Best Supermarket Sea Fishing Bait UK 2026

Walk into any Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda or Morrisons and you'll find enough sea fishing bait to fill a cool box. The fish counter has fresh mackerel, squid and sardines. The frozen aisle has the same products pre-packed and ready to go. And the meat aisle has luncheon meat, bacon and chicken wings that have been catching cod and dogfish off UK piers for decades.

The idea that you need to visit a specialist tackle shop before every session is a myth that costs anglers time and money. Tackle shop bait is frozen exactly the same way supermarket bait is, often from the same suppliers, and in some cases the supermarket version is actually fresher because it moves through a faster supply chain.

Here's what we compared, ranked by how well each bait actually performs on UK shores.

1. Frozen Squid - The King of Supermarket Sea Bait

Frozen squid is the bait that every UK sea angler should have in their freezer. It's available in most supermarkets (usually in the world foods or frozen fish section), costs around £4-6 per kilogram, and catches virtually every species that swims in UK waters.

The firm white flesh holds on the hook through long casts and doesn't dissolve in water the way softer baits do. Cut it into strips for a generic bait, use it whole for larger species, or thread it onto a pennel rig for cod fishing. Squid works on beach, pier, rock and boat.

What makes squid particularly good is its staying power. A strip of squid will stay on the hook for an hour or more in moderate current, which means you can leave it out there while you wait for a bite. Soft baits like mackerel strip wash off faster, so squid is the better choice for longer sessions or rough water.

What catches: Cod, dogfish, rays, conger eels, bass, pollack, wrasse, whiting. Basically everything.

Best used: Strips on a two-hook paternoster, whole on a pennel rig for cod, wrapped around a squid head for big conger.

Price: £4-6 per kg from supermarket freezers (1kg lasts multiple sessions).

2. Frozen Mackerel - The Reliable Workhorse

Frozen whole mackerel is the bait most UK sea anglers grew up with. It's available in every supermarket freezer, costs £3-5 per kilogram, and it's the same product that tackle shops charge £8-12 for. The fish are frozen whole, usually in 1kg bags of 4-6 fish.

Mackerel is an oily fish, which means it puts out a strong scent trail in the water. That scent is what attracts cod, bass and dogfish from a distance. The downside is that the oil makes your hands messy and the bait can wash off the hook in heavy surf. For calmer conditions and pier fishing, it's hard to beat.

Cut a mackerel into sections and you've got multiple baits from one fish. Head and tail sections are particularly good for larger species. The guts and scraps can be chopped up for a quick groundbait to attract fish to your spot.

What catches: Cod (especially in winter), bass, pollock, dogfish, wrasse, conger eels, tope.

Best used: Cut into sections on a paternoster, whole on a sliding lead for bigger species, flayed strips for bass.

Price: £3-5 per kg from supermarket freezers.

3. Fresh Mackerel Fillets - The Bass Specialist

If your supermarket has a fish counter, grab a pack of fresh mackerel fillets. They cost £3-5 for a pack of 2-4 fillets and they're devastating for bass and pollack when used fresh.

Fresh mackerel has a texture and scent that frozen bait can't match. The fillets are softer, oilier, and put out more natural oils into the water. For lure-style fishing where you want the bait to move naturally in the current, fresh fillets are the pick.

The catch is timing. Fresh mackerel needs to be used within a few hours of purchase, or at most kept on ice for the duration of your session. Don't buy it the day before and expect it to be good tomorrow. Plan your session around when you can get to the supermarket.

What catches: Bass (primary target), pollack, mackerel (when targeting their own kind), garfish.

Best used: Thin strips on a basic paternoster, hooked through the nose on a float rig, freelined in estuaries.

Price: £3-5 per pack from the fish counter (use same day).

4. Luncheon Meat - The Underrated Budget Champion

Spam, or any supermarket own-brand luncheon meat, is the most underrated sea fishing bait in the UK. A single tin costs £1-2 and gives you enough bait for an entire session. It's been catching cod and flounder off British piers since the 1950s, and it still works.

The beauty of luncheon meat is its simplicity. Cut it into cubes, thread it on a hook, and cast out. It stays on the hook reasonably well, doesn't dissolve quickly, and the salty, fatty scent attracts cod and dogfish. For flounder in estuaries and harbours, it's one of the most effective baits you can use.

Luncheon meat is especially good in winter when the bigger baits (mackerel, squid) are harder to keep fresh on the bank. A tin of Spam in your pocket and a bag of frozen squid in your cool box gives you two bait options for under a fiver.

What catches: Cod, flounder, dogfish, whiting, dab.

Best used: Cubed on a simple paternoster, tipped with a bit of mackerel for extra scent, whole on a sliding lead for cod.

