The locals call it the concrete boat and it’s the nearest you can get to boat fishing without a boat, although because of its location in the middle of Dover harbour you do have to take a boat ride to get there!

Ravaged by the gales in the winter the venue is only reachable in wind strengths under force 7 with the Dover Port Control only allowing the boats to travel to the wall based around the conditions predicted by the BBC shipping forecast.

Fishing is available from both sides, which are railed, into the English Channel on the front side of the wall and Dover harbour on the back wall. There are 213 pegs along the open wall with room for another 30 plus anglers to fish the inside wall along the battery ends. The tide along the front wall is fierce and a 6 to 7oz fixed grip wire is the minimum required during the main flood, which lasts for an hour and during all of the ebb tide. A 6oz breakout lead will cope with the inside wall, but a soft wire fixed wire lead is less likely to find a line snag. The flood tide flows north and the ebb tide south, but during the high water period the tidal direction changes a number of times because of the eddy effect of the harbour. Check the tide’s direction before you cast! A Dover SAA pier steward is always in attendance and in touch with port control via VHF. There is a canteen offering tea, drinks and snacks at the northern end. Access is limited strictly to senior able bodied anglers.

SPECIES

In summer bass are the target species from the outside wall at the ends of the pegged areas (peg 1 north end and peg to 213 south end) Best bass baits are; fresh mackerel, head or fillet, a live pout or a whole squid. Other summer species include lots of pouting and dogfish along with wrasse, scad, pollack, garfish, plaice, bream, gurnard, mullet, eels, flounder, whiting, dab, sole, codling and smoothhound. October sees the start of the cod season with the cod showing after the flood run. In the New Year and into Spring the deep water continues to produce codling when the weather allows with a chance of ray and plaice from April onwards. The favourite pegs are the knuckle (1 to 13) with those under 50 recognised for producing more fish because of the stronger tide, but avoiding the crowds and fishing the centre section around peg 100 can be worthwhile at times whilst peg 213 is hot for bass in summer and autumn during the ebb and over the spring tides.

BAIT AND TACKLE

Black and yellowtail lugworm are most productive in winter, especially for the cod with a squid cocktail favourite although some days it does seem to attract the dogfish. Ragworm is most effective in summer, both fish best with a squid or fish tip for the whiting, pout, dogs etc. Peeler crab also catches the codling and in summer smoothhound. Sandeel and ragworm are the hot baits for the dogfish in matches and maddies tops for pollack, scad etc under the weed fringes along the pier wall. Try a bread bag and bread flake for the big mullet from the outside wall.
A strong leader knot like a Bimini twist is essential because the bottom from the front wall is heavy in places with flint stones throughout its length, whilst the inner wall is snaggy in places, bend grip wires in a slow U to help escape line snags, etc. Favourite terminal rig is a one up, one down mono paternoster during the strongest flood and ebb, with a two up one down the match angler’s choice during the flood tide from the outside or inside wall. Size 1 plus hooks to 25lb snoods are the minimum advised because of the fish twisting in the fierce tide with 3/0 plus for the cod.

PIER DETAILS

Opening Times
Weds, Sat and Sunday. Boats leave from Approx 8am – Return 3.30pm.
Tickets: Members £3.00; Associated members £5.00; Non members £6.00.
Anglers must be over 16 with under 18 accompanied by an adult.
Bookings for the Breakwater are available for clubs on other days subject to the weather, but must be pre-arranged via Dover Sea Angling Association. A minimum charge of £60 is levied to cover the steward.
For membership etc: Dover SAA 14, Priory road, Dover, Kent. CT17 9RG
Tel, 01304 204722
The Ferry boat does not operate in a wind force of over force six – Check with Dover Motor boats on Tel. 01304 206809

TACKLE SHOP

Channel Angling, 158-160 Snargate St, Dover, tel: 01304 203742.
Opening times: 7am – 5pm Monday, Wednesday, Thursday. 7am – 6pm Friday, Saturday. 7am – noon Tuesday, Sunday.
Bait: Fresh lug, rag and selection of frozen baits.

Bill’s Bait and Tackle, 121 Snargate St, Dover, tel: 01304 204542.
Opening times: 6.30am – 4pm Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday. 6.30am – 6pm Friday, Saturday. 6.30am – 1pm Sunday.
Bait: Fresh lug, rag and selection of frozen baits.

Brazil’s Anglers Den, 162 Snargate St, Dover, tel: 01304 201457.
Opening times: 7am – 5.30pm Monday to Saturday. 7am – 4pm Sunday.
Bait: Lug, rag and selection of frozen baits.

Number of lakes/pegs : –
Prices : –
Directions : Travel to Dover via the M2/A2 or M20/A20. Take the second exit on the third round about from the A20 as you enter Dover and the first exit on the third roundabout from the A2.(Head for the hover speed Sea Cat terminal) The boats for the breakwater go from the pontoon at the Dump Head steps which are next to the RNLI (Lifeboat) head quarters. Plenty of safe pay parking around the Marina. Getting on and off the boat is via steep steps so take care and don’t overload yourself with tackle. A tip, be positive and always step off the boat when it is rising in the swell, seek help if you are nervous. The boats drop off at peg 213 and it’s a hike to peg one – Tip – Walk on the flat concrete next to the front railing, the cobblestones will get to your feet!