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Cod from the shore -Tactical Advice Please?

PostPosted: Sun Nov 18, 2018 9:46 pm
by Rod Tips
Hi everyone,
I have some questions regarding tactics for cod from the shore, if any of you experienced anglers would like to advise me or point me in the right direction.
Mostly, my cod fishing was from a small inshore boat or on a charter. The only time I have caught them from the shore was only from a pier or rock mark, and usually while trying for pollock or other species. When fishing from a boat I always used to find bottom and gently bounce my weight on the bottom, ready to strike the cod when it hits the bait. Should I employ the same tactics while fishing from the shore? Not from a surf beach, but an estuary, harbour or rock mark.

I have been recently trying a mark on the south coast, and before my most recent session there, my intention was to use the weight bouncing tactic, this time around I had my young daughter with me, and was assisting her in her first fishing session, so I wasn't properly able to try it. I did however get massive bites, but was to slow off the mark as I had rods in the tripod or against harbour wall, and the baits were stripped upon reeling them in.

I don't have any issues at the mark with casting or tides ( although a spring ebbing tide is a little restrictive), and have access to fresh lug and peeler crab.

Any advice would be very helpful.
Thanks

Re: Cod from the shore -Tactical Advice Please?

PostPosted: Mon Nov 19, 2018 12:18 am
by donal domeney
First, is the venue you are talking about known to produce cod and have done so in the last year or two. While a venue may produce different species of fish the whole year around it may not be suited to cod.
My opinion is that at this time of the year, as the sea temperature drops, the cod come inshore to feed mainly on crab or lug. So if your venue is not near an estuary or sandy beaches where there is rock not far offshore the may be little chance of cod been in the area.

Bouncing the lead.
In a boat that's fine as the lead is going up and down causing a vibration in the water when it hits off the bottom which is often picked up by a fish on its lateral line. I can't see you getting the same effect on a sandy beach.
In an estuary situation as the tide floods your lead will move/roll with the tide but again I could not see it having the same effect as it would have in your boat fishing.
I have plenty of good fish producing venues along the East Cork coastline where I have never caught a cod.

You might have to accept that it is not a cod venue.

Re: Cod from the shore -Tactical Advice Please?

PostPosted: Mon Nov 19, 2018 11:07 am
by Rod Tips
Thanks for the input Donal, I have been told the venue does produce cod, but it may not be prolific. I have seen codling caught there and the information I have from local anglers is that they come up through the area on a cycle (4 year?), now maybe the codling being caught are just 'passing through ' on their way to feeding grounds,the area is between Ballyhack, Arhturstown and Duncannon on the Wexford side of the estuary, there are plenty of crab to be had along the estuary and Duncannon beach itself is home to plenty of lugworms. Maybe I need to fish from the beach into the channel instead of from the harbour? Or give up the ghost and try a known mark in the vicinity instead ?

Thanks again, live and learn.

Re: Cod from the shore -Tactical Advice Please?

PostPosted: Mon Nov 19, 2018 12:59 pm
by Teegerstk
@Rod tips, I often fish around Duncannon, Arthurstown and Ballyhoo and to be honest I've never caught cod to a substantial size, biggest being around 30cm. I usually fish the pier at Duncannon, as the beach is very shallow.

Re: Cod from the shore -Tactical Advice Please?

PostPosted: Mon Nov 19, 2018 2:42 pm
by ste c
Where are you fishing for cod? You could be wasting your time in an area that produces small fish

Re: Cod from the shore -Tactical Advice Please?

PostPosted: Mon Dec 03, 2018 9:49 pm
by Rod Tips
ste c wrote:Where are you fishing for cod? You could be wasting your time in an area that produces small fish



I fished The Waterford estuary on the Wexford side, Duncannon beach and pier, Arthurstown and Ballyhack, on my previous visit there, anglers were landing small codling, also the information I received from local anglers, was that they pass through there, I realised that I hadn't offset my hooks and was probably missing bites? I do intend to fish there again this weekend, and I think it's worth another go? I've caught thornback there and decent sized smoothounds and bass, there are plenty of flounder and dab about, flounder to 35 cm and nice sized dabs, I had my daughter with me on previous occasion and probably wasn't fully focused on the target species, any tips or advice is welcome, thanks for the reply

Re: Cod from the shore -Tactical Advice Please?

PostPosted: Tue Dec 04, 2018 10:15 pm
by Teegerstk
Rod Tips wrote:
ste c wrote:Where are you fishing for cod? You could be wasting your time in an area that produces small fish



I fished The Waterford estuary on the Wexford side, Duncannon beach and pier, Arthurstown and Ballyhack, on my previous visit there, anglers were landing small codling, also the information I received from local anglers, was that they pass through there, I realised that I hadn't offset my hooks and was probably missing bites? I do intend to fish there again this weekend, and I think it's worth another go? I've caught thornback there and decent sized smoothounds and bass, there are plenty of flounder and dab about, flounder to 35 cm and nice sized dabs, I had my daughter with me on previous occasion and probably wasn't fully focused on the target species, any tips or advice is welcome, thanks for the reply


A thornback in the Waterford Estuary? Whereabouts were you fishing?

