Dab species guide • Sea fish • Very easy (2/10)

Dab junior fishing guide

Limanda limanda

A clear, plain-English guide to dab for parents, coaches and juniors. See where they live, the best starter tackle, simple bait choices and a three-step plan to help young anglers catch their first one safely.

🎣 View starter tackle setups 📋 Log a Dab catch
Junior-first & welfare-aware • 3-step beginner plan • UK venues & seasons
Skill & size • Seasons • Beginner baits

Skill level

Very easy (2/10)

Perfect for first-ever fishing trips with young juniors.

Best time

Spring–Autumn

Pick mild, settled days for junior sessions.

Typical size

6–12 oz common; larger fish up to around 1 lb+.

Always match hooks, nets & lines to expected fish size.

Dab

Beginner baits

Black lugworm, Blow lugworm, Cockles …

Keep it simple — small hook baits, little-and-often feeding.

Typical venues: Clean sandy and muddy beaches, estuaries and inshore banks.
Scroll down for detailed tackle setups, methods and parent-friendly guidance.
Catch your first dab with confidence

Catch your first Dab in 3 steps

A simple, repeatable plan juniors can follow with help from a parent, coach or older angler.

  1. Step 1

    Pick clean, gently sloping beaches

    Dabs are ideal winter and spring targets for juniors on safe, sandy beaches with simple access and little rock hazard.

  2. Step 2

    Light beach gear with small worm baits

    Use light beach rods with two- or three-hook flapper rigs and size 2–4 hooks baited with lugworm or ragworm. Short to medium casts are often enough.

  3. Step 3

    Show flatfish camouflage and returns

    Use caught Dabs to demonstrate how flatfish blend into the seabed. Handle with wet hands and release in shallow wash so juniors can watch them swim off.

Tackle setups that work

Designed with juniors and fish welfare in mind. Start with an IDEAL or GOOD setup for easier casting and safe unhooking.

👉 Swipe sideways to view different setups.

Beachcaster

Beginner tip: Teach safe casting with no one behind, and keep juniors away from the waterline in rough conditions.

IDEAL

Rod: 12–13 ft beachcaster or surf rod (4–6 oz rating).

Reel: 6000–8000 size fixed spool reel or medium multiplier.

Line: 15–18 lb mono with 40–60 lb shockleader.

Terminal tackle

  • ["Two-hook flapper or clipped-down rig"
  • "Size 1–2/0 hooks depending on target"
  • "Grip leads in strong tide"]

Extras

  • ["Rod rest"
  • "Headtorch"
  • "Disgorger and long-nose pliers"]

Standard beach / surf setup for flatfish, whiting and general shore fishing.

Surf Rod

Beginner tip: Teach safe casting with no one behind, and keep juniors away from the waterline in rough conditions.

IDEAL

Rod: 12–13 ft beachcaster or surf rod (4–6 oz rating).

Reel: 6000–8000 size fixed spool reel or medium multiplier.

Line: 15–18 lb mono with 40–60 lb shockleader.

Terminal tackle

  • ["Two-hook flapper or clipped-down rig"
  • "Size 1–2/0 hooks depending on target"
  • "Grip leads in strong tide"]

Extras

  • ["Rod rest"
  • "Headtorch"
  • "Disgorger and long-nose pliers"]

Standard beach / surf setup for flatfish, whiting and general shore fishing.

About the Dab

Dabs are small, right-sided flatfish with a rough upper skin and a slight curve to the lateral line. They are common shore catches and provide steady sport in winter.

Junior tip

Use small hooks with worm baits on flapper rigs cast onto clean sand. Expect busy bites when dabs are present.

Logged a Dab recently?

Add a catch report so juniors can see where they’re being caught, which baits work and how your tackle was set up.

Submit a catch report

Want to discover more species? Browse the full species guide.

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