Fishing in the Black Sea from the shore - how to do it correctly and what to fish for in the Black Sea

Features of sea fishing

Sea fishing, unlike rivers and lakes, differs in conditions and fishing techniques. The population of fish is denser than in fresh water bodies, the current is always strong, with waves, and the water is clear, so the fish are always active, even in winter. It is better to fish in calm, calm weather, preferably in August. Many marine inhabitants are shy and when the wind increases, in order to avoid being thrown out to dangerous rocks by the current, they go deeper, to the bottom.

The fishing technique should be more intense, and casts should be far and correct to achieve better results. Fishing on the Black Sea from the shore is special:

Possibility of using only hard rods and artificial baits.
Lack of bite in the heat.
Strong resistance when fishing for fish.
A gregarious habit of individuals.
Fishing mainly only for large fish.

Fishing in the Black Sea with any gear is most successful in August–September. If the weather is favorable, the fish are biting quite actively in October. In the heat of summer, catches are rare; the fish go deeper, closer to the bottom.

conclusions

“Real fishing” and “Black Sea” are two indivisible things, because real or real winter fishing is always a test. This is exactly what the Black Sea can provide. Fishing in the Black Sea in December can also bring not so much good emotions as health problems and material costs. The “dangerous” time here begins with the appearance of cold and fast winds.

Typically, such natural conditions begin in November and end with the end of winter. Now we can summarize: fishing in the Black Sea in 2021 and any other year can bring both a big catch and a cheerful mood, as well as injuries from natural disasters in the form of storms and strong winds. Dress warmly for such winter fishing, because even in Crimea it can be cold. In addition, for the same reasons, it is worth choosing a durable fishing rod, because remaining fishing without it and without a catch will not make anyone happy. Pros of fishing on the Black Sea:

Beautiful landscapes
Large amount of fish
Good bite
Opportunity to ask questions to experienced fishermen.

Places for successful fishing

You can fish at sea:

From the shore, for both beginners and experienced fishermen, using any gear, even homemade ones. It is good to fish for large fish with a telescopic fishing rod 7-8 m long. Fishing is successful remotely and close to the shore. Almost any bait can be used. In stormy weather, from the shore with a strong wind, you need to cast the fishing rod as far as possible, at least 10 m. During the surf period, there is a high probability of catching large predatory individuals, so during a storm the release of worms and mollusks is huge, which is very tempting for fish
From a cliff, but such fishing is quite extreme and is suitable only for professionals, people with skills in this matter. Fishing is successful using a telescopic rod with a sinker of at least 200 g from cliffs and rocky peaks.
From the pier, in places near the beach. Catching medium-sized fish is suitable for beginners using spinning rods. Usually at the height of the season it is crowded, fishing is massive and widespread.

From the shore

If a fisherman does not have the opportunity to use a boat, a classic type of fishing - from the shore - will be a good solution. Sea fishing from the shore is suitable for both beginners and professionals. Note! Experienced fishermen recommend fishing from the shore at night. After sunset, many species of fish are found along the coastline. It is noteworthy that fishing will give a good catch both near the shore and remotely. Even using homemade gear will be effective. When fishing for fish, it is effective to use a telescopic fishing rod no more than eight meters long. Note! There are no restrictions when selecting bait; experienced fishermen choose almost any species. In case of unfavorable weather, primarily a storm, it is recommended to cast the fishing rod as far as possible - at least nine meters. When there is surf, there is no need to carry out such manipulations, since during a storm there is a large release of worms and mollusks, which are preyed on by large species of fish. The chance of getting an enviable catch is great.

What kind of fish is found in the Black Sea?

This area is home to almost 180 species of fish. Often caught by fishermen:

Ruffs.
Flounder.
Mullet.
Gobies.
Sea bass.
Red mullets.
Horse mackerel.
Sprat.
Herring.
Acne.
Anchovy.

In summer it occurs:

Tuna.
Pelamida.
Mackerel.
Rarely, but you come across sultanas.
Beluga.
Sargans.
Gorbyl.
Dark.

There is an abundance of fish of different sizes in the Black Sea. Gobies are popular and are a delicacy for many. To attract their attention, it is better to place the bait at the very bottom. There are a lot of mullet in the sea near the shore, singili, a medium-sized fish with an orange spot on the cover of the gills.

Fishing in the Crimea, closer to the Caucasus, is successful for small horse mackerel. Quite large individuals are found not far from Georgia and Abkhazia. Horse mackerel often recklessly searches for prey, literally jumping out of the water. If you find yourself at sea at such a moment, catching horse mackerel will not be difficult.

Catching sea crucian carp with a fishing rod is successful in the waters of the Black Sea; shrimp will be used for bait. Beautiful bright wrasses are found in the coastal zone closer to rocks and stones overgrown with algae. The wrasse fits on almost any tackle. There are a lot of perches in the sea; anglers love to catch this type of fish.

There are, of course, a lot of crabs, shrimps, and mussels of various sizes in the sea. But poisonous fish can also be caught on a hook: dragonets, sea ruffes, which are similar in appearance to other species. You need to be careful. If the fish is unfamiliar to you, it is better to release it back to avoid poisoning.

