The Fish You Could Catch On A South Coast Boat Trip
What you catch depends on the day, the tide, and a fair amount of luck, but the south coast between the Solent and Dorset is genuinely varied water, and most trips bring up a good mix. Here's what's regularly caught on our trips out of Portsmouth and Weymouth.
| Species | Typical weight | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Black bream | 1lb – 4lb | Often the main target species, especially over reef ground |
| Bass | 2lb – 15lb | A south coast favourite, strongest through spring and autumn |
| Mackerel | 0.5lb – 2lb | Usually caught first, on the way to the main mark, and used as bait |
| Pollack | 2lb – 30lb | Found around wrecks and reefs |
| Cod | 3lb – 15lb | More common on deeper, autumn and winter marks |
| Ling | 2lb – 50lb | A wreck species, hard-fighting for its size |
| Conger eel | 2lb – 150lb | The heavyweight of the trip, caught around wrecks and deep reef |
| Turbot & brill | 2lb – 15lb | Flatfish found over sand and gravel banks |
| Plaice | 1lb – 3lb | Another flatfish, common over sandy ground |
| Rays (blonde, undulate, thornback, spotted, cuckoo) | 1lb – 40lb | Several ray species turn up over sand and mixed ground |
| Whiting | 0.5lb – 2lb | A reliable, smaller catch |
| Gurnard | 1lb – 3lb | Distinctive-looking, good eating |
| Dogfish & bull huss | 1lb – 15lb | Small sharks, common on most marks |
| Tope & spurdog | 5lb – 100lb | Occasional, but a real highlight when one comes up |
On a good day you'll also see squid, starfish, crabs, lobsters and cuttlefish come aboard, particularly later in the season.
Does it matter if I don't catch anything?
Not really. The fishing is the excuse, the networking is the point. That said, most trips land a genuinely good mix of species across the group, and the skipper works hard to keep everyone catching through the day. See what to expect for how the day's run, or browse our trip reports to see what's actually come up on past trips.
Ready to find out for yourself?
Check upcoming trips.
