St Catherine's Breakwater Fishing Guide

St Catherine's Breakwater Fishing Guide

So I have decided to do a general fishing guide on St Catherine's Breakwater and give out some information on how to fish it. I will also let you know the best baits, state of tide's etc. 

There is so many different tips and tricks to learn, even when pier fishing.

Learning where the sand patches are, and where the rocks are is what I recommenced you do first. Go down over a Spring Low Tide & check it out! Do not just go down there chuck out some bait and hope for the best. Sometimes a couple of meters in your cast can make a huge difference in catching fish and not catching fish! I thought this post would be very helpful for tourists and beginner fisherman to take a look at. 

St Catherine's Breakwater is Jersey's most popular Angling location to fish, this 600 meter breakwater throws up some outstanding fish on its day! Certain fish species feed harder on certain tides, so before I even think about going fishing here, I evaluate the weather/tides and target species that I am aiming to catch. The majority of fisherman that fish this breakwater target Mackerel. These can be caught here right through the Spring & Summer months, the most popular method of fishing is spinning with feathers. Pollock & Garfish can also be regularly caught on the Mackerel Feathers or another popular method is Float Fishing for them. Personally I find the back wall around 10 meters from the end the best place for catching them in quantity, but every day is different. 

Wrasse / Rockling

There is lots of boulders reinforcing the edges of the breakwater. Watch your gear if you are fishing close in! Sometimes if you are prepared with a load of weights in your tackle box, then it can be the best place to fish! Wrasse take cover in these boulders, it is sometimes good to use a weaker bit of line tied to your weight. This is because you will only loose your lead & not your hooks & fish you might have on your line.
Just a short cast out & fish right amount the boulders, personally i would only do this when fishing for Ballan Wrasse, use worm baits for the smaller fish & Green Crab for the larger specimens. There is a few deeper holes and good patches along the back wall for Wrasse. But you can work them out for your self :). Fish in the boulders when night fishing too as it is pretty good for Rockling, use small fish baits for best catches. 

Black Bream

Barrie Aubert with some Black Bream

From May till September a popular species to target is Black Bream, for those people that are wanting to catch one, I recommend near the end of the breakwater on the Back wall or Front Wall.

Fish on the Dropping Tide around 2 hours after high tide & you will have a chance of catching Bream right through until the flooding tide where the tide will be quite strong for your weight to hold bottom. Use a 2 Hook Paternoster with small Circle Hooks & Squid strips for bait.

Rays

Nearly every species of UK Rays have come from this breakwater at some point. Personally I have caught Small-Eyed Ray, Blonde Ray & Undulate Ray from the Breakwater and have witnessed a shore caught Marbled Electric Ray caught from the Back wall of the breakwater. 

Simon Gavey with a Blonde Ray

Sting Rays & Thornback Rays have also come from this Breakwater over the years! Rays can be caught from lower wall and the upper wall! If you are going to try I recommended going past the three arches on the breakwater and anywhere in between there and the steps at the end of the Breakwater (Back Wall included). 2/3 Hours either side of Low water for Undulate Rays tides under a 32ft tide is best. 

As for Small Eyed Rays & Blonde Rays I have had them when the tide is pulling strong and I am using 8oz + Grip leads to hold bottom so even fish over high water & you are in with a chance. Best rigs to use for Rays in General are Running Ledger & Pully Rig

Jack Gavey with a Small Eyed Ray

Depending on what species of Ray you are targeting you will need to be prepared with the correct bait! My Favorite baits to use at St Catherine's for Undulate Ray is: Small Pouting Dead or Alive, freshly caught Mackerel, Squid, Launce Sand-eel or Extra Large Sand-eel, Strips of Wrasse & Strips of Cuttle fish are also good! You dont need to cast far out for these Rays! If you are fishing with two rods, then cast one rod as far as you possibly can & the other one just an average cast. 

