Christchurch Harbour looks like an interesting spot to fly fish for bass, sea trout, mullet, etc.

If you fish Christchurch Harbour and have any and tips please share them. I'll be heading there this summer.

Although it is an estuary, it is privately owned and even in the saltwater section you need to get a ticket. Make more enquiries wider before getting yourself fined - THEY DO PATROL ALL THE TIME (also for mooring fees you see).

Angling Trust members have managed to arrange for a kayak comp there this September - 2 days fishing for £20. You will find out more from the Angling Trust and in the kayak section once details are released. The comp will be for the bass an dmullet. Not just fly, but all methods. Otherwise you are correct in your assumption.

To get a day-ticket (from the local tackle shop), you need to produce a freshwater rod licence, even when only targeting sea-fish.

Parts of Stanpit Marsh are sensitive bird habitat, and the birders and wardens aren't particularly keen on anglers fishing there.

However, the National Mullet Club have put in a lot of good work to maintain access for anglers, but it needs anglers to be sensitive and responsible.

There's a good deal of useful information at: http://thenationalmulletclub.org/Christchurchpaper.pdf

Good Luck

I always thought fishing from a boat in all tidal waters was free as enshrined in the Magna Carta,is this not the case there for some reason?

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Is there a dress code in the club?

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Nice......

Ed

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Nope, not in private fisheries established before Magna Carta.

(A translation of Magna Carta is at: Treasures in full: Magna Carta, it's not that long a read. I find it a puzzle that it's so often 'quoted' or referred to but never looked at!)

The public right to fish between the high and low water mark on tidal waters was established long before Magna Carta but like many common-law rights was being eroded by the establishment of 'private fisheries' as the crown granted favours to its lackies. Magna Carta put a stop to that, but did not rescind the private fisheries already established. e.g no commercial fishermen can put down a net in the Medway unless they have served a three year apprenticeship to join the local guild!

(Since Magna Carta there's also been a lot of legislation which has eroded the public right to fish and gather bait, largely for conservation reasons).


The price of day-tickets for the Royalty Fishery which encompasses Christchurch harbour is at: http://www.davistackle.co.uk/fishing...church-harbour

Thanks for clarifying that,obviously the Crown doesn't have any lackies Oop North as it is still in place on the tidal parts of The Trent I understand.

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Whole sections of my life come under the heading "It seemed like a good idea at the time".

fishing christchurch harbour.
ive asked this question myself,as i have family in the area.i asked a local tackle shop about fishing and was told it is free if you cast into the harbour from a imaginery line from mudeford quay and along the beach huts on the opposite side,but day tickets are required any where else.i have seen some nice shoals of mullet off the stanpit area and seen bass jumping at fry there,plus a very nice spot to fish.
mick

i'm in ringwood club and fish the harbour regulary. this year (2011) for some reason is not fishing well. i have been several times for the mullet and most times i have spotted hardly any fish. this time last year i was "bagging up" with quality fish every time i wen, it was like fish soup everywhere sometime the water was black with them. when i cruised it from my boat the entire strech was full of fleeing mullet. i hope it improves although i have not boated it this year to see from all areas. the water clarity is appauling due to algee bloom still going on after a breif rest of about 2 weeks. the whole harbor up to mudeford quay is day ticket/members only. "EVERYTHING" is catch and release including all sea species. if you fish from a boat you need an extra ticket to do this even from your own boat. they patrol this whole area from a inflatable rib so you will be questioned. i have given up for a while as a 24mile round trip is becoming fruitless and frustrating when there are no fish when you turn up