Price: £1-2 per tin (lasts 2-3 sessions).

5. Chicken Wings & Bacon - The Winter Cod Specialists

When the weather turns cold and cod are moving inshore, chicken wings and bacon offcuts become surprisingly effective baits. Both are available in any supermarket meat aisle for £2-4 per pack.

Chicken wings have a tough skin that holds on the hook well, and the bone gives the bait structure that keeps it from spinning in the current. Thread a whole chicken wing onto a pennel rig and you've got a bait that stays out there for ages. The bone also means the bait doesn't collapse after a few casts.

Bacon is oilier and puts out more scent, but it's softer and can wash off the hook in rough water. Use back bacon (with the rind on) for better hook hold, or wrap it around a hook with bait elastic. Smoked bacon works even better because the smoky scent carries further in cold water.

What catches: Cod (primary), dogfish, whiting, bass (chicken wings).

Best used: Chicken wings on a pennel rig, bacon wrapped on a paternoster with elastic, both work well on piers and breakwaters.

Price: £2-4 per pack (chicken wings or bacon).

Quick Comparison: Supermarket Bait at a Glance

Species-by-Species Bait Guide

Choosing the right supermarket bait for your target species makes a real difference. Here's what to reach for depending on what you're after:

Cod: Frozen squid or mackerel are the top picks. In winter, when cod move closer to shore, chicken wings and bacon also produce. Use a two-hook paternoster with a squid strip on the top hook and mackerel on the bottom.

Bass: Fresh mackerel fillets are the number one choice. Cut thin strips and use a basic paternoster or float rig. Squid strips also work, especially in rougher water where fresh bait washes off. For lure anglers, a whole sandeel (available frozen at some supermarkets) on a plain lead is deadly.

Dogfish: Almost anything works. Squid, mackerel, luncheon meat, chicken - dogfish aren't fussy. They're scavengers that find bait by scent, so the oilier the bait, the better. Mackerel guts thrown in as loose feed will bring them in.

Rays: Squid is the top bait for rays. Use a whole squid on a pennel rig or a big strip on a pulley rig. Mackerel also works well, especially for thornback rays. Avoid luncheon meat for rays - they prefer fish-based baits.

Flounder: Luncheon meat is the classic flounder bait. Cube it, use a simple paternoster, and fish it on the bottom in estuaries and harbours. Mackerel strip also works, but luncheon meat is cheaper and easier to use.

Pollock: Fresh mackerel or squid strips on a basic paternoster. Pollock are aggressive predators that hit moving bait, so a light rig that allows the bait to move in the current works best.

Bait Preparation Tips

Getting the most out of supermarket bait comes down to preparation. A few minutes of prep before your session makes a big difference on the bank:

Thaw frozen bait properly. Don't microwave it or run it under hot water - that cooks the flesh and makes it fall apart. Transfer it from the freezer to the fridge the night before, or leave it in a sealed bag in cool water for 20-30 minutes. Semi-frozen bait is actually ideal - it's firm enough to stay on the hook but thawed enough to put out scent.

Cut squid into strips about the width of your thumb and 3-4 inches long. This is the universal size that works on most rigs. For bigger species like conger, use the whole squid. For smaller species like whiting, cut the strips thinner.

Use bait elastic for soft baits like chicken wings and bacon. A few wraps of bait elastic around the bait and hook shank keeps everything together through the cast and in the water. It's invisible to fish but makes a massive difference to hook hold.

Keep your bait cool. A small cool box or insulated bag with a couple of ice packs keeps frozen bait frozen and fresh bait fresh for the duration of your session. Don't leave bait sitting in the sun on a warm day - it goes off fast and the smell gets unpleasant.

Chop mackerel into sections rather than using whole fish. One mackerel gives you 4-6 bait sections from the body plus the head and tail. The head is a proven cod bait - hook it through the eye socket on a pennel rig.

What to Avoid

Not everything in the supermarket works as sea fishing bait. A few things to skip:

Cooked seafood. Prawns, cooked mussels, and prepared seafood salads are pre-cooked and have no scent trail. Raw or frozen is always better than cooked.

Smoked fish. Smoked mackerel and smoked salmon smell strong to us, but the smoking process removes the oils that attract fish. Fresh or frozen unsmoked is better.

Highly processed meats. Pepperoni, chorizo, and heavily spiced meats have additives that can actually repel fish. Plain luncheon meat or unsmoked bacon works; spiced or cured versions don't.

Bread. While bread does catch the odd fish (mainly mullet in estuaries), it's not a serious sea fishing bait. It dissolves too fast and doesn't hold on the hook.

Products Mentioned in This Guide

Frequently Asked Questions