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  • 30/01/2017 Fishing Report by Phil White on Chinook 3 (Bradwell Marina, Essex)

    30 Jan 2017 by Phil White

    Report on-board Chinook 3

    As you all know by now the cod have not shown up this winter although there still might be a spring run.

    However this has not stopped our anglers from having some great days fishing close by in our estuary. There has been a huge influx of dabs along the Thames Estuary, far more than we have ever had before; these lovely little flatfish have provided us with some cracking sport on days when we would have cancelled.



    Techniques are completely different to what we would normally be doing but once you have adapted your rigs and style to suit it’s easy.

    You can use really light tackle as we are only fishing on the gentle neap tides, carp or spinning rods are fine, 2 hook flattie rigs with one up one down are best.

    Choice of bait isn’t critical, tiny bits of worm, squid, herring, mackerel and sprat all work, fished straight down with a plain lead, you don’t need to cast, indeed when fishing straight down when you get a bite, lift up the rod, if the fish isn’t there you can drop back down and wait for it to bite again.



    There are a few Thornbacks around inshore; usually numbers start to increase around mid February depending on water temperature.



    Offshore is still hard with a few dogfish, Thornbacks and whiting but again things will improve in 2-3 weeks time as the Thornbacks start to move back in.



    Prospects are good, there still might be a spring run of cod and there are plenty of other fish to be caught so don’t give up, change tactics and make use of what is available.

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