Winter is prime time for roving on rivers searching for specimen fish, armed with just a rod, bait and a landing net. With that in mind, here’s a selection of waters that are perfect for the tactic…
Bristol Avon, Kellaways, Wiltshire
A day spent wandering this wild stretch can result in good numbers of chub. The fish average around 3lb, although far bigger ones are present. Try simple baits such as bread, cheesepaste or worms presented on light link legers to keep the bites coming. The club offers fishing on over six miles of the Avon, so there’s no shortage of other options too.
Prices: £6.50 per day, from the website
More info: www.chippenhamanglingclub.co.uk/0117 9867507 (Premier Angling)
Great Ouse, Wolverton, Bedfordshire
A feature-filled stretch that holds some clonking chub. Three areas to go at here - Wolverton Ouse (upstream of the Galleon canal aqueduct), Whitings (down to the Haversham railway viaduct) and Stone Park downstream to New Bradwell. It’s also thrown up massive barbel in the past, and contains good numbers of 3lb-plus perch too.
Prices: £8 per day, £5 concessions, on the bank from bailiffs
More info: www.mkaa.co.uk
River Tone, Fast Stretch, Taunton, Somerset
This narrow and quick section of river, which starts at Firepool Lock and runs to Bridgwater Road at Bathpool, has chunky chub in abundance! Trotted maggots or bread are particularly effective on this water, which really comes into its own once temperatures fall.
Prices: £7 per day (available online)
More info: www.tauntonanglingassociation.co.uk
River Dane, Middlewich, Cheshire
Middlewich Joint Anglers owns the fishing rights to the river upstream and downstream of the Byley Bridge, a stretch that boasts a good head of chub which average around 4lb and can be caught on an array of tactics and simple baits.
Prices: £5 per day in advance from the shop (listed below)
More info: www.davesofmiddlewich.co.uk/01606 833853
River Ure, Ripon, N Yorks
The ‘Streams Section’ at Ripon -– running from Hutton Beck, upstream of North Bridge (peg 1) to around a mile downstream of Hewick Bridge where the streams run out into deep water – boasts an impressive head of chub to 7lb. It also holds barbel to 15lb, grayling, perch, roach and dace. The fishing is run by Ripon Piscatorial Association.
Prices: £6 in advance from White Horse pub in Ripon (01765 603622)
More info: www.riponrpa.co.uk
River Culm, Beare Gate, Cullompton, Devon
Ideal for hopping between swims, this wild bit of river runs through the Devonshire countryside and has produced chub to over 5lb, as well as good nets of dace and roach. It also contains good pike, which are in an obliging mood once the weather turns colder.
Prices: £8 per day from the website, or from local outlet Culm Valley Tackle (01884 839273)
More info: www.exeteranglingassociation.co.uk
River Chew, Uplands, Gloucestershire
The picturesque Uplands stretch is a mile-and-a-quarter long and is perfect for a roving approach, alternating between shallow glides and deeper pools. Species present include good chub, grayling, roach, barbel, dace and perch. Capable of producing a surprise or two. Club controls five miles of the Chew.
Prices: £27 a year/£16 concessions
More info: www.keynsham-angling.co.uk/07445 895000
River Soar, Barrow, Leicestershire
The Osiers section of the River Soar downstream of Pilling Weir is renowned for its good chub fishing. There’s the chance of barbel and big perch too.
The stretch is controlled by Loughborough Soar AS, and day tickets costing £5 must be purchased in advance from local tackle shops including Soar Tackle (Kegworth) and Stapleford Angling (Stapleford).
Prices: £5 a day
More Info: www.loughboroughsoarangling.co.uk/01509 670436 (Soar Tackle)
River Wye, Breinton, Herefordshire
Head out of Hereford to the rural stretches at Breinton and Eign for big nets of chub and a chance of fish to 6lb. Try breadflake or pellets for the bigger fish. You can fish it on a £10 Hereford DAA day ticket and pop into Woody’s Angling Centre for your bait – owner Paul will put you on the fish!
_Prices: £10 a day in advance from the town’s tackle shops
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More info: 01432 344644, Woody’s Tackle
Throop Beat 1, Dorset Stour, Dorset
A popular fishery with a great track record with huge chub, hefty roach and barbel, spread over three sections. Beat 1, which includes the New Weir and Mill areas, is the most overgrown and receives the least pressure of the three, so is probably best-suited to roving tactics. ‘Wag and mag’ or link-legered bread/cheesepaste approaches particularly productive in autumn and winter.
Prices: £12 a day
More info: Davis Tackle, 01202 485169
River Nidd, Tockwith, North Yorkshire
A challenging and intimate mixed fishery, which has produced chub to specimen size alongside good bags of roach, dace, chub, gudgeon and perch. The odd bream, grayling and trout are also present, and the stretch has thrown up huge barbel in the past. Deeper swims downstream of the stile entry point regularly produce sizeable pike in winter. Run by York and District AA.
Prices: £6 a day from website, or York Tackle (01904 411210)
More info: www.ydaa.org.uk
River Ouzel, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire
The stretch alongside Willen Lake has produced chub to over 5lb in the past as well as big perch and the occasional barbel. It pays to search your swim, fishing both open water and snaggy spots to locate the biggest specimens.
Prices: £6 on the bank
More info: Gone Fishin, 01908 313158
River Calder, Mirfield, West Yorkshire
Many of this club’s stretches of the middle reaches of the Calder are offering great sport at present, with plenty of chub to target, as well as barbel, roach, perch and grayling. Ledgard Bridge is an autumn/winter roach hotspot, while for the bigger chub try below the weir at the Ship Inn.
Prices: £4.50 in advance from website or local outlets, £8 on the bank
More info: www.mirfieldac.co.uk, 07887 712823 (ticket secretary)
River Kennet, Sulhamstead, Berkshire
A good stretch of river that’s pacey in parts and which holds good numbers of chub, barbel perch, dace, roach and pike. You can also fish the Kennet and Avon Canal on the same ticket, which is handy when the main river is in flood. In all, there are about 1,500 yards of fishable bank.
Prices: Day tickets are £10 in advance for two rods, from calpacanglers@hotmail.com
More info: 07771 601944 (membership secretary)
River Nene, Alwalton, Cambridgeshire
Lots of water to go at here, with a delightful backwater, a weir and the main river to choose from. Capable of producing big double-figure barbel, and chub to well over 6lb, among many other species. For the barbel, the main river is the best bet now that autumn has arrived. Fishing is allowed from one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset
Prices: £7 a day, in advance from the website
More info: www.fishinginpeterborough.co.uk
River Waveney, Outney Common, Bungay, Suffolk
A wild and streamy stretch with lots of rafts and overhangs for the chub to tuck themselves away under. The perfect spot to get away from it all with rod and line, and some big fish in residence if you can find them. Leave the car at the public parking area for walkers at the golf course, and head across the fields to reach the eastern end.
Prices: Day tickets £5 in advance from Outney Meadow Caravan Park (01986 892338)
More info: www.bungaycherrytree.co.uk
