Learn to fish

New interactive field guideSee fishing from underwaterControl floats, lures, bottom and surf rigs, and fly line through kelp, reef, open water, sand and river current.

Techniques

Bottom Fishing — Presenting bait on or near the seabed using a ledger or paternoster rig to target bottom-dwelling species.Float Fishing — Suspending a bait at a set depth beneath a float to target fish feeding in mid-water or near the surface.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.Lure Fishing — Using artificial lures — hard baits, soft plastics, and surface poppers — to provoke predatory fish into striking.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.

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.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.Beginner spinning setup — A 9–10ft spinning rod, a 4000-size reel, and 20lb braid covers most Cork shore spinning.

Bait & Lures

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.Lugworm — A classic shore-angling bait dug from estuary mudflats, effective for a wide range of bottom-feeding species.Mackerel Strip — Fresh or frozen mackerel flesh cut into strips — a tough, oily, widely available bait for predatory and bottom-feeding species.Metal lures — Casting spoons and jigs (e.g. 20–40g) that imitate small baitfish.Peeler Crab — Shore crabs in the process of shedding their shell — among the most effective bass and wrasse baits available.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.