Do not forgot a Drop Net otherwise there is no point in targeting Rays as if you try and hand line it up the wall, it would have a very good chance of snapping your main line!! I use 4-8oz Beachcaster Rods with Multiplier Reels for all of my Bottom Fishing and normally use 30lb Main line for everything.

Thick Lipped Mullet

To target these fish you need patience and time! I use a 13ft light match rod & i float fish bread flakes at different depths. This type of Fishing is probably for the more experienced Angler, it requires plenty of bread based ground bait some polarized sunglasses and a bit of luck. (Try on the Stairs at the end of the Break water around low tide and fish just over the Boulders). p.s dont let the fish get the better of you, make sure you strike on the smallest of bites! 

Leigh Mullins with a Shore Caught Conger Eel

Conger Eel's

Over the years many Conger Eels have been caught from this Breakwater. I have caught them right out side the Tackle Shop near the beginning of the Breakwater. You get them all the way along the Breakwater! It has to be night time for them, and best baits i find are Fresh Mackerel, Cuttle Fish, Double Squid, Fresh Pollock & Pouting. I have personally had them to 41lb there with the help of Leigh Mullins & speaking of Leigh here is a picture of him with a 42lb Conger caught from the Breakwater. 

You will need to come prepared with the right fishing gear to fish for these fish! 150lb Line to your 8/0 Hook and use mainline above 30lb in Breaking Strain. Make sure you have either a Flying Drop Gaff or a big Drop Net otherwise you will have no chance in landing any Eels that you hook. If you dont have them with you there is no point in trying for them! It is always good to be with someone else, as they are very difficult to land them when fishing on your own.

Other Possible Catches

Bass- I personally dont rate this pier highly for Bass, but a few big ones do get caught there during the summer months mainly when live baiting small mackerel. Fish from the very end of the Breakwater into the tidal run.

Peter Jarvis with a Plaice 

Red Mullet & Sole - September to November on Worm Baits around the beginning of Breakwater Back wall & Front. 

Plaice - can be caught on worm baits throughout the Summer, hard to target as normally a Wrasse will get to your bait first. 

Dogfish - These fish are a pain for the serious Angler as they are normally a by-catch - Great for the beginners it is pretty easy to catch more than 10 of these in every session!

Smooth Hounds - Summer Months - Fishing in May to August & you will have a chance to catch one powerful fish the lower wall is best! Use Squid or Crabs - Sunset & Sunrise i find are the best times.

Trigger Fish - Mainly by-catch when targeting Black Bream they take Squid Strips & other fish baits.

Pouting - Plenty of these around at night caught on fish baits and worms baits use small hooks and you will catch them. 

Cuttlefish - Using Squid Jigs around September-November you are in with a chance of a few Cuttle fish i have caught them from the Slipway and along the lower wall of the Breakwater.

Phil Driscoll with a Starry Smooth Hound

So that is my little guide on St Catherine's Breakwater, Thank you for reading. 

P.S - Try to catch & release every Ray, Conger, Smooth Hound you ever catch down there so that other people can continue to enjoy the great sport that we have from this Breakwater!  

Tight Lines - Daniel Ferguson

October What a Great Months Fishing!

I really dont know where to start this month i have caught alot of good fish, but i have been fishing a fair bit too! But you really do have to fish like 3 or 4 times a week even if its for 2 Hours and your in with a chance of catching some really good fish :)

33lb Eel took the tail end of a Mackerel at a new spot i have never fished before with Scott. Was pretty hard condition was hard to hold bottom due to the Tide and Deep water put none the less it put up a Great scrap we left soon after very short session felt good :) 

This next fish is my 2nd Best Eel of the year and my 3rd eel over 35lb from the Shore on the scales went 35lb and tail was still on ground was a very very long fish! i managed to gaff this Eel myself too and there was a bit of swell. It was my First Cast again using Cuttle fish for bait! was 20 mins into darkness! (Jammy git eh ;) ) Was only only fish of session was home and in bed by 9pm lol! 

