Day at sea is a big catch

Getting there: Boats sails from Crane Wharf in Bridlington Harbour. Head north on the A165 from Hull. Parking nearby in the harbour car park starts at 50p per hour, with discounts for half and full-day stays.

Open: Sailings are all-year round, but are weather dependent and by advance booking only.

Prices: Priced at £5 per hour for adults and a discount for children depending on size of the party.

Call: Peter Firth on 07932 645770 or 01262 671723 for the Rachel K, or Frank Ridley, who owns the Heidi J, on 01262 605855. There are also other charter boats available that sail from Bridlington harbour.

Web: www.rachaelk.co.uk

I t's a battle that's as old as man himself. The tug of war between fisherman and the icy depths where, armed with nothing but a rod, and alone in the vast, inhospitable expanse of sea, you can test your mettle against nature.

In days of yore it was a battle for survival. If you didn't bring home a haul, you would starve.

But thankfully, in these days where cod comes nicely packaged in oblongs and wrapped in breadcrumbs from supermarket freezer cabinets, the pressure on hunter- gatherers is somewhat less urgent than in previous eras.

Now we can allow the professionals to risk all on the high seas, guided by satellite navigation and trawling giant nets.

But that's not to say there isn't a thrill to be had from seeing if you can still cut it against the nautical world.

Eschewing the sedate surrounding of the local riverbank and heading out for a spot of sea fishing is a whole different ball game – or is that bass game – requiring a new level of skill and determination on behalf of the fisherman.

With that in mind, and with some of the region's best and most experienced fishermen based right on our harbour doorstep in Bridlington, the Kench family set out to try their hands at landing a big catch.

Setting out on the Rachel K, a 40ft purpose-built fast launch, owned by the very experienced Firth fishing family, we made an early-morning departure from Bridlington harbour with high hopes of a haul.

As long-standing land lubbers, I'll admit it took us a while to find our sea-legs – even in a calm sea, but after a while, as the Rachel K bobbed further and further away from land and we began to focus on the task in hand, any queasiness gave way to concentration.

The boat can carry up to 20 passengers at once, so you may be on board with other groups, but the camaraderie and banter between the groups is all part of the appeal and once the fishing starts there is healthy competition to see who can catch the most fish.

And with all rods and bait provided free of charge, all you need to bring along is some warm, waterproof clothing.

The boat leaves Bridlington daily for two, three, six and eight-hour trips throughout the year, but for children under 11 it is recommended to go out for two or three hours initially to test the waters, so to speak.

Fishing charter boats can sail up to six miles from the resort's harbour in calm conditions, but usually they stay within the confines of Bridlington Bay. Fishing boats the Rachel K and the Heidi J are among some of the angling pleasure boats that provide trips for sea-fishing enthusiasts.

Life jackets are provided and the boats are all up to standard with the relevant sea worthiness licences.

In the wheelhouse you will get a sneak peek of a fish-finder and the boat's GPS system along with the radar and a wreck plotter, pinpointing where the best fishing grounds are on the day.

The boat is a safe environment for all the family if the rules are observed and, of course, there is a safety talk by the skipper before the trip begins.

And despite the old sea adage, ladies are very welcome aboard and, according to the skipper, they generally catch the most fish.

For our kids, sea fishing made for an unusual day out with a big world of adventure unfolding in front of them.

The youngsters had a whale of a time, even if they didn't catch any whales – in fact they didn't catch anything of note, but still relished what were a great couple of hours on the high seas, rolling the waves and enjoy the thrill of the chase.

For the adults on board, all fish that are caught by the angler (and meet the regulation size) can be kept by the fisherman and can also be gutted on the boat by the skipper; so there is always the tantalising prospect of being able to eat what you caught for supper – in proper hunter-gatherer style – which really appeals to some of those buried prehistoric instincts.

Fish likely to be landed include cod, whiting, dabs, plaice and mackerel, which are generally caught during the trips, but sometimes catches of skate and haddock are also hooked.

On occasions halibuts and sea bass have been landed.

A good tip, as any seafarer will tell you, is to have a hearty meal an hour or so before going out to sea, which may settle nerves and help settle dicky tummies.

It's also worth taking snacks and soft drinks on board for the trip as well as a picnic if you are out for the day.

There are however, plenty of restaurants and cafés around Bridlington harbour that will cater for most tastes.

And, among those questions you wanted to ask but were too scared to, yes, there is a toilet on board.

All in all, our day trip sea fishing aboard the Rachel K, taking tips from the crew and pitting our wits against the Bridlington fish stocks was an enjoyable, fun and fascinating experience that made for an entirely new and engrossing experience.

In fact, it's fair to say we fell for it hook, line and sinker and we will definitely return for a another bout on this boat one day.