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Now that you have seen some of the action on our site and think you would like to give it a go then this is the page for you. Here we offer some useful info to help you get started there are tips on what you need for a good day including tackle clothing and food. How to be sure your as safe as can be, that your skipper has the recommended safety equipment, is insured and has the appropriate qualifications to take you to sea. It’s our ‘Big Dummy Guide to Charter Boat Fishing’
So scroll down and let’s get you started |
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I have lost count of the amount of anglers that started there sea fishing on a Mackerel trip while on holiday. There is however much more to charter angling than catching mackerel as the reports and competitions on our pages will prove, indeed the half day or evening mackerel trip at a holiday resort will probably be an extension to the skippers main operation of pleasure trips around the bay or similar. While these skippers are more than likely to be fully qualified to take the general public to sea most will not have a fishing background and the necessary understanding of how to get the most for those whishing to broaden there fishing experience. So first of all you will need to consider what fish you would like to catch, the UK has a vast array from which to choose but probably the most common choice of the new angler will be Cod.
Targeting Cod should not be to difficult as they are quite common in our waters however they will be found in some places at different times of the year, for example the IOW which home of the British ‘Cod Championship’ is where you will find the bigger specimens but they are an autumn and early winter visitor coming in to spawn in the shallows of the Island and Solent waters before moving off the ground and back to the wrecks reefs and other grounds in January. From January through to late April the Cod will be harder to find as they tend to migrate from breeding to other grounds during this period but there are exceptions with the smaller specimens turning up year round in places like the Thames Estuary, Bristol Channel and along the East coast in places like Whitby and some lager fish along the north Cornish coast. Come the summer months the Cod start to feed big time and can be found in abundance on some of the brittle star grounds in the English Channel west of the IOW and in Lyme Bay which is served by the Weymouth Poole Bridport and Lyme Regis charter boats. They will also be among the residents of the off shore wrecks living with other wreck fish like the Pollack Ling and Congers who all have an appetite for the Pouting Whiting and other smaller members of the food chain that live there. Tackle You will want a medium or heavy rod for the bigger fish where as you will probably find more fun on lighter gear if fishing in places like the Thames Estuary where the fish are that much smaller. The medium and heavy rod should be accompanied by a decent reel loaded with 35lb braid for the main line on the heavy rod, down size accordingly for lighter gear to say 20lb braid for your main line, what to put on the bottom will be explained later in this article.
Wreck Fishing is probably the most sought after type of trip for many charter boat anglers as a good day on the wrecks will produce a lot of good size fish, so not only will you get the chance to stock up your freezer but you will also come to find that this is one of the most energy sapping forms of fishing. There are two ways to fish a wreck and you will probably find you do both on a single trip, that is drifting the wreck on the tide run and at anchor during the slack water as the tide turns. Drifting with shads or soft jelly worm lures will normally produce Pollack with the odd Cod or Ling making an appearance while baited feathers will find all of the above along with other species like the Whiting and Pouting but there’s always a chance of something different like a John Dory. There is also the method of using a muppet with a Jig which you can literally bounce across the wreck in the hope of catching just about any thing that likes to stay close to its home, this is perhaps the best way to loose gear and often referred to as ’Who dares Wins’ Tackle A good boat rod is recommended 30lb class or above would be a good choice particularly if it’s your first time. However with experience a lighter rod can be used while fishing with lures and jelly worms thus providing much more feel of the fight which a good size Pollack will give you. The same main line for heavy and medium rods is recommended. For more of an idea of what to expect on a wrecking trip take a look at the free Valkyrie Wreck Fishing Video CLICK HERE to download it. (Please note this is a big file and may well take some time to download but it’s worth the wait)
Reef Fishing or rough ground fishing is similar to fishing the wrecks but the reef fish are generally smaller and there are many more species to catch. Some skippers specialise in this form of fishing and will run species competitions either on the day or over the course of a season. One of the best type of these trips in my experience is when all the anglers have to use a mini rod or child’s rod, the type you find at a sea side shop for around a ten pound or less and comes with a reel some hooks a float and some small weights. Tackle. For reef fishing I would recommend a lighter class rod than that used on the wrecks these will provide much more fun as the sensitivity will provide a much better feel of the fish and the fight to bring it to the boat. Main line any thing from 12lb upward and we almost always recommend the use of braid coupled with a mono rough bottom or shock leader.
