Fishing by rod is free in the sea, no fishing licences, rod licence or fees to pay and the food you catch is also natural and free. What could be better than taking home some sea fish to cook for an evening meal that has been freshly caught a few hours earlier?It is not expensive to set up some fishing tackle it's not that expensive and once you have it, it will last for years so I recommend a mid-range outfit to start with. If you really get into it then you can always add more expensive tackle specific to certain fish with the experience you will gain.
You need something that can cope with a range of applications essentially an all-round set up. The type for beginners will be gear that will work for harbour, pier fishing, rock, estuary and beach fishing.
The Fishing reel
A medium sized fixed spool reel will set you up nicely. It can deal with heavy weights and is an ideal for every type of fishing mentioned above. A fixed spool reel is quite easy to cast with and requires a lot less skill than other types. You shouldn't pay more than forty pounds should buy you a decent reel.The Fishing rod
The rod you choose should flex easily, smoothly and gently without snapping back straight. A 10 to 12 footer would be an ideal starter rod as shorter ones makes rock and pier fishing more difficult as it take longer to master.
The Weights
A light casting weight will suite the pier and estuary fishing, but if casting out quite a distance is important then consider a heavier casting weight. Casting weights of 1-3 ounces are considered light and 3-6 ounces are moderate; 4–8 ounces are heavy.
The Fishing line
This is simple, for a beginner just stick to old-fashioned monoline. Until you become more confidant at what you are doing this will suit admirably.
The Rig
This is the system that the fish will be faced with and can be as simple or as complicated as you like. The best tip is to know what species of fish are around, this advice from you local fishing tackle dealer is invaluable; he will tell you and also get you a good quality rigs, weights and other end gear for the type of fish locally found. You will begin to set up your own system of rig once some experience is behind you.The Bait
Again, local knowledge is best, seek advice from the fishing shop, they will have all sort of bait for sale and also tell you where you can dig up your own if you wish.
More Tips
The more you plan your fishing the more successful you will be. Also make sure you have everything you need and some spare rigs and line just in case you lose some. I always find that a bucket or plastic bags are very useful to when the fish are caught so they can be kept in until you go home.Food and Clothing
Take some food, drink and extra clothing. The food always tastes better by the sea and there is always a wind that eventually will get through to you. Other than that, enjoy all the excitement of fishing the sea.
Finally, don't forget to check the tide times, the last thing you want is to get there and find the tide is out.
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