First time out - Snag City!

[andyco]

Hi fellas, first time on here and first time out fishing (in about 20yrs). Went to shields pier on Saturday afternoon...and lost half my gear! Only actually had 4 casts into the water and tried different spots each time, but got snagged EVERY time, lost 3 and half flapper rigs.

I also went along to the rocks at the very end of the big beach, near the Water’s Edge and tried some spinning as well. Didn’t lose any spinners but didn’t catch anything either! (I did ‘see’ a fish if that counts, it was darting around the rocks, about 4 and a half inches long with a fat belly and skinny tail?)

Am I doing something wrong or does this happen often?

Where would you guys reckon the best snag free marks are along Shields coastline or up the Tyne or the Wear, for a beginner?

I’m already planning on trying Jarrow next to the pedestrian tunnel, behind shields market, and behind harbour view near the Groyne. Would it be worth spinning/rubber-fishing or float fishing at any of those spots? Or off the Groyne?

Sorry for the long post and all the questions (Ive got plenty more as well!) but any advice is appreciated.

Cheers,

Andy

[toonboymc]

Welcome to the site mate
If you fish the last 3rd of Roker pier towards the sea and not the bay side you won't lose much gear as it is clean area with plenty of dabs and flounders and coalies hope this helps

[lumpsucker]

Shields pier can be a tackle graveyard for the uninitiated. You still need to expect to lose some gear even if you know it fairly well. Generally casting further and reeling in faster helps minimise losses as does picking some of the cleaner marks like the brigade hut and the 40s, first and 2nd gate chairs etc. Im sure someone will dig out the link for the best ssp advice shortly.
Tight lines

[lumpsucker]

Found it

http://www.sea-fishing.org/ftopic-12937-days0-orderasc-0.html

[andyco]

Thanks for the advice guys. Will definatley give roker pier a go sometime (is it really as full of heed-the-baals as people say it is?). And will definitely try the bottom part of shields pier, suppose you're just casting onto littlehaven beach from the hut when the tide is high. Saw a couple of fellas at the first gate on Saturday, don't know if they got anything. That link is really good, cheers,

I found this one as well
Marsden sea fishing mark | Sea Angler Venues | GoFishing

might give South Hylton and Timber Beach a try as well. And might try the Wooden Jetty in Newcastle, so many to try!

Haven't found any mention anywhere about the old velva liquids stretch in shields tough, that's where I used to go when I was a kid.

[mad john]

if you are useing a light sinker it will be pulled into snags as we have had some big tides over the last few days try larger or gripper lead

[andyco]

That could be the case (and was in the wrong places) I was just using plain 4oz leads, and the tide was ebbing and really strong, so on both sides of the piear the water was coming in, towards the sides.

[Juliogeordio]

Velva liquids is now known as 'the walkway' mate.... same place though. Again it can suffer with big tides and a grip lead will help. Most marks in the river are not very snaggy but suffer if it is a big tide.... plus side is there are usually plenty of fish about.

I guess the marks you fish will depend a lot on casting ability... I fish shields pier a fair bit and don't tend to lose many rigs... if you can cast around 100yds and know where to fish it isn't that snaggy.