Tackle by job

Choosing tackle

Pick the job first, then the gear. Each outfit below is set out at three levels: a sound starter set-up, a step up once you know what you enjoy, and what keen anglers carry. We give the numbers that matter (rod length, casting weight, reel size, line and leader) rather than models, because ranges change every season.

Reading the numbers

Casting weight

Printed on the rod, in grams or ounces (1oz is about 28g). Fish in the middle of the range. A beach rod "rated 4–6oz" is happiest with 5oz.

Reel size

Fixed-spool reels are sized by a number: 1000 to 2500 for LRF, 3000 to 4000 for lures, 5000 to 6000 for piers and light beach work, 7000 and up for long casting. Sizes vary a little between makers.

Shock leader

When you cast hard, add a stronger leader: 10lb of breaking strain for every ounce of lead. 50lb for 5oz, 60lb for 6oz. Make it long enough for five or six turns on the spool plus your casting drop.

Mono or braid

Mono stretches, shrugs off shingle and is cheaper. Braid is thinner and shows every bite, but cuts on rock and needs a mono or fluorocarbon leader. Braid joins best with an FG knot.

Clean sand, shingle and surf beaches

Beach and surf

Long rods punch 4 to 6oz of lead and bait past the breakers, or drop a bait short into the first gutter. Penn, Daiwa and Shimano all make beach rods and long-cast reels at every level.

Starter

Rod
12–13ft beachcaster
Casts
4–6oz (110–170g)
Reel
6000–7000 fixed spool
Line
15lb (about 0.35mm) mono
Leader
60lb mono shock leader

Step up

Rod
13–14ft beachcaster
Casts
4–8oz (110–225g)
Reel
Long-cast 7000–8000 fixed spool with a shallow spool
Line
15lb mono
Leader
60lb mono, or a 15–60lb tapered leader

Keen

Rods
A matched pair, 13–15ft, to fish two ranges at once
Casts
4–8oz
Reels
Long-cast fixed spools or small multipliers, with spare spools
Line
15lb mono for surf and shingle; 30lb braid on a spare spool for calm, clean beaches
Leader
60lb mono, always on braid

Rigs: two-hook flapper, clipped-down, pulley, wishbone, up-and-over. For: cod, whiting, bass, rays, dabs, smoothhound.

Snoods 20–30lb, leads 4–6oz grip, or plain over mixed ground.

Rough ground, rock gullies and kelp

Rock and kelp

Strength over distance. Heavy line and a stiff rod pull fish up and away from the snags before they can turn. Penn, Abu Garcia and Daiwa all make strong rough-ground rods and reels.

Starter

Rod
12–13ft beachcaster
Casts
4–6oz
Reel
Tough 7000 fixed spool
Line
25–30lb mono
Leader
60–80lb mono

Step up

Rod
12–13ft stiff rough-ground rod
Casts
5–8oz
Reel
Small, strong multiplier or a heavy-duty fixed spool
Line
25–30lb mono
Leader
80lb mono, for abrasion as much as casting

Keen

Rods
A dedicated rough-ground rod, plus a 9–10ft lure rod for wrasse and pollack on the same trip
Casts
6–8oz; lures 15–50g
Reel
Sealed multiplier with a firm drag
Line
30lb or more mono
Leader
80lb; 100lb or more for conger next to a wall

Rigs: pulley, rotten-bottom, conger trace, Texas. For: bull huss, conger, codling, wrasse.

Snoods 30–40lb, kept short. Plain leads on a weak link, so a snag costs only the lead. Wear a lifejacket on rock.

Piers, harbour walls and sea walls

Pier and harbour

A shorter, lighter rod is easier in a crowd and still casts 3 to 5oz or lifts a string of mackerel. Penn, Shimano and Daiwa all make suitable spinning and pier rods.

Starter

Rod
10–11ft spinning or pier rod
Casts
2–4oz (60–110g)
Reel
5000–6000 fixed spool
Line
15–20lb mono
Leader
40lb mono when casting 4oz

Step up

Rod
11–12ft pier rod
Casts
75–150g (about 3–5oz)
Reel
Sealed 6000–7000 fixed spool
Line
30lb braid, for bite detection from height
Leader
50lb mono, about two rod lengths

Keen

Rods
The pier rod, plus a light float or LRF rod for mullet, garfish and the harbour corners
Casts
75–150g; 5–20g on the light rod
Reels
Sealed 6000–7000, and a 2500 for the light rod
Line
30lb braid; 6–8lb braid on the light rod
Leader
50lb mono; 4–8lb fluorocarbon on the light rod

Rigs: feathers, sliding float, flapper, running ledger. For: mackerel, garfish, pollack, whiting, flounder.

