North & North West
These are probably the most dramatic of Jersey’s forty-five miles of shoreline. The three and four hundred foot cliffs provide long sloping headlands which, here and there, give access to deep water marks ideal for shore fishing.
Big wrasse will snap up a green crab as big as a fifty pence piece among the boulder filled gullies on this coast and, when working a plug out in the deeper water, hungry bass can hit the lure like an express train. The north coast is garfish country too. Eight pound line and light float tackle will tempt them and put a very satisfying bend in a carp rod. You could also contact a hefty conger or two but generally they are a night-time quarry and the fishing can be superb. Occasionally the cliffs are cut by wooded valleys leading down to tiny harbours which provide a less rugged means of getting a bait into the water. Here you’ll find cafes, toilets, parking facilities, pubs, small beaches and terminal bus routes from St. Helier. Starting from the north west corner of the Island, the bays with road access are; Gréve de Lecq Bay, Bonne Nuit Bay, Bouley Bay and Rozel Bay. Each of these bays has a pier and there is access to promontories on either side.
The piers are very popular among local anglers in early summer when big black bream move in shore. If you combine your angling with natural history, the north coast features fulmar petrels, a number of shag colonies, lesser and greater black-backed gulls, herring gulls and puffins. There are also wild flowers and butterflies in profusion along the cliff walks linking the bays.
GREVE DE LECQ
Located on the north coast of the island, this pier is a great favourite with local anglers, especially from dusk into darkness when any number of different species can be caught from the mark, on a variety of baits. The adjacent sandy beach also fishes well when there is not too much weed in the water, as do the rocks to the left of the pier where Mullet can be regularly found in the gullies. The mark is well served by car parking available at the pier head and close to the beach, and is illuminated at night. Most angling is carried out 2 hours before and after high water, though in the hours of darkness, Bass will often feed on large static deadbaits in only inches of water provided there is no disturbance.
The mark is especially popular in rough weather when many fish seek the shelter of the bay.
Species
The pier is especially popular for those in search of Rays and Bass, but depending on the time of year, many other species can be caught including Conger, Bream, Pouting, Wrasse, Pollack, Gars, Mullet, Mackerel, Sole, Plaice, and Dogfish. In the coldest months of the year large squid can be jigged under the lights of the pier.
Bait
The choice of baits that will catch is almost as long as the list of species, but most anglers prefer to use worm, sand-eel and squid. Mullet anglers use fish strip and bread flake combined with minced fish and bread groundbait known locally as ‘chirvy’.
Tackle
Medium sized beach casting gear will cope with the broken ground around the pier, with better casters being able to reach clean sand located about 80yds directly out to sea. A drop net is essential to land the larger species.
Most anglers fish either two hook paternosters or short flowing traces attached to ordinary leads to search out the fish.
Getting There
From St. Helier, the capital, take the A2 west as far as the A12 turn off at Beaumont and then stay on the A12 through to St Ouen’s Village. Continue on the A12 until the right hand turn of the B65 which will take you down to the bay.
Tackle Shop
Best equipped shops are JFS Sport in either Green St. or the fish market in St. Helier. Although bait and rudimentary items of gear can be purchased at St. Ouen’s Motorworks on the main road.
Sorel Point
This north coast promontory enjoys fabulous views across to the French coast as well as other islands in the Channel group such as Sark and Guernsey. The fierce tidal run that flows past the point is famed locally for its Mackerel fishing, with most anglers casting feathers and small spinners into the tide and retrieving at high speed. Pollack and Bass also feed here and are often caught on artificial lures. Ballan wrasse inhabit the kelpy rough ground closer to shore and can reach specimen size, best method for these is float fished green crab.
Bottom fishing can be hazardous due to the rough terrain, but anglers fishing with heavy tackle can expect to occasionally land Rays, Dogfish and Conger.
Species
In spring and summer, Mackerel are the main species present, with Pollack and Bass always a possibility. Wrasse fishing can be excellent in the warmer months.
Bait
Feathers, small metal lures, and spoons will take Mackerel, with larger artificials such as YO-ZURI minnows, Rapalas, and Redgills best for Pollack and Bass. Most productive static baits are sand-eel, squid, and mackerel fillet. Green shore crab and peelers are best for Ballan Wrasse.
