I was introduced to beach fishing around 15 years ago by my neighbour John while living in Newcastle Upon Tyne. Prior to this I had not done any sea fishing whatsoever. In fact I had never done any sea fishing as my main focus has always been river and lake fishing.
When I met John he was a dedicated sea angler and despite our love for fishing we could not find any common ground on the sport. So, he offered to take me sea fishing and in return I would teach him the ins and outs of river fishing.
Our first trip was to Whitley Bay as small coastal down on the outskirts of Newcastle Upon Tyne. The area is full of lovely beaches and secluded spots. John borrowed me all the fishing tackle I needed for my first beach fishing trip. Well, I was shocked! The fishing rod looked like it could handle a shark, the hooks could hook a sunken ship and the fishing line could easily pull down a light house.
Up to this point I had only used very light spinning and float roads. A beach caster is probably 10 times the weight of a river spinning road. The fishing line use for beach casting is around 100 times stronger then the line used to catch small roach on the local lake. I am sure you get the point. If you are serious about beach fishing then you really need to consult a tackle expert.
Despite my doubts, I still decided to give sea fishing a try.
My first trip to the beach was during the night which kind of made my experience even more difficult to grasp. Oh, at it was a very cold night which is apparently the best time to catch some big cod.
So, what did I learn from my first beach fishing trip?
#1 You need some strong muscles
The weight of the sea fishing rod, reel, bait, weights and hooks can put a strain on your shoulders, neck and arms. Therefore, I strongly advise you visit your local gym to get your body ready to carry the weight through the sand. This is even more true if the tide is out and you have to walk a fair way to find the sea.
#2 You need to learn to cast
Most of my previous fishing has consisted of flicking the line into the water. A strong cast would normally result in hitting the house on the other side of the river bank. However, at sea you have all the space in the world. So, you need to cast your bait far enough in order to find deeper pools.
#3 You need plenty of good quality bait
The bigger sea fish have big mouths! So, for this reason you need to feed them with tons of bait. In the UK we use peeler crabs, rag and lug worms as well other fish. If you are coming from the maggot world of coarse fishing then you will be in for a shock.
#4 Beach fishing does not = shorts and t-shirt
Normally when we think of the ‘beach’ we think of sun and sunbathing. Well, when it comes to beach fishing in the UK it’s totally opposite. Beach fishing produces some of the best catches when the sea is rough. This brings the bigger fish towards the coast and make it easier to find them. Therefore, you really need to invest in warm clothing!