SHORE: Shore marks at the western end of Chesil beach such as Abbotsbury, West Bexington and Cogden should yield excellent catches of plaice throughout the month with Cogden having the edge. Lugworm is the number one bait although ragworm will also be the downfall of many 3lb fish. I have found over the years that the last hour of the flood and the first two hours of the ebb to be the most rewarding. Fish a rolling lead. A calm, clear sea is also essential if plaice are to be caught in numbers along with dabs. If rough conditions prevail, anglers will be pestered by small pout, rockling and dogfish. The Weymouth end of Chesil will also produce a few plaice along with pout and codling. Pollack should also start to show in good numbers from the rocks off Portland Cove especially in areas where there is a good tide run such as Pulpit Rock at the Bill. Purbeck rock stations will start to come alive with pollack the first on the scene followed by small wrasse in numbers especially at Winspit, Dancing Ledge and Seacombe. There's also a good chance of an early bass or two putting in an appearance at Kimmeridge with mackerel bait taking most fish.
BOAT: Anglers out wrecking from Weymouth should find some hefty ling, pollack and cod while dogfish, blonde and thornback ray, pout and conger will show from inshore marks. A few bass can also be expected for boats working the Portland race while pollack will show in numbers over the wreck of the Hood in the southern entrance to Portland harbour. Anglers fishing from Poole will start to pick up a few decent blonde, thornback and undulate rays along with pollack, pout and dogfish. Small boat anglers drifting in the Southbourne area will find pollack and a few good plaice landed in some of the deeper channels in Poole harbour. Flounder will be set to return although many of these will be in poor condition. Anglers heading afloat from both West Bay and Lyme Regis will pick up some good plaice with pollack and small conger over rough ground. A few blonde, thornback, small-eyed and undulate ray will also show towards the end of the month.
