Lepe Beach Deep Water Mark Difficulty Rating: * Accessibility:*****
Variety of Fish:***** Parking: Pay
Lepe Deep water mark has a variety of ways in which it can be fished. It is one of the most over looked ‘Big Fish’ venues on the south coast of England as it is in a prime position facing into deep water right out on a point in the Solent. According to my charts the Deep Water mark shelves off to 35’ at only 50
metres out in a southerly direction.
A great way of fishing the Deep Water mark is to fish a night's tide with a large bait on a pennel rig cast to about 100
yards. Depending on what time of year it is, Lepe can offer a massive range of fish from Cod in the colder months to big Bass in the warmer weather.
Lepe’s deep water mark also produces a massive amount of Smoothound when fished with crab baits on sensible sized hooks in the summer; one of the biggest hounds from this spot was a fish of 21lb 7ozs in the summer of 2003.
Another fantastic fishing method from this part of Lepe is to fish a large Mackerel/Squid bait in either two trebles or a pennel rig and cast it without a weight just over the top of the first
breaker. This method is widely overlooked but will always turn up some massive Bass.
My favourite way of all to fish Lepe is to use a Rapala, Abu Toby or a Yo-Zuri crystal minnow lure and cast it towards the two metal structures in the water that sit about 10 metres out. I believe they were used to serve as a refill station during the war.
This method fished with 6-8lb mono or 20lb braid will catch you Bass and Pollock, I have never had any massive fish but I am always gonna get some action!
I believe that my good friend Dr Stuart Clough from Anglers Mail magazine has had Bass up to 4lb 8ozs in this spot. We do differ slightly in our approach as he likes to fish dusk and I prefer dawn.
Alan Shergold
(The above mentioned information was written by Mr Alan Shergold on 14/10/2006. This information is to be used as a guide to help you find places to fish in your local area. Any damage to persons or persons property whether it be fishing gear, transportation or other is at the readers own risk and Mr Alan Shergold will not be held responsible. If you are in any doubt about your permission to fish any spot from Hampshire’s shore line make sure you contact the relevant authorities to check first.)