This was yet another great session met up with Gareth and ventured on down to a new spot for me that i have always wanted to fish just never got round to it. And as Gareth Suggested it i was very keen :)
and way around 1 hour into the session i managed a Small Eye Ray around 5lb took sand-eel & squid on running ledger.  

I put a Conger rod out and withing 10 mins i had one playing around with my bait. After a good solid pull down i Striked to find my self into a Snag! Bugger in the end i lost my gear on that cast.

another 2 hours went by with not much action and Screaming run on Gareths Rod Strikes it and knew it was decent, as was on Ray gear thought might be a Blonde Ray. But after very very good fight he was playing very well and it did mess us around alot. Gaffing it was quite difficult but we did it in the end :) 

His P.B Conger of 38lb 

And one day after work me and Gareth tried to find some more Eels and we got a couple. 

Popped out after work met up with Scott, Ritchie & Hannah for a spot of Wrasse Bashing i was eager to get down the rocks everything looked perfect! i got the first cast in water and before you know it within 30 secs of fishing ZZZZzzz screaming run i locked up thinking big Wrasse and turned it, now i can feel head shakes (this aint no Wrasse) got it closer and saw the head on it and flash of Silver its a Bass, got it in the net and in a safe place to Measure and get a Picture. It had something wrong with it by its Head maybe got spear fished and got away or netted. But it was hungry for my Reins Pumpkin Shad :)

Weighed 5lb 9oz and measured 67cm not a bad start! 

All in all between us managed around 10 Wrasse on SPs my luck wasn't so great after that Bass just had the 1 Wrasse haha. & Managed to snap Hannah's pink rod pulling it out a snag WOOPS :)

So Myself and Gareth decided to go for Eels on a Friday night. We arrived at the spot and it looked perfect it was still light so i whacked out a sand-eel on a running ledger and after 10 mins had a screaming run, ran over striked and wasn't there. Gutted oh well getting dark now time for the conger traces to come on! and out they went with some Cuttle out and sand-eel. Wasn't long before my rod started to pull down and i was into my first Eel of the night as i was playing this fish Gareth also hooked into one on his rod with the Ray gear on, Double hook up!! so as i was playing my one in i got down to waters edge and managed to Trace the eel and pulled it up on the rocks and ran over to help Gareth with the gaff. as this was happening my other Rod screamed off nearly went in! Ran Over to that one Striked that and had to get that one in too! bloody hell any way we landed all 3 eels in the space of 5/10mins! all of them in-between 15lb and 20lb :)

So after the pics and releasing all 3 Eels it was time to get rods back out sweating like Jimmy Saville in a Nusery i was as was wearing that many layers of clothes lol! any way about 1 hour passed with out i bite (Whats going on) and as soon as i was thinking that Boom Eel on again. But was on Gareth Ray gear again! It was a very big fish he was saying i could see it was stripping the line of his reel, but couldn't put to much pressure on it as using the weaker line. After 5 mins of fighting this one unforgettably snapped the line :( 

He had another one anyway:

I ended up getting 1 more Eel too so 5 Eels between us..Pretty Good session :)

Went with Alex for a couple hours on a Sunday night here is him with his First Shore Caught Blonde Ray he wont shut up about as i have never had one of shore lol ;)

He had a Tiny Small Eye too! his 2nd one ever (he thought both these fish was like 30lb! haha)

Went on a session with Leigh Mullins to a spot he suggested he told me where ti was and i had never fished this spot either but always wanted to give it ago. So as i finished work earlier than him i found my own way down and hoped it was the right spot lol! I was still my first cast with a Sand-eel on for Bait when my rod screamed off and i landed this fine Bass of 6lb 15oz :) Lee rocked up just before i had this.

