Talacre
Last updated September 2022
Last updated September 2022
Talacre at low water. A walk of over 1km from the beachside car park
A low water mark fishing into the main channel of the Dee. It's reached by a lengthy walk over the beach. A beach with many gullies which can fill behind you so take care. The best area to fish is considered to be to the right of the lighthouse as you look out to sea.
Summer Species
Traditionally considered an autumn and winter venue it's only in recent years that it's come to prominence as a prime summer venue. The quality of its smooth hound and bass fishing makes it a must-fish mark! It also offers great prospects for thornback rays and tope are a distinct possibility, especially during May and June. In late 2016 I said this mark could be a hidden gem just waiting to be re-discovered as a summer venue. The catches since then have proved just how right that prediction was!
Baits
Summer species: for smooth hounds the best baits are peeler crab, squid and prawns.The rays are mostly taken on squid or squid and bluey wraps. Bass will take peeler crab and worm baits. Flatfish (mostly dabs) take small worm baits.
Winter Species; whiting will take almost any bait but seem to have a real liking for worm tipped with squid. Coddling will take peeler crab or large baits of black lug (fresh if you can get it) tipped off squid.
Anthony Harrison with a lively hound
Dave Jones with his 1st ever hound!
The author with a little porker!
Winter Species
Whiting, dabs and occasional codling.
Guidance
The sand call be very soft in places so take care
Winter fishing was until recently the most time to fish Talacre. Recently it's become a top late spring and summer venue for smooth hounds and is often the venue for fishing matches both winter and summer.
Standard beach gear with a range of grip or plain leads 150-190g are fine. Two or 3 hook flapper rigs with smallish hooks size 1.0 down to size 2 will be all you need for smaller species but switch to pulley or pulley pennels if chasing bigger prey. Aim to fish 3hrs down to low water and 2hrs of the flood. The walk to the water will take around 20 minutes so arrive a bit early and follow the tide down. Travel as light as you can as the walk over the sand is a physically demanding trek for the less athletic amongst us!
Don't be tempted to stay out beyond the 2hrs after low and personally I'd recommend leaving 15 minutes or so before the 2hrs time.
Talacre always carries a warning about FOG . . . It sounds dramatic but if you've witnessed a Dee Estuary fog and seen how quickly it rolls in you'll respect the advice. Autumn and winter are the times of the year when fog is most common. The beach is flat and quite featureless so in fog even anglers familiar with this venue can become disorientated and this becomes worse after dark!
This really is a mark where a compass is very useful. A mobile phone with a GPS app is another alternative but make such the battery has enough life should it be needed!
If you intend to fish a winter night on this mark, I'd try and make sure to have had a few daytime sessions beforehand as this will help you to familiarise your surroundings!
Getting there
From the old coast road A458:-
Approximately halfway between Mostyn and Prestatyn you'll come to a roundabout. Leave the roundabout turning onto Station Rd, signposted Talacre 1/2 mile. Continue to the end of Station Rd. There is parking provision right alongside the beach. Depending upon the state of the tides you may find this parking area to be very muddy and it is liable to flooding on high tides so will often be closed for a few days during the bigger spring tides.
Be warned though this car park shuts and is locked in accordance with the times shown! A better option is the 'Pay & Display car park by the Smugglers Inn.
Standard beach gear with a range of grip or plain leads 150-190g are fine. Two or 3 hook flapper rigs with smallish hooks size 1.0 down to size 2 will be all you need for smaller species but switch to pulley or pulley pennels if chasing bigger prey. Aim to fish 3hrs down to low water and 2hrs of the flood. The walk to the water will take around 20 minutes so arrive a bit early and follow the tide down. Travel as light as you can as the walk over the sand is a physically demanding trek for the less athletic amongst us!
Don't be tempted to stay out beyond the 2hrs after low and personally I'd recommend leaving 15 minutes or so before the 2hrs time.
Talacre always carries a warning about FOG . . . It sounds dramatic but if you've witnessed a Dee Estuary fog and seen how quickly it rolls in you'll respect the advice. Autumn and winter are the times of the year when fog is most common. The beach is flat and quite featureless so in fog even anglers familiar with this venue can become disorientated and this becomes worse after dark!
This really is a mark where a compass is very useful. A mobile phone with a GPS app is another alternative but make such the battery has enough life should it be needed!
If you intend to fish a winter night on this mark, I'd try and make sure to have had a few daytime sessions beforehand as this will help you to familiarise your surroundings!
Getting there
From the old coast road A458:-
Approximately halfway between Mostyn and Prestatyn you'll come to a roundabout. Leave the roundabout turning onto Station Rd, signposted Talacre 1/2 mile. Continue to the end of Station Rd. There is parking provision right alongside the beach. Depending upon the state of the tides you may find this parking area to be very muddy and it is liable to flooding on high tides so will often be closed for a few days during the bigger spring tides.
Be warned though this car park shuts and is locked in accordance with the times shown! A better option is the 'Pay & Display car park by the Smugglers Inn.
TALACRE GETS VERY BUSY AND CROWDED WITH DAY TRIPPERS ON A SUMMER WEEKEND. FINDING A PARKING SPACE CAN BE ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE SO PICK EARY MORNING OR EVENING TIDES
Peter Gabriel small early season hound
Peter Gabriel - Thornback Ray
Anthony Harrison with a lively hound
Peter Minns with a great hound!
Phil Davis June Hound
The Author with a small prawn caught hound