Sandbanks Ferry Slipway Fishing

Last updated: 1 week ago

Sandbanks Ferry Slipway Fishing Map

A busy harbour‑mouth slip next to the Sandbanks chain ferry on the Poole side. The mark gives access to a deep, fast tidal channel with a mostly clean sand/shell bottom and strong rips and eddies along the walls and adjacent beach. Summer brings shoals of mackerel, garfish and scad, with bass working the tide seams; after dark you’ll see dogfish, smoothhounds and the odd ray. Winter nights produce whiting with occasional flatfish. Fish from the railings or beach areas beside the slip and well clear of the ferry lane; expect crowds and constant boat traffic. Use 4–6 oz leads to hold bottom in the run, clipped‑down rigs for range, or lures worked across the flow. Best windows are dawn/dusk on the flood or first of the ebb in settled, clear conditions. Parking, lighting and facilities are close by, but tides are powerful—plan accordingly.

Ratings

⭐ 6.5/10 Overall
Catch Potential 6/10
Species Variety 7/10
Scenery & Comfort 8/10
Safety 4/10
Accessibility 9/10

Fish You Can Catch at Sandbanks Ferry Slipway

🐟 Bass 9/10
🎯 Tip: Work lures in the tide run on the flood; fish crab or live sandeel into the channel. Best dawn or dusk, spring tides. Cast uptide along eddies by the ferry slip.
🐟 Mullet (Thick-lipped) 7/10
🎯 Tip: Bread flake under a float or freelined in slack water beside the slip on a flooding tide; quiet approach. Late spring to autumn, clear water.
🐟 Gilthead Bream 7/10
🎯 Tip: Peeler or hardback crab on a running rig into channel edges on the flood. Late spring to autumn, brightest days or dusk. Keep rigs tight as tide rips past.
🐟 Flounder 6/10
🎯 Tip: Small rag or lug on long snoods, cast to sandy patches inside the channel. Best neap tides in winter, last of the ebb and first of the flood.
🐟 Smoothhound 6/10
🎯 Tip: Peeler crab on a 2/0 running ledger, summer evenings on the flood; fish into the deeper channel but avoid the ferry cables. Hold the rod for bites.
🐟 Mackerel 5/10
🎯 Tip: Sabikis or small metals on the flood at dusk or dawn when baitfish push in past the harbour mouth; cast uptide and let lures swing.
🐟 Scad (Horse Mackerel) 5/10
🎯 Tip: Small sabikis with a glow bead after dark around harbour lights on the flooding tide. Keep gear light and let lures hang in the flow.
🐟 Garfish 5/10
🎯 Tip: Float-fished slivers of mackerel or small spinners near the surface on the flood, clear calm days May to Sept. Work along current seams by the slip.
🐟 Mullet (Thin-lipped) 5/10
🎯 Tip: Small Mepps-style spinner with rag strip in eddies on the flood; stealth needed. Late spring to early autumn.
🐟 Plaice 4/10
🎯 Tip: Rag or lug tipped with squid on long snoods, cast to clean sand beyond the eddies. Best in spring on bright days, mid-flood.

Sandbanks Ferry Slipway Fishing

Summary

Sandbanks Ferry Slipway sits at the mouth of Poole Harbour on the Sandbanks side of the chain ferry to Studland. It’s a classic tide-swept mark where clear water, strong currents and constant bait movement draw bass, mackerel, garfish and scad in season. You do not fish from the operational ferry ramps; the sport is from the adjacent beach, groynes and harbour-edge promenades flanking the slip.

Location and Access

Set at the very tip of the Sandbanks peninsula (end of Banks Road), this mark is easy to reach and largely flat underfoot. Expect heavy traffic and parking pressure in summer beach weather and during school holidays.

Seasons

A fast-flowing estuary mouth meets an open-sand beach, so species vary with season, water clarity and tide. Expect surface predators on clear summer tides and bottom feeders when colour pushes in.

Methods

The mark rewards mobility and reading the tide lines. Lure work shines in clear water; simple, strong bottom rigs score when there’s colour or you’re targeting bream, rays or hounds.

Tides and Conditions

The tide rules this venue. Plan around manageable flow and use the eddy lines beside the slipway approaches and groynes.

Safety

This is an operational ferry berth with extreme tidal flow. Treat it like a working waterfront, not a casual promenade spot.

Facilities

Sandbanks is well served, especially in season. Everything is close, but prices and crowds reflect the location.

Tips

Think edges, seams and short windows. Travel light, keep mobile, and work the water rather than planting rods in the main run.

Regulations

This area falls within the Southern IFCA district and the jurisdiction of Poole Harbour Commissioners/BCP Council. Rules focus on safety at the ferry and conservation for key species.