards. I say ‘shouldn’t’ because unexpected snags can be a bit of a feature on Chesil, especially up at the Ferrybridge end. Quite a lot of the time, I think these are little outcrops of rock or debris that steadily accumulate lost end gear until they become line snags of some magnitude. Often, you will find yourself fine for one side of the tide and then, as the tide changes, you will start losing gear. The best solution in this case is a swift move downtide of the snag. For this reason, I think it is always a good idea to bring plenty of line and shockleader with you and to be prepared for quick respools when necessary. Incidentally, a strong leader knot is essential if fishing over a patch of mud or clay as it can take a fair bit of grunt to release your lead from the gloop.
You can probably anticipate by now what I am going to say about rigs and leads: you want ample amounts of both. If you start hitting snags, you will need fresh rigs and weights to replenish your losses. It’s also a good idea to have a spare rig or two all set up and ready for double patting if you get a quick flurry of fish. It’s a good idea to have a variety of rigs for targeting different types of fish as all sorts can turn up. Also essential is plenty of spare hooks and a hook hone as the shingle can take the edge off your hooks within a few casts.
As far as bait goes, I tend to try to arm myself to the teeth before I set out. There are plenty of shops up there that you can ring and reserve bait from to collect on the way, but I prefer to try and sort mine out in advance so that I know its quality is guaranteed. The exception to this would be fresh mackerel (when in season) which I will try and gather as I’m fishing. However, it’s a good idea to take some frozen with you just in case they aren’t playing ball.
To close, I would say that I really recommend the Chesil experience to anyone with even a remote interest in trying it for the first time. The fishing (particularly in the late summer/autumn and winter) can be brilliant and there is so much variety in the species to target and the tactics to catch them that at some points in the calendar you are really spoilt for choice. Insider knowledge on what species are showing well and where the fish are likely to be can be critical to your cause and it is really a good idea to call on any friends or sources (or failing that, tackle shops) that you might know in the area to see if you can get an idea how the beach is fishing before you go. Talking to other anglers that you meet on the shingle is a great idea too; it can be a real eye-opener how far people regularly come to fish the place and what they have caught there. The general standard of angling can be really high at times too and it is always advisable to have a chat with the stand-out rods and watch them at work. Lastly, if you don’t have the trip you were hoping for, don’t feel too shabby about it and don’t judge the place on one visit. It might take a trip or two to catch Chesil in a good mood but when you do, you will find the place a joy to fish.