Freshwater West – Pembroke, Wales

Facing west into the Atlantic Ocean, this surf beach is regarded as a top bass venue. However, you can take pollack, flounders and the occasional turbot here too!

The main beach is used extensively during the day by surfers, so night fishing produces the best results and the easiest fishing. However, fishing low water in the rocky gullies on the south side can produce some decent bass.
Take the A4075 by passing the town of Pembroke and head for the B4320 towards Angle. Look for the signpost on the left for the beach. There are two good car parks – one has toilet facilities and a phone for emergencies. Beach access is easy.

North Corner

You can access this from the car park on the hill. Locals usually fish here at the top half of the flooding tide, but it often fishes well for the first two hours of the ebb. Bass are the main quarry but in autumn coalfish and pollack make an appearance. When there is no surf or swell the fit angler can walk the coastal path towards Sheep Island where there are many good wrasse holes. Pollack too can be taken spinning in the evening from the rocks. This should not be attempted when the sea is rough as it can be dangerous.

The Middle BeachThere is a strong sideways current here that can quickly drag bathers out to sea. That’s not good for the bathers, but the bass love it! Bass know food is washed out as the tide ebbs and they move along the water’s edge at high tide. There is a regular movement of sand here so check the beach for holes and gullies, which may provide a food source for hungry fish. This is best fished at the top of the tide when the water deepens and fish can be found close in. Do not overcast.

The Corner Near The Ramp
This can only be fished at high water, but when this coincides with dusk it can be a great mark for bass and flatties. Fish the first hour back, casting to the outside of, and close to, the rocks. A combination of the proximity of the weed-covered rocks and the stream water from the nearby pipe (outflow) seems to attract the fish, especially as darkness falls. The sand here is often soft and wet, perhaps hiding sandeels and other food sources. Sea trout sometimes run the stream after rain.

The Island Area
Care should be taken when fishing this small rocky outcrop as the bigger tides can cut you off. Similarly, fishing here should not be attempted when the sea is rough. Try to establish where the gullies are as they change on a regular basis as the sand is constantly moving. When there is little or no wave movement, good casters should be able to spin or plug with surface lures. Gobies or blennies fished on the bottom as the tide rises often take good bass. It is essential to keep low and out of sight.

The Sandy Gullies
Further along and south of the rocky island is a group of rocks know as the Furzenips. The sand moves according to wave power and current and can be very soft in places. It is best fished at low water, even in bright sunshine. Small fish, crabs or razorfish are successful baits. Flatties will take worm baits, and sandeels or fish strip could attract a turbot. Pollack and coalfish are taken near the rocks during darkness at high water. The occasional conger has also been taken from here in late summer.

The Rock Pools
Further along there are many big pools within the rocks that hold baitfish and prawns stranded by the ebbing tide. Regrettably you can only fish here on the bigger tides at low water that often uncovers a sand bar, which can be fished for a short period of time. Fish wait to move into the rocky pools as the tide rises. Surface plugging is possible on a calm day. It may only be a short period of fishing but could be very productive. Remember, the military range is around the corner so do not stray over the boundary.

Tackle Shop
Pembroke Angling, 31 Meyrick Street, Pembroke Dock. Tel: 01646 622712.