The fishing at Somserset’s Lilstock beach is an all-year round affair. You cast from boulders onto sand and broken ground or reefs.
A 100yd cast is needed to the left of the sewage pipe to reach cleaner ground at high water on big tides; either side of the pipe is rougher. Low water reefs to the left produce bigger fish, but it is snaggy.
To the far right are shallower reefs that offer good sport in a south-westerly wind. Fish the left reefs from low water to three hours back, the right reefs any time, the pipe two hours back from low, up and over high and back. The pipe is best at high water.
SPECIES
You should expect thornback rays, whiting, pouting, dogfish, cod, conger eels and pollack. Smoothhounds and Dover soles make this a good all-season venue.
BEST BAITS
Use ragworms, squid, peeler crabs and fi sh in the summer. Try hermit crabs for the smoothhounds. It is lugworms, rag and squid that catch the cod in winter.
TACKLE
You require standard to strong beach gear for fi shing at this venue. Pulley and Pennell rigs are the best choice of terminal tackle. It’s best to use a heavier breakout lead weight.
GETTING THERE
Leave the M5 at junction 25 for Taunton, taking the A358 to Williton and A39 towards Bridgwater. Turn left past Kilve and, before Holford on the sharp bend, head towards Kilton and carry on through Lilstock Farm. The turning for Lilstock is on the next sharp left-hand bend past the farm. Drive up the track and park before the gate. Walk through the gate up the track on to the beach. The pipe is in front and the reefs to the left. The shallower reefs are to the right.
Directions : Leave the M5 at Junction 25 for Taunton, taking the A358 to Williton and A39 towards Bridgwater. Turn left past Kilve and before Holford on the sharp bend, head towards Kilton and on through Lilstock Farm. The turning for Lilstock is on the next sharp left bend past the farm. Drive up the track and park before the gate
Season : All year
