Sea fishing - essentials for a beginner?

[Milk Tray Man]

So, looking for another activity (besides drinking and eating) to occupy me whilst out and about in the motorhome. We spend a fair bit of time near the coast and whilst fishing on a lake/river holds no appeal (want to be able to keep/eat what I catch!) do fancy having a go at sea fishing. Any advice from the sea fishing enthusiast on here for a basic essentials kit. Needs to flex across beach/rock fishing and don’t want to carry any more than essentials as its just a bit of fun that may provide the odd edible bit of fresh fish. Happy to spend couple of hundred quid and anticipate the rod and reel would be the most expensive bit.

Any advice gratefully received.

 

[joe and sue]

Boat might be useful !!

 

[Jimbohorlicks]

Boat might be useful !!

And a couple of oars

 

[Milk Tray Man]

Hmm, strictly dry land only given I get seasick in the bath

 

[Ivory55]

A fork for digging up all those lug worms

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[andy63]

If you have a local tackle dealer pop in and explain what you have just posted..
They should have a range of gear to suit whatever you want to spend..
Andy..

 

[Marmite]

Probably best you go for beach fishing. Basic requirement is a long beach fishing rod (~12 feet long) and a suitable reel. You can get collapsible rods which do not take up too much space in the MH. Other than that you can buy ready made hook rigs and weights, unless you want to start making them up yourself. You can also buy a tripod stand so that you don't have to hold the rod all the time. Be aware though, that on most trips you probably won't catch anything.

If boat fishing, most skippers have rods on board that you can hire by the day, so no outlay. You are more likely to catch fish from a boat.

 

[monzer]

You'll easy pick up a decent rod, reel and some gear for that money. Any tackle/bait shop will have pre-made rigs to catch fish. White feathers for cod or anything shiny for mackerel. Get a few spinners to keep you busy instead of casting out and waiting.

I wouldn't go for the beach fishing if you're a beginner. You need some strong gear and a good cast for that kind of stuff. I'd start off rock or pier fishing.

 

[DandG5515]

Ginger - helps if you get sea sickness

 

[ChrisL]

Spinning or using lures for Bass and Pollack can be fun, just be careful if your fishing from rocks not to slip and fall or get swept off by a rouge wave, you can use a similar technique off the beach as well, Bass can be caught surprisingly close in where the waves are breaking. I like to wade about knee deep and work my way along the beach, I enjoy that more then sitting in a chair waiting for a bite. Also there are size restrictions and limits to the number you can take for bass that apply to leisure fishing, so check first if you intend to keep any for the pot.

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[Spriddler]

I wouldn't go for the beach fishing if you're a beginner. You need some strong gear and a good cast for that kind of stuff. I'd start off rock or pier fishing.

Yep, I gave up beach fishing many years ago. Apart from it usually being too breezy for comfort and needing heavy leads and traces I got fed up with hauling in and removing great clumps of seaweed. I prefer rock or pier float fishing which is more exciting with a float to watch and where the kit can be lighter and the gear in the water isn't dragging up stuff from the sea floor.
I'd go for a circa 12' rod and fixed spool real (i.e. not a centre pin or multiplier reel), trace line of a lesser strength than the main reel line, a small selection of weights and a few hooks plus some mackerel/cod feathers and a couple of spinners to start with.
I use a 30lb breaking strain reel line with 15lb trace line. The trace line is weaker than the reel line since if the hooks get snagged the short trace line will break before the main line which could lose you 50 yds of main line.
Treat it as if new to motorhoming as it's best to buy what you find you need rather than all the good advice for stacks of 'essentials'.
Tight lines!

 

[jumar]

Don't throw yourself in at the deep end, (Pun Intended) buy some basic kit, have a go and if you don't like it, you have lost nothing.....go expecting to catch nothing, when you do get something, and enjoy the thrill of the hunt, the catch and the situation, you can build on that...a cheapish telescopic rod and reel combo, ask advice a fishing tackle shop where you choose to fish, bait, lures etc, fish where others are fishing, be prepared to move around, change location, understand when fish want your offering, and most importantly fish safe and enjoy the experience, being on the rocks at sunrise or sunset remains for me one of the main reasons to go....

 

[The Wino]

I bought a basic set of sea fishing stuff for a small fraction of that cost from Boyes. It's very basic and I think a lot would turn their noses up at it but it's only a bit of fun for me I'm not a serious fisherman.

 

[Ivory55]

Before the eu changed the law/rule there was an old fella round here that used a net. He would stake the net out at low tide and return the next low tide to see if he had caught anything. Not allowed any more.

 

[RubyOptics]

I agree with the above. A simple and cheap little kit like <Broken link removed> will be enough to get you in the waves making some casts. Who knows...you might even catch something!! If you get "hooked" (sorry, I couldn't resist!!) then the sky is the limit with rods, reels and tackle.

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[Spriddler]

Before the eu changed the law/rule there was an old fella round here that used a net. He would stake the net out at low tide and return the next low tide to see if he had caught anything. Not allowed any more.

