Could you recommend a rode and reel for a newbie or a decent forum for advice ?

Which part of the country will you be fishing? Any ideas what sort of thing you want to get into? Bear in mind it’s coming into winter so a lot of the fishing may well be night time cod, bass, smoothhounds and so on, so a head lamp and good clothing will be required.

I bought a £10 rod and reel from Go Outdoor. I use it once a year on holiday in NW scotland to fish off rocks. It has caught many a Mackerel and Pollock. It has brought up 2-3 mackeral at a time and I would say 3 is the limit before it breaks. Saying that I have probably lost about £50 of tackle at the same spot getting caught in rocks and kelp.

We get to Barmouth- Porthmadog area a few times a year and occasionally the Solway coast and its not too far to Bristol from us.it would be evenings or early mornings I be trying to catch something .
I’ve been looking at the Ron Thompson rods at go outdoors – might be a bit overkill but for the ££s it seems daft not to get one .

This one ..

http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/ron-thompson-evo2-beach-12-4-8oz-fs-2sec-p270644

To be honest, it’s not the rod and reel that catch the fish, it’s the bait and the presentation/timing. There is a huge variation in fishing across those areas you mention. Bristol channel has huge tides which would call for big grip leads to pin the bait to the bed, and strong rods to cope. But the solway could easily be spinning for bass at first light.

One thing I’ll say, cheap fishing rods just feel horrible to use. Same for reels.

For a bit of all round I’d suggest a 13-14ft rod (the longer rods help keep your gear off the base of the rocks you’re standing on as you bring in fish or piles of weed), as expensive a fixed spool reel as you can afford (think £75-80), some good high quality mono line and then from there you can read up and tie any kind of rigs you want with a few basics. I’d sooner put cash into a reel than a rod.

Shakespeare Salt are good, though it’s been a few years since I’ve been fishing, I’ve done it all my life to the point of obsession! I have an excellent shore rod I don’t need and would sell but postage might be a pain. It’s a 13ft Greys PZ match Mark 1 and I’d only want £40 for it.

Bear in mind it’s winter and catches will be slow. Fishing will be best when the sea is coming is coming onshore, a steady rolling swell is better than a harsh smashing chop. Use 5-6oz grip leads and either peeler crab or bluey for bait and pin that bait to the bottom and don’t move it. The bigger evening fish will home in on the smell.

Try this forum – http://www.worldseafishing.com/forums/

As said above you need to decide what type of fishing you want to do and could be influenced by location, what’s available to catch and time of year. I throw the odd lure out for bass, it’s fairly easy, clean and gets me out to some nice places.

* bookmarked.

Want me some bass and mackerel, all I have right now is a crab line and an appetite…

Feel free to ask anything Malvern and OP, I’ll probably be able to help.

This guys blog – http://www.henry-gilbey.com – is quite interesting, it’s all about bass fishing in the UK & Ireland. There’s no need to go buying loads of expensive gear as it doesn’t guarantee you’ll catch more or bigger fish.

Thnks glasgowdan

Had a few test runs with a borrowed rod, fishing from rocks onto (rocky) beach

They set me up in the local tackle shop with sand eels and (I think) a running ledger. I lost two rigs as snagged under the rocks in no time, as feared. At thispoint thought would be cheaper just to buy a sea bass 8)

Can you float for bass?

Any pics of that rod Dan?
I’m as keen as Mustad (see what I did there) but Dan talks sense & as he says, bait & It’s presentation is more important than fancy gear. (which is nice to have)
Again, what do you aim to catch, where will you fish, what’s your budget. Loads of things to take into consideration.
I’ve been out twice this week on Seaham pier, Monday was horrible, blowing a gale & generally crap, Tuesday was nicer but only had a small Coley. Trouble is, I need to live nearer the sea as It’s 60 miles each way. 😕

Tight lines!

Thanks Dan – piha for the info , the fishing gear will be going with us on biking holidays and the odd lads trip to the coast so a general use rod and reel would fit the bill . I guess a fixed spool would be a better idea that a multiplier for mixed use .
I’ll have a mooch on worldseafishing classifieds for any bargains 🙂

If you’re happy using a multiplier then get a penn 525mag.

Here’s another site I’ve found very useful,

http://britishseafishing.co.uk/

If you’re happy using a multiplier then get a penn 525mag.

Excellent reels! My rod & reel went over the railings at Hartlepool once, I fished it out with another setup, went home & stripped the reel down to get the saltwater out but hey presto, it was bone dry inside!
I’ve just bought myself a Penn Spinfisher fixed spool as ‘another backup’. 8)

Fish on!

What’s the craic with bait? Do you have to use live bait or will left over chicken roast do?

What’s the craic with bait? Do you have to use live bait or will left over chicken roast do?

Ha, probably not but I was fishing at Sandsend once, using good worms, squid & mackarel, blanked, while the bloke next to me was catching on cooked prawns!

Bait – now you’re really opening a can of worms!!! Some people swear by the most complex rules for all types of fish and times of day, phases of the moon etc, but the fish really don’t care as much as that.

For fish feeding by sight in clearer water – sandeel and/or ragworm.
For dirty water fish feeding by smell – peeler crab, bluey.
For a bit of everything – mackerel. Lugworm.

Be prepared to spend a lot of money on bait if you don’t have loads of time to collect or prepare it yourself. Peeler crab can be £1 each and it’s a crab per cast. BUT it really is king bait in many places through spring and summer. Autumn/winter sees worm and fish baits get a look in.