The Fishing

The River Wyre

Rising in the Forest of Bowland, the Wyre is a spate river which, in its higher reaches above Garstang, is renowned primarily for its game fishing. Owing to the sandy nature of the river bed the water is generally of a whiskey colour, but clear and, in some sections , fast flowing. The club waters stretch from south of Garstang to the St. Michaels road bridge and provide excellent, wild coarse fishing with a natural head of wild brown trout, migratory trout and salmon.

The Bracken Stretch

Members Only

Stretching downstream from the A6 bridge for about a quarter mile, this stretch is reasonably comfortable to fish despite steep banks and thick vegetation. It is easily waded and there are several bankside positions favoured by local anglers; you just have to find them. This stretch provides some of the best chub fishing with fish to five pounds and over. These are superbly fit and will really test your tackle as they blast towards the bankside shrubbery. Pike are found in some of the large pools and grow well into double figures. Aside from the ever present game fish, you may hook into perch or eels but the wonderful roach fishing of the 1960’s seem to have faded into oblivion.

Cub caught on Bracken Stretch
5lb Chub caught on Bracken Stretch
Pool on Bracken Stretch
A productive pool on Bracken Stretch

The Fiddleneck Stretch

Day Tickets

A delightful stretch for the ardent coarse fisherman with good bank side access and a variety of quarry. Here you will find chub and dace and, at times, some superb river bream going in to double figures. Pike thrive and there is always the chance of a good perch or even a carp.

10lb Bream, Fiddleneck, February
10lb Bream, Fiddleneck, February
23lb Pike, Fiddleneck, March
23lb Pike, Fiddleneck, March

Hornby's Stretch

Members Only

Another stretch very popular with float fishermen. All the main species are present including spectacular shoals of bream and quite a few brown and sea trout. Any worm offerings will, however , be gladly accepted by the numerous flounders present!

Fly Fishing for Pike is great fun on The Wyre. Hornby's, July
Fly Fishing for Pike is great fun on The Wyre. Hornby's, July
Hornby's Stretch is for members Only. Day Ticket Holders may only fish upstream of the Brick Measuring Station
Hornby's Stretch is for members Only. Day Ticket Holders may only fish upstream of the Brick Measuring Station

Hudson's Beat

Members Only

This new beat is adjacent to the Hudson’s Farm Fishery and has already been marked out and sign-posted by Barrie. Follow the Rawcliffe Road from St. Michaels to the road sign of Hudson’s and park in the layby. The beat stretches some distance to the next layby. Give it a go, the only thing you will need extra is a long-handled landing net to avoid standing in mud at low tide.
Tight lines!

The River Lune

Lune membership of the St. Michael’s Angling club entitles members to fish this excellent stretch of Game fishing water. The pools hold native brown trout and all the salmon and sea trout travelling up the Lune towards Tebay have to pass through. This water is generally the preserve of the expert worm fisher and spinner owing to the rocky nature of the pools. Local knowledge is at a premium, but a thorough approach should bring success. The agile fly fisher with a short single handed rod and, for migratory fish, a fast sinking line to combat the fierce flow may also spring a few surprises!

There is a car park for members (with a combination lock), who must take great care with gates. There are usually a number of bullocks in the field which appear harmless but I tend to give any large bulls a wide berth! The whole stretch is over a mile in length and is very lightly fished at present.