Being a flatfish plaice prefer sandy or muddy seabeds, but they can also be found in small sandy patches between mixed and rocky ground. Plaice are a popular food fish, often sold at fish and chip shops and the name lends itself to puns.
Plaice are highly valued as a food fish. Along with cod and haddock they are the fish most commonly used in the classic British dish of fish and chips and are a regular feature on the menus at restaurants and pubs.
Due to its high reputation as a food fish plaice has been heavily targeted by commercial fishing vessels in the past. However, the IUCN International Union for the Conservation of Nature states that the worst years for over-fishing plaice were in the s and s, and since then the commercial fishing pressure on plaice has actually reduced.
In some areas plaice are increasing in numbers and the IUCN now class plaice as a species of Least Concern on a global basis, although in some areas such as the Mediterranean stocks are in a much worse state and they are classed as Near Threatened. Greenpeace has also put plaice on their fish Redlist due to the damaging and unselective methods which are used to catch this species. Plaice are often confused with flounder by inexperienced sea anglers or those who have not learned the main differences between the two species.
One of the most noticeable differences is that plaice have around seven bony bumps running across the back of the head, from the eyes to the gill cover which is absent on flounder. A full guide to UK flatfish identification can be found here. As well as the European plaice there are several other species commonly known as plaice throughout the world. Appearance The plaice is a right eyed flatfish, meaning that when viewed from straight on, its eyes are both located on the right hand side of its body.
So how do we catch one? Best Baits Ragworm, lugworm, shellfish such as mussels and cockles, shrimps and hermit crabs are all ideal for plaice fishing. Best Locations The plaice is one of the most common fish in British waters, and can be found in all British waters. Best rigs for catching Plaice.
Shore Fishing If fishing from the shore for plaice a basic leger rig or a two hook running leger rig is ideal. Basic Leger Rig This rig is used to lay hookbait on the seabed. Two hook running leger rig The 2 hook running leger rig is versatile and allows you to present 2 hookbaits on or very near the seabed.
Boat Fishing If you are boat fishing for plaice, it is recommended that you use either a boat leger rig or a two hook running leger rig. Boat Leger Rig This is one of the simplest and most effective rigs for boat anglers.
The Channel Islands, which are surrounded by a veritable maze of reefs, wrecks and sand gullies, offer particularly good prospects for the angler in quest of specimen plaice, but there are plenty of other hotspots from which to choose. Poole Harbour, on my local Dorset coast, and those magnificent West Country estuaries at Teignmouth, Salcombe and Fowey all yield their quota of 'paving-stone plaice'.
The time of year when plaice are most likely to be caught on rod and line varies slightly from coast to coast, but generally speaking the fish are most numerous, and in best condition, from about mid-May until late autumn. Mind you, I have taken good plaice in Poole Harbour as late as December, with my dinghy drifting fast before a bitterly cold nor'easter - but that sort of thing is an exception to the rule, because plaice generally bite best in warm, calmish weather.
In fact, unlike many other species of sea fish, plaice will actively feed in a combination of gin clear water and heatwave conditions.
Perhaps this is yet another reason why so many anglers enjoy fishing for plaice! Being bottom feeders, plaice are usually fished for with light leger tackle, and when taken on a lively spinning rod and 10 lb breaking strain line they are a surprisingly sporting proposition - especially when a good run of tide allows the fish to use its broad, flat body to maximum effect.
Needless to say, the great advantage of using a fine line is that it enables you to hold bottom in reasonably shallow water with only an ounce or so of lead - and this in turn makes it possible to use a light and lively rod. When fishing in deeper water - say upwards of ten fathoms - you will need to use proportionately more lead, and this in turn demands a more powerful rod and heavier line.
That is one reason why, when specialist fishing for plaice, I prefer to concentrate on fairly shallow inshore marks. In Poole Harbour, and the West Country estuaries I have already named, it is by no means unusual to boat plaice in the 3 to 4 lb range, and in a good season there are the odd fish which come a good deal bigger.
