Whitby Boat Trips: Fishing Charters and Harbour Cruises

Fishing charters versus harbour and coastal cruises

A fishing charter is an active few hours. You are on a working boat, you handle a rod, and the skipper positions the boat over marks where fish are likely to be. The reward is a bag of fish and a close-up view of the coastline; the trade-off is that you are committed to a fixed slot on the water, whatever the weather does.

A cruise is the passive option. You board, sit back, and let someone else do the navigating while you look at the harbour, the piers and the cliffs. That makes it the better fit for grandparents, very small children or anyone who would rather not spend three hours handling tackle.

If you are building a wider itinerary, both types of trip slot neatly into a day that also takes in the abbey and the old town. Our guide to the best things to do in Whitby sets out how the harbour, the abbey and the town centre fit together on foot.

Where the boats leave from in Whitby Harbour and on the River Esk

The charter boats work out of Whitby Harbour, and Whitby Fishing Boat Trips' own directions are refreshingly simple: head down to the harbour and look for the signs on the harbourside. You do not need a postcode or a specific pontoon number, because the signage does the work once you are there.

River cruises load from a different spot. The boats line up just off Marine Parade on the River Esk in the heart of Whitby, ready for scenic trips, which puts them within a short walk of the town centre and the harbour front.

In practice, both departure points sit close enough together that you can walk between them in a few minutes, so a failed booking at one does not ruin the day. The harbour itself is the natural waiting room, with the piers and the swing bridge within sight.

Fishing trips out of Whitby: what a three-hour trip involves

The standard sea angling outing is a three-hour trip, and Whitby Fishing Boat Trips publishes three daily slots: 9am to 11am, 11am to 2pm and 2pm to 5pm. Those windows are worth planning around, because a morning slot leaves the afternoon free for the abbey and an afternoon slot lets you have a slow start in town.

Gear is not a problem for beginners. Rods, reels and bait are provided, and Whitby Fishing Boat Trips describes fishing as suitable for all ages and experience levels, with the skipper on hand to give advice. That makes it a realistic first trip for a family rather than something reserved for seasoned anglers.

The current boat is Sea Mist, which carries up to 12 passengers, is fitted with navigation and safety equipment, and has a comfortable cabin with a toilet. Twelve berths keeps the atmosphere sociable without being cramped, but it also means popular slots fill quickly in summer.

Skipper Chris Metcalfe has lived in Whitby all his life and worked on charter boats before running his own, and the boat's previous vessel was Libby. That local background matters on a short trip, because knowing where to head on the day is most of the job.

What you can catch off Whitby through the year

The waters off Whitby hold cod, haddock, various flatfish and, in summer, mackerel. The mackerel fishing happens quite close to shore and the trips are often shorter, which is exactly why they suit children who might not fancy three hours of open water.

Outside the summer mackerel window, expect the skipper to head further out for the bigger species. That is a general pattern rather than a promise: what ends up on the line depends on the day, the tide and the season, and no operator can guarantee a catch.

First-timers do well to say so when booking. Whitby Fishing Boat Trips' own customer reviews single out help given to novices and children on board, which suggests the crew adjusts its approach when there are beginners in the party.

What a fishing trip costs and how to book

The published rate for a three-hour fishing trip is £35 per person, which covers the trip with rods, reels and bait supplied. Compare that with the cost of a family afternoon in a museum cafe and it looks reasonable for three hours on the water.

Booking is by phone on 07979306155. Whitby Fishing Boat Trips points to its Facebook page as the best place to see changes to the normal schedule, so a quick look before you travel is worth the two minutes.

Pay attention to which boat and which skipper you are booking with, because several charter vessels work out of the harbour and the price above belongs to one operator only. Ask about the meeting point and arrival time when you call, and confirm whether your slot is a three-hour trip or a shorter inshore mackerel run.

Scenic cruises from Marine Parade: what the harbour and river trips offer

The scenic boats offer a gentler way to see Whitby from the water. They run from the River Esk just off Marine Parade, in the heart of town, and cover the harbour and coastline rather than fishing grounds.

Cook's Endeavour cruise trips are among the operators listed for these Marine Parade departures, and the visitor listing gives a contact number, 07452 838355, for enquiries. Use that line to check sailing times, duration and fares before you build a day around a departure.

