Fishing Marks: Port St Mary Breakwater
Location and description
Port St Mary outer breakwater, or to give it the correct name, Alfred Pier, is open to the public at all times and makes for a safe and convenient fishing mark for anglers of all ages and abilities.
It is a popular spot, especially during school holidays so if you are looking for a secluded fishing spot then it is best avoided.
Species
Port St Mary breakwater is well known for the quantity of coalfish that are caught there. They can grow to over 4lb, although most fish are much smaller than this. It is also a popular location for ballan wrasse, which can also reach specimen sizes of 4lb+. Callig, conger and mullet can also be caught here.
Tackle required
All fish can be caught quite literally down the side, and with the exception of conger eels, all species can be targeted with a light spinning rod. Simple driftline tactics or a light ledger rig are all that's needed here and this makes for fun fishing. Any decent fish will put up a good fight on this tackle. Fishing for congers off the back wall will require 30lb+ lines and either a stiff beachcaster or boat rod.
Best fishing
Port St Mary breakwater can fish well all year round. Coalfish are the main target in winter months, while Ballan, mullet and congers are summer and autumn targets, with ballan normally showing from late April to early December.
Due to the shallow nature of the pier it is best fished from mid tide up to high water.
Scallop frills are an excellent bait for coalfish, and can be obtained freely from the nearby processing yards. Squid and razorfish are also popular choices for targetting coalies. Lugworm and hardback crabs are ideal for ballan, with the best fish coming from the back wall, where heavy tackle losses can be expected. Congers will happily take any fish baits, but mackerel is the standard bait for most anglers.
