Hi there

After some good advice on the Intro section, I bought a Shakespeare Contender Beachcaster which I really like (cheap but reasonable quality for a newbie). I have been really successful with mackerel (who isn't?) but I want to know what else I can try for from the beach. I am based in the south and fish along the coast at Burton Bradstock/West Bay area along towards Chesil Beach.

Can anyone give me any tips on what I need to do to try for something different, bass maybe? Do I need to change hooks/bait/length of cast etc???? Any advice for a slightly bewildered newbie would be greatly appreciated.

Hi Masonmou, what bait, rigs etc are you using at the moment?

there are lots of differant fish you can target along the south( i fish the solent area) from macjies and bass, smouthounds, rays, whiting, pollock, pout, cod etc.

every one has a differant time of year, bait and tactics vary slightly between the species. 

Hi Alan

You'll have to bear with me being so thick but I really have JUST started this so I'm really unsure of all the jargon.

I have only tried the shop-bought things that have four or five hooks on them with just silver or white bits of ribbon. I haven't actually put anything else on the hook yet cos I've never needed to in order to get makkys.

we all started out the same way so no need to worry.

thats a set of feathers, you can catch other fish on them, but they are mainly for mackies.

for a general  fish up, you would be better off using ragworm, 99% of fish can be caught on them.

nice simple rig, set your rod up as usual, with the loose end of line(mainline) in your hand feed on a 4 or 5ozweight, then a small bead. tie on a swivel. next tie a 12-24inch long length on line(hook length) to the other side on the swivel, about 15lb breaking strain. on the end of that tie a size 2 hook.

grab you ragworm behind the mouth and feed him on the the hook. place the hook in its mouth and feed the hook through him, up on to the hook length, add a couple more if you want. leaving the last on with the hook out of it body about halfway along.

cast out, keep the rod tip as high as poss, and the line tight.

are you using a shockleader for when you cast? and do you know what breaking strain line you have on your reel?

you can make it as easy or as complicated as you want, for me the above rig has caught almost all my fish, from boat and shore. 

Alan

Thanks so much for the help. I'm using the line that came with the reel (20lb) and a shock leader the bloke in the shop sold me (52lb). I've only put a 3oz lead on the end so I reckon that's a bit overdone but hey-ho.

a bit over the top for a 3oz weight, for general fishing using 4-5oz wieghts 50lb is fine.

shockleaders are 10lb for every 1oz weight you are using.

try the rig above, its simple, takes minutes to tie, and has never let me down. 

Thanks, will do. Do you tie the weight on or just slip it onto the leader? The weigts I've got have eyes at the top so I'm thinking that they will slide along the line if I don't secure them in some way. Sorry to be a pain but I do appreciate the help.

yep, just slide it on, or use a swivel with a snaplink, that way you can change the weight if needed.  the bead stops the eye and the swivel tangling up and the weight sliding off.

it works the same way as a carp bolt rig, just in a very basic form. 

here you go, just swap the feeder for your weight, and the rubber for a bead.

Thanks again. I'll try it asap, hubby will be well impressed by my new knowledge!!!

The 2 main rigs are a 2 hook flapper and a pennel. Pennel tends to be for the larger species and bigger baits. Best to buy a couple and then try copying to make your own.

These can be bought ready made at the tackle shop. If the mack's are around try that as bait.

Welcome to FM Masonmou...here is a one up one down rig, it allows you to fish at the bottom and midwater, a double chance to catch fish in different water level, it's a very common used rig

This is a two hook flapper, as you can see, you not fishing at the bottom but up in the water. This is a good rig if you have lots of bait thieves like spider crabs, as the bait doesn't lay on the bottom for them to nibble off.

Here a two up rig, which is simular to the above.

I hope this helps a bit....good luck

Claudia, is there no end to your talents.