Night spinning on the Black Sea

The sun strives to dive into the sea with merciless speed, the beaches of resort towns are empty. It has become completely dark, quiet, lifeless, but this impression is deceptive, now a completely different life begins - sea predators go in search of food and come very close to the shore.

Occasionally you can see flickering light from flashlights - fishermen go out to hunt for the nocturnal predator. If you are one of them, want to become or try night rock fishing, you will encounter two main nocturnal fish: scorpionfish and croaker. The menu of these two fish consists of crabs, small fish and other small invertebrates. During my attempts to catch and understand local fish (early September), the main food item was a small crab, which simply swarms in certain places.

A place to fish at night.

There is an opinion that at night the predator is relatively evenly dispersed throughout the water area, that you just need to choose the right bait and wiring and things will work out... my experience says the opposite. The fishing location is extremely important, the entire outcome of the fishing depends on it. I would even say that what is important is a set of these good places (points) through which you can move and catch fish that will fit there. What is a good night spot? – the presence of a large number of large stones at shallow depths. There will be a crab in these stones, which the predator comes out to eat. If there are many breakwaters in the area where you are fishing, you need to find the most decrepit and collapsed of them, and even better, if it is just a mound of stones. I came up with one important rule - in order to register a breakwater as potentially working - there must be a fairly large area next to it with scattered stones at the bottom.

There are two tactical options for night fishing: waiting for a predator in a certain place in which you believe and, perhaps, fish regularly, and the option of actively moving through the rubble of stones. I always choose the second option, moving along the shore and searching for active fish, which I think is the most effective. However, there are areas, mainly located on the private beaches of resort villages, where there are very few good places, in which case it is better to stay longer in one good place than to wander around low-grade points, missing the fleeting emergence of large fish.

Lures.

When the place is determined, it’s time to think about the selection of bait. The only thing that surprised me was that almost all spinning anglers at sea at night fish with jigs and its variations. Of course, “Texas” with crayfish is an extremely catchy and appetizing bait for scorpionfish, it is very easy to catch, and a hungry scorpionfish, if the place is chosen correctly, easily detects and eats it. But I identified two significant disadvantages of this style of fishing, after which I abandoned any idea of fishing with silicone:

1) Laskir. Weasel or sea crucian is a problem for anglers who are going to fish with silicone baits. This fish has a very small but toothy mouth, which is why it turns the bait into a pile of ugly gnawed silicone. It is impossible to fish in most places where this fish hangs out.

2) Croaker. In my opinion, croakers show less interest in silicone than, for example, in more visible and larger wobblers.

Small deep floating cranks solved all my problems - they are excellent for fishing among stones, fighting off obstacles with their blade, they perfectly attract any fish and are extremely appetizing for croaker.

There was a case when, having tried all the options for fishing with rubber, including direct rigs and lead rigs, I set up a crank - from the very first retrieve I caught a croaker, this moment became a turning point.

It’s funny that all the anglers I talked to told me that fishing with a wobbler is a bad and extremely low-resulting idea. However, every night the crank declassed all the other baits.

Crank selection

I noticed one peculiarity why this or that crank absolutely does not catch fish. Sound effect. The wobbler must be equipped with balls - this is a very important point. I didn’t catch quiet cranks with a suitable diving depth at all.

The wiring of these baits is as follows: after casting, rotate the reel handle until the bait reaches the stones, then let the wobbler float up a little and pull it again until the wobbler hits the stones a couple of times. This stop&go pattern among stones is extremely attractive for scorpionfish and croakers.

Regarding gear, any microjig spinning rod with a weight of up to 8-10 grams will do, preferably with a powerful butt. Cord 0.5-0.8# according to Japanese classification.

Also, when fishing among stones, a shock leader made of fluorocarbon is mandatory. Personally, after every 5-7 casts I checked the integrity of the leader and knots so as not to lose the fish and bait that had bitten. I propose to make this a rule.

Fish release time

Regarding the time of fish release, not a single capture of a large scorpionfish or croaker occurred until the sun completely disappeared behind the horizon and pitch darkness reigned. I didn’t notice that in the evening there was any more active biting than, for example, in the morning. Large fish bites occurred after sunset, before dawn and in the middle of the night.

Night, crank, stones, light spinning rod, stop&go - this is how I understood fishing on the Black Sea. Only by constantly trying something new can you achieve good results. Look for your fish, experiment with fishing techniques, presentation, and then you will definitely get your portion of drive and adrenaline from biting a croaker.

Fishing in the sea, with what gear?

The tackle can actually be anything, but it’s still the same:

durable and powerful
resistant to frequent gusts of wind
easily cast over long distances
withstands powerful water fluctuations.

Spinning rods, float rods, telescopes, bottom gear, and tyrants are effective and popular.

