Cornwall is surrounded on three sides by sea, and the history and identity of this county is intimately linked with the ocean. The fishing industry has been an important part of Cornish life for over 1000 years, leaving a legacy of quaint fishing villages, olympic sailors and local delicacies like the stargazy pie, in which whole pilchards stick head-first out of the pastry. If you want to live the life of a fisherman or woman for a day, we recommend that you charter a fishing vessel. Expeditions leave from ports around the 300 miles of coast, and the skippers know their local waters like the backs of their hands. Whatever you want to hook, be it mackerel, conger eel or even several species of shark, they can take you there and provide the equipment and expertise to help you hook the prize - even if it’s your first time with a fishing rod. Alternatively, if angling doesn’t get your heart racing, you can enjoy the ride, the views and the local wildlife from the deck of a hardy fishing vessel.

Where are the best places to go on a fishing trip in Cornwall?

• Padstow: TV chef Rick Stein started his seafood restaurant empire in Padstow, and it’s no surprise. The waters around this North coast port are rich with mackerel, cod and pilchards, while on longer trips you can reach the hunting grounds of tope and sea bream. Trips also run from the port of Rock on the other side of the Camel Estuary.

• Newquay: the beaches of Newquay are a paradise for surfers, but it’s open water where the fishing fanatics will find their thrills. In the inky depths lie the wrecks of First and Second World War ships, which are now home to a huge variety of fish species. Deep sea fishing enthusiasts come here expecting to catch smooth-hounds, a species of shark that can measure over 1.5 metres long, and very few go home empty handed.

• St Ives: this pretty seaside resort straddles two rocky bays, so you’re guaranteed some beautiful coastal views even if the fish aren’t biting. But when they do, you'll be able to catch a variety of species from the safety of catamaran boats, which are larger and more stable than traditional fishing vessels.

• Penzance: in the 19th century a group of artists set up a colony in a fishing village near Penzance. The Newlyn School were fascinated by the life of the anglers: the commerce, the romance and the tragedy of this lucrative yet unreliable industry. Nowadays, sea fishing charters leave from Penzance and the nearby villages of Porthleven and Helford, and the scenic surroundings are bound to captivate your attention until you start to feel a tug at the end of the line.

• Falmouth: Ben Ainslee, the most successful Olympic sailor in history learnt to sail on Carrick Roads, the estuary of the River Fal. At the estuary’s mouth on the South coast the port of Falmouth is a great place to charter a boat for an angling adventure. The waters around Falmouth are an Area of Special Conservation so this activity is conducted in a sustainable, eco friendly way. If you prefer to leave the fish in complete peace, wildlife watching tours are also on offer. Keep your eyes peeled for seabirds, seals and even dolphins.

• Mevagissey: this quaint port often features on lists of the prettiest fishing villages in the region. But it’s not just a pretty face, Mevagissey is also the starting point for expeditions to catch the biggest fish in the Cornish waters: the bluefin tuna. We’re used to buying tuna in small tins at the supermarket, but getting your hands on the wild beast, which can measure 2 metres long and weigh up to 250 kilograms, is a much bigger challenge. While tuna dwell in open water, the coastal seas are home to species including ling, conger, and whiting.

• Looe: the deep channel of the river Looe has boasted a sheltered harbour for centuries, and continues to operate as a commercial fishing port. You can get a taste for this business hunting for conger eel and other species on nearby reefs. Or set off early and pass through the mackerel fisheries to pick up some fish that you can use as fresh bait for a much bigger prize - a shark! Don’t worry, this won’t be a real life repeat of Jaws as there are no Great Whites in these waters, but you can still get an action shot of your toothy prize after reeling it in. All sharks are returned to the water live, so as not to deplete the population.

What kind of fish can you catch?

- The seas around the peninsula boast a wide variety of habitats, from shallow coastal waters, to reefs and wrecks, to open water. The most abundant fish near the coast are pilchards, sardines, and mackerel, and these can be caught even by inexperienced anglers. You can release your catch back into the water, or take it home with you for supper. Many smaller fish species find protection from predators in reefs and shipwrecks, but that doesn’t mean you can’t tempt them out with some juicy bait at the end of your line. A trip to a reef or wreck is likely to yield the best catch in terms of volume.

- Finally, for a real angling adventure, you can charter a boat to open water where there’s always a bigger fish. Bluefin tuna, are the largest species that you can find of the coast, are sadly less common than they once were, but there are plenty of sharks that lurk in these waters, for example smooth-hounds and 2-metre tope, which are a worthy prize for a seasoned fisherman or woman.

How long does an expedition last?

We all know that is a sport that takes patience, and the more time you put in, the more fish you can get out. Having said that, it’s possible to reach the mackerel that live close to ports and hook a couple in just one hour. Other coastal trips can last 2 or 3 hours, while reef and wreck expeditions require a bit more travelling and so they last 4 hours or more.

If you want to face the biggest challenges you need a whole day. It can take 8 hours to sail away from the shore, catching some fish to use as live bait on the way, dump some chum into the water to attract the prey, and wait for a shark to turn up - and that’s just the preparation for the human vs fish struggle that follows!

Requirements to do this activity

In the old days, it was the husbands and fathers who went out to sea in search of fish, leaving their wives and children to wait anxiously on shore. But times have changed, a charter fishing trip is a perfect addition to a family holiday in this beautiful part of the world. Coastal trips are suitable for all ages if the weather’s good, but Atlantic swells can churn up the sea further out so deep sea and open water trips are only for those over 12 years old. As the boats on offer vary in size, you can go in a group of between 7 and 12 people, perfect for a big family, a group of friends celebrating a birthday or stag/hen parts, or a corporate event to impress a client or reward a team.

You don’t need to have years of experience in order to get on a fishing boat in Cornwall. You can have your angling baptism here, using the rods and tackle of the captain and crew, but it’s best to go on a shorter, coastal expedition if you don’t have your sea legs yet. Taking to open water means a whole day on deck, facing whatever conditions come off the Atlantic, and if you want to catch a large fish you need to be prepared for a fight, so these trips are reserved for veteran anglers.

Cornish fishermen were superstitious folk, and they didn’t let any land animals onto their boats for fear of upsetting the fish. This rule has remained in place on some charter vessels, in the name of safety rather than superstition, so get in contact with the skipper in advance to check if you can bring your pet pooch with you.

Angling adventures await you, are you ready to set sail? Let us know and we’ll get to organising.