Shore Fishing Safety

Know your tide before you go

The single most common cause of shore angling incidents is being cut off by a rising tide — either on a rock mark, a headland, or across sand and mudflats that flood faster than they look. Check the tide state for your mark on its location page before you leave, and always know your route back before the water rises, not after.

Check the weather, not just the tide

Wind direction and strength change how safe a mark is far more than most anglers expect — an onshore wind against an ebbing tide can produce dangerous, confused waves at venues that are calm in other conditions.

Tell someone your plan

Let someone know where you are fishing and roughly when you expect to be back — the single easiest thing to do and the thing most overlooked, especially for solo night fishing sessions.

Basic kit for safety, not just fishing

• A head torch with spare batteries, even for a “daytime” session that might run past dusk
• Appropriate footwear with good grip for wet rock or shingle
• A means of calling for help — full phone charge, and know that 999/112 and asking for the Coastguard is the right call in a genuine emergency at the coast
• A rising-tide escape route identified before you start fishing, not worked out after

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If in doubt, do not

No fish is worth a genuine risk. If conditions look worse than forecast, or a mark feels wrong once you are there, it is always fine to walk away and try another day.