Fishing: Channel Islands
The Channel Islands offer some of the best sea fishing within easy reach of the UK. The Gulf Stream keeps the water warmer than most of Britain, and Jersey has some of the biggest tides in the world – twice a day they sweep food across the reefs and sandbanks, and the fish follow.
What you can catch
- Bass are the star of the show, caught from the shore and from boats. Autumn is the best time of year.
- Pollack and wrasse live around the rocky reefs and gullies, so you can catch them almost anywhere.
- Black bream arrive in large shoals in late spring and summer.
- Turbot and brill feed on the offshore sandbanks – Alderney is famous for them.
- Conger, rays, tope and mullet are all here too, and the wrecks offshore hold big conger and pollack.
Fly fishing
- Fly fishing here is almost all in the sea. There’s very little fresh water on the islands, so you’ll be after bass, mullet and pollack rather than trout.
- Bass on the fly is the highlight. Fish shallow sandy bays, the edges of reefs and rocky gullies as the tide comes in, ideally at dawn or dusk. Flies that look like sandeels or small fish work best, on a 9 or 10 weight rod with a sinking line so the tide doesn’t sweep your fly away. Autumn is a great time to go.
- Mullet cruise the harbours and calm bays in summer. They’re famously fussy, but great fun on a light rod with tiny bread or shrimp flies.
- Pollack, garfish and mackerel are fun to catch from the rocks or a kayak, using bright flies on a fast-sinking line around the kelp.
- The strong tides and wind can make casting hard, so bring a heavier rod than you’d use on a UK river. Some local guides and charter skippers run fly-fishing trips for bass – a good way to find fish quickly on a short break.
Where to go
Jersey
- St Ouen’s Bay, a long surf beach, is the classic place for bass – with bait or on the fly.
- The rocks around Corbière and along the north coast are good for pollack and wrasse.
- The reefs on the east coast are another good spot for bass on the fly.
Guernsey
- The rocky west coast has plenty of places to fish from the shore, including for bass on the fly.
- For a day at sea, charter boats sail from St Peter Port.
Alderney
The best island for serious boat fishing. Quieter and wilder than its bigger neighbours, it has offshore banks and fast tidal waters such as the Race and the Casquets – and it’s famous for turbot and brill.
Sark
Tiny and car-free, Sark has superb fishing from the rocks – if you don’t mind a scramble to reach them.
Good to know: the tides come in fast, so if you’re fishing from the rocks, check the tide times and make sure you can’t be cut off. Jersey and Guernsey each have their own fishing rules, including minimum sizes and limits on bass, so check before you keep a fish. To bring your car and tackle, take the ferry from Poole or Portsmouth – or fly from several UK airports.
Choose an island below to see places to stay.
