Perched on a peninsula west of Barry harbour, an elaborate footpath has been constructed which runs right around the headland, offering easy access and comfortable fishing.

Autumn and winter are the focus of attention for most anglers; whiting are soon followed by cod.

Fish the bigger tides at night for the best results; any tide bigger than about 12 metres at Barry will produce fish.

You are sheltered from westerly winds here, but it gets rough when the wind blows from the east. Fish for about three hours either side of high water, with the ebb tide often being the most productive, especially for cod. Cold, settled and frosty nights are perfect conditions for whiting.

The front and south-west corner are rated for cod and conger eels over high water and low but the tide can be fierce. The gun emplacement to the south-west is good for whiting, cod and school bass in summer and autumn.

There is easy fishing back into the bay onto sand once you are past the south-east corner. It is very rough at low water, except the extreme eastern side and western corner.

SPECIES

Bass and mullet show between May and October. Conger eels over high and low water, dogfish, wrasse, a few pollack, rays and pouting can also be caught during the warmer months. Autumn and winter produce whiting and cod.

BAIT AND TACKLE

Mackerel is as good as anything for whiting, but ragworms and lugworms are a better choice for codling. Cockles catch whiting and dabs. Bigger baits sort out the better cod; try a whole squid or squid/worm cocktail.

Keep your terminal rigs simple. For whiting, use a two or three-hook paternoster rig, but, if seeking cod, then switch to a single hook rig with a big bait. Distance casting is unnecessary here; a lob of about 80 yards is ample, with fish often caught much closer. Grips weights of about 5oz are sufficient to hold bottom.

GETTING THERE

Follow the signs for Barry Island from Barry. Drive across the causeway and continue up Breaksea Drive. Turn right at the top of the hill into Friars Road and then left into Redbrink Crescent. Park without blocking any driveways. A path leads down to the beach. Your retreat back across the bay will be cut off for a few hours over high water, unless you walk right around the point.

TACKLE SHOPS

Aspinall’s Angling Supplies, 36 Cross St, Barry, tel: 01446 742645.

Opening times: 8.30am-6pm Monday to Saturday, 8.30am-1pm Sunday.

Bait: Fresh lugworms and ragworms, plus frozen bait.

Barry Angling Centre, 14 Park Crescent, Barry, tel: 01446 747638.

Opening times: 8.30am-6pm Monday to Saturday, 8.30am-noon Sunday.

Bait: Fresh lug and rag, and frozen bait.

Fish-A-Mania, 91 Main St, Cadoxton, Barry, tel: 01446 737699

Opening times: 8am-6pm Monday to Friday, 7am-6pm Saturday,

7am-1pm Sunday.

Bait: Fresh lug, rag and crabs, and frozen bait.