[Mark Mc]

After being stuck in London under a blanket of snow all last week, I was glad to get back to balmy (-1C) Devon and, following a Sunday morning walk on the beach with the missus and seeing that the sea was beautifully calm, I decided to get the inflatable boat out.

A couple of weeks ago, before the 'Big Freeze', I had an awesome session with Bass and Codling on Xlayers (see my last report) so I decided to give the same area another go, and so headed out on the rising tide just after mid-day.
First hour produced nothing, so I decided as there was virtually no drift (wind was against current) to cast, let sink then bounce back along the clean seabed.

After a few feet of feeling the lure bumping along I had a gentle pull then fish on!
It gave a decent account of itself but it wasnt too long before I could see the destinctive sandy coloured fat head and a nice 3.5lb cod came aboard.
Unfortunately I had no camera and only a crappy old Nokia, so no pics this time.

About an hour later I lost another fish and had a lot of finicky nips which I think could have been whiting. Eventually though, my feet were numb and I had to head back.

I was very chuffed to have caught on such a freezing cold day - and cod on light gear are not to be sniffed at!

Does anyone know how long they usually stay around for?

 

[PeteB]

We get cod year round here but main time is september through to early January, with a few bigger individuals around december to february.

 

[ray petch]

Nice fish, I would be "well happy" with a 3 1/2 lb cod, I love catching these fish. They normally hang around into January, I hear that they are catching a few at the Mo, so now is a good time.

 

[Keir Sims]

nice one mark! we apparently get a later run of bigger fish and everythings been a bit out of sync this year so just keep going and trying mate. someone last year had a 18lber!

 

[mike symons]

Hi Mark nice fish well done. We normally catch codling up to April or May down this way, but this year i have caught at least one codling in every month but August. May be a good sign for the coming couple of months keeping our fingers crossed.

 

[Quentin Trays]

Any fish is lovely when its freezing,well done for even going out.nice fish aswell.

 

[Matt Newcombe]

Nice one on the Cod - well done on braving the cold!

 

[David Norman]

What the shallowest water Cod have been caught in,
Will they frequent the inner breakers of a storm beach?