© Shutterstock

Looe - The small, southeast Cornish town of Looe has a population of just over 5,000. Its quaint atmosphere and original name (“Porthbyhan”, meaning “Little Cove”) make it the perfect spot for a fish.

© Shutterstock

Looe - Along with boatbuilding, Looe made much of its money from fishing crabs and pilchards. They’re exactly what you’ll find here, along with some world-class shark anglers.

© Shutterstock

Polperro - Looe's neighbour and 25 miles west of Plymouth, Polperro is another Cornish cove perfect for fishing. Tourists flock there in the summer, but Polperro has managed to keep commercialization at bay.

© Shutterstock

Polperro - Much like Looe, you will primarily find pilchards off Polperro’s coast. However, commercial vessels can reel in everything from ray to flatfish.

© Shutterstock

Brixham - This small, Torbay town has a community passion for fishing. Brixham is half hills, half harbour, and its trawler reputation goes back hundreds of years.

© Shutterstock

Brixham - Like the red sails of its trawlers, Brixham’s fishing culture is very distinct. Here, you can find everything from pollock, to garfish, to dogfish sharks.

© Shutterstock

Mevagissey - Five miles south of St Austell, Mevagissey is a dependable hub for fishing. Settled in a small valley facing Mevagissey Bay, the waters are a mix of commercial trawlers and small-town fishing boats.

© Shutterstock

Mevagissey - With waters full of fish, there’s plenty to find in Mevagissey Bay, including mackerel, herring, and pilchards.

© Shutterstock

Port Isaac - Named “Porthysek” (“corn port” in Cornish), this fishing village has a long history with the corn trade. Don't be fooled though, as this small village still has a bustling fish business for the northern coast of Cornwall.

© Shutterstock

Port Isaac - Pilchards, crabs, and lobsters are among the many specimens you can catch at Port Isaac. If you're interested, you can also travel to the neighbouring town of Port Gaverne. It's a special spot for experts in the know.

© Shutterstock

Whitby - This seaside Scarborough spot is a welcoming home for fishers around North Yorkshire. Whitby can be found off Yorkshire’s east coast. It’s said the earliest English poet, Cædmon, once lived here.

© Shutterstock

Whitby - Pleasure craft fishing takes place on Whitby’s main harbour, and line fish and crustaceans can be found by inshore fishing along the coast. Local specialities include lobsters and velvet crabs.

© Shutterstock

Newlyn - Take a trip to Newlyn at the shore of Mount’s Bay, near the town of Penzance. Despite its swelling popularity with tourists, Newlyn still stays authentic to its fishing heritage.

© Shutterstock

Newlyn - If you're lucky, you’ll find way more than just pilchard in Newlyn. Cornish sardines and mixed species fish also call these waters their home.

© Shutterstock

Mousehole - Once destroyed in a raid 500 years ago, Mousehole has since become a key centre on Mount’s Bay. The civil parish is defined as an 'Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty’.

© Shutterstock

Mousehole - Mousehole waters are rife with wildlife. Cornish langoustines (lobster), gurnard, plaice, and ray can be found here.

© Shutterstock

Anglesey - The largest island in Wales, Anglesey is also a choice location for some fishing. It’s an Iron Age-era town, and one of the most populated places on this list.

© Shutterstock

Anglesey - Anglesey’s wildlife is perfect for all your fishing needs. There are various crustaceans, along with bass and mullet for the catch.

© Shutterstock

Hastings - This East Sussex town has a port and a beach-based fishing fleet to boot. A long history and reputation as a seaside resort has kept Hastings’s popularity soaring.

© Shutterstock

Hastings - Europe’s largest beach-launched fishing fleet is found on The Stade shingle beach. Fresh mackerel, cod and haddock are all caught off Hastings’s coast.

© Shutterstock

Padstow - West of Cornwall River Camel estuary, Padstow is a lucrative centre for fishing. There’s also maritime traffic courtesy of the Black Tor Ferry, which carries people between its shores.

© Shutterstock

Padstow - Brill, lemon sole, and halibut can all be picked up by patient fishers. The Treyarnon rocks and Booby’s Bay outcrops are choice spots for local fishers.

© Shutterstock

Weymouth - Weymouth is a sheltered seaside town in Dorset. The town makes most of its revenue through a tourist resort, with a huge emphasis on its harbour and various tourist centres.

© Shutterstock

Weymouth - Channel 4’s ‘Hugh’s Fish Fight’ was filmed in Weymouth. Maritime highlights include cod, prawns and shrimp, the latter of which is spiced to make a local favourite dish.

© Shutterstock

Staithes - Staithes was once a main fishing centre in England, and it’s since retained that passion for poisson. Here, it’s tradition to use the coble (an open fishing boat) to catch fish.

© Shutterstock

Staithes - Bounded by high cliffs and breakwaters, Staithes is an essential stop in North Yorkshire. You can catch cod, rockling, coalfish or flounder, as long the weather’s safe from storms.

© Shutterstock

Staines-upon-Thames - Known as ‘Pontes’ to the Romans, Staines-upon-Thames is a humble town just inside London’s commuter belt. The town’s proximity to the Thames reservoirs make it a niche spot for some fishing.

© Shutterstock

Staines-upon-Thames - Staines’s neighbouring carp lakes also make it a huge draw for local and national fishers. Specifically, Chertsey Lane Lake is home to large carp and general coarse fish to catch.

© Shutterstock

St Ives - This coastal cove was awarded the Best UK Seaside Town title two years in a row (2010 and 2011), potentially in part to its fishing reputation.

© Shutterstock

St Ives - Millions of pilchards have been caught off the coast of St Ives. The Porthmeor Beach is a great place to begin, with bass, cod, turbot, and dogfish being year-round catches.

© Shutterstock