Fancy some serious variety and rod-bending action this summer, why not try sea fishing? You can use your coarse gear, it's cheap and the results can be fantastic. Here are some spots that are worth a try for beginners...
SOUTH AND SOUTH WEST
Swanage Pier, Dorset
Easy venue with lots of species, including wrasse, pollack, garfish. Day ticket applies (£5.50 adult, or £2.50 junior).
More info: www.swanagepier trust.com/fishing
Torquay Harbour, South Devon
Perfect for floatfishing with stepped-up coarse gear. Try fish or squid strip shallow for garfish, or deep (10ft-plus) for mackerel, or close in with worm for wrasse.
More info: Euro Angling tackle shop, 01803 203204
Weymouth, Dorset
All around the town is superb for mini species, from wrasse and pout to various rockfish. Fish close to walls or structures with small hooks and baits. Or try the stone pier for garfish and pollack with float tackle or metal lures.
More info: Weymouth Angling Centre, 01305 777771
Victoria Pier, Portsmouth, Hants
Head down at high tide for fun with the big mackerel and garfish shoals. A pike float with small fish strips or sandeels presented as bait will bring plenty of bites.
More info: Lock Stock and Tackle, 023 92812478
Plymouth Barbican & Mountbatten Breakwater , Devon
Fantastic variety of fish, including wrasse, pollack, mullet and gobies. Perfect for LRF tactics, or you could even take the quivertip with small worm sections.
More info: Plymouth Angling Centre, 01752 787102
Fowey, South Cornwall
Try around any structure with LRF tackle or tiny baits for wrasse, flatties and mini species. Also good late evening for casting lures to school bass.
More info: Fairwater Fishing, 01503 265 772
Ilfracombe , N Devon
The harbour by the Verity statue is great for mixed catches. Try float gear for mackerel and gars. Light legering or LRF tackle is good for wrasse by the rocks or gurnards, casting to cleaner ground.
More info: High Street Tackle, 0333 050 2482
Chesil Beach, Dorset
Pick a rising tide and pack lure fishing or feathering tackle to make the most of summer mackerel. With an unbelievable mix of species, you could also try your carp rod and a large bait here for the chance of something special.
More info: Chesil Bait and Tackle, 01305 766222
Brixham Breakwater, South Devon
Half-a-mile of superb fishing. Try inside the wall for wrasse and pollack on float or soft lures. Try the outer wall on a high tide for a great chance of mackerel and gar.
More info: Brixham Bait and Tackle, 01803 853390
Brighton Marina, East Sussex
A huge marina split into two arms, ideal for floatfishing or feathering for mackerel, gars and pollack. Or use your LRF or drop shot gear to target structures for wrasse and a host of mini species. Big bass can be targeted with large baits cast further out. Day tickets needed.
More info: The Tackle Box, 01273 696477
SOUTH EAST AND EAST COAST
East Pier, Whitby, North Yorkshire
Lots of species on offer, including mackerel, pollack, wrasse and flounders, along with small congers. Mussel or lugworm baits work well, and spinners or LRF tactics will bring plenty of bites.
More info: Hook, Line and Sinker, 07955 396474
Lowestoft Harbour and piers, Suffolk
The South Pier and harbour are great for bass, which tend to fall to ragworms or sandeels. Mackerel can be had on spinners or feathers. Claremont Pier is worth a go for bass and flatfish.
More info: Oulton Broad Fishing Tackle, 01502 539593
Whitstable Beach and Harbour, Kent
Fish either the harbour or the pebble beach for bass, flatfish, pollack, mackerel, wrasse and dogfish. Lugworm and crab baits work well, and LRF can be productive in the harbour.
More info: Absolute Tackle, Herne Bay, 01227 636724
Dungeness Beach, Kent
This famous spot is well-known for its smoothhounds, spurdogs and rays, but can also produce good bass and soles. Try lugworm and squid baits.
More info: Seagull Fishing Tackle, 01797 366837
Newton Haven, Northumberland
Great beach and deep-water rock fishing in an idyllic setting, with ballan wrasse, coalfish, pollack and bass. Worms, fish strips and crab baits are best, but LRF from the rocks can be really productive.
