Barry Dock Blankers Marks
Some of our favourite marks
Cold Knap Barry
We like this venue, it's easy access, free parking and you can fish out of the boot of the car, although we like to travel a bit further towards the point on the left of the beach, the pebbles are bigger (We call them anklebreakers) but the fishing here can be better as the beach is relatively featureless, and as the tide floods, the flow is right-to-left and more food gets deposited here as the point deflects the tide and slows it down.
Best fished at night, and about 3 hours before high and 2 hours back, but can be fished any stage of tide but forget flat calm and no wind, all you'll catch is small pouting, it needs a bit of a breeze. The beach faces South West, so Easterly winds push against the tide on the flood, churns the water up into foam and the fishing is slow, ideally the wind needs to be Westerly. Spring tides up to 15m Barry scale require some care as the tide moves fast. This is perfect for rays, whiting, codling etc. Medium to neap tides for strap conger, best targetted over the high water period with whole mackerel fillet of a couple of squid on a pulley rig. Getting through the dogfish can be hard sometimes. All together we have caught at Cold Knap - Codling, Conger, Whiting, Pouting, Dogfish, Rays, mostly spotted and thornbacks, Rockling, Turbot. Best bait is mackerel.
The Short Arm - Port Talbot Tidal Harbour
A permit is needed to fish here, available from ABP in Swansea. It's a breakwater that forms the tidal harbour, and it really is a fantastic summer venue. It's a good 20 minute walk to the end but you can fish off the wall about half way along and most anglers do. We however prefer to fish from the rocks towards the end. Access can be a bit difficult but the fish are within easy casting range of a float.
Best fished on medium to neap tides, summer fishing has produced for us - Bass, Mackerel, Garfish, Pollack, Wrasse, Gurnards, Blennies etc Winter fishing we've had Whiting Pouting, Dogfish, Rays, Congers and Dabs.
Barry Waterfront - Known as Barry Dock
This area can be fishined a variety of ways, you can use normal beachcasting gear down to fly gear. What most people do is to float fish or spin.
If you decide to float fish, please be aware that the water can range in depth from a few inches deep to over 30 feet deep, and, that is within a short distance of the fishing platforms. Also be aware that there is little or no current or tides to consider, although, they sometimes open the lock gates to let one or two cargo ships in!
With regard to species, all I can say is what I know to have been caught or seen caught!
Thick Lipped mullet to double figures
Bass to double figures
Golden Grey Mullet to over 1 1/2lb
Ballan Wrasse to 6lb
Conger eel to over 25lb
Green eel to over 3lb
Various ray to over 7lb
Pollack to over 4lb
Black bream only small
Whiting to over 2lb
Pouting to over 1lb
Dogfish to over 1 1/2lb
I have seen garfish swimming just under the surface plus the odd angler fish being caught in a landing net!
With regard bait, the normal sea baits work well as long as it has a bit of movement. Ragworm hooked just below the head seem to work well for a lot of the species but, for the thick lipped mullet, bread works well as long as you are prepared to put in some groundbait.
If you stay on the main platforms, in front of the flats, then you do not really need any form of light as there is plenty there. You are also not to far from the car!
The Long Arm - Port Talbot Tidal Harbour
Like it's neighbour the Short Arm, a permit is required to fish here, available from the Corus Sports Club.
More to follow