Pollack species guide • Sea fish • Very easy (3/10)

Pollack junior fishing guide

Pollachius pollachius

A clear, plain-English guide to pollack 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 Pollack catch
Junior-first & welfare-aware • 3-step beginner plan • UK venues & seasons
Skill & size • Seasons • Beginner baits

Skill level

Very easy (3/10)

Perfect for first-ever fishing trips with young juniors.

Best time

Spring–Autumn

Pick mild, settled days for junior sessions.

Typical size

1–5 lb common from shore; larger fish from boats and deep marks.

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

🐟

Beginner baits

Black lugworm, Blow lugworm, Cockles …

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

Typical venues: Rocky headlands, kelp forests
Scroll down for detailed tackle setups, methods and parent-friendly guidance.
Catch your first pollack with confidence

Catch your first Pollack in 3 steps

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

  1. Step 1

    Fish safe rock marks with depth

    Piers and rocky points with deep, clear water are best. Juniors should stay well back from cliff edges and always wear suitable footwear.

  2. Step 2

    Use small lures close to kelp

    Soft plastic lures or small spinners fished along kelp edges are effective. Short, controlled casts help juniors avoid snags and tangles.

  3. Step 3

    Keep rod tips high and drags set

    Pollack dive hard for cover. Teach juniors to keep the rod high, line tight and use the reel drag rather than clamping down.

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 Pollack

Pollack are fast, hard-fighting predators with bronze backs and pale bellies. They hit lures and baits aggressively around rocks and kelp and are great fun on light tackle.

Junior tip

Try small soft plastic lures or sandeels fished close to kelp and rock faces. Retrieve steadily and be ready for sudden, powerful takes.

Logged a Pollack recently?

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

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

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