The Boiler Hole, located at the southern end of Blackhall beach, is a good all-year round mark.
It gives codling in winter and is one of the few local beach marks that produces them in summer.
Named after the ship’s boiler seen over low water, it can fish at all states of the tide when there is a moderate swell or some colour in the water. It will produce fish in daylight and at night.
You can have a good session by fishing high tide back, starting from The Chair, then move onto the beach on the ebb and stay for the flood.

SPECIES

Codling are the main species

BEST BAITS

Crabs are best during autumn and spring, though it will take fish all through the winter. Big worm cocktails are favoured between December and March.

TACKLE

A heavy beachcaster will be needed with an Abu 7000-type multiplier reel. A 50lb shockleader and 20lb mainline is okay, but you can use 30lb line straight through with a rotton-bottom rig because distance casting is rarely necessary.
The bottom can be quite heavy, so a single hook rig is best. A Pennell rig, featuring size 3/0 Mustad Viking hooks, should be used for cod. The water can be deep in these holes, so take care if you need to wade out.

GETTING THERE

You can park in the nearby picnic site car park, but it is advisable to park on the main coast road during a night session and accept the ten-minute walk down to the cliff edge. Access is usually quite easy, but take care if climbing down the shallow cliffs. There are several paths down the cliff face to various other marks, but to be safe it is best to go down Dead Man’s Bank and then turn right once on the beach.

TACKLE SHOP

Coast Road Fishing Tackle, 3 Sunderland Rd, Horden, tel: 0191 518 0742.