The rocky shoreline at Marsden is home to lots of gullies and platforms to allow the shore angler access to fairly deep water and, more importantly, kelp. Johnson’s is a mark that can fish well for cod in summer equally as well as in winter when the weather is right. Any onshore wind can see the venue swamped by waves, so the best time to fish is after a northerly gale in winter, when the water is coloured. Summer fishing is best during calm conditions when the fish become resident in the weed. Day or night tides do not make a difference here, but local anglers normally fish from low water up to high and then three hours of an ebbing tide. A cast of 80 yards is enough to connect with fish. It is not a big venue, but will hold two or three anglers.

SPECIES

In winter it will be predominantly cod along with dabs, flounders and the odd coalfish. Summer fishing can be good for red cod, ballan wrasse, pollack, flounders and mackerel.

BAIT AND TACKLE

Winter can see worm baits out-fishing peeler crabs, especially yellowtail lug and snake white ragworms, but big cocktails of fresh or frozen peeler crabs mixed with mussels can also provide excellent results. In spring and summer the fish turn their attention to live peeler crabs, but ragworms can lure ballan wrasse, coalfish and pollack. Float-fishing and spinning can be fun for mackerel, wrasse and coalfish in summer, but for bottom fishing be sure to use appropriate tackle to combat snags and kelp. A rotten-bottom system is useful in the snaggy ground. Use large hooks with baits to match to attract cod. Step up your reel size here – a 7000-size multiplier with a fast retrieve and holding 18-20lb mainline and a rubbing leader is recommended.

TACKLE SHOPS

● Rutherford’s Angling Ltd, 125 Roker Avenue, Sunderland, SR6 0HL

Tel: 0191 565 4183.

Opening times: 9am-5.30pm Monday to Saturday (closed Wednesday), 9am-1pm Sunday.

Bait: Fresh and frozen.

Number of lakes/pegs : –

Prices : –

Directions : From the A19 north or south, head east towards the coast road either through Sunderland or South Shields. Take the A183 coast road and head for Marsden. Parking is on the main road and the fishing marks are just a short walk across the grass.