Sea Fishing Vs Boat Fishing
Sea fishing can be split into two categories, boat fishing and shore fishing. They are not mutually exclusive and many anglers practice both.
Boat fishing
If you have access to a boat or belong to a club which does, then you may get the opprtunity to fish for shark in the warmer waters off the south-west coast of Britain. Alternatively, you may find yourself pursuing giant thornback ray which can be found off the coast of Scotland, if you live in more northerly climes.
The proximity of the Atlantic Ocean whose waters are warmer than those surrounding the British isles and the abundance of wrecks(many from WWII) where the fish like to congregate make this area attractive to many species which in turn have created something of a hotspot for the sea-angling fraternity.
The seas off Southern Ireland are also popular with anglers. Here blue sharks patrol the waters above the wreck of the Lusitania and cod from the sheltered waters of the Cobh plus skate and huss from the numerous islands of Waterford Bay congregate in large numbers.
Shore fishing
If boat fishing holds little appeal for you or you haven’t got a boat there are still a wide variety of species you can catch from the shore. Whether you are fishing from a pier, beach or harbour wall the species that you can catch will be determined by the location and the nature of the coastline.
A rocky coastline is likely to be home to pollack, wrasse, whiting and bream plus the occasional conger eel.
Fishing from a sandy beach will bring you into contact with flounders, dabs, plaice and during the winter months, codling.
Piers and harbour walls are ideal places from which to catch dogfish, garfish and mackerel.
The time of year will also influence your fishing as fish change their habits according to the conditions and move to new habitats, either in search of food or to breed.
Of course if you live on the coast and have all-year-round access to the sea you can fish for different species at different times of the year.
Sea angling is a fascinating sport which is also very complex. The sheer variety of species that can be caught, the many different techniques which need to be mastered coupled with the necessity of understanding how the fish’s behaviour alters with the changing tides make sea fishing a rewarding pastime, though it comes with a rather steep learning curve.
