Cod

No fish looms larger in British sea-angling folklore than the cod. Olive-brown to sandy in colour with a pale lateral line, a distinctive chin barbel and a cavernous mouth, cod are built for hoovering food off the seabed - crabs, worms, shellfish and any smaller fish unlucky enough to be in the way.

Winter is the classic season: from October the first "codling" arrive on storm-stirred beaches, and shore anglers brave gales for them through to March. Afloat, deep wrecks and rough ground hold bigger fish, with northern marks like Whitby famous for summer cod on the wrecks as well.

Lugworm and squid cocktails do the damage from the shore; pirks, shads and big soft plastics score from the boat. Cod fight with dogged head-shakes rather than blistering runs, but a double-figure fish through heavy surf is a proper achievement - and eats as well as anything in the sea.