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East Dorset Rock marks

Steveburt

Steveburt

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Morning,
Looking for advice where to head for a bit of rock fishing, somewhere between Poole and Weymouth. Ideally targeting wrasse and pollack. Ive never rock fished before so looking for a few bites and fairly safe location. Not bothered if I have to hike a long way. Plan is to float fish ragworm or use little lures. I have experience in coarse fishing but switching to sea fishing for something new. So far done a couple of trips to Poole Harbour and caught thanks to advice on here.
Many thanks
 
The rocks start at Swanage, you can use lures at Pevril point and round into Durlston Bay, rocky, weedy and snaggy and shallow but big wrasse and bass live there,.if you don't mind a walk then park at Langton Matravers and fish Dancing Ledge. Many rock marks need specific advice from locals as they can be dangerous, Dancing Ledge is pretty safe but, ideally, you should not fish it alone , I don't do heights so don't do rock marks myself.
 
There's a mark I use to fish on Portland ,think it was called pulpit rock but not sure ,I do remember it used to fish well though,sorry I can't help you more . Mate Tight lines ???
 
Brilliant guys. That's good enough for me to have a bash at. Many thanks. Will try swanage area 1st as that's nearest to me.
 
One of my favourites in the area is Chapmans Pool. There’s a car park for St. Aldhems/Albans Head at the western end of Langton Matravers and a choice of easy or precipitous routes down. It’s very close to Swanage and the tide times are the same.
The bay itself produces Bass, particularly where the freshwater runs into it. But there’s a lot of rock marks from the headland itself, through Chapmans Pool and a little further west before the sea meets the cliffs that produce Bass, pollack, wrasse etc.
It’s worth a walk anyway, I nearly always see Peregrine Falcons and picked up a couple of glow worms one summer night walking back to the car park after a session. My kids’ minds blown.
An investigation at low tide will pay dividends and show the deeper water.
Might I also suggest investing in Sea fishing in Dorset, by Ken Stoker. If you can find a copy. Loads of marks that are still relevant 50 years after he wrote it.
Tight lines.
 
Rob Atkinson said:
One of my favourites in the area is Chapmans Pool. There’s a car park for St. Aldhems/Albans Head at the western end of Langton Matravers and a choice of easy or precipitous routes down. It’s very close to Swanage and the tide times are the same.
The bay itself produces Bass, particularly where the freshwater runs into it. But there’s a lot of rock marks from the headland itself, through Chapmans Pool and a little further west before the sea meets the cliffs that produce Bass, pollack, wrasse etc.
It’s worth a walk anyway, I nearly always see Peregrine Falcons and picked up a couple of glow worms one summer night walking back to the car park after a session. My kids’ minds blown.
An investigation at low tide will pay dividends and show the deeper water.
Might I also suggest investing in Sea fishing in Dorset, by Ken Stoker. If you can find a copy. Loads of marks that are still relevant 50 years after he wrote it.
Tight lines.
Click to expand...
Many thanks I will look for the book.
 
I don’t know what the pollack fishing is like but loads of wrasse at Portland Bill and countless easy access ledges to explore for hundreds of yards from the left of Pulpit.
Along by the cranes is very easy and just a short walk from the car park.
I know you said you’d be happy to walk and there are plenty of other areas such as those mentioned above, but if you just want to get a feel for the Dorset rock fishing, that’s a good easy area to start in.
 
Thanks for the suggestions really helpful. Will check out the locations suggested on Google earth and hopefully give one a go next week.
 
Here's an example of what's in the book
 

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Wolf said:
Looks a interesting book,do you know if he did other books ?
Click to expand...
Ken Stoker wrote a book for just about every county south of Scotland, some Welsh ones included. I assume they’re all out of print now but I remember seeing some in a W H Smiths some years back. I’m sure a search on eBay will show what’s available. Good luck.
 
Rob Atkinson said:
Ken Stoker wrote a book for just about every county south of Scotland, some Welsh ones included. I assume they’re all out of print now but I remember seeing some in a W H Smiths some years back. I’m sure a search on eBay will show what’s available. Good luck.
Click to expand...

It's Hugh Stoker

hugh stoker.jpg
.
 
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