After a hour or 2 of not much action i went to check my bait as i noticed my line was not in the direction i casted it and thought it was tide which pulled my gripper out of bottom. half way through reeling it in thinking i had a lump of weed on i felt a bit of a head shake from a fish . got it to Surface and saw it was decent bass tried netting it but was hard in the swell so just winched it up the rocks :) This one was 8lb 1oz currently my best Bass so far this year :) 

David took me out for a Bass :) Ventured out with David on Sunday afternoon for few Hours fishing was hard after catching few Snipe and Pollock we found the Bass on way back into the Harbor ..his was decent weight 4lb 12oz on a hard lure :) mine was wee baby. 1lb 9oz on Savage gear lucky i had small stinger on it seemed to be hooking most the fish.

Highlight of the afternoon was still getting towed in though haha :)

After a day of struggling to find a Bass me and Gareth decided to do a bit of Wrassing they wasn't touching the lures so tried a little secret trick when they aint biting the lures they will bite the Bait knocked limpets of the rocks and put them onto our jig heads straight away started catching fish :)
Gareth with a Wrasse weighing 4lb 12oz :)

Here is my Best fish of the short session going 4lb 

Bass Competition 2012 

Had this one all Planned out my plan was i needed to win it simple as not going to lie haha :) So the Friday night was very hard going with the strong winds the tides was not great either very hard to fish! Maybe made the wrong move with the fishing spot but we had to try, I managed a small Rockling and Gareth had Pollock just under 3lb, Packed up and got to sleep at home for 2.30am after around 3 hours sleep we had to get lure fishing! the wind was outrages! cut a long story short was a rubbish day only had wrasse on lures and Gareth lost a Bass on the Lure! went to sleep at 7pm and went back out for 12.30am. And luckily we did as Gareth managed to pull out the Biggest fish of the Competition which went 9lb 15oz at the weigh in 15 hours after he had it. Giving him 10lb 3oz for this fish :) Well done mate! 

Sunday weather was alot better we went up and down alot of spots with the lures just couldn't find any Bass at the 4th Spot i had a Pollock of 2lb 10oz

 and Gareth lost a Bass trying to pull it up on rocks with the swell but it came off lol! Gareth getting too old for all this climbing ;) so he called it a day around 11/12am ! My mission was still to get one of like 7lb so we had chance winning the Team prize..went down one final spot for the incoming for 2/3 hours as soon as that tide turned the fish started biting had around 7 Wrasse on the savage gears getting pissed off with them as thought they were Bass haha! and Finally managed a Bass of 2lb 9oz when i saw it i was very happy! was quite far away from my bag where my scales where my bait rod was with big bait on it so ran over and weighed it for moment of truth bugger! carried on having 2 more follows from bass (one looked 4lbish GRRR) didn't get any pictures of last session as left my camera in the van in most of the sessions i did when there was a bit of a trek involved i cba to carry it around its quite chunky lol! I had to call it a weekend. Enjoyed a few drinks at the Shakespeare later on that evening :)

So thanks for reading once again ignore all the grammar and spelling mistakes no one is perfect. I aint the kind of guy to waste my time reading it back to check for them haha. Tight lines all, see you next time. I am having a bit of time off fishing & to relax and chill at home like normal people do lol!

I'm a Sole Man!

First things first i got my Sole! After many many sessions trying over last couple years it came on my 2nd session of the year for them only weighed 1lb 6oz took Lug worm on a 1 up 1 down rig :)

Dont need to cast far for these, had this right under my feet pretty much. (Think i was singing im a sole man for 30 mins after i caught it hahaa)

My first Red Mullet of the year went 1lb 4oz took lug-worm again on a running ledger :)

Me & Alex went Congering, so with the conger competition coming up was in need of a bit of practice to went to new mark we never have fished at night only for 2 hours and we managed 1 Eel each :) 

Here is Alex with the best Conger of the night going 16lb+

Then i managed a whip too!

Myself and Ben der Bates targeted some Sole & Red Mullet on the Worms and he wanted to bring his lure rod down and did! (as we got to the car park i had a phone call of Callum Robertson wanting to know if i was fishing i told him where i was and he met us down there).