One rather intriguing thing about plaice is the fact that their taste for hook-baits seems to vary from one stretch of coast to another. This is particularly noticeable in the case of big plaice. For example, in Poole Harbour the most killing bait seems to be ragworm; whereas only a couple of miles away, outside the haven entrance, an offering of razorfish is likely to meet with most success.
Further east, along the Kent and Sussex coasts, you may find lug, mussel or slipper limpet the top attractions. Off the South Devon coast, on the other hand, a mass of evidence, based on specimen captures over the past 25 years, points pretty conclusively to the fact that big plaice in that area are mainly preoccupied with sandeels.
There are several ways of presenting these various baits to the fish, and as a general rule the method you use will be determined by local tide and wind conditions.
In those parts of the West Country where tides are not generally too fierce, we often prefer to drift over the plaice grounds. Certainly there's no doubt that plaice find a moving bait more attractive than a still one - and, of course, by drifting we also cover more ground and help to keep the bait out of the clutches of robber crabs. This latter point can be quite an important one when fishing for estuary plaice.
In areas where tides run really fast, however, it is seldom practical to fish on the drift, and legering from an anchored boat is then the most popular method.
To add some movement, and help to stimulate bites, a small plastic attractor spoon can be fitted on to the trace a few inches above the baited hook. The flow of the tide will make the spoon revolve or flutter, depending on its built-in action. Yet another method of adding movement to the bait when fishing at anchor is to use a running leger with the lightest possible lead; and then, by gradually paying out more reel line, allowing the baited tackle to trundle along the bottom on the tidal current.
You'll find that it helps matters along if you alternately raise the rod-tip momentarily to lift the lead off the bottom, and then release a yard or so of reel line. Alternatively, when fishing at anchor over a shallow mark, such as an estuary-mouth shell bank, you can use a float in combination with a baited flatfish spoon.
Set the float so that the bait is just tripping along the bottom, and allow it to drift away on the tide. Under the right sort of conditions this can be a deadly method, and of course there is also that special fascination that most of us experience when watching a float.
Remember that flatfish need to be given a little time to take a bait, so when the float starts bobbing about don't be in too much of a hurry to strike - or you will almost certainly pull the hook out of the fish's mouth.
Wait until the float disappears completely from sight; then drive the barb home with a positive but not over-vigorous strike. Over those West Country plaice marks where the biggest fish feed actively on sandeels, the best bait of all is naturally a live sandeel.
Because of its darting swimming movements, this particular bait is equally deadly when drifting or at anchor - although naturally a lot more ground is covered when drifting - and this in itself may result in more fish being caught. However, even in the West Country there are times and places where strong tides make drifting for plaice impossible - notably in the vicinity of prominent headlands, in fast-flowing estuary channels, and over shallow, steeply-shelving shell banks.
It is in these places that a live sandeel bait pays off handsomely. Finally, there's one other method of fishing for plaice that deserves a special mention. Indeed, when you have perfected the technique, it is likely to prove the most deadly method of all when used in the right conditions, and over the right sort of mark. For this method you need a fairly short single-handed spinning rod, preferably matched with a small baitcasting multiplier such as the ABU The reel should be loaded with 10 lb breaking strain line.
At the end of the reel line you attach a small shiny metal spoon. It should have a tantalising fluttering action when jigged up and down in the water. There is plenty of scope here for experimenting with home-made lures, but the one I use with greatest success is based on a design used by Esquimos when fishing through a hole in the ice! The lure is fitted with a single size 1 long-shanked hook, suspended on a 4in.
The hook is baited with a lively medium-sized ragworm, and the lure jigged erratically from a drifting boat just above the bottom. Every now and then it can be allowed to bump on the bottom, or even drag along it for a yard or two, kicking up puffs of sand or mud.
When you feel a fish attack the bait, stop jigging at once and allow the lure to flutter gently down to the bottom. Then pay off line so that the baited lure is left lying motionless for two or three seconds behind the drifting boat.
Strike when you think the fish has had sufficient time to mouth the baited hook. If the plaice doesn't take the bait at the first attempt, don't give up trying.
