The Wharf Fishery, Cardiff

The wharf is very challenging and I’d like to say not for the faint hearted, but if you can see passed where it is and get on with your fishing the rewards are certainly in there.

It’s a really well run fishery with a bailiff team who have everything under control – certainly got some future!

Through the summer months on some occasions you can’t feed them enough.

I’ve found though that come winter time the fish do tend to group up in big numbers, so then I like to start off just fishing for a bite at a time.

If you do manage to get on them you can end up feeding them a lot in winter too, but I always start off light, and go from there.

What baits work?

I’ve found bright colours work well through the winter and spring months.

I done particularly well on pink CC Moore Dairy supreme pop ups and the NS1 range using hinge rigs, through the warmer months a tend to sway more towards a match the hatch hookbaits, trimmed down Live System wafters on a slip d style rig has done me plenty of fish.

Which rigs to use

Early spring zigs can be an excellent approach but I’ve always stuck with what I know here, so the old faithful hinge does the trick when fishing pop ups.

I’d opt for a slip d rig for wafters.

Whilst keeping everything pinned down with tungsten tubing, and some putty on the rig itself! – keep it simple.

Best swims

One thing about the wharf is nowhere in particular is better than anywhere else, it is really all on the day.

The fish move about so much and the lake bed is like an egg box with depths from 4ft – 22ft.

I think personally this is the reason the fish tend do be in different areas all the time.

They can be at one end of the lake in the morning, and by the evening they are the complete opposite end! They really do keep you on your toes.

I’ve always stuck with CC Moore live system, it’s a bait I’ve had complete faith in for so many years so I’ve never felt the need to change.

The mix I use contains Boilie (whole and crushed) hemp, corn, liquid corn and some roasted nut extract. Very easy to put together and works wonders for me.

Tips for newcomers

The most obvious one, is finding the fish first, before you get set up.

The wharf is known for a display wether it be first light or last light, so doing a few laps until you see signs works wonders.

Come the colder months even a sign of one show is good enough for me, as I said earlier the fish group up in big numbers so where there’s one there’s going to be more!

Summer tips

I’d look for the shallower areas of the lake, like I’ve said it’s like an egg box with depths up and down all over.

It can get quite weedy in areas through the summer months, so a clean spot surrounded with weed I don’t think you’ll go far wrong.

Winter tips

Like most lakes signs of fish can slow down through the colder months.

I tend to spend plenty of time looking first.

I usually end up fishing in the deeper siltier areas of the lake baiting light and fishing for a bite at a time.