FISH SPECIES
The UK is lucky to have quite a few very sporting fish species to choose from in its many waters. From gravel pools to the sea, there are quite a few to choose from. Though the stocks of many sea fish have gone from plentiful to endangered in the last few decades, quite a few do still remain at high enough levels to allow a good catch.

Generally the fish in the UK fall into three generalized categories:
Sport fish , Coarse fish, Sea fish .

The sport fish are the least differentiated, consisting of a single class of fish, the salmonids. This includes both proper seafaring salmon and the trout fond in both still and moving waters. Long considered the fish species that “gentlemen” preferred, there is little class distinction between these and the more numerous coarse fish, other than the higher price of a rod license for sport fish.

The rest of the freshwater fish found in the UK collective belong to the class of coarse fish. Some of the most popular coarse fish include:

Carp, Barbe, lPerch, Pike, Rudd, Powan, Tench, Eel, Zander.

This list of fish species is often further divided into predator fish, bottom feeders or introduced species. The same rod license covers all these fish and is good for up to a year. Pike, barbel, eel and crap all have their special adherents including devoted clubs and web-sites with a bevy of information.

Sea fishing includes, perhaps, the largest number of fish species, but many of them are closely related, such as the many species that can collectively be referred to as “flat fish.” Among the most commonly found off the coast of the UK include:

Herring, Pollock, Whiting, Pouting, Cod, Haddock, Dogfish, Bream, Trigger Fish, Black Fish, Sunfish, Sole, Flounder, Halibut, Gurnard, Mullet, Gar Fish
Sea Bass, Tuna, Smelt, Goby, Ling

A great many of these fish can be caught near the shore, but others require the use of a boat, including many of the commercially fished species. Piers are also a very common place to go to find good sea fishing, with a great many species that can be found in any section of Britain.

It's usually a good idea to know what type of fish you're looking for before you head out. This allows you to have the right tackle and rigs on hand. Of course, flexibility is also a good idea, but knowing the best baits to use is often a matter of knowing what the fish you're looking for are most attracted to.

How To Catch Them

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