Fishwick Bottoms / Fishwick Free Stretch

River level

The lowdown

• This is a proper broad Ribble stretch, not a little upland stream. Think open floodplain, riverside pasture and plenty of sky around you.
• The managed section is roughly 2 kilometres long, linked with Ribble Rivers Trust’s riverside planting project. No numbered peg count is published, so it’s a wander-and-find-a-swim job rather than a marked-peg setup.
• Fishwick Bottoms sits across the river from Walton-le-Dale and close to Preston city centre. The Ribble Way runs beside the area, giving the stretch a clear riverside access character.
• There’s a key bit of river geography here: Fishwick Bottoms is the normal tidal limit of the River Ribble. That means tidal influence is part of the picture, not just rainfall and upstream flow.
• It’s also floodplain ground, with a recognised flooding risk. The river can rise quickly when rainfall and tidal influences line up, so keep a proper eye on conditions.
• The named fish list is cracking for a free stretch: barbel, chub, roach, dace, bream, pike, eel, perch, plus carp, salmon and sea trout reported as rare.
• The broad, lowland character suits anglers who like finding their own water and reading the river rather than settling into identical pegs. Look for the features the flow gives you on the day.
• There’s no published night-fishing permission, no specific parking postcode and no club ticket price. In short, don’t assume night access, dedicated parking or a day-ticket system.
• Environment Agency and Angling Trust bailiffs patrol the stretch. Angling law and rod-licence requirements still apply, even though the fishing itself is free.
• We're not sure on ticket prices for this one — check with the club or local regulations before you leave.

Methods: The facts describe a broad, lowland floodplain section with tidal influence, but don’t set out specific methods. Read the flow and changing water carefully, and keep the approach within current angling law.

Access & tickets

No club day ticket or membership is required for the free stretch. Anglers still need the appropriate Environment Agency rod licence; no price is published for the free fishing itself.

Fish the club names

carp, bream, pike, perch, barbel, eel, chub, roach

Key rules

• Fishing is free on the Ribble Free Stretch.
• An appropriate Environment Agency rod licence is required.
• Anglers must comply with angling law.
• No night-fishing permission is published by the rights-holder source.
• Take account of the stretch’s tidal influence and flooding risk.
• The stretch is patrolled by Environment Agency and Angling Trust bailiffs.

Where it is