Fleetwood Channel - Looking East Towards Knott End
We woke this morning to a truly stunning day and as we made our way to Fleetwood to fish a Blackpool and Leyton Angling Society (BLAS) match the weather just seemed to get better and better. Shacky and JP were already there and not soon after Sparky and Millsy arrived so we made our way down to the edge of the channel. Fleetwood channel is actually the estuary of the River Wyre and is kept clear (and deep) as Fleetwood is a working port with regular sailings to Northern Ireland and The Isle of Mann
We cast just to the edge of the faster moving water so that our baits could stay anchored to the sea bed rather than be dragged out to sea by the swiftly ebbing tide and, where we were hoping the fish would be hunting in the back eddies for food.
A Small Flounder for Wendy
It took a while for bites to start but a slight shift in wind (more like a light breeze) direction from East to West resulted in Wendy landing a very plump rockling, shortly followed by Sparky.
Then it developed into a two horse race as Shacky landed a Flounder, then Wendy, then Shacky again, all the while myself and the other guys congratulating their success, honestly.
Shacky finally landed an eel which with the other fish won him the match, with Wendy coming 2nd and Sparky third.
It was hard fishing, we tried all sorts of baits; Lug, Squid, Mackerel, Peeler Crab and it didn’t really seem to make much difference – Wendy was catching on Lug, Shacky on Crab.
But what a lovely day to be out, blue skies, light breezes and flocks of birds taking to wing opposite us whenever they were disturbed. There was even a seal swimming around in the channel that every so often would vanish then a few minutes later appear somewhere else with a fish in it’s mouth. Sometimes fishing is better left to the natives while we just watch.
The venue has produced some good fish, and in quantity, which is why the BLAS guys picked it for this time of year, but for some reason the fish just weren’t playing today…
…at least not for me.
Looking West Down Fleetwood Channel
Hi Stu Wendy,
Just caught up with your adventures – I last read them about 18 months ago. Super read looks like you have had some good times/fun. Really enjoyed the blog nice one.
Still fishing myself ‘poorly’ fished Barmouth last Wednesday the Bass were not in doh! my mate fishing Rich had two PBs two days later doh! tried Caldy and blanked again, oh well still enjoying it, my luck will change.
Anyway, by for now and great blog again, well done.
Cheers Abbo.
Hiya Paul – thanks for the visit. Was it Rich had had the 7 & 8 pounders?
Hi im new on here and was after a bit of information on fishing in fleetwood,am i better fishing upto a high tide or fishing on a high to a low,not been sea fishing long but know all basics as used to do alot of course fishing.Was hoping to go this week but cant make most of high tides only going down tide,could someone please help?
The channel where we fished is better a couple of hours down to low water then maybe 1 up.
Most of the coastline round there – down to and including cleveleys is usually fished either 2 hours either side of high or 2 either side of low. I’ve had the same sort of results from either but be very careful when fishing low water that the gulleys do not fill up behind you.
tbh it’s easier and more comfortable to fish high.
At the moment not much is showing although everyone is waiting for the Bass to show properly on the Fylde coast and there should be some smoothhounds show up soon off Blackpool but you’ll need peeler crab for bait where as everything else will take either black or blow lug.
I’d expect maybe Flounder and the odd small whiting until these others turn up.
Hope this helps.
For more info you could always pop onto the wirralseafishing.co.uk forum, there’s usually a few guys on there that fish the area.
Hi My name is Warren (cobstan) I rain from Suffolk. But have lift in Lacashire now 21 years. Since i retired From Deepses Fishing.
tough I was a Trawler Man I still Beached fished. Now at 68 I am wondering ? i love beach fishing,which bit of beach do or would I would fish from Fleetwood?
Hi Warren
There are loads of marks around Fleetwood;
A few favourites are the channel which is just to the right of where the pier used to be (the north side of fleetwood), Rossal Point which is good at both high and low water which is about the most NW point you can get to and one of our favorites is to the west where there is a car park just round the corner from the hospital.
The best info i can give though is go and have a look at the BLAS website / forum and maybe even join the club (BLAS = Blackpool and Layton Angling Society), they have a venue section here: http://blasforum.myfreeforum.org/forum10.php
Top reads Stu and great pics
Thanks Millsy – it keeps me out of trouble :)
Is there any boats go out of fleetwood now, seem to remember going of a boat there about 30 years ago Phil
Hi Phil
The big fishing fleet from about 30 years ago is no longer there unfortunately but there are a few sea fishing charter boats that go out from the Marina behind the ‘Freeport’ plus the usual ferries to the Isle of Mann
What fish are likely to be about at this time of the year?
I’m not sure from a boat but given a decent Westerly there should be Bass along the Fleetwood coast with Dogfish after dark. The ‘channel’ at Fleetwood will probably throw up Flounder to most baits – favourite bait at this time of the year would be black lugworm or peeler crab if you can get any.