I have fished with a 20 feet long land line about 18" off the bottom staked out between two stakes at low tide with half a dozen baited hooks on 6" traces. I just left it out until the next low tide and it was quite successful.

 

[DBK]

I second the idea of just using lures. Beach casting needs more kit and getting suitable bait isn't always easy and after a time everything stinks.

I would start with a cheap spinning rod around 9' long, fixed spool reel with something like 12lb line. You will cast further with a lighter line but as a beginner a stronger line will be safer. A selection of spoons including small ones for mackerel will do to start. Fishing at dawn and dusk with a rising tide is best in my experience but mackerel can be caught anytime of the day but again only on a rising tide.

Float fishing from rocks can be fun using a small strip of mackerel as bait.

 

[DBK]

Before the eu changed the law/rule there was an old fella round here that used a net. He would stake the net out at low tide and return the next low tide to see if he had caught anything. Not allowed any more.

Nothing to do with the EU. The use of a "fixed engine" has been heavily regulated by UK law for decades.

 

[7735]

Most boats that do day fishing will supply all the gear for you, will even bait your hooks if you want. Try it first see if you like it.

spongy

 

[Ivory55]

Nothing to do with the EU. The use of a "fixed engine" has been heavily regulated by UK law for decades.

So it’s not banned then, I was told only allowed if they stayed with it all the time now and it wasn’t decades ago he was doing it

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[Peter and Julie]

I have fished with a 20 feet long land line about 18" off the bottom staked out between two stakes at low tide with half a dozen baited hooks on 6" traces. I just left it out until the next low tide and it was quite successful.

I used to do that in Jersey! You have to get there before the Gulls though.

 

[DBK]

So it’s not banned then, I was told only allowed if they stayed with it all the time now and it wasn’t decades ago he was doing it

It depends on location and time of year. For example this link gives the rules for part of the South Coast - look for the hyperlink to fixed engines. In other places, particularly estuaries a licence is needed. But it is all UK law.

<Broken link removed>

 

[Northernraider]

Don't throw yourself in at the deep end, (Pun Intended) buy some basic kit, have a go and if you don't like it, you have lost nothing.....go expecting to catch nothing, when you do get something, and enjoy the thrill of the hunt, the catch and the situation, you can build on that...a cheapish telescopic rod and reel combo, ask advice a fishing tackle shop where you choose to fish, bait, lures etc, fish where others are fishing, be prepared to move around, change location, understand when fish want your offering, and most importantly fish safe and enjoy the experience, being on the rocks at sunrise or sunset remains for me one of the main reasons to go....

Have you caught anything yet?

 

[Ivory55]

It depends on location and time of year. For example this link gives the rules for part of the South Coast - look for the hyperlink to fixed engines. In other places, particularly estuaries a licence is needed. But it is all UK law.

<Broken link removed>

Blimey that’s a whole book, haha

 

[MitchandJenny]

I have rock and shore fished by spinning a ABU TOBY lure for the last 60 years, but I did live in Cornwall with a good rocky coast and bays.
A good spinning reel ( I have had mine for 20 years) is a simple Shimano. At £25 max.
A nice carp rod ( flexible ) at about £30 max.
10lb line. A selection of ABU’s . A sharp knife. Some bags.
And go have a ball.
I missed what part of the country your in, but good luck.
Mitch.

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[MitchandJenny]

PS. Just looked.
Dorset is Hard to find good rocks but plenty of Bass right now.
Same kit. Good luck.
Mitch.

 

[franknjan]

I had a similar idea a couple of years ago.
I bought a beach caster rod and reel off eBay but didn't really know what to do.
We were in the Isle of Man and there were a lot of guys fishing one evening. I got talking to one, explaining I didn't have a clue but had a rod and reel. "Go and get it" he said. He fixed me up with tracer and bait and explained what to do. Call it beginners luck, I caught a fish. It is the only fish (tope) I've ever caught. Haven't even caught a mackerel. I do enjoy trying though.

 

[Northernraider]

I had a similar idea a couple of years ago.
I bought a beach caster rod and reel off eBay but didn't really know what to do.
We were in the Isle of Man and there were a lot of guys fishing one evening. I got talking to one, explaining I didn't have a clue but had a rod and reel. "Go and get it" he said. He fixed me up with tracer and bait and explained what to do. Call it beginners luck, I caught a fish. It is the only fish (tope) I've ever caught. Haven't even caught a mackerel. I do enjoy trying though.View attachment 429726

That was your first fish?

Or just a fisherman tale?

Either way it's a whopper

 

[Chris]

If you fish from rocks just be aware of the tide.

I was having a great time in the summer bass fishing off a rock with lures at Freshwater West in Pembrokeshire and having success when I suddenly realised the tide had come in and cut me off

I then had to wade waist deep back to the shore.

And I grew up by the sea

 

[Ivory55]

It’s something I have never done, they always look cold stood on the beach with their rods, and as for digging the beach up at low tide looking for worms. There used to be a fella that did dig for and sell the worms up here, but it looked like hard work.

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