River Crouch

[Paul Goodwin]

Hello All!
Anyone got any tips on fishing the River crouch, baits, marks etc.

 

[dave godwin 3]

Hi Paul fish from the "hole in the wall" park at essex marina ans walk east you will see old sea wall has a gap in it walk to the furthest arm and fish by a pile of breeze blocks. fish the flood tide from lowwater up choose small to medium tides as it runs hard lug and squid are best through the winter either together or on their own

Dave Godwin

 

[Paul Goodwin]

Thanks Dave. I'll give it a go!

 

[Ian Pickering]

Paul, before you go let me tell you what I know about the R. Crouch.
I've fished the hole in the wall lots, why I kept at it I shall never know, it's crap. A long walk for nothing. Why not set up on the jetty to the left as you face the customs office on the wall,the boat jetty that is next to the timber yard, not the new one. The security guy can be a bit funny, it is private, but I normally get away with it, be nice to him and don't turn the light on. There is often a boat moored which makes life a bit difficult but if its empty chuck one straight out and you might get the odd whiting or dab. I use mackeral for whiting and lug for dabs, frozen blacks if you can get them. This time of year you can feather for herrings down the piles of the jetty. The tide runs at about 20 knots under the platform and there is no barrier, be v v careful, out in the main channel it will rip a 6 oz grip lead straight out when it's running hard. I'd advise you to do what I did, find somewhere else to fish, Kent coast is 2 hours drive from me but I can catch fish there.

 

[Paul Goodwin]

Thanks for that Ian, I don't think I'll put it high on my top spots to fish from! I fished Bradwell beach yesterday, along with a few others but nobody was catching. Know anything about Bradwell?

 

[Jeff]

Depending on what the weather is like I would advice you to get out on a boat from Bradwell, Look up a boat called The King Fisher, run by John Rawle, probably got a website... I've been out with them before and took some good bass with the 2 best being 4.5lb and 5lb! Unlike a lot of pretenders these guys really know how to put you over the fish...

If not and you do want to stick to dry land then you could try the beach by the Bradwell power station. The water usually gets quite choppy round there and you don't need a long cast to get at the fish. My Dad and I have had some good eels and flounder around there...

 

[Ian Pickering]

Hi Paul
I've not been on the site for a while so sorry for a late reply. I have fished at Bradwell many times but it's another spot that I no longer bother with due to the lack of fish, having said that I have had 40+ whiting in a session there (all no more than 6").
As you walk up the steps over the seawall turn left and find the pill box. In front of this is a gully (check it out at low tide) which sometimes fills up with pin whiting. A bit further on you will see a spit that runs out towards the water intake. You can fish there and get the odd dab at extreme range. Lug are the only bait worth using, which you can buy, even late in the evening, from Robbie, look for the sign in the front garden of his house in Latchingdon (or the Xmas lights this time of year!!! - you'll know what I mean when you see them).
It's still the same old story though; better fish in better places.
I was on Folkestone pier yesterday evening, 4 whiting, 2 dabs and a pout, all to frozen black lug and all keepers.

 

[Paul Goodwin]

Cheers Ian,

I have fished at Bradwell, with lug but no luck so far, I might give it another try! I dont live that far from Robbie so thats where I normally get my bait. I'll let you know how I get on with my next Nuclear powered session!!