Ammodytes species
A clear, plain-English guide to sand eel 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.
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
10–20 cm.
Always match hooks, nets & lines to expected fish size.
Beginner baits
Maggots, worms, bread
Keep it simple — small hook baits, little-and-often feeding.
A simple, repeatable plan juniors can follow with help from a parent, coach or older angler.
Step 1
Explain they are better as bait
Sand Eels are key prey fish for many predators. Juniors will mainly encounter them as bait or bycatch rather than a dedicated target.
Step 2
Catch with small feathers or scoop nets
If present in shoals, they can be caught on micro-feather rigs from piers, or scooped in small nets in the shallows.
Step 3
Use them to talk about food chains
Use Sand Eels to explain how mackerel, bass and seabirds rely on them. Release unwanted fish carefully or keep a small number for bait where rules allow.
Designed with juniors and fish welfare in mind. Start with an IDEAL or GOOD setup for easier casting and safe unhooking.
We don’t have tackle recommendations for this species yet. Ask your club coach for a simple, junior-friendly rig and check back soon.
Sand Eels are slim, silvery fish that burrow into sand. They are vital prey for many predators and often used as dead or live bait.
Junior tip
Use sand eels mainly as bait rather than a target species. They are excellent for teaching food-chain links in the sea.
Logged a Sand Eel recently?
Add a catch report so juniors can see where they’re being caught, which baits work and how your tackle was set up.
Want to discover more species? Browse the full species guide.
Linked conditions and guidance for Sand Eel.
Highly contagious marine parasite causing white cysts and respiratory distress.
A serious notifiable viral disease affecting marine and freshwater fish.