Re: Cod from the shore -Tactical Advice Please?

PostPosted: Wed Dec 05, 2018 12:49 pm
by Rod Tips
Teegerstk wrote:@Rod tips, I often fish around Duncannon, Arthurstown and Ballyhoo and to be honest I've never caught cod to a substantial size, biggest being around 30cm. I usually fish the pier at Duncannon, as the beach is very shallow.


Thanks Teegerstk. It's a decent spot for fishing, the pier at Duncannon great variety of fish to be had, but I think everyone one on here has been spot on with their information, maybe some very small codling to be had there, but not a known cod venue, that said, I will be there at the weekend please god, for some angling.

Thanks everyone for your help

Re: Cod from the shore -Tactical Advice Please?

PostPosted: Wed Dec 05, 2018 6:04 pm
by Teegerstk
Yeah I'm hoping to get out this weekend too not sure how the weather will be

Re: Cod from the shore -Tactical Advice Please?

PostPosted: Wed Dec 05, 2018 6:33 pm
by Rod Tips
Teegerstk wrote:
Rod Tips wrote:
ste c wrote:Where are you fishing for cod? You could be wasting your time in an area that produces small fish



I fished The Waterford estuary on the Wexford side, Duncannon beach and pier, Arthurstown and Ballyhack, on my previous visit there, anglers were landing small codling, also the information I received from local anglers, was that they pass through there, I realised that I hadn't offset my hooks and was probably missing bites? I do intend to fish there again this weekend, and I think it's worth another go? I've caught thornback there and decent sized smoothounds and bass, there are plenty of flounder and dab about, flounder to 35 cm and nice sized dabs, I had my daughter with me on previous occasion and probably wasn't fully focused on the target species, any tips or advice is welcome, thanks for the reply


A thornback in the Waterford Estuary? Whereabouts were you fishing?


Neap tide essential, last 2 hours of the ebb and max of 4 hours of the flood, Ballyhack to right of the gates. I've caught 2 there and one unexpectedly at Arthurstown , long cast to the channel, big snag there but it does produce some, not many in numbers, but if conditions are right.

Re: Cod from the shore -Tactical Advice Please?

PostPosted: Wed Dec 05, 2018 7:35 pm
by Rod Tips
Teegerstk wrote:@Rod tips, I often fish around Duncannon, Arthurstown and Ballyhoo and to be honest I've never caught cod to a substantial size, biggest being around 30cm. I usually fish the pier at Duncannon, as the beach is very shallow.


Thanks for that, Duncannon pier is a very convenient spot, and you can fish from the car if the trawlers are out, plenty of species and decent sizes, as far as Duncannon beach is concerned, if you fish the beach itself, plenty of flatties around on the flood, mainly dab, and it's time intensive, but if you fish at the base of the fort, ( never fish there alone), and have waders, you can fish the channel there, you won't hold on the ebb as it moves to strong, but you need to be prepared to put in time and , my most fruitful times there have been one hour before low water and first three hours of the flood, I've caught nice bass there and flounder, I've caught fish on the big and small tides, although the big tides can be restrictive if you are trying to hold ground, I can't say I never blanked on the Duncannon beach, but I have never blanked in Duncannon, or lost any gear, fishermen are very generous there too, razor clams galore, and often mounds of whitefish, herring on the pier wall to be had too.

Tight lines, might see you there, who knows.

Re: Cod from the shore -Tactical Advice Please?

PostPosted: Wed Dec 05, 2018 8:03 pm
by Rod Tips
Teegerstk wrote:Yeah I'm hoping to get out this weekend too not sure how the weather will be


Little chance of rain, westerly winds, gusty but mild for December, I think the tides are dropping but not sure, new moon on Thursday, sure you'll be grand, get Nice lugworms on Duncannon beach, and a few nice white rag if you are lucky

Re: Cod from the shore -Tactical Advice Please?

PostPosted: Thu Dec 06, 2018 7:58 am
by jellybait
there is some good cod in that estuary if you head up river a bit ,and find some of the holes .I found only small stuff around ballyhack . I fish it from a boat, so im unsure of spots from the shore but ive seen people fishing from the shore ,so they must of found access somewhere

Re: Cod from the shore -Tactical Advice Please?

PostPosted: Thu Dec 06, 2018 7:29 pm
by Rod Tips
jellybait wrote:there is some good cod in that estuary if you head up river a bit ,and find some of the holes .I found only small stuff around ballyhack . I fish it from a boat, so im unsure of spots from the shore but ive seen people fishing from the shore ,so they must of found access somewhere


Thanks jellybait, I think I may have to head up towards the quay, or ballinakill for the cod, but I will fish there' the weekend anyway, see what happens

Cheers