Catch your first Blenny in 3 steps
A simple, repeatable plan juniors can follow with help from a parent, coach or older angler.
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Step 1
Explore safe rockpools at low tide
These tiny rockpool fish are best found at low tide on stable, non-slippery rocks. Juniors should wear sturdy footwear and stay away from big waves.
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Step 2
Use nets and trays, not hooks
Gently sweep small nets through pools and under ledges, then empty them into white trays so fish can be seen clearly without hooks.
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Step 3
Return everything to its home pool
After observing, carefully pour fish back into the pool where they came from. Use the session to discuss camouflage, tide cycles and rockpool habitats.
About the Blenny
The Blenny (Shanny) is a small, tough, wriggly rockpool fish with a big personality. It has a long eel-like body, blunt head, and large lips, often with mottled brown, green or orange patterns that help it blend into rocks and seaweed. Shannies live right in the intertidal zone — often left in tiny pools when the tide goes out — and can even survive out of water for short periods by staying damp in cracks and weed.
They eat almost anything small they find on the seabed and are one of the best beginner species for junior sea anglers. Blennies are not powerful, but they bite confidently, fight with enthusiasm, and help learners develop confidence in bait presentation, unhooking, and handling.
Junior tip
Look for Blennies in rockpools or right beside pier walls. Use tiny pieces of ragworm or little bits of mackerel on small hooks and gently lower your rig straight down. They nibble fast — lift smoothly to bring them in!
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Want to discover more species? Browse the
full species guide.