Taking up Sea fishing again. Winter species and tactics?

Hi all,

I used to Shore and Boat fish with bait spinners flies you name it almost every week up until about 6 years ago when I started college and subsequently work. I miss it!!!

I've decided to go and make the effort to get back into it. I'm living in Kildare at the moment but from Wexford originally. I never fished in the winter really so that's where my queries start?

From reading on the interwebs, Cod and whiting seem to be the best things to target this time of year? What else is swimming out there at this time of year?

What baits are productive in Winter?

I assume a rig on the bottoms prob the best idea now that the waters a bit colder?

Any tips at all would be greatly appreciated!!

Hi Trailblazer. Main east coast species will be whiting, flounder and rockling with the odd codling and coalie thrown in. At times the whiting are there in plague proportions and will strip baits in seconds. Sadly they're usually about the size of a fish finger but it's better than blanking and good to keep you moving on cold winter nights I normally fish 2 or 3 hook flappers with mackeral and lug mainly. Lug wraps and crab can also be good. Use a pulley rig for rougher ground. Plenty of good info on the site here, do a few searches of old reports for more detailed info on marks etc and keep an eye on the 'weed watch' section to help save on wasted trips. Good luck with the comeback!

Hi all, like trailblazer just returning to a bit of Sea fishing. Thanks Sweetwrasse that's great advice.
A great site and hope to get many more tips and some great advice (I'll need it).

The key with winter fishing is patience, things can be alot slower and the weather can test a mans commitment. As said already whiting (small) will be in great numbers especially off piers. Coleys, flounder, and Cod will be about and even the (odd bass mostly at night). Mack and mussels can be successful. Cocktails of mussels and squid and crab, what ever you can get na hold of a the winter species will take most baits. Rigs 2-3 hook flappers with size 1 t0 2/0 hooks and pulley rigs on rough ground. Best of luck