Jerk the baited lure off the bottom, and retrieve it slowly with a sink and draw action. Quite often the plaice will only take the bait properly after making one or two half-hearted trial attacks. I have used this method with considerable success over a wide variety of plaice marks, varying from the wide and shallow expanses of Poole Harbour to mountain-flanked Scottish kyles and sea lochs. Because they can be caught by so many different fishing methods, in such a wide variety of surroundings, plaice can be very interesting fish to try for with rod and line.
Remember, though, to keep your tackle as light as possible. By doing so you will not only enjoy better sport, but will also catch more fish. The boat record was caught in November , but this plaice was very much an exception to the rule. For plaice are without doubt a summer species. A scorching hot day, a flat calm and clear water over a sandy bottom are ideal plaice fishing conditions.
The hotter the summer the more plaice you are likely to catch. The milder the winter the sooner you will begin catching them. Plaice fishing generally gets off the ground in May and fades off towards the end of September, depending on the temperature. As a rule these handsome fish favour shallow water over sandy ground … the Varne Bank off Folkestone … are all top plaice-fishing marks off the south coast.
The bigger fish, however, while still showing a preference for sandy ground, often tend to hug closest to the rocks. Therefore, it is a good idea to fish sandy patches surrounded by rock. This type of ground has an added advantage in that trawlers dare not operate in the vicinity of rocks for fear of losing their nets. Such spots are not easily found and it is wise to study an Admiralty chart of the area before trying to locate one … Inshore rocky areas are well marked on the charts and it is a simple matter to 'feel' your way onto the sand.
It is easy to tell what sort of ground you are fishing over by the way the weight bounces on the bottom …. These grounds cannot be reached by even the best shorecaster so a boat is essential. Bigger mussel beds are found two to three miles offshore in up to 14 fathoms of water. These beds can often be fishing well and then suddenly one day sport will come to an end. This is not because the plaice move on, but because the mussels, like other sorts of shellfish, are mobile, and if conditions do not suit them in one area they will move to another.
The plaice will duly follow. Finding the fish again may mean experimenting but there are certain signs to look for which help reveal the whereabouts of plaice. If you are not sure whether the plaice have yet moved inshore, keep a watch out for mackerel moving on the surface.
If the mackerel are in, then so are the plaice. Starfish are also a good sign. These delightful creatures also feed on mussels and if you start to reel them up you can bet that plaice are in the area. Also keep an eye open for small rocks with clusters of mussels clinging to them. These can also betray the presence of plaice. The diet of the plaice is not made up entirely of mussels, however.
They are also very partial to another type of shellfish which measures only about an eighth of an inch in length and resembles a miniature whelk. At least this is the case off the south coast where it is quite common to catch plaice stuffed full of them, particularly in areas where there is a muddy bottom. Since plaice are best caught from a boat, the angler is the faced with the question of whether to fish at anchor or on the drift. In some instances he has no choice.
Anglers fishing off the Kent coast, for example, cannot afford to drift because they would lose tremendous amounts of terminal tackle in the rocks … A good way of covering different ground when fishing at anchor is to let out increasing lengths of anchor cable at about 20 feet at a time. This is also a good way to search out the sandy pockets between the rocks.
Alternatively, you can change the position of the boat by tying the rudder over one way or the other so the tide pushes the boat in different directions.
Terminal tackle is varied to suit conditions, but the most popular rig is a conventional three-hook flowing trace see figure Some experts adopt the 'bouncing' tactic. They drop their weight down to the sea bed and then bounce it slowly on the bottom before lowering the rod tip sharply to provide a little slack line.
This slack is important because, if a plaice feels resistance when taking the bait, he will very quickly blow it out of his mouth again. For this same reason it is a good idea to drop the rod tip at the first sign of a bite, giving the fish time to get the bait well into its mouth.
Give a plaice enough rope to hang itself and it will do just that. A slightly heavier weight than is necessary is advantageous when 'bouncing' for plaice. It not only helps in the actual process, but also prevents the bait being pushed downtide if there is a strong run. It is also probable that the plaice hear the bump of the weight on the bottom and move in for a closer look.
