The Anglers Year

January
Shore:
Flounder fishing can now be at its best.Try the river Medina, Bembridge,St Helens or Newtown.Still the chance of a good Cod from Yarmouth Pier,Fort Victoria,Egypt Point or any mark along the back of the Island.
Boat:
Best Month to try for a really big Cod from the Needles or Nab area also some good sized Whiting.


February
Shore:
A quiet Month.Try the beaches at Ryde,Fishbourne and woodside for Flounder.Little else apart from Dogfish at Yarmouth and the chance of an early painted Ray from Chale or Blackgang.
Boat:
Still the chance of a big,late Cod,but the first of Thornback and painted rays will have arrived. Try Freshwater Ridges, Sandown Bay or The Brambles.

March
Shore:
Plaice will be arriving off the beaches at Ryde,Woodside and Binstead,some of them will be big.
Rays can be expected from Chale,Yaverland and Blackgang and good Bass will be starting to turn up almost anywhere.
Boat:
Try for Plaice in the eastern Solent and Rays from Freshwater reef,Nab area and Sandown Bay.

April
Shore:
Bass from the back of the Island and Ventnor area.Rays and Dogfish from Chale and Blackgang. Plaice from Ryde,Woodside,Sandown and Totland. Garfish from Sandown Pier.
Boat:
Painted Ray fishing from Freshwater ridges is at its best now,Brambles and Nab producing good thornbcks, Spurdogs showing offshore.

May
Shore:
Mackerel arrive around the middle of this month,try Yarmouth and Sandown piers,Fort Victoria,Chale Bay and Atherfield. Rays and Smoothound from Chale and Blackgang.
Boat:
Smoothound from Solent Marks,Spurdogs and conger further offshore. Some good Tope off the Nab.

June
Shore:
Best Month for smoothound.Try Yarmouth,Blackgang,Chale or Thorness Bay. Stingrays from Burnt wood or Sudmore.Wrasse from Ventnor,Niton and Atherfield.Plenty of Mackerel and Garfish from sandown and Yarmouth.
Boat:
Smoothound from most inshore marks,conger from offshore wrecks.Some good Tope from the Needles and Nab.Bream from rock marks.

July
Shore:
Smoothound from the recognised marks.Bream from fort Victoria and Yarmouth Pier,but floating weed will be a problem.Wrasse and Bass from the rock marks around Ventnor,Niton and the back of the island.
Boat:
Bream and Smoothound from Western Solent,Needles and Bembridge.Tope and some Shark from the south of the Island.Mackerel plentiful.Loads of weed in the solent.

August
Shore:
Wrasse from the rock marks and Mullet from the estuaries or sea walls at Ventnor,Sandown,Cowes and Freshwater.Some good Bass could be taken anywhere.Sole fishing improving.
Boat:
Offshore wreck fishing for Conger and Pollack with plenty of pack Tope around.Inshore anglers should target bream or smoothound.

September
Shore:
Some good Sole now appearing from fort Victoria,Totland,Cowes and Yaverland. Conger from Atherfield and Ventnor area as well as some good Bass and Wrasse.Mackerel thinning out.
Boat:
Some good Conger from wrecks and rough ground to the south.Rays from freshwater,Nab and Sandown.The first cod may appear off the Needles or Nab by the End of the Month.

October
Shore:
A good month for most species,particularly Sole,Bass and Conger.The first Cod may show off Yarmouth and Cowes or the stretch of coast between Blackgang and Brook.
Boat:
The first run of cod will be appearing off the needles and Nab marks,also some good whiting and conger.

November
Shore:
Flounder fishing in the river Medina and Bembridge Harbour improving.Try the back of the Wight for Rays,Bass,conger,dogfish big Pouting and the chance of a good cod.Fort Victoria,Yarmouth Pier and Cowes are also worth trying for cod.
Boat:
An excellent Month for fishing in the Needles and Nab areas.Big Cod,whiting,Ling,Rays,Bass,Pollack and Conger can all be taken at this time of year from open ground.

December
Shore:
Some good sized Flounder from the estuaries.Occasional cod being landed.Good sport can be expected from all shore marks right up to the new year if mild weather persists.
Boat:
Cod fishing will be peaking,also expect some big whiting from both ends of the Island.Inshore fishing will be generally good.