More info: McDermott’s, Ashington, 01670 812214
Hendon Promenade, Sunderland
Park on the promenade and head down the beach on low water for the best fishing. Bass show up in summer, to complement the resident flounders and dabs.
More info: North East Tackle Supplies, 0191 5103573
Trimingham Beach, Mundesley, Norfolk
Use worm, sandeel or crab baits and fish at low tide for schoolie bass, dabs, flounders and soles. Cast longer for the chance of smoothhounds and rays.
More info: Rite Gear Angling Centre, 01263 838248
Gorleston, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk
Good numbers of summer bass, as well as mullet in the harbour. You don’t need to cast far either. Try strips of fish, squid, or ragworm hookbaits.
More info: Gorleston Tackle Centre, 01493 662448
Clacton Pier, Clacton-on-Sea, Essex
Dogfish, garfish, mullet, rays, pouting and some very good bass to 5lb-plus. Try lures between the pier piles or ragworm down the side of the wall. Day ticket needed.
More info: Clacton Angling, 01255 221863
Robin Hood’s Bay, North Yorkshire
At high tide target the base of the sea wall, while at low tide head to Stoupe Beck Sands, Boggle Hole and Long Hole. Expect flatfish and whiting, plus increasing numbers of bass, to show up as the summer wears on.
More info: Hook, Line and Sinker, 07955 396474
WEST COAST AND WALES
Rossall Point, Fleetwood, Lancs
A mixed ground beach with plenty of fish-holding features. Expect thornback rays, bass and flatfish in summer. Cod and codling visit later in the year. Lugworms, crabs and razorfish are all good baits to try.
More info: DC Bait Supplies, 07818 440585
Blackpool Piers, Lancashire
The three main piers offer good fishing for all sorts of species including flounders, dabs, bass, gurnards, dogfish and smoothhounds. Some access to the piers is only open to local angling club members, so check in advance.
More info: Blackpool Angling Centre, 01253 283456
Amlwch Harbour, Anglesey
Lots of rocky features to target with LRF or float tackle. Try inside the walls with small baits or lures, or try bigger baits and stronger tackle for strap congers, pollack and corkwing wrasse.
More info: Telboys Tackle, 01407 832965
Whitehaven Piers, Whitehaven, Cumbria
Both the North and West Piers offer a variety of species. Lures will tempt mackerel and pollack, while a float set-up will produce garfish, schoolie bass, dogfish and various flatfish.
More info: Cumbria Tackle & Gun, 01946 691300
West Pier, Swansea, South Wales
Light gear and floatfished baits will produce both mackerel and garfish, but don’t rule out catching them on spinners. Good dogfish, pouting, conger eels and flounders too. Swansea Marina holds mullet, school bass and flounders.
More info: Mainwarings Angling Centre, 01792 202245
Aberystwyth, Wales
Bass, mackerel, garfish and pollack can be caught from the Stone Jetty, where both lures and floatfished baits work well. The area can be quite snaggy and should only be fished in good weather conditions.
More info: Aber Fishing Tackle, 01970 611200
Portishead, Bristol
During summer the marina is home to plenty of crafty mullet, which can be caught either on small pieces of bread or earthworms. Nearby marks are also capable of producing flounders, dogfish and bull huss.
More info: Reel Fun Fishing, 01275 848652
Clevedon Pier, North Somerset
With variable opening times, anglers must purchase a ticket to fish the pier. In the summer this area produces thornback rays, smoothhounds, bass, Dover soles and dogfish. The fishing can be quite challenging due to strong tides and large amounts of weed.
More info: Oliver’s Angling, 01275 871590
Holyhead Breakwater, Anglesey
The end of the breakwater is a great spot for mackerel, pollack and coalfish, which will all take spinners or floatfished baits. Dogfish and whiting are common too. Fishes best in good weather conditions due to the snaggy nature of the bottom in places.
More info: Winnies Worms, 01407 760303
Llandudno Pier, N Wales
The pier can produce plenty of mackerel to both lures and floatfished baits all through the summer. Dogfish, dabs, whiting, pollack, mullet and pouting are also possible. You don’t need to cast far either, as the structure of the pier itself will produce some good fish. There are varied opening times and a charge is made to fish here.
More info: Rhos Fishing Tackle, 01492 544829