Fishing
Private fishing may take place from Harbour Authority jetties subject to the approval of the Harbour Master. Please contact the Harbour Office for permission. There are times when fishing from some jetties will not be allowed for safety reasons. The Harbour Authority’s decision will be final.
Private fishing may also take place from the shore or a hard, subject to the approval of the landlord.
Fish
The River Hamble is an important nursery ground for a variety of species, including bass and migrating sea trout.
Fishing for salmon and sea trout is permitted at certain times of the year with a current Environment Agency rod fishing licence.
The closed season protects fish stocks during breeding:
- for migratory sea trout this is from 1 November to the 30 April
- for salmon this is from 3 October to the 16 January
Bait digging
Private bait digging for recreational use is part of the public right to fish.
The Bait Collectors' Code acts as a guide to responsible and sustainable bait collection.
Bait digging is not permitted within 15 metres of any mooring or within 6 metres of any pile, beacon, mark, hard, causeway, jetty, quay, wharf or similar structure, and all material dug out must be replaced.
Commercial fishing
Commercial fishing is not permitted in the river in general under Byelaw 7 for reasons of safety.
Crabbing
The river is popular with crabbers, particularly two hours either side of high water from the quay walls at Warsash and Hamble. If you wish to go crabbing at any tide, use the pontoon at the River Hamble Country Park. Crabbing equipment is sold at the Harbour Master’s Office.
Bass fishing
The River Hamble is an important bass nursery area. Bass fishing (or use sand-eels as bait) in the Hamble is not permitted from 1 May to 31 October. There are other restrictions on bass fishing in this area for reasons of conservation.
Find out more information about the current restrictions on bass fishing.