Snoods 15–25lb, leads 2–5oz. Take a drop net: braid has no stretch, so lifting a decent fish up a wall on the line loses fish and breaks rods.

Bass, pollack, wrasse and mackerel on lures

Spinning and lures

Light, mobile and great fun from May to October, when the hunting fish are in. Penn, Shimano and Daiwa all make sea lure rods and sealed spinning reels.

Starter

Rod
8–9ft lure rod
Casts
10–40g
Reel
3000–4000 fixed spool
Line
PE 1.0 braid (about 15–20lb)
Leader
15–20lb fluorocarbon, 1–2m

Step up

Rod
9–10ft sea bass rod
Casts
15–55g
Reel
Sealed 4000 fixed spool
Line
PE 1.0–1.5 braid
Leader
15–20lb fluorocarbon

Keen

Rods
A 9–10ft rod for surf and rock, and a 7–8ft rod for light lures
Casts
15–55g and 5–25g
Reels
Fully sealed, so a wave over the reel doesn't end its life
Line
PE 0.8–1.5 braid
Leader
12–20lb fluorocarbon

Set-ups: casting metal, jig-head shad, weedless swimbait, stickbait, diving minnow, Texas. For: bass, pollack, wrasse, mackerel, garfish.

Light rock fishing in harbours and on rock

LRF

Tiny jigs and soft lures for the small fish that live around every wall and pontoon, all year. Shimano, Daiwa and Penn all make LRF rods and small reels.

Starter

Rod
7–8ft LRF rod
Casts
1–10g
Reel
1000–2500 fixed spool
Line
PE 0.3–0.6 braid, or 4lb fluorocarbon straight through
Leader
4–6lb fluorocarbon

Step up

Rod
7ft solid-tip LRF rod
Casts
0.5–7g
Reel
2000 fixed spool with a fine drag
Line
PE 0.3–0.4 braid
Leader
3–6lb fluorocarbon, 1–2m

Keen

Rods
A fine rod for 1–7g jigs and drop-shot, and a stronger one (up to about 20g) for small metals
Casts
1–7g and 5–21g
Reels
2000–2500, rinsed after every trip
Line
PE 0.4–0.6 braid (about 6–8lb)
Leader
4–8lb fluorocarbon

Rigs: LRF micro jig, drop-shot, controller float, Carolina. For: gobies, blennies, small pollack, wrasse, mullet, garfish.

Set the drag light: a big mullet or a stray bass on 6lb braid needs line, not muscle.

Estuaries and tidal rivers

Estuary

Lighter leads and lighter rods for flounder, bass and mullet on the flood. Penn, Daiwa and Shimano all make light bass and estuary rods.

Starter

Rod
10–12ft light beach or bass rod
Casts
2–4oz
Reel
5000–6000 fixed spool
Line
15lb mono
Leader
40lb mono when casting 4oz

Step up

Rods
Two light rods, one for range and one dropped short
Casts
2–5oz
Reels
5000–6000 fixed spools
Line
20–30lb braid, to see bites in the tide
Leader
40–50lb mono

Keen

Rods
Add a lure rod for estuary bass and a light float rod for mullet
Casts
2–5oz; lures 10–40g
Reels
5000–6000 and a 3000–4000
Line
Braid with leaders throughout
Leader
40–50lb mono; 15lb fluorocarbon for lures

Rigs: spreader, baited spinner, flapper, controller float. For: flounder, bass, mullet.

Fishing for sea trout or salmon in a tidal river needs a rod licence or written permission. See Estuaries and tidal rivers.

Before you buy

Use a tackle shop

A local tackle shop will let you handle rods, match a reel to the rod, and tell you what's catching. Buy your bait there and the advice usually comes free.

No prices here

Prices and model names change every season, so we don't quote them. A starter outfit from a known maker, looked after, will last for years.

Rinse everything

Tighten the drag, then rinse reels with a gentle spray of fresh water, not a jet, after every sea trip. Dry them before you put them away.

Brands named here

We name brands only as examples of makers with kit for each job. We aren't paid by any of them, and plenty of other makers are just as good.

Want a worked example? What Arty fishes with shows the outfits behind this guide, matched to these jobs.

Kit reviews

Honest notes on the Penn rods and reels used in this guide, after real seasons on the coast.

Read the kit reviews