Fishing Marks: The Sound
Location and description
The Sound is located at the southern most tip of the Island, and is a very dramatic spot visually. There is a single road linking the Sound to Port St Mary, and plenty of parking is available at the visitors centre.
One of the first things you notice upon ariving at the Sound is the ferocious tidal currents that crash through the small gap between the Island and the Calf of Man. Not surprisingly, the area has seen it's fair share of shipwrecks over the years.
The waters around the Sound are rocky, deep and fast flowing - a perfect home for many species of fish. Access to the many fishing spots varies from incredibly easy to 'mountain goat' category.
Species
All of the rock species can be caught here: Ballan and cuckoo wrasse, callig, conger, pouting, rockling, mackerel, coalfish and dogfish.
Tackle required
This depends on the species being targeted. Many anglers fish here for callig, which can run to a good size. Actual outfits used come down to personal preference for sport, but wherever possible I prefer to use a light spinning outfit. Ballan can also be targeted with a light spinning rod.
If you are intending to fish baits on the bottom then it is advisable to step up to 25lb mainline with leader, and incorporate a rotten bottom into your rigs to help minimise tackle losses.
Float fishing is an enjoyable alternative here, and can be used to target ballan and callig.
Best fishing
The Sound is predominatly regarded as summer spot, when great sport can be had for ballan and callig. Conger fishing can be very productive here during the hours of darkness.
Like many rock marks, if you fish over the low water period then there is a wider choice of rock ledges to fish from. This is the ideal time to target ballan and cuckoo wrasse. If callig are your target species then you may find fishing over the high water period results in bigger specimens.
This is one of my favourite places to target cuckoo wrasse. These brightly coloured fish do not grow to any great size, but I still like to catch a couple each year to simply marvel at the outstanding colors. A small sandeel bait, mounted on a size 2 hook and fished hard on the bottom about 70 yards out is my usual method.
There are lots of places to fish from. A good idea is to go for a wander at low water to check out any spots that look particularly appealing to you. Take care if climbing down to some of the trickier marks, and if possible try not to fish these locations alone.