Tackle
Light, to medium spinning rods for fishing with lures, and for the bottom fishing medium to heavy beachcasting rods and reels in the 7500 class.
Getting There
Follow the A9 as far as St. John’s village, then turn right on to La Route Du Nord (C101) which will take you past Ronez quarry. Once past the quarry there is another right hand turn which leads to the point. There is space for a couple of cars close to the viewing point from which can take the short walk to the rock mark below.
Bonne Nuit Bay
Situated on the north coast of the island, this pretty little bay is a great favourite with local anglers who fish for early season Mackerel and Garfish during the day and for larger species such as Ray and Bass at night. The harbour is home to a whole host of commercial and privately owned boats, and their mooring lines make fishing in the inner harbour almost impossible. To seaward however, many species visit the area to feed on the abundance of bait present, and can be caught at short range as well as long distance. The bay is very busy during daylight hours and most anglers therefore prefer to fish there during the early hours and in darkness. Specimen sized Bass have been caught in very shallow water by anglers who have kept disturbance levels to a minimum. The pier is very popular with anglers in search of Bream in the spring and early summer, but the nearby rock marks are also worth trying for Bass on plugs, and Mullet on breadflake and groundbait. Large Wrasse can be caught on either ledgered, or float fished shore Crab, both from the pier and from the nearby gutters and gullies.
Species
Depending on the time of year, this bay is visited, or is a permanent home to many species including: Bass, Bream, Rays, Pouting, Pollack, Mackerel, Conger, Wrasse, Mullet, Garfish, and the ubiquitous Dogfish. In the coldest of winter months the pier head is a local hot spot for large Squid that run to three and four pounds, and can be caught on jigs under the lights of the structure.
Bait
Conger and Rays prefer a whole fish, or large fillet fished hard on the bottom, with most other species prepared to take a variety of worm and fish baits. Fresh and frozen sand-eel is very popular with local anglers, and those fishing for Bream tend to prefer paternostered Squid strip. Mullet, Mackerel, and Garfish will all accept float-fished fish strip and breadflake, especially when combined with minced fish groundbait. Live green shore crab is the best bait for the large Wrasse.
Tackle
Medium to heavy beachcasters are required to extricate Conger and Rays from the rough ground in front, and at the back of the pier, but for most other species a Bass rod will suffice to fish bottom baits at medium range. Locals prefer simple, strong, end rigs for the larger species, and paternosters for Bream and Pouting. Sliding float rigs work well for Pollack and Bass as they chase the fry along the wall.
Getting There
From St. Helier travel north on the Grande Route De St. Jean as far as St. John’s village before turning onto the B52 at the side of the Jersey Pearl building. Follow this road for half a mile until a left hand turning that is signposted for Bonne Nuit. The road down to the bay is very winding and should be negotiated at slow speed, particularly at the very bottom of the hill. There are car parking spaces for twenty or so cars on the pier, with overflow spots available further up the hill.
Bouley Bay
This picturesque bay is located on the north coast of the island, and is very popular with local anglers, especially during the hours of darkness, when some excellent catches can be made. The pier can be easily accessed and is a safe and productive mark from which to fish, although the beach, and the rock marks to either side of the bay are also worth a try for several species.
Species
The relatively deep water at high tide attracts many different species to feed in the area, and anglers can target Bream, Rays, Bass, Pouting, Dogfish, with a variety of baits and methods. Flatfish also frequent the mark, and normally fall to worm baits. In summer the pier is visited by shoals of Mackerel that can be caught on feathers cast and retrieved from the wall. In the coldest months of the winter, good sized Squid can be caught on jigs from beneath the pier lights during the hours of darkness. Mackerel feathers and Squid jigs work well in season.
Bait
Squid strip fished on paternoster rigs work best for the Bream and Pouting, with mackerel strip and fish fillets working well for Rays, Bass, and Conger.
Tackle
Standard beachcasting rods and reels will cover most techniques, with heavier tackle only required when targeting Conger and Rays. A drop net is very useful when landing larger specimens.
Getting There
From St. Helier, take the A8, La Route De La Trinite, turning right at the ‘T’ junction onto the B31, before turning left onto the C102 La Rue Du Boulay which winds its way down to the bay. Parking is available on and near to the pierhead.
