Inshore Boat

Inshore boat fishing is one of the most flexible ways to fish the UK coast on lures. From a small boat or a kayak you can cover ground, follow tide and bait, and reach fish that are unreachable from the shore. The rods are usually shorter than shore equivalents, the leverage is different, and the etiquette of fishing alongside other people on a small boat shapes some of the gear choices.

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Rod ranges for Inshore Boat

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Inshore boat lure rods typically run 6'6" to 7'6". Shorter than shore rods because you don't need the casting distance, and because a longer rod is a nuisance on a small platform. Action tends to be on the faster side — quick hookset matters when fish hit lures at close range, and a fast tip recovers nicely from the boat's roll.

The fish you'll target depends on where and when, but bass, pollack, mackerel, the occasional cod or coalfish, and bigger species like coalies or pollack from deeper marks all sit in the inshore boat category. Soft plastics on jigheads, small metals, and shallow-running plugs all earn their place. Heavier metals come into play when you're working deeper ground or fishing through bait shoals.

Lines for inshore boat work tend to be similar to shore setups — PE 0.6 to 1.2 braid, fluorocarbon leader matched to the ground. The reel is usually a 2500 to 3000 size for the most common setups; jigging-specific rigs go heavier.

If you're looking at an inshore boat rod for the first time, our Inshore Boat Rods collection is the place to start. Worth a chat about the specific water you'll fish — a kayak setup off Cornwall is a different rod choice from a small boat working an estuary mouth in Devon.

Frequently asked questions

What rod for inshore boat lure fishing?

A 7' rod rated to roughly 30-50g covers most inshore boat lure fishing — bass on plugs, light jigging for pollack and mackerel, casting metals, working soft plastics. Shorter than a shore rod because boat casting is closer range, and you want the rod tip clear of the gunwales. Bait-style boat rods are too heavy for lure work; lure-specific boat rods or shorter shore rods give you the right action. Most JDM brands now offer boat lure rods specifically — worth looking at if you're serious about the discipline.

What lures work for UK inshore boat fishing?

Plugs (paddle-tails, hard-baits, surface lures) for bass on the surface or just under; metal jigs (20-60g) for pollack, mackerel, scad on the drop; soft plastics on jigheads for bottom-feeding species. The advantage of fishing from a boat is access to marks shore anglers can't reach, so the lure choice often follows the venue rather than dictating it. Worth carrying a wide selection rather than committing to one approach.

Do I need a leader for inshore boat fishing?

Almost always, yes. A 20-40lb fluorocarbon leader covers most inshore boat fishing — gives the line some abrasion resistance against fish teeth, fins, and structure, and adds a touch of stretch that braid lacks. Length 1-2m is typical. For predator-bearing waters (pike on inland inshore, conger on rocky marks), step up the leader strength accordingly.