West Coast

St. Ouen’s Bay

Popular with surfers and wind-surfers, this five mile long Atlantic facing beach is a genuine enigma in that it is fished so rarely by local anglers. The golden sands of the strand lead on to rock gullies and reef formations that teem with bait of all sorts and divers report regular sightings of large shoals of Sole,  Plaice, Mullet, and Bass close to shore. Low water fishermen enjoy tremendous catches of Lobster and Crab, and yet despite the overwhelming evidence in its favour, the beach is subject to virtually no angling pressure. Visiting anglers well versed in the techniques suitable to this type of mark would surely enjoy consistent catches of many species, as well as having an un-tapped area for bait gathering. At the northern end of the bay is the L’Etacq  reef and headland that is popular with Bass fishermen who spin and plug from the slip and in the gullies close to shore, and at the southern end the Rocco Tower is a Napoleonic structure that is accessible at low water and can be fished through the night in safety.

In short, the beach presents a wonderful opportunity to anglers who are prepared to experiment with various tactics at different stages of the tide, particularly at night. Wading is generally quite safe, but there are areas that are subject to undertow  and cross currents, and fishing alone is therefore not to be recommended.
Fishing at high tide from the sea wall often produces very large Bass, but the wall is subject to swells breaching over its length in very rough weather.

Species

The bay is a nursery area for many species and therefore is subject to the attention of predators such as Bass and Pollack which take advantage of the massive levels of natural bait present. Flatfish of several types also feed well on the vast beds of Lugworm  found throughout the whole length of the beach. Spear-fishermen regularly report sightings of shoals of very large Thin-Lipped Mullet, but as yet none have fallen to rod anglers in any numbers.

Bait

Standard baits for Bass and flats such as worm and sand-eel should work well, with peeler crab sure to produce fish. The best plan is to examine the area you wish to fish at low water and then utilise the natural bait present when fishing the tide up.

Tackle

Light to medium beach casting gear should cover most situations, with a mobile approach probably being most successful. Spinning gear will produce Bass, as will fly fishing with sand-eel imitations in the surf line.

Getting There

From St. Peter’s Village, take the B41 down Jubilee Hill which leads on down to the bay. There are numerous parking areas along the whole length of the beach where toilets and refreshments can be found.

Tackle Shops

The nearest tackle shop is in St.Ouen’s village at the St. Ouen’s Motorworks garage shop, where fresh and frozen bait and most tackle items are available.

Corbiere Lighthouse

Probably one of the most photographed spots on the whole of the island, the lighthouse at Corbiere stands guard over the western approaches to Jersey and warns shipping of the dangers of the Jailers reef that lies in wait for the unwary. Located at the southern end of St. Ouen’s Bay, the point is subject to fierce tidal runs and large swells and the rock that forms a platform for the light is cut off at high tide. Either side of low water however, the area is fishable with a large degree of caution, but can at times produce some wonderful sport and be well worth the effort needed to access the mark. Although other species including Conger and Wrasse can be caught here, the whole area screams Bass, with most anglers choosing to fish a variety of lures in the boils and turbulent gullies that surround the light, and the rocks on either side.

There is a slipway out to the lighthouse that is very popular with tourists, who are warned of the incoming tide by a siren sounded some time before the area gets cut off. The Atlantic swells that sweep across the bay can be huge, but the most dangerous are the rogue swells that can appear in calm conditions and sweep over the area. Although the actual rock platform itself fishes well, anglers are probably safer fishing the ground located either side of the start of the slip, which is more easily accessible, and can be vacated quickly if conditions take a turn for the worse.

Species

Conger and Huss are present in numbers over the rough ground, although very strong tackle is required to stand any chance of landing them. Bass and Pollack provide the main target species, and can be caught on a variety of lures. Specimen sized Wrasse can be taken from the gutters and gullies in the area when they become fishable in settled conditions.

Bait

Armed with a spinning rod, chest waders, and a box of lures, anglers can enjoy some tremendous sport for specimen Bass, with great success coming recently to anglers fishing surface and shallow diving varieties. Float fished live sand-eel is another option to try for both Bass and Pollack. Large fish baits will hook Conger, Dogfish, Huss, and one or two other species, but actually landing them can be quite difficult. Green shore crab is the best bait for the specimen Wrasse.

Tackle

Standard plugging rods and fixed spool reels loaded with ten pound mono, or braid with a mono leader, are best for spinning and float fishing. Heavy beachcasters required for bottom fishing in the rough ground.

Getting There

From St. Aubin, take the A13 Route Des Genets as far as Red Houses traffic lights, and then straight over into La Route Orange and follow the main road until the B83 La Rue De La Corbiere which leads all the way to the lighthouse. Plenty of parking space is available in the area, and once parked, take the path down to the mark.