Boat Angling Around the Fylde Coast

The Fylde coast offers a range of fishing grounds, from easy-to-reach marks for a chilled day on the water catching a few fish for the table, to inshore and offshore marks with a real chance of specimen fish across a range of species

Plenty of inshore marks just a few minutes away 

For those that don't want to venture too far or perhaps just want a lazy day on the water, there are plenty of great marks within just 10-15 minutes of the club.

North, South and Central piers are immediately north of the tractor house, and mackerel can be taken anywhere along here during the summer months, along with a range of other species including smoothounds, thornback rays, huss, gurnards and the ever-present whiting, dabs and dogfish. Head a little bit further up the coast towards Cleveleys and Rossall and you'll be in with a chance of all sorts of different species even just a few hundred yards offshore.

A short run south from the club puts you into the Ribble Estuary, where bass are usually the main target, but you'll also pick up various species of flatfish, including sole, plaice and flounder. Head a little further out from the Ribble towards Gut buoy and you're in some prime tope territory. 

 

 

 

 

 

Opportunities to explore exploring in all directions

BBAC members usually coordinate with each other to ensure they have a buddy boat, particularly for some of the marks further afield just in case something does go awry. Just post on the Facebook page or use the members group WhatsApp to share your plans and see who's around!

 

For those looking to push further afield, the bass fishing in and around Morecambe Bay can be fantastic - there are a variety of marks to try with worm, soft plastics, plugs, live baits and slow pitch jigs all productive once you've cracked the code of where and when to fish them. The Bay also holds specimen sole, plaice and smoothound. When conditions allow, BBAC boats venture as far north Walney Island, with tope and pollack also on the cards around there. 

 

Finally, heading straight out from the club will put you onto the wrecks - conditions need to be right and it's a long way offshore, but the rewards can be fantastic with cod, pollack and ling all a possibility.

 

 

 

 

Summer fishing

Fishing around the Fylde really comes into it's own during the summer season. From around April, the bass start to show in numbers and remain abundant until November. Many club members almost exclusively target bass, and stamp of fish around the area can be very good, with plenty of fish in the 6-9lb bracket taken every year, plus the occasional one over the magical 10lb.

The tope fishing can also be top tier, particularly earlier in the season, where fish over 50lb are not uncommon and there are plenty in the 30-50lb bracket, along with the smaller pack fish. Thornbacks into double figures and some specimen smooth hound over 20lb have also been taken by club boats in recent years.

For the species hunters, the club run an annual species hunt competition, with as many as 23 species being needed to take the prize some years!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Winter fishing

Some of the stories of how the cod fishing used to be from members who have fished the area for years are incredible, but, unfortunately, winter fishing on the Fylde is not what used to be, and the once prolific cod have now all but disappeared in recent seasons. When the cod are in, BBAC members will look for the rough ground with worm baits usually doing the damage- some  years they are in and the fishing can be good, but, increasingly, some years they are not. Whiting and dogfish will keep you busy though, whether you like it or not!