Sea Fishing
Sea fishing rigs, shore and boat methods, and how UK commercial fishing works.
Guides
Intermediate · sea
Boat Fishing Rigs: Booms, Gilling and Jigging
Boat fishing lets you lower or work a rig beneath the vessel, but drift, tide and depth still shape the presentation. Booms, bait traces and worked lures each solve different problems.
Intermediate · sea
Clipped-Down Sea Fishing Rigs: Bait Clips and Distance
Clipped-down rigs hold bait closer to the rig body during a cast, then use a release system to let the hooklength fish freely. Correct clip geometry matters as much as the rig name.
Intermediate · sea
Flapper and Paternoster Rigs for Sea Fishing
A paternoster places hooklengths above a terminal lead. An unclipped flapper is a familiar shore-fishing version, with its baits free to move after the rig settles.
Intermediate · sea
Mackerel Feathers and Sabiki Rigs Explained
Feathers, hokeyes and sabikis place small lures on short droppers along a trace. Their appeal is simple presentation, but multiple exposed hooks need careful handling.
Intermediate · sea
Pennel Rig: Two Hooks for Larger Sea Fishing Baits
A pennel uses two hooks along one snood to support and present a larger bait. Its upper hook may be movable or fixed, depending on the arrangement.
Intermediate · sea
Pulley Rig for Shore Fishing: How It Works
A pulley rig uses a freely moving connection so that tension during retrieval can draw the lead closer to the hooked fish. It can help with snaggy ground, but cannot make a rocky mark snag-proof.
Intermediate · sea
Rotten Bottom Rigs: Weak Links and Casting Safety
A rotten bottom is a weaker connection intended to release a snagged lead. The crucial safety issue is how the lead is retained during casting—not simply how weak the link is.
Intermediate · sea
Running Leger Rig for Sea Fishing
A running leger uses a sliding weight carrier with a separate hooklength. It is a bottom-fishing arrangement, not a guarantee that a fish feels no resistance.
Intermediate · sea
Sea Fishing Float Rigs: Fixed, Surface and Sliding
Sea float rigs suspend bait in the water rather than relying only on a bottom lead. Select the float and loading for the depth, bait and conditions you intend to fish.
Beginner · sea
Sea Fishing Rigs: Choosing a Shore or Boat Setup
Choose a sea fishing rig by the ground, depth, bait and presentation you need—not by how many components it contains. This guide separates shore bait rigs, float setups and boat methods.
Beginner · sea
UK Commercial Fishing Methods Explained
How are fish and shellfish caught commercially? Explore the main nets, lines, pots and dredges in this introduction to UK commercial sea fishing, based on Seafish’s Basic Fishing Methods.