Best sea fishing shelter
When it comes to working out which is the best sea fishing shelter, it comes down to only a few valid options.
You need a good hard-wearing, sturdy and water proof shelter. Moreover it will need enough room inside to cover you and your sea fishing gear. At times you may have company and could be looking for more room. Either way it needs to be stable in strong winds whether it’s on sand, shingle or concrete.
Sea fishing shelters are a totally different beast to say for instance summer beach shelter, though some are marketed towards anglers. Dont waste your money on something that can only be used in the best of weather conditions. Its just false economy and you will be deeply disappointed should the weather change, particularly in winter.
Big brand options offer a sense of tried and tested security when purchasing your new sea fishing shelter. Fishing shelters really do need it to hold up in all areas as conditions can change quickly. When relying on the weather forecast most of us will have seen just how different it can actually be out and about. Moreover it can change from sunny and calm to wet and windy in a heart beat.
Newer shelters tend to be from smaller brands trying to get a piece of the market. I’m not saying these are not good quality but they don’t yet have the big brand pedigree. Tried and tested over many years is where I would be looking, with many reviews and opinions available. You can easily see the difference in a fit for purpose shelter and what’s “marketed” as fishing shelter. Think summer holidays on the beach with a wide open front and pretty flimsy at that. There are also fishing brolly’s with sides, these can work but are designed more for sitting next to a lake or pond. They are not designed for the harsher conditions experienced along the coast.
Hopefully the above helps you understand why I said there are, in my opinion only a few valid options. Regardless of how many shelters are “marketed” towards sea fishing in general. There will be occasions when they come in handy but in my opinion its better to be safe than sorry.
The main group of “true” sea fishing shelters come from brands such as Shakespeare, Imax and Ian Gold. These can also be used for other fishing disciplines in poor weather and will fair much better. Though more expensive than other options it truly is a, you get what you pay for with sea fishing shelters. You can clearly see from the designs they are much more stable, hardwearing and fully waterproof.
At the time of writing this there have been shortages of both shelters and tripods in part due to Covid 19. That and an increased take up in the sport as people have been “fishing for things to do (excuse the pun) Amazon still has some of the Imax shelters in stock with 5 star reviews on both.
Make sure to check out the dimensions of each before choosing the right one for you. Factor in what you will be keeping in it with you such at seat box and bait station. Will you be fishing alone most of the time or will you need a bit more space for another. You really cant go wrong with the recognised brands as long as you a suitable size for you. Don’t forget the bigger they are the heavier they become. If you wont need room for 2 often it may be worth sticking to a smaller model.
I wont go as far as recommending one brand over another, its not about brand but options. Making sure you pick what is right for you will keep you warmer and dry for years to come. The best sea fishing shelter is what’s right for you.
The picture above of my youngest under a brolly while fishing Amlwch in winter speaks a thousand words to me now. It was taken a few years back now, it was cold, wet and windy. The brolly provided no wind proofing and made the trip far more uncomfortable than it needed to be.
Tight lines
