Family Fishing in the Solent – Catching Mackerel, Bass & Pollock the Easy Way
There are few better ways to spend a summer's day than taking the family out on the boat and catching your own dinner. The Solent is one of the UK's best places for beginner sea fishing, offering plenty of opportunities to catch mackerel, bass and pollock without needing expensive equipment or years of experience.
Whether you've got a yacht on a swinging mooring, a small RIB, or a sports cruiser, a couple of rods, a handful of WSB rigs and an hour over slack water can provide enough excitement to keep the kids smiling all afternoon.
At YouBoat Marine we stock a wide range of affordable WSB sea fishing tackle, making it easy to add a little fishing adventure to your next day afloat.
Why Fishing Is Perfect for Family Boating
Children love instant action, and mackerel fishing delivers exactly that.
Unlike many types of fishing where patience is everything, mackerel often arrive in shoals. Once you've found them it's common to catch several fish in quick succession, keeping everyone involved.
Fishing also teaches:
- Respect for nature
- Patience and teamwork
- Boat handling and safety
- Where food actually comes from
It's amazing how many children who "don't like fish" suddenly become enthusiastic once they've caught it themselves.
The Simple Kit You Need
You don't need specialist equipment or a boat full of expensive tackle.
A basic setup includes:
- Medium spinning rod or light boat rod
- Fixed spool reel loaded with 20–30lb braid or 15–20lb mono
- WSB Mackerel Feathers
- WSB Mackerel Handline (ideal for children or occasional anglers)
- 4–6oz lead depending on tide
- Landing net
- Bucket with seawater for your catch
The WSB Mackerel Feather rigs use six colourful size 1/0 hooks designed to imitate tiny baitfish and are one of the easiest ways to catch mackerel.
For families who simply want to have a go without buying rods and reels, the WSB Mackerel Handline is a brilliant option. It comes complete with a feather trace and weight, packs away easily and is always ready in a cockpit locker.
Where to Fish in the Solent
The Solent is full of productive marks.
Look for:
- Diving seabirds
- Gannets hitting the water
- Terns feeding
- Fish showing on your depth sounder
- Tide rips around headlands
- Deep water close to shore
Areas around The Needles, Hurst Narrows, Stokes Bay, Ryde Middle, Bembridge Ledge, Gilkicker, Calshot and the forts regularly produce fish during the summer months.
If birds are diving, there's usually baitfish underneath—and predators won't be far away.
How to Catch Mackerel
Mackerel are probably Britain's easiest sea fish to catch.
Simply:
- Stop the boat over the shoal or drift through it.
- Drop your WSB feathers to the required depth.
- Lift the rod steadily before letting it sink again.
- Keep repeating.
When the rod suddenly bends over, resist striking hard.
Often you'll have two, three or even six fish hooked at once!
The children absolutely love winding in a string of shimmering silver fish.
Don't Ignore Pollock and Bass
While targeting mackerel you'll often catch pollock too.
Pollock fight much harder than their size suggests and are excellent eating.
Try fishing your feathers slightly deeper around:
- Reefs
- Harbour walls
- Wrecks
- Kelp beds
Bass are less common on feather rigs but frequently attack hooked mackerel or grab metal lures worked around tide lines and shallow reefs. Long, slender lures that imitate sandeels are widely recommended for bass and pollock around UK coasts.
Keeping Your Catch Fresh
Fish taste best when they're looked after.
As soon as you catch one:
- Dispatch it quickly and humanely.
- Bleed larger fish by cutting the gills.
- Place it immediately into a cool box or bucket of ice.
- Keep it out of direct sunlight.
Freshly caught mackerel is one of Britain's finest eating fish—but only when it's fresh.
Preparing Your Fish
Cleaning mackerel couldn't be easier.
Simply:
- Remove the head.
- Slice along the belly.
- Pull out the guts.
- Rinse in clean seawater or fresh water.
- Either cook whole or fillet.
Pollock fillets are equally straightforward and contain very few bones.
Bass takes a little longer to fillet but rewards the effort with beautiful white flesh.
Three Easy Ways to Cook Your Catch
BBQ Mackerel
Score the skin.
Stuff with:
- Lemon
- Fresh parsley
- Butter
- Black pepper
Cook for around 4 minutes each side.
Simple and delicious.
Pan Fried Pollock
Dust lightly with flour.
Cook in butter until golden.
Serve with:
- New potatoes
- Samphire
- Lemon
Restaurant quality in under 15 minutes.
Whole Baked Bass
Fill the cavity with:
- Lemon slices
- Garlic
- Thyme
Bake for approximately 20 minutes before serving with roasted vegetables.
It's difficult to beat.
A Few Tips for Fishing with Children
Keep sessions short.
Take plenty of snacks.
Celebrate every fish.
Let them reel in whenever possible.
Bring wet wipes!
And remember—it isn't about catching a huge fish.
It's about creating memories they'll still talk about years later.
Everything You Need from YouBoat Marine
WSB has been supplying quality sea fishing tackle since the company began as Western Seabaits in 1970, building a reputation for practical, affordable tackle that's ideal for everyday anglers.
At YouBoat Marine you'll find a growing range of WSB products including:
- Mackerel Feather Rigs
- Mackerel Handlines
- Metal Spinners
- Sea Rigs
- Swivels
- Leads
- Hooks
- Terminal Tackle
Whether you're introducing the children to fishing for the very first time or topping up the boat's tackle box before your next Solent cruise, we've got everything you need.
Next time the weather's calm and the tide is right, throw a rod in the boat. You might just return to the marina with fresh fish for supper—and memories that last far longer than the catch.