Deal has always been a Mecca for sea anglers with its inshore fishing fleet, miles of open beaches and its Pier. I grew up in Deal and as a child spent hours fishing from the pier. The pier is an ideal place to start fishing and learn the various techniques required of a competent sea angler. It has something for everyone and throughout the seasons there is always something to fish for.
Deal is a quiet town situated between Dover and Sandwich on the South East Kent coast. If you drive to Deal along the A258 from Dover you cannot miss the pier. There is ample parking in the Middle Street car park, with a walk through a short alleyway direct to the sea front. The pier was one of the last piers to be built in England and was opened by the Duke of Edinburgh in 1954. It is also one of the only piers that were built with the Sea Angler in mind. The 'stem' of the pier is a quarter of a mile long and fishing is permitted on both the North and South sides from just before the second shelter to the fourth shelter at the far end. There is a lower deck which is shaped rather like an arrow with a flat point again this deck was built to cater for the anglers and both the Deal & Walmer Angling Association and the Deal 1919 Angling Clubs have a cabin so that their members can gain shelter in bad weather and make the odd cup of tea whilst talking about 'the one that got away'.
In the summer months form the end of may until October you would not have to walk far along the pier to catch fish. Between the 1st and 2nd shelters on the pier there is a stretch where the railings are painted yellow. This shows the area where boats have a right to pass under the pier and fishing is not permitted in this area. However this is the area that in the summer yields good numbers of Dover sole so fishing from peg numbers 80 to 90 on the south side close to the yellow railings is the place to be 2 hours either side of the high tide (The seats are numbered). This is also a very good place for children to practice as large shoals of Pouting gather close in here. Eels Bass and Plaice are also caught here.
The deeper water between the 3rd and 4th shelter can produce anything. Pollock are numerous around the legs of the pier and a King Ragworm head hooked and dropped in around one of the legs to wriggle away should produce on calm days when the water is clear. In the winter months this area will produce good numbers of Whiting and Cod. Again a couple of hours either side of the high tide fishing on the south side into the tide flow is best. Yellow tail lugworm or Peeler Crap being the best bails in winter, but Blow or common lug tipped with a small piece of squid will also produce good results.
On the lower deck there are several marks that produce at differing times of the year. So lets look at each in turn so that you will know where and when to try the spot. First lets look at the fare left (North) corner of the pier facing Ramsgate. Here there is no shelter from the elements so an umbrella strapped to the railing may give some shelter in bad weather. This spot fishes best between January and April when the shoals of dabs move close in to sporn. A smelly 3 day old Black lugworm or Yellow Tail on a size 4 hook cast 30 to 50 meters out towards Ramsgate will give great sport and trebles of plump Dabs will be taken during those months when most other fish are hard to find. Fishing over both the high and low tides will produce but there will be quiet times between the ebb and the flood. The next mark to try is the corner outside the 1919 club cabin. It faces North easterly and is best fished up tide over the low water. In summer there are Dog fish Smooth hounds and whiting to be targeted with a cast of 50 to 80 meters being adequate to find fish. Crab is the bait for the Hounds but lugworm or ragworm tipped with either fish bait or squid will produce dogfish. Fish baits, King rag and White rag fished just over the side near the pier legs on French booms is great for several species with Pollock and Scad being caught in large numbers. Mullet Mackerel Black Bream and Pouting will also be there in numbers during the summer months.
The front of the lower deck is the spot to try for the large shoals of Mackerel that pass through the Dover Straits during the summer months. During the winter months this can also produce good catches of many species. But be warned. Over the high tide the flood comes across the front of the pier from South to North and a cast Up-tide with a 175-gram breakaway lead or fixed lead is necessary to hold bottom. The pier can get very busy over the good tides resulting in many anglers getting tangled up with others and tempers fraying. The next noted spot to try is the corner outside the Deal & Walmer club cabin facing south easterly this was known as 'Cod corner' and although catches of cod have dwindled over the last few years many anglers will vie for this mark from early September until January, with the best catches of Cod coming during October and November. Fish over the top of the tide here for best results but the low water will also produce. Darkness will always get the better results with Yellow tail lug and crab, or even cocktails of both being the favorite baits.
This mark is also a good place to be on an early morning low tide in July and August. When the water is calm and clear. At this time of the year try Peeler crab for the shoals of smooth hounds. One large hook with crab bait could attract a hound or even a bass.
