Shore fishing from Swanage and the surrounding area can be very good and the beach can produce some good fish from certain spots. The aim of this page is to try and help people who don’t know the area, so if anyone wants to post any helpful comments or resent catch reports please feel free .
Ocean bay
The beach directly infront of the ocean bay resaturant towards the north end of swanage bay, can be a very productive part of the beach. I’ve had my best results at night on the flood tide and Rag worm being one of the best baits. I’ve always caught a very mixed bag on this part of the beach.
Last week I spent a few hours down on the pier , the fishing was quite slow with just a few rockling and small pout.We fished off the concert section at the start of the pier , I often fish this part through the winter months and have had some good flounders eels and bassin the past. The pier is a great place to fish if your just getting into the sport or your with the kids through the summer months they can catch small wrasse and pollack all day on ragworm, from may to september you can have some great sport float fishing with light gear for mackerel pollack and garfish .I fish the float around six feet using a small hook and strips of mackerel, In the past ive had some good bass free lining live smelt which can be great fun.
The beach directly below the Grand Hotel towards the north side of the bay is a good mark . There is a rocky ledge in easy casting distance from the shore. I’ve fished this mark more in the evening and at night because the beach is just too busy in the day. I’ve had some good bass up to 5lb but have seen a few doubles come out in the past also nice size congers, triggers, dogfish, bream and sole with lots of pout to keep you busy. A wide range of baits work here so I would give most things a go.
Friday night, me and my friend Owen headed to a spot called third shelter, which funny enough is the third shelter along the seafront. I’ve had my best results there through September and October on the last hour of the flood and first couple of the ebb having used ragworm. On Friday we had a handful of small pout, rockling and Owen had a small bass. I’ve had a real mixed bag there in the past including some good red mullet up to 2lb and nice sole to.
