CHECK OUT THESE GREAT VENUES

WALTON-ON-THE-NAZE PIER, ESSEX:

Officially the third-longest pier in the country at half a mile long, it is accessed through the amusement arcade and opens out into a wide open space. Expect bass, pouting, garfish and soles in summer, with whiting, cod and flounders in winter. Stingrays have been caught here too.

Season tickets cost £70 for day only or £105 for 24 hours (gold card). Day fishing times are 8am-9pm, April 1 to October 31 and 9am-9pm, November 1 to March 31. Tel: 01255 672288.

FOLKESTONE HARBOUR ARM, KENT:

Mixed sand and mud close in make this a superb venue for winter dabs. Other species include codling, plaice, soles, dogfish, smoothhounds, pollack, bass, mullet, wrasse, conger eels, pouting, whiting, mackerel, scad and garfish. The low-numbered pegs are popular towards the end of low water, with the high numbers favoured at high water. The first bend is a hotspot for flatfish.

Use the entrance opposite the Burstin Hotel. Purchase tickets before entering the pier. Day tickets cost £5 (concessions £3) and are available to full members of Dover SAA (£15 annual subscription, from Folkestone Angling, 01303 253881 or association HQ), and allow fishing from 7am-5.45pm.

HOLYHEAD BREAKWATER, ANGLESEY:

At 1.7 miles long, this is the longest breakwater in the UK. Best fished on small-to-medium tides. The inside is easiest to fish, while the back wall is tackle-hungry. There is no parking on the breakwater, and there are fears Stena may want to curtail fishing here.

Species include dogfish, dabs, pollack, pouting, whiting, coalfish, codling, conger eels, gurnards, plaice, rays, bull huss and smoothhounds.