I had a spot in mind but when we got there Anglers was already there, so fished a rock near by i also knew there was chance for my sole and reds  So before i even set up 1 Bait rod Ben has had 2 follows and hooks into a fish i run over with the net as he screams with excitement and scooped up a Bass Quick Picture then off to right another day:

Here is a Close up for Mick Ward as he sold him this lure lol  

So Callum got down, i said to him that a couple of Bass around & Ben has had one and couple follows. So he sets up and hooks into them straight away after loosing a couple on first few casts... he got one in! Best one of the session too!  (I wont mention anything about him using smelly worms on the Tenryu when it got dark  hehe )

So now i am sitting there with shame on my face for not bringing my lure rod down  So after this session i was driving home around 10.30pm and i was thinking to my self ah i want a quick bass on lure too, so had a few casts down a spot on way home and manged a small one 

Conger Competition :) 

Myself, Leyton, Ritchie was the 3 Man Team in the above event, 72 Anglers Entered the competition. We was geared up for strong winds and thanks to Leyton who managed to catch us aload of Cuttle fish was geared up with Bait! Weighed my Rucksack before i went down it was 40lbs (Graft) oh well off we went and got fishing. Leyton on the Mackerel Feathers managed the first fish of the session which was a Pollock came in handy for our rubby dubby sack :) ! 

I went on the Bream at first and i had x2 Bream and 1 mackerel . Leyton also got Mackerel so a bit of fresh bait cant hurt anyone :) Leyton then gets a phone call saying that the weather getting real bad! like force 6/7s and heavy rain. At this point Ritchie wasn't keen to stick out the night so he left the mark before dark. So now me and Leyton got on the Beers and waited for Darkness.....Rods went out......waiting game now i said. And what you know on Leyton 1st cast his rod started to bend over!

(Not exactly the monster we were after but gained a bit of confidence as it was first cast!)

Still on the first cast i also managed one around the same size. No piccie going on here i cba lol :)

Then after a bit longer of a wait my rod had a good bite, picked the rod up it was pulling down ...pulling down....pulling down STRIKE fish on :) good scrap and was on the Gaff. Yeah Buddy! its a Weigher weighed on scales around 24lb i was happy with that in the bag it went! 

Then another one came in for me. This one 14lb, Leyton also had another one under 15lb. God we have had a few now it not even 11pm i was thinking! 5 Eels so far Bloody good session really.  

The Texts where going on winding up my mates about how many Eels we have had and my rod Started screaming off! I was thinking bloody hell i whacked this one out very far (like nearly emptied my spool) anyway picked rod up and double striked this fish as could feel some power to it. Wanted to make sure i had hook set! Was coming up pretty easy at first but as soon as i got it towards rocks F*** Me did it pull down, i was not letting it go no where keep drag fully locked and just letting rod bend, trying to tire it out. As it was against the rocks but still deep i could feel line rubbing! This is the point i was like i gotta bully this So Pumping time! Very heavy fish and up came the Head...my words was "Holy S***" Leyton down on the rocks was saying the same i was like omg that head looks like a 50lber (as you do). As trying to gaff the fish  i felt like the line snapped....i think i was ready to cry...but then i hear a voice saying "Yeeeep Yeeeep" Got it!!! My face soon changed to Panic still dont think i have slided down rocks so quick in my life grabbed the Gaff off him and got it on the rocks. i knew i was not in a safe position to carry it around to wear my gear was so i just held it. Leyton brings the bag over, and after struggling trying to get it in it woke up! as i took it of gaff...oh bollocks its going back towards sea (repeat of last year) Leyton starts kicking it haha, i was either depating give it a Bear hug or just use the gaff...gaff it was again in its head. "Leyton go empty my Rucksack" managed to curl it up in there and Zipped up its safe now! :) WHohohooo i weighed it in rucksack with still few bits in it and went 44lbs i was like GET IN (i knew wouldn't be that much at weigh in i was hoping to just brake the 40lb mark tho.  Here it is at the weigh-in going 39lb 12oz :) 

Then i chilled out for a bit Leyton needs one now. He had a couple which got away but then he Strikes he is onto one. i knew this was a weigher by bend in his rod! down i went with gaff and up it came :) Whohoo shake of the hands is required, cut the lines packed up the rods. Waited around till weigh in and rocked up with the fish. Leyton weighing 23lb 14oz.

