If you want a fairly undemanding fishing mark where you’d feel happy taking the family along for a session, this one is safe and comfortable.
Situated only a mile from Grays town centre, Grays promenade on the Thames Estuary in Essex is an excellent location for no-hassle, easy-access fishing.
The venue is railed, so there’s no need to bring a tripod, and you can expect to catch eels, flounders, bass and soles. Ragworms will catch the flounders and soles, but if you can get a supply of smaller harbour ragworms (otherwise known as maddies) and fish them on relatively light tackle, sport can be exciting.
If you prefer to target the eels and bass that patrol around the venue, a bucket of live peeler crabs is essential. Best fishing times will be an hour after low tide and on to the full flood.
A carp rod and fixed-spool reel will easily cope on this mark, and a simple two-hook flapper rig armed with size 1 or 2 Aberdeen hooks will be best. Casting distances can vary, but the fish are generally close. Using two rods at different distances is a good ploy to locate feeding fish quickly.
There are superb parking facilities close by with cafés and other amenities, and needless to say you should always take your litter home with you. A lot of the general public like to use this area as a footpath, so think of angling’s image and do the right thing.
