With a superb British summer in full swing, complete with the occasional rainy day, it’s the prime time to unwrap the rod, thread the line, and cast out. Whether you’re a freshwater or a saltwater fisher, it’s June, July, August, September, and October that offer some of the most exciting fishing opportunities. According to the chart for the best seasons to fish in England, June’s for sea bass fishing in North Norfolk, shark fishing off Cornwall is ideal in July, you can catch mackerel in Brighton, plaice are plentiful in Dorset in September, and October is the prime time to fish for pike and perch in Somerset. Here’s how to get set for some thrilling fishing expeditions.
Streaming in the possibilities
Easily one of the best ways to get amped up for a grand day or even several days on the water is by seeing how some of the greats get it done. Importantly, the best fishing shows are the ones that offer a variety of expeditions and delve into the mechanics of what’s in play, such as the techniques and lures. For all of this, one of the best is Extreme Fishing with Robson Green, and his follow-up show, Robson Green: Extreme Fisherman. He travels the world, meets local experts, and goes after some of the most exotic, elusive, and biggest species of fish.
While episodes are mostly set up through a dramatization of a bad encounter with a fish, River Monsters is a superb fishing show. Get past the pseudo mysteries, and you end up following a masterful fisherman as he uses intricate skills and sheer grit to reel in some truly special specimens, all while feeding information about fishing techniques and the fish themselves. The biologist has a bunch more shows now, too, including Mysteries of the Deep and Mighty Rivers. For a bit of a more grounded show featuring your average fishers, try Lunkerville.
Getting the mobile locked and loaded for quiet spells
We don’t need to doze off, sort the tackle box, or even bring a newspaper anymore: a smartphone will have more than enough fun to explore once you’ve set your line and sit in wait. Luckily, fishing is one of the most intuitive of sports for mobile gaming, thanks to the touch-screen controls needing to be fairly minimal. This is why the App Store is loaded with games for virtual fishing. Easily the best-rated is Fishing Clash. You can upgrade all of your gear, unlock specific lures for specific fish, and even join clans of other virtual fishers. Focussing on the realistic over-the-arcade approach, Fishing Planet has also received grand reviews and is free to start.
Other mobile app games that are worth downloading include Let’s Fish and Master Bass Angler: Fishing. Alternatively, you could look for an app or site that’s teeming with different fishing games. At several of the highest-rated mobile casinos, for example, you’ll be able to find the acclaimed Big Bass and/or Fishin’ Frenzy slots. These slot series have blown up in popularity due to raving player reviews and nifty promotions and bonuses over the years. Essentially, fish of different sizes and values land on the reels, and if you land the fisher as well, you’ll reel them all in for an instant win. It’s this feature that makes the 50 free spins for Big Bass Splash at one of the sites so popular. On just one app, you could spin away on several different fishing games while the real fish test your bait.
Go all-in on the right gear
First of all, you’ll need to make sure that you have all of the core fishing gear components in good condition. If there’s a bit of rust on some parts, perhaps it’s the right time to upgrade to some high-tech gear. Attachable just above your line, the Go Fish Cam is wireless and durable underwater, offering you a superb view of the fishing investigating your lure. This pairs well with the Fox Micron Bite alarms, which boast a huge range of features to both keep you alert for a catch as well as not be a nuisance to those fishing nearby.
With all of that sorted, you’re primed and ready for a superb few months of fishing.