Fishing for beginners - Piers.

Actually Catching Something.
Advice for Parents of Young Anglers

Fish Suppers for Sailors
A guide to fishing for yachtsmen.

I am a weekend grade sea fisherman but I wondered if you could give good advice on catching from a pier? I just want to take some kids with me and catch some/a fish.

Depending on the age/size of the kids (if very young you need one adult per child, even with older ones you might not handle more than 2 until they have some experience) issue them with a spinning rod or light 'carp' rod. Line about 10lb bs. Any suitable reel. End tackle a simple paternoster - tie and cut a blood loop about 4" (10cm) long 18" (50cm) from the end of the line. Put 1oz weight on the end and a #4 round-bend hook on the dropper.

A couple of pound's worth of ragworm from the tackle shop will be enough for an afternoon. Small worms are better, even slightly manky ones that have dried out a bit will do.

Break off just enough worm to cover the hook, thread the hook through the length of the section - you have to coax the worm round the bend of the hook so you leave nothing trailing and fish cannot pull the bait off the hook.

Drop the tackle almost straight down - you will get most bites close to the pier piles and other structures but if you go too close you are likely to snag the structure itself.

Teach the kids to watch/feel for the 'jiggle' and rather than striking, to wind in quickly to see what they've caught.

They can also dangle this tackle staight down in mid-water where there might be other fish waiting.

Later (next summer?) you might try float tackle for mackerel, garfish and pollock.