The spinning rod, which is quite resistant to corrosion, is suitable for sharp hooking. Tuna, croakers, crucian carp, anchovy, eels, sea bass, bonito, gobies, and croaker weighing up to 5 kg go well with it. Preferred places for spinning fishing are rocks, piers, away from the beach. 2. Donka is preferable for catching small fish of medium size specimens. The donka is effective for use in shallow water, in calm places. The tackle is good for beginners when fishing for eels, crucian carp, sea bass, croaker, and flounder. 3. The telescopic fishing rod is suitable for long casting, fishing from rocks and catching beluga, anchovy, tuna, bonito, herring, sea crucian carp. 4. A float fishing rod is ideal for catching small fish, but you need to choose the fishing line and hooks for this tackle correctly. Fishing from the pier in places with an average depth of no more than 2 m with a muddy sandy bottom is successful for perch, crucian carp, bonito, garfish, horse mackerel, gobies, and eels. 5. Tyrants - homemade fishing rods with hard reels. Fishing from the shore is successful with herring, eels, gobies, and sea crucian carp.

Recommended gear

For successful fishing, you need to choose the right gear for the sea. Taking into account the peculiarities of fishing in the sea, gear must have the following characteristics: • strength and power; • resistance to wind gusts; • resistance to water fluctuations; • possibility of casting over long distances. For fishing in the sea, experienced fishermen recommend using the following types of gear: • Spinning rod - resistant to corrosion, suitable for sharp hooking. Spinning tackle catches tuna, crucian carp, conger eel, perch or gobies. It is recommended to fish with a spinning rod from rocks, a pier or away from the coastline. • Bottom gear – used for catching small and medium-sized fish. Donka is effective in shallow water or calm places. The tackle will be a good solution for beginners who want to catch eel, crucian carp, and perch. • Telescopic rod - ideal for long casts or fishing from rocks. Allows you to hunt tuna, herring or sea crucian. • Fishing rod with floats – suitable for fishing for medium-sized fish. It is recommended to fish with floats from the pier, in places with a depth not exceeding two meters. • A fishing rod with floats is good for catching garfish, gobies and eels. • Tyrants – are fishing rods with reels and equipment in the form of a garland of leashes. Recommended for fishing from the shore, it allows you to catch crucian carp, gobies and herring.

What are the best sea baits for fishing from the shore?

Any fish is responsive to:

mussels
small fish that attract predators and large individuals
peeled shrimp. Suitable for catching gobies, horse mackerel, beluga, bonito. In the spring and summer, sea crucian prefers unpeeled shrimp.
sea worms. You can collect it in the ground near the shore. Fish of different sizes bite well on them and in any season
twisters, vibrotails, preferred in winter. Large fish bites are active. The most important thing is that the bait is fresh.

What is so special about fishing from the shore?

It is believed that fishing is effective as far as possible from the shore, at depth. Let’s say that you don’t have a boat, and you only have a spinning rod in your arsenal. But this is also an interesting process in its own way. For spinning, a spinning reel and a rod of any length are suitable. It is better to fish at night, when the fish swim to the shore in schools. Suitable baits include shrimp, mussels, and sea worms.

A large catch from the shore is possible with a donka up to 5 m in length and a sinker weighing at least 200 g, as well as with a surf fishing rod with a reel spool size of over 4000 mm. Hooks and attachments also need to be selected correctly for a particular fishing rod.

Fishing from the surf in bad weather and storms is good with surfcasting. It is during bad weather that many worms, mollusks, and crustaceans are thrown ashore. These are the best baits for predators, and the fishing method is good for long casts to places rich in fish, located 10-12 m from the shore.

For extreme sports enthusiasts, the type of fishing “rock fishing” from the rocks is suitable. The fish swims for prey to coastal areas, to high rocks. A telescopic rod up to 5 m long and with a sinker up to 200g is suitable for the tackle.

What do experienced fishermen advise?

Russian fishing is always emotional and varied, and the Black Sea is proof of this. You can fish with a wide variety of gear, in different places, at any time of the year, in any weather, even the most inclement, with any bait. Fish in the Black Sea are apparently invisible, of various sizes. There are more than 10 species of gobies alone. However, when fishing at sea, study the habits of the fish you want to catch:

It is very important what gear is used. Don't take cheap ones with you, many of them are not effective at sea.
Take several types of bait with you at once. Some can be collected right off the coast.
If you fish with tyrant, homemade gear, then use several types of them at once.
Of course, a purchased tyrant is better. It's more efficient.
If there are a lot of seagulls in the area, it means there are a lot of bonito in the sea.

Fix a regular firefly bell on the end of the rod, this will make it easier to recognize the bite. On the Black Sea, fishing from the shore at night is successful when the fish are in coastal areas. Use shrimp, sea worms, and mussels for bait. There will be more interest in fishing if you manage to catch a decent pike, flounder, redfish or pelengas. You can also catch well from the shore, not only from a boat, as many people think when they come to the Black Sea.

To increase catch, fishermen often use bite activators, which are attractive to fish from long distances. They stimulate the fish's appetite due to the pheromones included in their composition. However, despite the natural composition of the components, a ban is expected on some additives, but today you can still buy them.