Learn to fish

Techniques

Bottom Fishing — Presenting bait on or near the seabed using a ledger or paternoster rig to target bottom-dwelling species. Lure Fishing — Using artificial lures — hard baits, soft plastics, and surface poppers — to provoke predatory fish into striking. Float Fishing — Suspending a bait at a set depth beneath a float to target fish feeding in mid-water or near the surface. Spinning — Casting and retrieving a lure to cover water and trigger predatory fish. Surf Fishing — Distance casting from open beaches into surf and broken water to reach feeding fish beyond the breakers. Fly Fishing — Casting a lightweight artificial fly using the weight of the fly line itself; the core technique for targeting salmon, sea trout and trout in rivers and lakes.

Gear

Bass Beachcaster — A 3.3–3.7 m graphite bass rod rated for 80–112 g casting weight, paired with a small multiplier or medium fixed-spool reel loaded with 5.5–8 kg monofilament, for bait fishing from surf beaches, estuaries, and rocks. Beginner spinning setup — A 9–10ft spinning rod, a 4000-size reel, and 20lb braid covers most Cork shore spinning. Fly Rod Setup — A balanced fly rod, fly reel and matched fly line — from a lightweight single-handed trout outfit to a heavier double-handed salmon rod — the core equipment for game fishing on Irish rivers and lakes.

Bait & Lures

Lugworm — A classic shore-angling bait dug from estuary mudflats, effective for a wide range of bottom-feeding species. Peeler Crab — Shore crabs in the process of shedding their shell — among the most effective bass and wrasse baits available. Mackerel Strip — Fresh or frozen mackerel flesh cut into strips — a tough, oily, widely available bait for predatory and bottom-feeding species. Ragworm — A wriggling, active bait that is especially effective for flatfish, bass, and wrasse in estuaries and over sand. Sandeel — One of the most effective bass baits available, presented live or fresh on a single hook on the flooding tide. Metal lures — Casting spoons and jigs (e.g. 20–40g) that imitate small baitfish. Flies — Artificial flies — wet flies, dry flies, nymphs, tube flies, and shrimp patterns — used in fly fishing for Atlantic salmon, sea trout and brown trout.