Final results was: 

1st Daniel ferguson 39lb 12ozs

2nd Simon Gavey 24lb 12ozs

3rd Leyton Hunnisett 23lb 14ozs

4th Steve Mullins 22lb 8ozs

5th Colin Shales & Martin Shales (tie) 19lb 12ozs

Winning team was Daniel Ferguson,Leyton Hunnisett & Ritchie Campion 63lb 10ozs 
Well done also to Lee Jarvis wh managed a pb conger of 19lb 6ozs and just missed out on the prizes.

Anyway enough of those slimmy things :) ...1lb 8oz Flounder i had the other day as well as couple Bass, & a couple Smooth Hounds :)

My new P.B Small Eye 9lb 9oz :) Took whole squid on Running Ledger :)  Literally had the bite 2 mins of the bait being in the water! 

Here is another Sole which i had took lug-worm on a 1 up one down rig, hopefully more of these to come :) 

CHOW 4 NOW 

Happy New Year

Happy New Year! 2012 Starts

Just been chilling really over the Christmas Period a few beers where involved! Only been fishing a couple of times and had quite a bit of luck! Here is a Wrasse around 3lb Mark

As for the lure fishing, i have done 30 minutes of it in over 1 month. Just trying to get away from that side of fishing for a while. As the bait is being more productive at the moment! and its fun targeting different species.

This is a shot from couple weeks ago conditions looked perfect for a Bass just no fish there! This is new reel i am using for plugging/sp's £25 reel does the job just fine :)

The weather has not been nice at all over the last few weeks not even one nice day!
So i ventured out on the 27th  of December to target a Ray, i didn't manage one my self but saw a couple landed in this session by fellow anglers here is Lee Jarvis Father in Law with a 5lb Small Eye.

Nice to see come up! So now i figured there was some Rays to be caught! so i stayed a little longer with Scott Ballard and he managed to pull this lovely fish in:

Undulate Ray 9lb 3oz

I caught a few Dogfish, Pollack, Rockling this night but not a ray for myself :(

I had to go back for more! So on the 29th myself & Ritchie tried for the Rays...he stayed for around an hour but got cold and bored so he went home! The lazy git ;) So i stayed on by my self 3 hours went by....13 dogfish to my name & a couple of small Pollack, but finally i landed a tiny Small Eye Ray around the 2lb mark!

So target Species completed! Another rod was getting a bite i struck into what i thought was a Conger...well it was 25lb (Guessing)! After battling with it for 10mins on my light 2-4oz rod on the Ray gear, using just a strip of squid i had a few problems force 8 winds and no Gaff on me & no friend to help.... Eel was on surface i was trying to tell a Polish Gentleman Squid fishing near me to grab the gaff out of my van but he speak or understand no English (well that's what he said) so after me walking it nearly round to some near by steps i put too much pressure on it and snap! I new it was gonna happen right from when i saw it so wasn't too bothered!

So baits went back out got myself a bit more organised if a big fish were to turn up again. Literally within 10 minutes my rod had a decent bite! Alot easier landing this one as drop net was ready and in it came. A lovely Small Eye my new P.B of 9lb 1oz caught on Squid.

No Glory shot i am Afraid :( As my Polish friend left soon after i lost Conger. Because when his squid jigs hit the water the wind was soo strong it was picking up his line and forcing his jigs back out the water lol!

So was a good session went home with smile on my face :)

Had my first session of the year on the 2nd for couple hours got x3 Dogfish so it was a start

Then went again last night had countless amount of Dogfish 13+, and a nice Pollack going 2lb 8oz Not bad for force 10 Winds lol :) mate Adrian managed Dogfish, Pouting, Rockling also.

Well that's about it for now many thank for reading :) Shall post another one soon !