Sea fishing Forums

Has anyone ever fished in the Ribble at Lytham before? I have a Small RIB and looking for places to fish in sheltered water when I can't get out at Blackpool.

Yes When we had the boat, occasionally we would try up the Ribble at Lytham/Fairhaven. We would anchor up near the training wall., so we could fish the channel or cast over the wall to the beach. Species we caught were..Flounder, Plaice, Eel, Bass, whiting, small tope, gurnard & mackerel
If you do go, be careful ! There are many sandbanks and watch you don't hit the wall.

shacky wrote:Yes When we had the boat, occasionally we would try up the Ribble at Lytham/Fairhaven. We would anchor up near the training wall., so we could fish the channel or cast over the wall to the beach. Species we caught were..Flounder, Plaice, Eel, Bass, whiting, small tope, gurnard & mackerel
If you do go, be careful ! There are many sandbanks and watch you don't hit the wall.

Thanks for the reply, sounds like an interesting mark. What state of the tide did you used to fish? I'm thinking go out with the ebb and come back on the flood?

We launched from Starr Gate (Blackpool) and worked our way up the channel. If you are in the channel any state of tide will do. Obviously high water will fish better than low. It all depends on your launch site (access) in case the weather turns nasty. You need an escape route.
You could also try the Wyre, launching from Knott End Slipway, Fishing can be just as good and you just drop your boat straight in the water.

shacky wrote:We launched from Starr Gate (Blackpool) and worked our way up the channel. If you are in the channel any state of tide will do. Obviously high water will fish better than low. It all depends on your launch site (access) in case the weather turns nasty. You need an escape route.
You could also try the Wyre, launching from Knott End Slipway, Fishing can be just as good and you just drop your boat straight in the water.

I was visualising it as if I launched from the slip at Lytham, but I understand your route. I have an 11 RIB with 8hp outboard, I wouldn't launch from Blackpool if it wasn't calm. I had thought about knot end. I guess I will just have to have some trial runs when the weather warms up a little. Thanks for info.

Sounds to me Knottend would be safer I've fished the channel many times you can fish for plaice halfway down the channel ,or go to the Stansion at the end bass cod flounder dogs smoothhound.If the weather blows up you can shelter behind the sandbanks as the tide is dropping. I wouldn't advise fishing the channel on very big tides the water runs like a train on the ebb, and with a small engine you wouldn't make any headway.there is a charge for launching 8£ or you can get a yearly subscription.If your rib is light and you can push it back up the beach try 5 bar gate, there is access to the beach you can launch about 2 hrs before high and you must return about an hour after high, unless you stay out all day and return with the next tide.

Padsta Tel wrote:Sounds to me Knottend would be safer I've fished the channel many times you can fish for plaice halfway down the channel ,or go to the Stansion at the end bass cod flounder dogs smoothhound.If the weather blows up you can shelter behind the sandbanks as the tide is dropping. I wouldn't advise fishing the channel on very big tides the water runs like a train on the ebb, and with a small engine you wouldn't make any headway.there is a charge for launching 8£ or you can get a yearly subscription.If your rib is light and you can push it back up the beach try 5 bar gate, there is access to the beach you can launch about 2 hrs before high and you must return about an hour after high, unless you stay out all day and return with the next tide.

Thanks for this valuable information. Having walked out to the ribble training wall a number of times it does look rather tricky and ridiculous tidal flow. Probably not a good idea in my little rib. However the Knot End option sounds a lot more practical.

I have plans to fish 5 bar as soon as I have got my VHF licence, doing the course at the weekend. Also looking to have a go at South shore. Watch this space for reports. Cheers.