Hamworthy Park Fishing

Last updated: 6 days ago

Hamworthy Park Fishing Map

Hamworthy Park is a sheltered, family-friendly harbour beach on the north side of the Hamworthy peninsula, offering easy, level access to shallow mud–sand flats and the adjacent channel within Poole Harbour. Fishing is most productive on the flooding tide and into dusk, when bass and mullet patrol the margins and flounder move up from the channels. It’s largely a clean, gently sloping beach with patches of weed and silt; light leads and small hooks work well for the flatfish and sole, while crab baits draw summer smoothhounds. Winter brings flounder and occasional whiting, with summer/autumn best for bass and mullet. Watch footing on exposed soft mud at low water and avoid wading too far into the channels.

Ratings

⭐ 6.8/10 Overall
Catch Potential 6/10
Species Variety 7/10
Scenery & Comfort 8/10
Safety 7/10
Accessibility 9/10

Fish You Can Catch at Hamworthy Park

🐟 Bass 8/10
🎯 Tip: Lures (surface/paddletails) or peeler/rag along the sea wall on a flooding tide at dawn/dusk. Work current lines and eddies; shallow, weedy ground—keep moving.
🐟 Mullet (Thick-lipped) 8/10
🎯 Tip: Bread flake under a waggler by the sea wall/paddling jetty on calm, bright days. Pre-bait with mashed bread; fish quietly from mid to high water.
🐟 Gilthead Bream 7/10
🎯 Tip: Peeler or hardback crab on a running ledger to the channel edge at mid–late flood in summer. Use light snoods; bites can be sharp and fast.
🐟 Flounder 6/10
🎯 Tip: Small rag/lug or harbour rag (maddies) on long flowing traces, lobbed onto mudflats in winter/spring. Let baits trundle with the tide towards the channel.
🐟 Mullet (Thin-lipped) 6/10
🎯 Tip: Size 2–4 mepps-style spinner tipped with red ragworm, slow retrieve across the surface film on the flood in summer over the shallows by the park.
🐟 Dover Sole 5/10
🎯 Tip: After dark on slack or early flood in summer; rag/lug on long snoods. Short casts to clean mud/sand patches. Keep leads light and baits static.
🐟 Golden-grey Mullet 5/10
🎯 Tip: Tiny ragworm slivers or isome on size 10–12 hooks under a small float. Target sandy runs on warm, calm evenings around high water.
🐟 European Eel 4/10
🎯 Tip: Night sessions with worm or small fish baits near the channel edge on the flood. Use barbless or circle hooks for easy release.
🐟 Garfish 4/10
🎯 Tip: Float-fished mackerel strip or sandeel sliver in late summer around high water. Keep bait near the surface by the jetty.
🐟 Plaice 3/10
🎯 Tip: Early spring neaps; lug/rag cocktails on long snoods with beads/spoons. Cast to cleaner sand towards the channel on the flood.

Hamworthy Park Fishing

Summary

Hamworthy Park sits on the northern shore of Poole Harbour in Dorset, offering easy, family-friendly shoreline fishing over sand, mud and shallow channels. It’s a classic harbour mark for flounder in the colder months and mobile, close-range sport with bass, mullet and gilt-head bream through summer and autumn.

Location and Access

Set within a public seafront park at Hamworthy, this mark is as straightforward as it gets: flat paths, benches and short walks to the seawall and beach. It’s a convenient option when you want simple access without sacrificing fishy potential.

Seasons

Poole Harbour is a nursery-rich, shallow system, so expect seasonal variety at modest ranges. Think finesse and movement rather than long heaves.

Methods

This is a light-tackle, accuracy-and-presentation venue. Fish move with the tide; stay mobile and cover the lanes.

Tides and Conditions

Fish here respond strongly to water movement and height. The aim is to intercept them as they travel on and off the flats.

Safety

This is a friendly, park-based mark, but it’s still a working harbour edge with mud, weed and drop-offs. Sensible choices keep it stress-free.

Facilities

Being a community park, amenities are close at hand, which makes this a great venue for short, opportunistic sessions.

Tips

Local patterns reward light tackle and a roving mindset. Small tweaks often make the difference here.

Regulations

Poole Harbour has layered protections and local rules; always check the latest notices from Poole Harbour Commissioners and Southern IFCA before you go. Do not rely on this summary alone.