To be geographically accurate, I was actually fishing Birkenhead Docks. But everything down the western end of the M62 is classed as Liverpool to me.
My wife has been asked to do a few weekend shifts recently which has resulted in me taking the kids out fishing with me a bit more. They can usually manage a couple of hours before they get too bored and start misbehaving. Today was about par for the course. A bit of fishing, and a lot of Nintendo in the back of the car … we all had an afternoon doing what we enjoy.
I did actually try to fish this venue on Saturday evening, but as I was driving westwards from Manchester, the weather was getting worse the further I drove, so not fancying a soaking I just turned round and went home (via the offie).
So – with a bit of tesco raw prawn (frozen only £3.99 for a big bag- bargain !) as bait, I set up two rods, with what I call one up one down rigs and 2oz lead. Small pieces of prawn on size 6 hooks… one rod cast about 40 yards out, the other dropped in down the side.
The venue is new to me, and I just fancied having a try. It was an easy place to go fishing and look after the kids at the same time. You can fish out of the boot of your car if you really wanted to. Species wise, I didn’t really know what to expect. Phil and I had fished the other end of the dock the previous weekend, and had a few small whiting. But I’d seen photos on various fishing forums of flounder, cod and even Lobster – but it was the Butterfish and Herring which really sparked my interest as I’ve never caught these species before. Liverpool Docks and the Mersey really does throw up some amazing unexpected fish and I was hoping for one of these for my species hunt.
It took about 5 minutes and the tip of the close in rod started to rattle, and we reeled in to find the first of many small Whiting on the end.
We had steady sport for the full two hours, without any lulls in the action.
Most of the fish came to the close in rod, and only a few from further out.
Nothing big, but the kids were delighted with the constant sport.
Hope you enjoy the video, sorry about the crying child !
Hopefully a bit of pike action next weekend ….
If you are interested in giving this spot a try — here’s a map
Nice report michael just the sort of place me and kevin would like to try been fishing brunswick dock liverpool on mersey estuary had some rays doggys and whiting
Hi Paul, Its amazing what you can catch in the Mersey now — I just wish I could get hold of fresh sea baits without having to make a big detour. The raw prawn from tesco appears to work well enough. I’ve never fished Brunswick, but have had a few sessions at Mariners Wharf with mixed success.
Hi Mike,
The other bait to try – that you’ll have handy – is lobworm!
ALDI have recently started doing fresh packs of mixed seafood – prawn, mussel and squid pieces in a small tray for about £1.60 – easy enough for a 2hr session.
From where you were fishing there’s a great tackle shop about 5 mins away in Laird St. “FisherMan Tackle & Bait”.
The area you were fishing in was always a pickup point for the Working Girls! They’ve probably all retired by now!
Ha ha Greenie — you always know the best spots lol
and thanks for the heads up about the tackle shop
Good to know, I like the idea of fishing out of the boot.
The lad and I have fished Otterspool, not too far from there, but it was overrun with crabs stealing the bait.
The crabs in Merseyside are a real pain – ask any of the locals !
Nice blog, liked your pictures. I’ve wondered about using raw prawn myself, if you ever want frozen mackerel, I noticed they sell it in Iceland, and also when it’s fresh in at the supermarket I always buy a few to freeze.
I used raw prawn earlier this summer to catch smooth hounds off the coast of Blackpool – the fish went mad for them. The water is really murky, so the prawn must give off a good scent trail that the fish can home in on.
Hi Mike, I’ve fished Duke st for a couple of years now,and still catching different species.Last 2 sessions I caught 2 lobsters,1 female carrying 1000’s of eggs and the last one was a big male with claws that would smash walnuts.both returned. The tackle I use is a 8ft carp picker with a small reel loaded with 10lb braid with home made sabiki rigs size 14’s hooks fished tight to the wall 1oz lead,you don’t seem to get many whiting close to the wall,bait,mackerel, squid,prawn,And lug.Ragworm is a killer bait if you can get any. Species,gobies,scorpion fish, shanneys,pouting,Pollock,flounder,butter fish which I’ve had 4 in a session,codling,herring,(my mate had a black bream there in the summer) Balkan wrasse,corkwing wrasse to name a few of the species. I hail from Manchester also and getting sea baits is hard,more chance finding rocking horse dodah. Try Morrisons I get my mackerel,squid and even octopus from there.Hope this helps tight lines. Manchester Newbie.
Thanks for the inspiration to go back — one of the things I love about sea fishing is the variety of species … its great when you’ve got no idea whats coming next.
The most unusual fish I have caught in the dock was last year, which was a monkfish, never even seen one before,ugly thing. If you go on the dock when it’s really sunny and calm you might have a chance of seeing the mullet swimming round. After reading some of your other blogs we seem to fish some of the same waters,Salford quays, River Irwell. I also fish the mersey up at Stockport, for some reason it’s all grayling and big brownies on the stick float and red maggot.tight lines