When plaice are very finicky, a more subtle version of bouncing can be adopted to tempt them to take a bait. Keeping a tight line, slowly raise the rod a few inches. This slight movement is transmitted right down the line to the trace and causes a slight movement of the bait.
It is just like teasing a kitten with a ball of wool. The fish will often gulp the bait down. Lower the rod top, wait a few seconds, and then lift the rod steadily but firmly. A hard strike could easily tear the hook out of the delicate tissue inside the fish's mouth. Similarly, the hook can be pulled out if the fish is swung into the boat, so it is always best to net them. Tackle-wise, anglers should not use very light rods and lines for plaice.
It is only asking for the tackle to be lost on the rocks surrounding their sandy lairs. Use a line and a trace of about 25lb and snoods of 10lb to 15lb. The snoods then break off first when a hook becomes snagged. Plaice can be taken on a wide variety of baits, some proving more successful in some areas than others. Sand-eel and strips of fish, for instance, are excellent baits on the Skerries Bank. But off the Kent coast, on marks such as the Varne, a tiny sliver of mackerel tipped with a small piece of lugworm is the top bait.
An ideal sliver is two inches long and three-eighths of an inch across, preferably cut from across the full width of the mackerel. Finally, remember that plaice will normally feed when the tide is moving, for fish generally take the opportunity of resting during slack water. The plaice is one of the most popular of all fish and is eagerly fished for by both boat and shore anglers, mainly due to its superb eating qualities.
Found all around Britain, Iceland, the North Sea and the Mediterranean, it grows to a large size, but rod and line fishing around Britain has only produced two weighing in excess of double figures …. The eyes are placed on top of the head. For fighting qualities the plaice must rank very high in any list of sporting fish, for it never knows when to give up, and will continue to fight up to the point where it is lifted from the water.
On many occasions, a last powerful undulating flick of the body has been strong enough to either break up the tackle or tear out the hook, just as the net is being passed under it. In keeping with all the members of the flatfish family, it is an inquisitive fish and, for this reason, spoons are used extensively to attract them.
Many types are successful, but I have found that a highly polished metal one, about three inches long, and one and a half wide is ideal. The rig is best worked from a drifting boat and comprises a short trace about eight inches long, made up from medium weight monofilament, the spoon being placed about four inches from the hook.
This is done by using two very small swivels, one either side of it. The spoon itself is also swivelled at one end with the aid of split rings, enabling it to flutter and spin quite easily.
Hooks must be fairly long in the shank, and fine in the wire. Although a variety of baits can be used with the spoon, none are accepted so readily as worm, with medium sized king-rag being the best of all. These should be hooked through the head to ensure an attractive movement as the spoon is worked. Bites should be struck firmly, but not too quickly, as the fish often takes the first two inches off the tail end of the worms, before making an attack on the parts nearest the hook. Fishing from anchored boats can be good at times, but it cannot compete with the drift method, unless one has live sand-eel.
These are great favourites with the plaice and should be fished on a leger trace ten feet in length. The fish attack them with ferocity, often swallowing the whole eel right down, so every bite should be struck immediately.
Boat fishing does not call for anything other than medium weight tackle, the best sport being obtained on a light rod with a nice supple action. The reel can be a fixed spool, or better, a small multiplier loaded with ten pound breaking strain line. Good sized plaice are taken by shore anglers, the tidal rivers seeming to give up the biggest ones. The fish move upstream with the tide, and tend to keep in the main channel; end tackle, therefore, should be cast into it. With the leger rig, soft-back or peeler crabs are a wonderful bait for 'flatties'.
When they are in short supply, which seems to be often, a fillet from a sand-eel or worms will prove to be useful substitutes. Weight of tackle for shore work, depends to a large extent on the type of ground one is fishing over. In general it should consist of a rod capable of casting four ounces of lead, particularly in estuaries where tides can run swiftly. Line strength depends on the bottom; in the rivers this is basically mud, but quite often there is a twenty yard area of heavy rock and weed between an angler and the water.
Bringing a hooked fish through this, when it is covered by the tide requires line with a breaking strain of not less than fifteen pounds ….
