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Planning a trip to Chesil for my son and I

adyzaky

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Jun 17, 2021
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Feltham, West London
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Hello lads, hope you're all well and safe!

I'm planning on a trip to Chesil with my little boy for some Mackerel fishing, I've been angling for 12 months now and have spent most my trips going to Dungeness and catching nothing but Whiting and Dogs. Have never caught a Macky....ever (Embarrassing, I know).

Though I'd try somewhere else and have been reading a few threads here about Chesil and have watched a few YouTube videos, the trek from West London is around 2.5 hours drive so want to do as much research as I can to give my self the best chance at catching some Mackys.

I have a few questions which I hope some members can be kind enough to answer.

1. I hear the best time to go is when the tide is coming in just before dusk, does that sound about right?
2. Dragons Teeth or West Bexley? (I hear there's a lesser known, easier trek to Dragons Teeth from the carpark?)
3. Thinking of using feathers and Toby's, will also take some lugs and lures for a try at Bass, these sound ok?


Would really appreciate any pointers, want to make a nice day of it with my boy and look a little competent lol.
 
If you have never fished there, just keep an eye out on the swell.
Rogue waves sometimes come in and wash well up the beach.
 
You didn't say how old your boy is, Chesil is a boring place for a child, unless of course he likes pebbles as far as the eye can see.

Many people have a dream of popping down to Chesil and catching a bucketful of mackerel only to find a beach with 'anglers' nearly shoulder to shoulder and hurling feathers generally, but not always, seaward. or, perhaps worse finding a clear space and feathering all day for nothing.

I caught mackerel at Dungeness in the past when I lived in Kent, I'm sure they are caught there still..

Mackerel shoals come and go, there's a lot of sea for them to hide in. If you read through forum reports of first times at Chesil you will find more 'caught nothing all day but at least I've fished the famous Chesil' than 'went and caught loads', don't set your hopes too high..
 
You didn't say how old your boy is, Chesil is a boring place for a child, unless of course he likes pebbles as far as the eye can see.

Many people have a dream of popping down to Chesil and catching a bucketful of mackerel only to find a beach with 'anglers' nearly shoulder to shoulder and hurling feathers generally, but not always, seaward. or, perhaps worse finding a clear space and feathering all day for nothing.

I caught mackerel at Dungeness in the past when I lived in Kent, I'm sure they are caught there still..

Mackerel shoals come and go, there's a lot of sea for them to hide in. If you read through forum reports of first times at Chesil you will find more 'caught nothing all day but at least I've fished the famous Chesil' than 'went and caught loads', don't set your hopes too high..

Boy is only 5, but he loves watching me fish, he absolutely loves the shores!

I guess that's the thing, if there's no Mackerel around where I fish, then I'm not catching any (A bit obvious lol, I know), so a huge element of luck...

Just trying to see if I can give my self the best chance etc.
 
Boy is only 5, but he loves watching me fish, he absolutely loves the shores!

I guess that's the thing, if there's no Mackerel around where I fish, then I'm not catching any (A bit obvious lol, I know), so a huge element of luck...

Just trying to see if I can give my self the best chance etc.

Take him to Swanage Pier and let him catch his own fish, plenty of other things to do when he gets bored, beach, open top bus, steam trains....
 
Hot times for mackerel are dawn, dusk and the first hour of the flood. Pick a big spring tide, coinciding with calm settled conditions. North, North East, and East winds will help casting distance. Early days for mackerel, still hit and miss. They normally begin to shoal and become easier to catch from about the second week in July. Personally I would think about heading to the masonic end of chesil, deeper water, shorter walk with shops and a pub close by. Might be worth buying some mackerel gar pop up rigs, bit more sporting and fun. Just lob into the bottom of the gutter and wait for the shoal to go past.
 
Hot times for mackerel are dawn, dusk and the first hour of the flood. Pick a big spring tide, coinciding with calm settled conditions. North, North East, and East winds will help casting distance. Early days for mackerel, still hit and miss. They normally begin to shoal and become easier to catch from about the second week in July. Personally I would think about heading to the masonic end of chesil, deeper water, shorter walk with shops and a pub close by. Might be worth buying some mackerel gar pop up rigs, bit more sporting and fun. Just lob into the bottom of the gutter and wait for the shoal to go past.

Thank you. I'm actually looking to go down the first week of July. Is the Masonic end by the Masonic Car Park? Good place to fish?
 
Not a bad shout that! Do Mackys come visit there? :)
Sometimes, we usually float fish for them. If you ever visit Swanage then with a bit of notice I could meet you there, even sort out some tackle for the lad to use
 
I’d head for cogden less busy than other venues but will still Chuck up the goods gars and macs as the sun goes down lovely fishing but in stead of chucking 6 feathers on your lad will far prefer float fishing for them especially the gar one foot trace seeing that float shoot across the water then the gar leaping out far more rewarding than skull dragging 6 at a time up the beach mate
 
I’d head for cogden less busy than other venues but will still Chuck up the goods gars and macs as the sun goes down lovely fishing but in stead of chucking 6 feathers on your lad will far prefer float fishing for them especially the gar one foot trace seeing that float shoot across the water then the gar leaping out far more rewarding than skull dragging 6 at a time up the beach mate

Thanks mate, appreciate the advice.
 
Yes, in front of the masonic car park. No walk and usually quiet except for when the rays are about.
 
The divers are in the cove much further around. The masonic can be a little snaggy in places, but the further west you go the cleaner it gets. Good area for summer species bream Gurnards plaice triggers etc...
 
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