How to bottom fish: a guide for the PAF

Bottom fishing is a generalist discipline widely practiced in Italy, both in the Adriatic, Tyrrhenian and Ionian seas. It is the twin sister of its freshwater variant, which aims to capture grub fish, that is, fish that move on the bottom, such as sea bass, sea bream, sea bream, etc. instead of carp, tench, crucian carp, which happens in fresh waters. It must be carried out from the shore, therefore from the beach, from the cliffs, from the piers. Its primary objective is to present the bait on the bottom, and take advantage of the eating to attempt to capture the prey. Today we will present the basics of bottom fishing with a simple and effective guide, which will introduce you to this magical world and provide you with a very useful handbook for next summer.

The disciplines of bottom fishing

By bottom fishing we mean all the variations that have the bait on the bottom. This is as certain as it is logical. Therefore, specialties such as surf casting, beach ledgering, rock fishing and ledgering generally fall within the PAF (acronym for bottom fishing). Surf casting is practiced from the beach in rough sea conditions, and the objective is to cast beyond the breaking of the waves, where predators graze, using powerful equipment. Beach ledgering takes place in calm sea conditions, with equipment that does not exceed 90 grams of casting power, and focuses on medium-sized fish such as bream. Rock fishing is carried out from the rocky reef, aimed at heterogeneous prey. Ledgering is a lead fishing feeder filled with maggots and groundbait. However, when we talk about bottom fishing, we can also mean generalist fishing which is a mix of the first three disciplines, which does not aim at catching a specific prey or a particular weather condition. But simple fishing with sliding or disposable lead, to be practiced from outside the piers, or on the beach or from the low reef, which attempts to deceive fish moving on the bottom, both near and far from the shore. Something so generic that it doesn't fit into any of those specialist categories, but still has its own place and definition like PAF or bottom fishing.

PAF equipment

To generally practice bottom fishing you need to equip yourself with two fishing rods and two reels of the same or different types. The reason is that PAF is a wait-and-see fishing, so to have a better chance of catching fish, you need to double your gear. With only one rod, we would certainly have less chance. Having said this, let's move on to the technical aspects: a bottom fishing rod that works well in more or less all conditions, therefore without being specific for one technique or another, could make the choice fall on a telescopic rod of around 4 metres, with maximum action of 120/180 grams. The reels to match should have a size equal to size 8,000, spooled with excellent 0.20/0.22 reinforced with 0.50 shock leaders (or specific conical shock leaders). In addition to the rods and reels, it is necessary to use a two-place rod rest, where the equipment can be stored during the waiting phases. And again, leads of various sizes are needed, between 70 and 150 grams, with different shapes, both disposable and sliding. There will also be various terminals, with a diameter between 0.18 and 0.25 and hooks with dimensions between 2 and 8. With equipment of this caliber, we will certainly be able to move towards the most general bottom fishing there is, without delving into specific fishing with surf-casting, ledgering, rock fishing, which require specialized tools and a more methodical approach.

Mounts for the PAF

There are two most common rigs for bottom fishing. The first involves a 90/150 gram sliding lead in the shape of a kite, a tear-proof bead, a swivel and a 70 to 150 centimeter leader of 0.25, armed with a 4/8 long shank hook. The second mount, however, is a classic: 70/150 gram disposable lead, olive, drop, pyramid, swivel with carabiner, beam on which, at a distance of 100/120 centimeters, an armrest will be positioned stopped by two stoppers, connected with additional swivel. Furthermore, the armrest will act as a terminal, therefore it will have a length between 1 and two metres, it will be made up of a 0.20/0.25 piece and will feature a No. 4/8 hook, also with a long shank. The first variant is perfect on sandy bottoms, where the fish searches for food in contact with the bottom or almost tends to dig to find nourishment. The second, however, allows the bait to remain detached from the bottom, so it is perfect on seabeds full of algae or muddy.

Decoys for the PAF

There are many bottom fishing lures, but few have a consistently constant performance. Among these we can include the Korean worm, the bibi, the American worm, the Rimini worm (called vermara), the muriddu, sardines or anchovies, prawns, mussels, crabs, pieces of octopus or live/dead fish . To fish thoroughly the first few times, we recommend not using very complex baits. It may be the case of buying a box of Korean worms, American worms or muriddu. Or to buy just a basket of vermara, therefore a single Rimini worm. All worms should be baited with a hook, avoiding them breaking during the delicate phase of insertion into the barb. The advantage of worms, compared to other baits, is both in availability, reliability, easy conservation and in being catchable on many occasions, both in calm and rough seas.

Have fun with PAF

We remind readers that this is a simple introductory guide to the world of bottom fishing. Far be it from us to pretend to describe it in detail, with a detailed explanation, point by point, also addressing points such as tides, launch strategies, catches. With this handbook, or rather with our short guide, simple and immediate to read, you will have all the elements available to approach bottom fishing during the next summer season and... why not, capture a beautiful prey, to be framed among the most beautiful memories of your fishing career!