Species Guide | Clubnest

A modern species guide for clubs, coaches & juniors

Searchable profiles for coarse, game and sea species – complete with difficulty ratings, junior-friendly tackle suggestions and direct links to your fish health advice. Built to be used on the bank, during coaching sessions and across your public Clubnest site.

Plain-English, junior-friendly copy • Built around fish care & welfare • Works on web & mobile app

How to use the Clubnest Species Guide

The Clubnest Species Guide brings together clear, practical information on the fish your anglers are most likely to encounter – from classic UK coarse fish and game species through to popular saltwater targets. Each profile links to junior–friendly information on where a species lives, how hard it is to catch, the best tactics to use, and any connected fish health advice from your health issues library.

Coaches, bailiffs and club officers can use this guide on the bank, during junior coaching sessions, or embedded into your public Clubnest website and mobile app. For new anglers and parents, it’s a welcoming, visual way to learn “what lives in our waters” and what good fish care looks like.

Tip: Use the search box, species-type filters and A–Z quick jump together to quickly find coarse, game or saltwater species profiles during coaching or club meetings.

Popular species in this guide

A quick snapshot of species that appear frequently in coaching sessions, matches and club content. Use it as a handy “go-to” list when planning sessions for juniors or beginners.

Goldfish & Koi Carp Gudgeon

Freshwater / Coarse Difficulty 1/10

Goldfish & Koi Carp

Carassius auratus (ornamental forms)

Ornamental ponds, park lakes and some commercial fisheries that stock colourful koi or goldfish.

View species profile

Freshwater / Coarse Difficulty 1/10

Gudgeon

Gobio gobio

Rivers, canals and stillwaters with gravelly or sandy bottoms.

View species profile

Help juniors catch their first fish

Use the Species Guide alongside your coaching sessions to show juniors what they’re fishing for, where those fish live, and the simple rigs and baits that work best. When young anglers can put a name and picture to the fish they are targeting, their confidence and curiosity grow much faster.

You can also turn species profiles into mini–lessons on habitat, handling and fish welfare, helping children understand why careful unhooking, correct use of landing nets and unhooking mats, and good release practice all matter for the long–term health of your venue.

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Put this Species Guide to work in your club

Clubnest gives you a modern platform for running your angling club or fishery – from memberships, permits and ticketing to junior coaching, matches and venue information. The Species Guide plugs straight into that ecosystem, so fish profiles, health advice and coaching content are all in one place.

Many clubs now use Clubnest to replace paper membership books, manual spreadsheets and scattered social media posts. Having a structured, centralised species guide is a big part of that: it keeps information consistent across your website, app and internal coaching materials.

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Species Guide FAQ

Many clubs use the Species Guide as a visual aid during junior coaching sessions, open days and taster events. It helps anglers understand what lives in each venue, what sizes are realistic, and which methods are appropriate for different species. Committee members and bailiffs can also use it when answering questions from parents or new members about stocking, fish welfare and venue potential.

Yes. While Clubnest provides a strong starting library of species, clubs and fisheries can edit descriptions, add venue–specific tips, upload local photos and link relevant health issues. Over time this builds a “house style” species guide that reflects your waters, your coaching methods and the types of anglers you attract.

The difficulty rating is a simple 1–10 indicator of how challenging a species is for a typical junior or new angler to catch. Coaches can use it to plan realistic targets, mixing “confidence species” like roach or small carp with occasional harder challenges so young anglers stay motivated and see clear progress.

Each species can be linked to one or more fish health issues in your Clubnest health library. When a coach, bailiff or junior looks at a species profile, any relevant health conditions and Environment Agency–style guidance appear alongside the normal fishing information. This keeps fish welfare and biosecurity visible without taking away from the fun parts of fishing.