Fishing for Flat Fish In complete contrast to wrecking, fishing for flatties is normally done on a small neap tide in shallow water with Plaice being the number one target, it is just about the most laid back type of sea angling. Turbot Brill and Sole are also likely to be found on many of the Plaice marks. For the more adventurous there are Megrim and the rays, which include Spotted, Blond, Small Eyed the beautifully marked Undulate and Thorn Back Rays, these are normally much larger than Place and require more effort to land. Finally Common Skate which can found in a few parts of the UK and are the target of the more experienced angler as some specimens are in access of 200lbs. Tackle For the smaller flat fish (Plaice Dab Sole and even Brill Megrim and Turbot) I would suggest using a very light rod and tackle however as you move up the weights and target the larger Turbot and the rays then a medium class rod might be an idea and its back to the strongest rod you can find for the Skate.
Shark Fishing Ok I know this is a beginners guide however there are many shark type fish out there and the most novice angler may well encounter one or two on the very first charter trip. Odds on a Lesser Spotted Dog Fish will show up and during the summer months the Smooth Hound are as likely to take your bait, there is even the chance that a Tope will snap up a fresh mackerel bait and if its on your hook your in for the fight of your life, but don't worry if you read the rest of this article you will have a clue as what to do. Fishing for shark as a target fish is again more for the seasoned angler with a few charter boats offering all that’s needed for a good day hunting the Blue Porbeagle and Thresher Shark that frequent some of the British waters in the summer. Tackle Any 15lb plus boat rod will cope with a Dog Fish, Smoot Hound even Bull Huss but a very good boat rod 30lb plus a good real and properly made specialist end tackle are essential for bigger Tope and proper Sharks, the latter normally supplied by the skipper of your charter boat but do check with him when you book up. Main line should be 75lb braid or mono as this is not bottom fishing and your looking to land a fish in excess of 100lb.
Bass Fishing Drifting for Bass can be fun and the fight should you be lucky enough to hook one, is just about one of the best to be had in the sport of sea angling. Once again this particular pray is probably best tackled by the angler who has found his feet with other hard fighters like Pollack and Coal Fish. Tackle There are specialist bass rods but most medium rods will suffice and a light rod for maximum fun is the choice of many a bass angler a main line of 25lb braid for the larger pray is ample go for lighter once you have the confidence.
General Fishing Method My advice is always keep it simple indeed I use the very basic equipment having watched some of our top anglers in action. The simple truth is you must get your bait on the bottom for almost all our fish (Pollack and Bass are notable expectations although you may even catch them on bottom gear) The most common rig is called a running ledger that is when the weight which is attached to a boom (this helps prevent your bait from spinning around the main line when dropping to the bottom) that runs up and down your main line or shock leader and the trace with the baited hook or lure run from a swivel attached to the end of the main line. (See Plan at the end of this article.
Fishing when the boat is at anchor Once your on the bottom you may need to trot your bait back from the boat so that it dose not get lifted from the sea bed in the tide, you will quickly get the hang of this. With your bait now settled it is time to adjust the drag on your reel so that with a little resistance fish can swim away with your baited hook with out relieving you of your rod which will happen should you get into something decent and you have not set the drag. Once the fish has stopped taking line tighten the drag just enough to start to retrieve your fish but not to much to stop a further run and carefully play your fish to the boat for the skipper to net or gaff. Follow these simple steps and you will find you will not lose many fish. Most skippers will help you with your bottom rig and teach you to tie the appropriate knots and sort out shock leader etc. There are other rigs the most common of which is probably baited feathers, that is simply a set of mackerel or cod feathers with lightly baited hooks, a very effective rig only this time once you find the bottom you will need to jig the line up and down just a little, as you would for mackerel but again set your drag to the point of retrieval but still allowing a bigger fish to run should you hook into one then play your fish to the boat.
Drifting over a wreck or reef for fish like Pollack is done by using the same running ledger rig but with a lure or soft jelly worm (sidewinders are good) for bait and on a longer trace (try 3mtrs) only this time set your drag to the retrieve torque before you let the line drop to the sea bed then once you find the bottom start to wind in slowly counting the turns you make, which can be as many as fifty turns, before dropping back to the bottom and try again. Once you get a fish take the lure remember the golden rule is ‘TIGHT LINES’ keep a positive amount of retrieve as you play your fish all the way to the surface.
Charter Boat Fishing in general You will encounter several other species while targeting any of the above, the most common being the Lesser Spotted Dog Fish and Pouting. Some times these can be a real pain as many an experienced angler will tell you but they are great for the novice as they are both plentiful in most areas and quite easy to catch indeed a larger Pouting will give you quite a good fight on light gear and are fun to catch.
