Catching Fish

Techniques for catching specific fish species found in UK waters. Each article covers habits, preferred baits, best locations and how to handle your catch.

Breeding Your Own Bait

Home anglers can breed their own maggots and worms to get fresher, livelier bait that often works better than shop-bought options.

Carp Fishing

Carp are Britain's most prized freshwater fish—here's where to find them and what gear you need to start fishing.

Catching Cod

Cod migrate to British waters to feed and can be caught from beaches, piers and boats with basic tackle and the right technique.

Catching, Playing and Landing Fish

Learn when and how to strike a fish, read the float signals, and master the techniques for playing and landing your catch safely.

Dace Fishing

Small silver fish that dart through fast-flowing streams, dace are fun to catch with simple tackle and basic baits like worms.

Fishing for Barbel

Barbel are powerful river fish with distinctive barbules around their mouth, found in fast-flowing waters and weir pools where they can weigh 1-3.5kg.

Fishing for Chub

How to identify chub, find them in rivers and still waters, and catch them with the right tackle and techniques.

Fishing for Conger Eels

Conger eels can weigh over 40kg and lurk in wrecks and rocky coastal habitats, here's how to catch them from boats and shore.

Fishing for Flatfish

Catch dab, flounder and plaice in British waters with tips on identifying each species and finding them along the coast.

Fishing for Pike

Pike are fierce freshwater predators found across the British Isles, and here's what you need to know about fishing for them.

Fishing for Pollock

Pollock is a plentiful cod relative worth catching from UK coastlines and boats using simple rods and live bait.

Garfish: The Poor Man's Marlin

Garfish are fierce fighters that leap out of the water and are easy to catch off Britain's coast, but most anglers overlook them.

How to Catch Grayling When Fishing

Catch grayling in winter rivers by understanding how to identify this beautiful fish and where to find them in fast-flowing streams.

Knowing When to Fish

Timing matters as much as location when fishing, learn which seasons and conditions make fish most likely to bite.

Perch Fishing

Perch are a classic first catch for anglers and thrive in most freshwater locations with simple tackle and basic techniques.

Preparing and Cooking Your Catch

Here's how to clean and cook the fish you've caught for a delicious home-cooked meal.

The Art of Fooling Fish

Fish have been fooling anglers for thousands of years, and learning the art of deception can help you catch bigger ones.

The Best Locations to Fish

Find the best fishing spots across the UK, from barbel rivers to trout lakes and coastal waters.

The Sense Organs of Fish

Fish use sight, smell, touch and special senses like the lateral line to perceive their world, and understanding this changes how you fish.

Trout Fishing

Brown trout, rainbow trout and sea trout are found across the British Isles, and three different fishing methods can help you catch them.

Understanding Fish Feeding

Fish feeding depends on several factors like temperature and weather, so understanding these conditions helps you catch more fish.

Understanding Time and Tides

Sea levels rise and fall due to the moon and sun, but local geography creates tides that vary dramatically, affecting where fish bite.