General Questions

[Lensomatic]

Hello everyone

Long time reader, first time poster.

I'm just getting back into fishing after a long absence. I've got myself a variety of dexter wedges, silver fish etc and fancy doing some spinning. I see loads of posts on here about Blyth Pier and Seaton Sluice which are both close to me.

Hoping you can help with the following:

1. On Blyth pier, I take it the seaward side fishes best? Are there hotspots along the pier such as at the dog leg or right at the end? Also, are there heavy tackle losses of it or is it quite a clean bottom?

2. What's the ground like off the rocks at Seaton Sluice? Would it also be a good candidate for a bit of float fishing and if so what baits/hook sizes?


Thanks for your help.
Aaron

[willywetegg]

Hi Aaron and welcome to NESA, Blyth pier usually fishes best for Mackerel from the very end. That is unfortunately the area that also attracts the people that you would'nt usually be wanting to fish next to for fear of getting a hook in your head or face as some of them act like they are the only person there. When the mackerel shoals are in on a regular basis you will get them all along the pier but when it's quiet the end is the best. There are snags all over the place off the pier but a lot of it is a sandy bottom too.

The ground off the rocks at the sluice is mixed too, it's not a place I've ever thought of float fishing from but I suppose any rocky mark could be worth a try. I have had Coley from there so they would be canny on a float rig and it could be possible to get other species from there too. The small jetty there is worth a try early morning and late evening as long as there is not loads of fresh water coming from the burn.

Along the south end of Collywell bay might be good for your float fishing, I have'nt had a go there but some of the marks are deep enough and it will only be a short distance for you.

Jim.

[5150]

Hey mate. My area and fish it off and on but usually short sessions with wife/kids/job etc.

Times, for me I find dawn and dusk tides at all marks seem best, maybe that's just because they're the ones I'm most often out on!

Blyth Pier - Seaward side yes, but also the bay if you have a 2nd rod - check out the "Peeping Tom" line of rocks and note where it is though! Bay side can be snaggy with the wrong cast.
End, but aye it gets busy at the obvious times.
When the Mackeral show up don't bother on a weekend especially in the school holidays unless you're getting there before dawn breaks.
Bend in the middle can fish nicely at times.
There's some snaggy old junk or rocks at times between the bend and the end, hit and miss to find it.
High tide halfway between the shore and bend can actually produce some nice fish, but you need a sea running, if it's flat calm then it's usually small stuff and flatties.

S/Sluice - rocks, snaggy but do fish, best bet is to scratch and just try then move if nothing.
Breakwater, go down at low tide and note the positions of the rocks around it, a couple are a pain for snagging on the retrieve, fishing various, high tide only about 2hrs each side I find. I do 2 rods, one straight out and one to about 1-2 O'Clock near the rocky island rock edges (to the right when you're facing the end).

Wansbeck - estuary for flatties, mouth for others, watch the tidal rip on the inlet stretch. again High tide mark.

Cullercoats - south pier on the high tide but watch for any swell, it WILL come over the top if there's movement. Snaggy so use junk as weights to save money. Low tide south side on the rocks, again snaggy, fishes well at times but not in big catch numbers.

Druridge bay - mostly sand, lots of flatties but you need to walk it at low tide and find the holes, parking is usually okay but at times there's travellers messing the place up, not accusing them of owt but I tend to avoid it when they're around.

Blyth Harbour - pretty naff these days, wouldn't waste the bait. Up river behind the industrial estate is a mix of mud and rocks, used to throw some nice flounders up back in the late 80's, wouldn't eat them mind Not fished it in a long time though. Again check it low tide to note the rocks. Spot we used to fish was in off the first main entrance where the hand car was place is, drive to the end which has a sharp right and about halfway along that stretch.

[Lensomatic]

Thanks for the great replies lads. Just what I wanted to know.

5150- I've had my eye on all those marks (except maybe the harbour) so thanks for the heads up.

As a general bait around Seaton Sluice/ Blyth do you find Ragworm works best? Not got any particular species in mind for now. Would just be pleased to catch!

[Lensomatic]

actually- I've just been reading other posts. Rag cocktails seem to be the way to go.

[5150]

I usually buy rag and runnydown, with mackeral if I'm looking for flatties. Tend to skip fresh lug more and more these days with the price and size of the worms not comparing to runny by a long shot.

You can get squid and nice hook size razors (whole in winter or half them in summer) cheap at Wing Hong chinese supermarket in Newcastle (Stowell street). makes for some cheap extra bait - i just re-freeze anything I don't use and it's handy to have for some additional bait that you can bag up in suitable amounts.

[The Great Wallsendo]

Welcome to the site

[Lowrider]

One area in Blyth i have been meaning to try is the wooden pier that runs from the round-a-bout to the Alcan loading dock.
On the Cambois side.
Never seen anyone fishing there and just fancy something different.

[daddytim]

i think that pier is closed actually you know mate