Rozel Bay
Set at the bottom of a wooded valley on the north coast of Jersey, this picture-postcard harbour is very popular with local and visiting anglers alike, and has the benefit of providing an ideal location for the rest of the family to enjoy while the angler wets a line. The beach is home to a small fishing fleet and their mooring lines mean that one must fish from the pier out to sea to avoid fouling them. At the eastern and of the bay the rocky coastline stretches round Le Couperon point and into the next bay, known as Le Scaie, and all this ground provides excellent Bass fishing at low water, although great care should be taken when there is a swell. The bay is particularly well suited to fishing at first light and into darkness when the disturbance levels drop dramatically and fish can be caught very close to shore.
Species
In spring, summer, and autumn the mark is well known for producing a whole host of species from Mackerel, Gars, Bream, and Wrasse during the day, and Rays, Bass, and Pouting at night.
Plugging for Bass is very successful with a variety of lures cast into the tide run and kelp filled gullies. In the coldest months of winter, the pier head attracts large Squid which can be jigged beneath the harbour lights.
Bait
From the pier, fish baits such as sand-eel, mackerel and squid work well at night, with more fish falling to worm baits during daylight hours. Mackerel will take feathers in late spring, and Bass can be caught from the rocks to the east on shallow diving and surface lures.
Tackle
Medium size beachcasting rods and reels will cope with most situations from the pier, coupled with standard paternoster or running ledger end rigs. Grip leads can be an advantage when fishing at times of strong tide, or in rough weather, when the mark fishes particularly well.
Standard spinning rods and fixed spool reels are ideal for the rock marks to the east.
Getting There
This can be a little tricky with a whole host of small lanes leading off in different directions on this coast, but the best way is to drive to St. Martin on the B30 and then take the right hand turn past the Royal Hotel on to the Grande Route De Rozel ( B38). Follow this road until a T junction and then turn right and stay on this road down the valley to the harbour. To fish Le Saie for Bass, turn right onto the B91 halfway down to the bay and then take a left towards Le Saie and Le Coup, which are both signposted.
White Rock
This spectacularly beautiful rock mark is situated on the north coast of Jersey and offers tremendous views of the French coastline some fifteen miles distant. The headland juts out into the fierce tidal run that this area is subject to, and provides excellent ground for a whole number of predatory species to feed. The path down to the fishing area is quite steep in places and requires a certain level of fitness and agility to reach safely and return from, but can be well worth the effort. The top of the headland provides a perfect picnic area for the family and offers panoramic views of the whole coastline and the French mainland.
Species
White Rock is well known on the island for the quality of its Gar fishing in early spring, but the mark also holds Bass, Pollack, Mackerel, Bream, and Conger.
Bait
Float- fished Mackerel and Gar strip are best for the Garfish, especially when combined with minced fish groundbait, or ‘shirvy’ as it is locally known. Bass and Pollack will take ledgered fish baits such as Mackerel and sand-eel, as will conger, particularly at night. Most Bream fall to paternostered squid strip fished into the run. The mark can also produce good bags to artificial lures fished in the turbulent areas with the choice of lure being dependant on the rate of flow.
Tackle
Light spinning gear has the advantage of being suitable for both float fishing for the Gars and plugging for Bass and Pollack. Medium to heavy beachcasters will be needed when bottom fishing as the ground is quite rough and tackle losses are inevitable. Rotten bottom rigs are recommended, especially for Conger.
Getting There
From the village of St. Martin, follow the signs to Jersey Zoo on the B31, and then turn right on to the Rue Du Pot Du Rocquier just before the zoo entrance. This road leads onto the C93 north coast road which descends down to Rozel Bay. Just before entering the bay, there is a left hand turn, La Rue du Catel which climbs up the hill again and leads to a turn off to the car parking area on top of the headland. From the car park, head over the point and follow the path down to the gulley at the bottom and then carefully cross over to the outcrop beyond. Follow the track down to the point and fish from the last set of rocks. This mark should only be fished either side of low water to avoid being cut off by the incoming tide, and should never be fished alone, or by anyone with fitness problems. Night fishing the mark should only be considered when accompanied by an experienced angler who knows the terrain.