In the summer months large shoals of Garfish swim around the legs of the pier and the best time to fish for this species is from May right through to October. If the water is clear they will be there in large numbers. They can be eaten and are quite tasty however their bones go green when cooked and perhaps don't look too appetizing.
These fish are good fun to catch on light tackle. A fresh water quiver tip rod spinning real with 6lb to 10lb main line is ideal. A swivel attached to this with 1 meter of 4lb to 8lb hook length and size 8 to 12 hook is all that is needed. The bait is dropped into the water from the south side of the lower deck so that it can trot back under the pier stem. You can either leave it to pick up the fish or you can retrieve your bait slowly. If you feel a nibble stop the retrieve and let it drop back again. You may need to add weight near the swivel to gain depth but a couple of swan shot is all that is needed. When the fish takes, strike, and that's when the fun starts. These fish fight well jumping out of the water like sail fish and give very good sport. If eating this fish is not for you, don't throw the fish away. Take it home and freeze it, as it's a great bait to use in the autumn for tipping with lug when targeting the Channel Whiting.
The Pier is open all year round with the exception of Christmas and Boxing Day from 8am to 10pm and is open all Night on Fridays and Saturdays. Day and evening sessions (After 5pm.) are around £1.50 per rod. All night Sessions (After10pm.) Are around £2,50 per rod. There are concessions for juniors, OAPs and unemployed. Bait and tackle can be purchased from both Channel Angling on the pier approach or the Foc'le tackle shop opposite.
Deal has always been a Mecca for sea anglers with its inshore fishing fleet, miles of open beaches and its Pier. I grew up in Deal and as a child spent hours fishing from the pier. The pier is an ideal place to start fishing and learn the various techniques required of a competent sea angler. It has something for everyone and throughout the seasons there is always something to fish for.
The pier was one of the last piers to be built in England and was opened by the Duke of Edinburgh in 1954. It is also one of the only piers that were built with the Sea Angler in mind. The 'stem' of the pier is a quarter of a mile long and fishing is permitted on both the North and South sides from just before the second shelter to the fourth shelter at the far end. There is a lower deck which is shaped rather like an arrow with a flat point again this deck was built to cater for the anglers and both the Deal & Walmer Angling Association and the Deal 1919 Angling Clubs have a cabin so that their members can gain shelter in bad weather and make the odd cup of tea whilst talking about 'the one that got away'.
In the summer months form the end of may until October you would not have to walk far along the pier to catch fish. Between the 1st and 2nd shelters on the pier there is a stretch where the railings are painted yellow. This shows the area where boats have a right to pass under the pier and fishing is not permitted in this area. However this is the area that in the summer yields good numbers of Dover sole so fishing from peg numbers 80 to 90 on the south side close to the yellow railings is the place to be 2 hours either side of the high tide (The seats are numbered). This is also a very good place for children to practice as large shoals of Pouting gather close in here. Eels Bass and Plaice are also caught here.
First lets look at the fare left (North) corner of the pier facing Ramsgate. Here there is no shelter from the elements so an umbrella strapped to the railing may give some shelter in bad weather. This spot fishes best between January and April when the shoals of dabs move close in to sporn. A smelly 3 day old Black lugworm or Yellow Tail on a size 4 hook cast 30 to 50 meters out towards Ramsgate will give great sport and trebles of plump Dabs will be taken during those months when most other fish are hard to find. Fishing over both the high and low tides will produce but there will be quiet times between the ebb and the flood.
The next mark to try is the corner outside the 1919 club cabin. It faces North easterly and is best fished up tide over the low water. In summer there are Dog fish Smooth hounds and whiting to be targeted with a cast of 50 to 80 meters being adequate to find fish. Crab is the bait for the Hounds but lugworm or ragworm tipped with either fish bait or squid will produce dogfish. Fish baits, King rag and White rag fished just over the side near the pier legs on French booms is great for several species with Pollock and Scad being caught in large numbers. Mullet Mackerel Black Bream and Pouting will also be there in numbers during the summer months.
The next noted spot to try is the corner outside the Deal & Walmer club cabin facing south easterly this was known as 'Cod corner' and although catches of cod have dwindled over the last few years many anglers will vie for this mark from early September until January, with the best catches of Cod coming during October and November. Fish over the top of the tide here for best results but the low water will also produce. Darkness will always get the better results with Yellow tail lug and crab, or even cocktails of both being the favorite baits.