Dungeness, a whole new Ballgame!!
Posted by Derek Townsend on November 28, 2009 under Help and Tips, Sea Fishing | 
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By Derek Townsend
It is some 30 years ago that I made my final visit to Dungeness in search of the cod. Every winter circa late November/ early December in the 70’s, I would gather together a group of fishing friends from around Bridgend, lock my caravan on the back of my Datsun Sunny estate and head off towards Dungeness or Denge Marsh, picking up the late John Darling from Seaford on route. The meeting place was usually in a pub car park and while John was loading his gear into the car, the rest of us would grab a quick hot snack which was likely to be our last civilised meal for 5days. The decision as to whether our destination was to be the shingle beach to the left of Dungeness Power Station or Denge Marsh, was made by John and was dependant on the prevailing weather and wind conditions met on arrival.
Cold Comfort!
By this time, the difference in climate and temperature to that which we had left in south Wales was very noticeable. This is the first piece of advice I would give to anglers considering a visit to the east coast, take more than plenty of warm clothing, a “one piece” waterproof, windproof suit, with extra attention to the feet and hands. There were occasions when it was so cold that the lugworms froze solid before you could get them on the hook. The only remedy was to thaw them on the Tilley lamp. I cannot over emphasise the need for all the proper protection, including the head. I think the photo of John and my two friends lounging on the shingle and their attire, tells its own story.
An Inconvenience!
Despite the fact that our accommodation was relatively civilised (my Caravan), in those days there were no Toilets close at hand. No Latrine!! The only hint that nature was taking its course would be the rustle of a toilet roll, clunk of a collected shovel and the crunch of desperate feet stumbling away from the caravan in the middle of the night, LONG PAUSE, followed by the sound of returning footsteps. There was little time to ponder the privations of our circumstances. It was solid cod fishing for five days, fishing every day and night. No washing, living and sleeping in the same clothes all weekend, eating between tides. Being the oldest member of our group, always, I inevitably ended up being the chef but I didn’t mind because it was important to make sure everyone had substantial hot meals to sustain them through some very tough sessions. In those close knit conditions there was little sympathy for anyone feeling under par.
No Point!!
There is no point in making the long journey to Dungeness unless you are a pretty competent distance caster. It does require putting a well loaded hook (2 to 3 large, black lugworms) out at least a good 100 yards into the teeth of some strong winds and unforgiving weather, albeit encumbered by bulky protective clothing.
Two rods per angler was the norm, John used 6 ounce leads but I always found 5 ounce Breakaways more than adequate. We all used 15 lbs. blue “Sylcast” main line and the appropriate Leader to match the lead weight. This was more than adequate to handle the cods we were catching, which could range anything from 10 to 30 lbs, the bigger ones usually fell to Johns’ rods because he was always the best caster in our group. When the fishing was good, it was not unusual for both rods to be hooked into good fish. This was a good test of who were your friends, prepared to leave their rods to wind in your 2nd bouncing rod.
Dungeness Casting Routine.
Be prepared for a very strong lateral current running parallel to the beach. If you cast straight out from your pitch, the lead will drag at least 40 to 50 yards to your left (on a making tide). To overcome this, walk 50 yards to your right along the beach and cast straight out. By the time you return to the fishing station the lead should have dug in somewhere straight out in front of you. If you are a group of anglers together, it is absolutely vital that this procedure is carried out in sequence to avoid casting over each other. The angler to the left of the group walk the 50 yards to the right, cast first, and return, then the second angler and so on. This is a very necessary part of fishing Dungeness if there is to be harmony amongst the group. Conditions can be very testing, and it is the responsibility of each individual to maintain a harmonious atmosphere in the ranks for the duration of the vacation.
Single Hook, Simple Trace
When it comes to the tackle, I am not familiar with the rods and reels that are available today, but I never had any problems casting the distance and reeling in the cods on a 12 foot rod, self built on a carbon fibre ZZiplex 2000 Sport Blank, Abu 6500C (1975) Reel with 7000 handle, SINGLE, Mustad 79510 well sharpened hook, on a simple uncomplicated trace as per attached diagram. This was a more or less universal rig used by all the successful sea anglers of the period. A monopod (sand spike) pushed into the pebbles, rather than a rod rest, was the preferred choice for supporting the rod in a vertical position well above the waves. In fact, rod rests were conspicuous by their absence along the beach in those days.
Falling Dominoes
One of the most prominent memories of my trips to Dungeness was looking along the beach at the parade of anglers standing by their rods, stretching far into the distance, with multitudes of Tilley lamps lighting up the fading dusk. All of a sudden, at the farthest extreme of your vision, there was animated movement as anglers jumped for their rods one after another like falling dominoes, heralding the arrival of the cod shoals as they moved along the beach.