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Overview

How to target

Coalfish
Species ID: coalfish

Coalfish

Coalfish (coley/saithe) are a cold‑water shoaling species that suit UK shore anglers best in autumn and winter, especially along the north and east coasts and deep Irish Sea piers....

🌊 Tide: flood 💨 Wind: onshore 📅 Peak: Jan, Feb, Mar, Oct, Nov, Dec

Best tide

flood

Moon

spring

Season

Jan, Feb, Mar, Oct, Nov, Dec

Wind

onshore

Max weight

8 kg

Day vs night

Day 60%
Night 80% (best)
Coalfish (coley/saithe) are a cold‑water shoaling species that suit UK shore anglers best in autumn and winter, especially along the north and east coasts and deep Irish Sea piers. Target fast, tide‑scoured ground: kelp gullies, rough rock ledges, harbour walls and deep‑water piers, where they push sandeels and small baitfish. A flooding tide into dusk is prime, and a bit of onshore wind with lightly coloured water often improves sport. Effective methods include fast‑worked metals or shads (20–60 g) on medium spinning gear, sink‑and‑draw retrieves, and float‑fished sandeel or mackerel strip tight to structure; bait anglers do well with small fish or worm baits on a 1–2/0 two‑hook flapper or a short flowing trace. Use a rotten‑bottom link and abrasion‑resistant leaders (20–30 lb) over kelp and boulders. Expect lots of smaller fish around piers and harbour lights in summer, with better‑sized coalies showing in deeper, harder‑running winter marks. Keep the pressure on after the bite and steer hooked fish clear of kelp to avoid cut‑offs.

Temperature

5–12°C

Depth range

2–30 m

Baits

  • Metal Jig 9.2/10
  • Soft Plastic (Sandeel) 8.8/10
  • Casting Spoon 8.3/10
  • Feathers 8/10
  • Sandeel 7.4/10

Rigs

  • Daylights (Feathers) 9.2/10

    Cast from piers/breakwaters when coalies shoal. Work through midwater; add small bait tip if shy. Good in tide and low light.

  • Float (Sliding) 8.8/10

    Allows depth adjustment to find fish midwater around harbour walls/rock gullies. Present sandeel/mackerel strip or ragworm; drift naturally in tide.

  • Jighead 8.2/10

    Soft plastics (2–4 in shads or paddletails) fished midwater around structure; count down and retrieve. Deadly at dusk/night when coalies hunt in harbours and rock marks.

  • Flowing Trace 7.6/10

    Long flowing snood with sandeel strip/small sandeel, cast uptide from rocks; lets bait swim midwater in strong tide where better coalies run.

  • Paternoster (Shore) 6.8/10

    Two or three short snoods keep small baits off the bottom in current; good from piers/beaches for school coalies when they’re scattered. Use small hooks and light snoods.