Cod fishing seems to be ever popular, especially beach casting for Cod.

Generally when fishing from a beach you get better results in the dark when Cod fishing. The cover of darkness draws the Cod into shallower water in search of their prey. They tend to like broken ground where crabs, prawns and smaller fish live, using rocks and weed as cover. The season is dependant on the water temperature, but runs from September to late Februaury, starting later and finishing earlier in the south of England.

Most Cod beaches are steep shingle banks and fish best around a big tide, trying to find the currents and use them to spread the scent of your bait is important to attract the cod. After a big storm and a high tide are the best conditions for catching cod from the shore. The storm has scoured the food and there are strong currents to draw the cod into the beach.

I tend to use Lug as my preferred Cod bait, threading lots on the hook to create a big sent trail. Many other people swear by peeler crab at the start and end of the Cod fishing season. Other baits include fish, squid and mussel.

I find the best beach casting rigs for cod are simple. A 2 hook paternosters which can be clipped up or down with 3/0 or 4/0 hooks, or if I am fishing very rough ground or the cod are at distance from the shore I will use a very simple pulley rig. This rig handles a heavy powerful cast from a beach caster.

The best cod marks I have found for beach casting for cod are Chesil Beach in Dorset, Ilfracombe in North Devon and Loe Bar in West Cornwall.

I hope that helps you in your quest when beach casting for Cod.