Clothing It is important to keep your body temperature on the warm side this will help avoid motion or sea sickness as well as making for a comfortable day out, even on a calm day there is almost always a wind blowing and conditions can and often do change in the blink of an eye. So the golden rule is make sure to take with you a good warm coat even if it’s mid summer and in the middle of a heat wave. During colder spells warm clothes are a must as is foot ware. A pair of Wellington Boots supported with a thick pair of socks or similar are an absolute must. Many boats will have a wet deck at some stage so I would always recommend water proof foot ware as well as some thing that will keep those feet warm. If you decide to go for Deep Sea Fishing then an early investment in a flotation suite, one or two piece, is essential as these keep you warm and dry they will also keep you afloat should the worst happen. Last but by no means least is a hat during the summer a light hat that wont easily get blown off of your head and protects your ears from the sun (sombrero type) is a good idea and a warm woollen hat for the winter months is a must.
Tackle Box This is the box with your needs for the day hooks, line, swivels, lures, a knife, spare reels, sunglasses, but-pad etc indeed some anglers have the entire contents of there local tackle shop tucked into there tackle box however if its your first trip then you might be well advised to use hire or loan equipment which is available on most boats. While some skippers make a small charge many charter boats are now sponsored by the leading fishing tackle company's as they see you as a potential future customer so the kit on offer is often the latest type and among the best of there range and free to use.
Food The fresh sea air will give most people a good appetite and I would strongly advise you have a good breakfast before you set sail again this lessens the chance of motion sickness as well as providing your body has sufficient energy to cope with your being in a strange environment. Take with you plenty of snacks and a bottle of soft drink. Your skipper may have provision for heating pies etc and most will have hot drinks at some point of the day.
How to find the right boat There are some twenty sites on the internet advertising Charter Boats but only one to my knowledge charges the charter operator to advertise thus I would see this as one of the most reliable sites. It’s called The Deep Sea Directory and covers the whole of the UK but like this site it is primarily for south coast fishing. There is a link for this site and others at the end of article. Your boat must be MCA coded. The MCA (Marine Coastguard Agency) is the government body who check out the sea worthy ness of vessels and as a charter boat is passenger carrying it comes under a very rigorous inspection before it receives an operating ticket inspections then take place over a five year period when the vessel will again have a very thorough check by the MCA.
Insurance Most skippers will have insurance covering the boat it’s crew and third parties, that’s you it’s passengers. There is no way of being absolutely sure that a boat is insured other than the skipper shows you his paper work, this is some thing that I have been concerned about for a long time now and hope that organisations like the PBA (Professional Boatman's Association) to which many of the charter skippers belong, might get around to addressing. Having said that PBA members are the least likely to be without insurance. It is also worth noting that should one of your first trips be to the channel islands you will now need travel insurance as there is no free NHS cover there.
Life saving equipment Charter Boats are required to carry Life jackets for all crew members and every passenger also a life raft is a legal requirement and all life rafts should be checked and serviced every year. Make sure you know where to find a life jackets and how the raft is deployed in an emergency. The skipper should brief any new passengers on safety before sailing, if he dose not then ask. Some will also show you how to make an emergency call on the radio as you never know what might happen at sea so do take these matters seriously as it could save your life as well as that of others.
Skippers Ticket Your skipper should have a skippers ticket, it’s like the driving licence of sea men and women and requires some getting either by attending night school or taking a full time short course. The body responsible is the Royal Yachting Association but again there is no sure way of finding out if your skipper has completed the course and passed the exam.
Finally I think we have covered most topics for you to have a good day fishing on a charter boat but if you have any concerns then do get in touch with us and we will happily try and help. We will discreetly check insurance and skippers ticket for you along with any other issues you may have. This site is devoted to the promotion of Deep Sea Charter Boat Fishing and is totally independent of any operator, while we do use and support some boats, those we do support we will have checked out however we would like to point out that we are in no way finically involved with any of them.
Some useful links
The Deep Sea Directory http://deepsea.co.uk/admin/whatsnew.htm
The site to find a boat check out all of its details and get contact info. There is also a message board on the site which you will need to register to use but its free and you will find that most of those who use it are very helpful.
CBUK. http://www.charterboats-uk.co.uk/boats/
Another directory site covering the whole of the UK including Northern Ireland. This site has all the info you are likely to need when looking to book up a trip, you can refine the search area to a specific port there are maps to show you how to get there and available dates for each boat all presented in a uniform way plus lots more.
PBA (Professional Boatmen's Association) http://www.pba.org.uk/
Here you can find out if your skipper is a registered member and probably check that he has a skippers ticket and insurance.
MCA (Marine and Coastguard Agency) http://www.mcga.gov.uk/c4mca/mcga07-home
This is a government site and has every bit of information you will ever need with regard a boat’s code and safety at sea.
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How to make the Running Ledger Rig
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