A Complete Guide to Fishing The River Humber.
The River Humber isn’t a traditional river but a vast tidal estuary formed where the Rivers Trent and Ouse meet on England’s east coast. From that confluence to Spurn Point it stretches some 60 km, widening from under 1 km in its upper reaches to over 8 km at the mouth. It drains an enormous catchment—around 25 000 km² of central and northern England—making it the second–largest UK estuary by water volume. Semi-diurnal tides here can reach up to 7 m in range and drive currents of around 2 knots, exposing extensive mud-flats at low water and reshaping the seabed with every tide.
That powerful tidal mixing of fresh and salt water creates a brackish, nutrient-rich environment supporting prolific food chains. As the tide floods, salt water pushes upriver carrying sandeels, sprats and plankton; when it ebbs, it sweeps those nutrients back toward the North Sea. See our page for the most commonly caught sea species from the River Humber.
What makes the Humber particularly popular with shore-anglers is its combination of predictable tidal “fronts” and excellent access. Both incoming and outgoing tides pile baitfish and invertebrates into narrow feeding bands, and even from the bank you can time your session to hit slack water at its most productive. From winter cod and whiting to spring bass, summer flatfish and autumn rays, there’s almost always something to target—year-round sport that keeps locals and visitors on the bank in every season.
At Squids In SEA BAITS – We’ve highlighted several popular venues on both the north and south banks of the Humber—each with step-by-step directions, lists of common species, fishing tips on how to target them, and our recommended baits and rigs.
South Bank Of Humber Marks
Featuring Popular venues South of the Humber Estuary from Goxhill to Humberston Fitties.
Goxhill
Goxhill—Right Next DoorETA - 5 Minutes
East Halton
East Halton Skitter TrailETA - 13 Minutes
Stallingborough
Stally Wall / Immingham WallETA - 22 Minutes
Suggitts Lane
Fuller St / Sea Food VillageETA - 27 Minutes
Cleethorpes
cleethorpes promenadeETA - 30 Minutes
Buck Beck Beach
Bucks Bench / Bonkers BankETA - 36 Minutes
North Bank Of Humber Marks
Featuring Popular venues North of the Humber Estuary from St Andrews Quey to Chalky Point.
Hessle Foreshore
Little SwitzerlandSt Andrews Quey
Makro HullKing George Dock
The King George DockThe Deep
Sammy's PointPaull
Fort Paull / Paull Car ParkOld Hall
Sunk IslandChalky Point
KilnseaSpurn Point
the mouth of the HumberKnow your catch!
Commonly Caught River Humber SpeciesDon’t forget to visit our River Humber fish species page for in-depth profiles —complete with ID’s size & bag limitations along with UK shore caught records.