Many bigger plaice are caught by boat anglers fishing over deep-water sand banks, but plaice will venture close into the shore, especially during the winter.
Storm beaches with a steep shelf dropping away into the water are good places to try. Plaice respond well to all manner of baits and a ragworm and squid cocktail is a firm favourite.
The plaice is the largest of the shore-caught flatfish - only the turbot and halibut are bigger - but they are comparatively rare and taken most often from a boat.
The plaice is a sought-after commercial species, and as such its numbers and average size have fallen in many regions over recent decades. It is a relatively slow-growing species. Commonly found in or near estuaries, over clean sand grit bottoms and on sand banks or patches between pea mussel beds inshore, it survives on a diet of marine worms and small crustaceans.
It is an inquisitive flatfish and is commonly fished for with bright glitter spoons with sequins and beads. Sometimes floating beads are added to the hook snood and rig for extra appeal. Smooth skin, right eyed, knobbly top to the head. The creature came to life, and ever since that day has been brown on one side and white on the other … Plaice Pleuronectes platessa may always be identified by their red spots.
Both these baits of course are fairly easily come by; but there is another good one for plaice which is not so easy to get hold of, and that is the razor fish … In a strong tideway it is often a difficult matter to distinguish the bite of both plaice and dabs, particularly when the fish run small ….
The Daily Express, Friday 18 April at page 15 Only the wily angler will lure the plaice By Tom Float Finding plaice in the wide expanse of a sandy bay calls for keen observation and hard searching.
Careful plummeting finds them. Freshwater anglers know all the tricks of this department. The Flatfishes The Plaice The plaice is a larger species than the flounder and one that frequents deeper water. The life span is something like 30 years when a fish could be 36 inches and, if a female in top condition, weigh perhaps 14 lb … The spawning period covers about four months, and varies with each area … in the Channel from December to April, though early spawners will come inshore to summer quarters during March.
Above the beads tie on a Powergum stop knot to stop the beads sliding up the hook trace during the cast. This gives you perfect tensioning of the hook trace with the hook in the Impact Shield. The sliding Impact Shield being free to slide can take up any stretch in the hook trace caused by casting pressures. Follow our guide on how to make shore plaice attractor rig in our sea fishing rigs section.
A great plaice bait is to cut the body of a peeler crab in half and bind this to the hook with elastic, then add a long slice of squid to the hook to give the bait movement. Other top baits for plaice are fresh blow and black lugworm, ragworm, fresh mussel, sand clams, razorfish and white rag if you can get it. They also take fresh sandeel and squid strips when these baits are fished on the drift with a plain bomb.
Plaice inhabit waters all around the UK and Irish coast, but are also found northwards throughout Norway to the Russian border, all around Iceland, and off the southern tip of Greenland. They also inhabit the western coast of Europe as far south as the Mediterranean. The UK and Irish season is typically from mid to late February when the plaice return inshore after spawning, right through to November, but the plaice are in prime condition from June onwards.
The biggest plaice tend to show in August and September, generally speaking. Smaller plaice can be caught all year round. They favour offshore sandbanks and can be found resting on the inclines of the banks, typically at the base and in the middle of the rise, but occasionally on the top of the bank. They prefer sand, or a mixture of sand and shingle, but will also live over fine shingle and shell grit, also seed mussel beds.
The most famous sand banks for plaice are The Skerries off Dartmouth and The Shambles off Weymouth, both marks that produce large numbers of big plaice. Plaice can be caught on all sizes of tides, but often offshore the smaller neap tides produce the better fishing as the drift of the boat will be slower and the presentation of the bait to the fish better with the fish able to catch the bait up more easily and pounce on it as it passes by.
Dinghy anglers should also look at the mouths of smaller estuaries where plaice often sit on the sandbanks leading in to the main channels. They also favour mussel beds and bigger plaice offshore also tend to lay up on cleaner sand surrounded by rocks, and such marks will often produce specimen sized fish.
The edges of reefs that feed on to clean sand are also good places to try. It pays to fish light for plaice as the bites can sometimes be delicate, plus light tackle maximises the fun with the smaller fish.
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