Practical know-how for life
by the water.
Fresh from the cove
A seaside Christmas does not need to look like a theme park. Here are simple coastal decorating ideas for the tree, the mantelpiece and the table, from a glass lobster decoration and a camper van bauble to starfish garlands.
Gift ideas for anyone who would rather be by the sea: small coastal stocking fillers, nautical pieces for the home, Cornish pewter jewellery, gifts for seafood lovers and presents for children who love the beach.
The best fishing stocking fillers are small, useful things that get lost, used up or never bought. Here are our picks under £5 and under £15, safe choices if you do not fish yourself, and what to avoid.
You need less than you might think to smoke food at home. This guide compares the three routes in, from a simple barbecue smoker box to a hot smoker and a cold smoke generator, with which wood to buy for each and the extras worth having.
Setting up a sea fishing rod takes five minutes once you have done it a couple of times. This guide takes you through it step by step, from fitting the reel to clipping on a rig, with three simple set-ups for bottom, float and lure fishing.
You do not need a dedicated smoker to get real wood smoke on your food. A barbecue with a lid will do it, gas or charcoal. Here is how, what to smoke first, and why we would not improvise in a home oven or wok.
You do not need a beach house to decorate with a coastal feel. This room-by-room guide covers the colours, materials and nautical accessories that work, and how to bring in the seaside without it looking like a themed pub.
A travel rod lets you fish wherever you end up, as long as you pick the right one. This guide compares telescopic and multi-piece rods, explains packed length and casting weight, and covers reels, what a short rod can catch and flying with your rod.
A beginner's tackle box needs less than you might think. This checklist explains which hooks, swivels, leads, rigs, floats and tools to carry for UK sea fishing, the easiest ways to buy them, and what you can leave at home.
Eating a whole lobster looks harder than it is. This guide takes you through it step by step: claws, knuckles, tail and legs, which parts to leave, what the green and red bits are, and the few simple tools that make it easy.
Salmon fillets baked under a sticky glaze of black treacle, soy, mustard and lemon. Ready in about 25 minutes and fully cooked.
There is no single best sea bait, but a handful of baits catch almost everything around the UK coast. This guide explains which fish each bait catches and when, how to buy, dig or collect it responsibly, and how to store and hook it so it stays on the cast.
You do not need a licence to fish for sea fish with a rod and line anywhere in the UK, but there are still rules you must follow. This guide covers where the rod licence starts, salmon and sea trout, minimum sizes, the 2026 bass rules and what happens if you get it wrong.
Most sea anglers get by with five or six knots, tied well. This guide explains which knots to use for hooks, swivels, joining lines, shock leaders and rigs, and gives clear step-by-step instructions for each, plus how to seat, test and avoid the usual mistakes.
Smoked salt, nuts, chilli powder and sugar make brilliant homemade Christmas gifts because they keep for weeks or months in a jar. Here is how to make eight smoked gifts, which wood to use, how long each keeps, and how to package and label them safely.
Shop-bought smoked fish keeps until its use-by date, while home-smoked fish should be eaten within a couple of days or frozen. Here is how to store, freeze and thaw it safely, and who should take extra care with cold-smoked fish.
Casting a fixed-spool reel comes down to a few simple habits: the right drop, the line trapped on your finger and a smooth release at the right moment. This guide takes you through the overhead cast step by step, with lighter and heavier set-ups, safety, common faults and how to practise.
Fresh mackerel is one of the quickest fish to cook and one of the best to eat, as long as it is really fresh and you cook it hot and fast. This guide covers choosing and preparing it, five ways to cook it with times and temperatures, the classic sharp partners, and the NHS advice on oily fish.
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