Because cruises leave from the river rather than the open harbour mouth, boarding is easy and there is no gear to carry. The compromise is that river and inshore trips stay closer to land than a charter boat heading out to sea, so the views are of the town and cliffs rather than open water.

Wildlife and evening cruises on the Summer Queen and Esk Belle

Whitby Coastal Cruises runs the Summer Queen and the Esk Belle, and has offered a two-hour evening wildlife boat trip. An evening departure is a good way to use the last of the light after a day on your feet, and it leaves the daytime free for the abbey and the old town.

Wildlife is never on cue. Treat any species you might see as a possibility rather than a fixture of the ticket, and judge the trip on the boat, the coastline and the hour on the water instead.

Ask which vessel is running on your date when you book, since the two boats may not both be in service on the same evening. That single question avoids turning up expecting one boat and boarding another.

Who each trip suits: families, novices and experienced anglers

Families with younger children should look at the summer inshore mackerel trips first. They are shorter, they run close to shore, and the fishing is simple enough for small hands; Whitby Fishing Boat Trips markets them as perfect for children.

Complete novices are well served on any of the three-hour slots, since tackle and bait come with the ticket and the skipper offers advice on board. What novices should not expect is a guarantee of fish; a few hours on the water is the point as much as the catch is.

Experienced anglers will get more from a charter with a skipper who knows the local marks, and should ask about the likely target species and how far out the boat expects to go. Groups of up to 12 can in effect take a whole boat, which suits a stag party or a family gathering better than being split across a shared trip.

Anyone who wants scenery without the rods should head to Marine Parade and pick a cruise, then finish the day with a walk around the harbour and a pot of tea in town. Our guide to tea rooms in Whitby points you at the places worth saving room for after a morning on the water.

What to wear and what to bring on the water

Whatever the forecast, dress for wind and spray rather than the town centre. The sea air off the Yorkshire coast is noticeably colder than the harbour front, and a waterproof layer earns its place even on a bright morning.

On a fishing trip, bring a cool bag if you plan to keep your catch, and wear shoes with grip on the deck. Whitby Fishing Boat Trips supplies rods, reels and bait, so the only tackle decisions are the skipper's, not yours.

On a cruise, the essentials are a layer against the wind, something to sit on if the benches are damp and a camera for the harbour and cliffs. Sunscreen is worth packing in summer, because there is little shade on deck.

Booking ahead and choosing a sailing time

Book the fishing trip before you travel, especially at weekends and in the school holidays, because 12 passenger places go quickly. Phone booking is the route Whitby Fishing Boat Trips gives, so have your date, group size and preferred slot ready before you ring.

For the middle of the day, the 11am to 2pm slot eats into lunch and the 2pm to 5pm slot finishes late for young children. The 9am to 11am trip leaves the rest of the day clear, which is usually the best choice if Whitby Abbey is also on your list.

For cruises, ring Whitby Coastal Cruises or the relevant Marine Parade operator and ask for the day's sailings rather than assuming a timetable carries over from last season. If the tide, wind or weather cancels a sailing, a morning booking gives you the afternoon as a fallback.

Making a day of it around the harbour

A boat trip works best as the anchor of a harbour day rather than the whole outing. Book a morning slot, walk the piers and the old town afterwards, and leave the afternoon for the abbey ruins up on the cliff; our Whitby Abbey guide covers the climb and what to see once you are up there.

If your visit lands on a market day, the town centre stalls are an easy way to fill the hours before or after a sailing. Our guide to markets in Whitby covers what turns up and when it is worth timing a visit around them.

For a longer stay, spread the water over one day and the town over another, with a weekend in Whitby giving you time for both the coast and the moors. Our weekend itinerary shows how to balance harbour time against the abbey, the beach and the streets behind the quay.

Plan Your Boat Trip

Choose by appetite for activity: a charter with Whitby Fishing Boat Trips for rods, mackerel and a working boat, or a Marine Parade cruise for a seated view of the harbour and cliffs. Book the fishing trip by phone for £35 per person on a three-hour slot, and ring the cruise operators for their sailing times.

Whichever you pick, put it in the morning, dress for the wind, and leave the rest of the day for the abbey, the piers and a proper cup of tea. That is the shape of a good Whitby day on the water.