South Coast Fort Gillkicker

[Kenny84]

Fished Gillkicker last night ( I put a few google map photos up if your not local and wonder where these places actually are)

Got set up just after low tide 1600ish and fished to an hour past high tide until midnight.

New moon, spring tide 0.8m to 4.55m picked a “nice” spot with a the deep water around 90 yards out. Flat calm water.

It’s very close to the Portsmouth harbour shipping entrance so the tide flow is pretty good here although the ferries do come quite close in so not sure how this will affect fishing.

Zero wind! Which I was highly delighted with after 20/40mph winds for the best part of a month. Bloody cold though with the temperature dropping to -2 by the end of the session.


Still have my sights set on catching a Ray which constantly eludes me!

A few hours into the session hordes of anglers were trudging up the beach (I counted roughly 20) turns out there is a match on!

I had a couple of nibbles with bait coming back pecked at I was suspecting small whiting not big enough for the 3/0 hooks I had on.

Then bang I had a nice pull down on the rod. I pulled into it and started winding in with a fair bit of wait on it it’s either weed or…. Could it be? I carried on winding in nice a smooth keeping tension on he line then SNAG! I couldn’t believe it furiously marching up and down the beach trying to get a different angle to pull free, I let out some slack line hoping the tide or the possible fish might free me of it but no SNAP! We will never know!

2 hours before high the dogs were in 6 of them in total, I hit a snag 4 times in the session losing 2 sets of gear, I’m not sure if it’s the ledge where the deep water channel is or something else but after switching to pulley rigs and winding in faster I seemed to be able to get over whatever it was. (Marine chart pic of the spot I fished)

I noticed a few others 50m to my left and right getting snagged up too.

I fished pretty hard with new bait going out every 20-30mins and the tide and weather we perfect so I gave myself the best chance of catching the target, I spoke to around 10 anglers who were walking back after the match and it was a similar story with whiting and dogs.

Will get out again next weekend and try again!

Tight lines everyone!

 

[Trampster]

Brilliant report Kenny - Enjoyed reading that. Great photos too. Lovely little Doggyfish!

 

[chesilpete]

Great report..... the ray will come massive fresh fish baits would be my go to, fresh anything oily from the supermarkets over frozen everytime for me!

 

[Phis]

Great report and pictures Kenny

 

[Kenny84]

Great report..... the ray will come massive fresh fish baits would be my go to, fresh anything oily from the supermarkets over frozen everytime for me!

Thanks Pete, I think I’ll try experimenting with baits, I had frozen bluey, mackerel and squid with me. It’s really hard to tell how good anything is as everything is marketed as “fresh, blast frozen, unwashed for added scent, blah blah blah” especially when they all come in vacuum sealed bags, who knows how many times a whole sale pack has been defrosted and split into smaller packs then re frozen etc.

I’ll keep my eye out on the discounted sections of the supermarket, I love eating fish so it’ll be 50/50 if it makes it to the beach or straight in my belly!

 

[J Richards]

Fresh Macks have worked for me wrapped with half a squid

 

[Goateeblank]

Thanks for the info on the area. Hope you get a ray soon.

 

[Tatunka joe]

Good going ma mate shame about the lost one bud

 

[Chalton]

Hard venue to fish kicker the closer to the Fort the more snags me I'd go round to the first set of groins mackerel and sand eel baits no more than 50 yard honestly the undies get close there good chance of a spotted Ray awell I've fished that beach for years it nearly broke me lol hasler sea wall end of Feb starts to show some good rays if you need any help on gosport pm me bud

 

[Bigfish]

Thanks for the report I'm there this weds, but further left I find not so snaggy a mate of mines there now(sun eve) getting dogs and ting but a lot nearer the carpark.

 

[Chalton]

the 2 red areas are relatively snag free

 

[Kenny84]

View attachment 38880the 2 red areas are relatively snag free

will try by those groins just around the point next time. Thanks for the top tips as always

 

[Wolf]

Nice one mate great catches, piccys and write up well done,tight lines for when you go next