Q: I have recently made some livebait rigs to use from the shore for cod. How do I tell the difference between a whiting or pouting bite from a cod when using this method?

JOSH WHITE, WATCHET, SOMERSET

PF says: Generally, a whiting or pouting will register as a rattle on the rod tip when hooked. A cod, however, normally pulls the rod tip forward heavily, or the tip will spring back and straighten, otherwise known as a drop-back bite.