If you are looking for somewhere to start your season off in style, these stretches of river are ideal to get some bites come June 16th...
River Trent, Collingham, Notts
This area is well known for its famous weir pool, but there are hundreds of productive pegs upstream that are a lot more peaceful! Barbel to over 15lb, chub to 6lb-plus and shoals of good bream are spread throughout, and cage feeder fishing with pellets and crushed boilies is a good tactic.
Warwickshire Avon, Evesham, Worcestershire
The stretch in the town centre known as Crown Meadow holds some very good barbel, and a cage feeder containing pungent groundbait and pellets alongside a large halibut pellet hookbait could tempt fish to over 10lb. Long pole and hemp will get you among some quality roach.
River Thurne, Potter Heigham, Norfolk
The waterway in this and surrounding villages is well populated with roach, quality skimmers and some bigger bonus bream. Pole-to-hand tactics with maggots and groundbait will keep the bites coming, while a cage feeder cast a little further out is a better option for the slabs.
River Ivel, Biggleswade, Beds
The river close to the large Tesco is home to chub than run to over 6lb, and freelining with bread, boilies or worms works a treat in the clear, weedy water. Rove the stretch with minimal gear and wear polarised sunglasses to help you spot your quarry. The rights to the area are controlled by clubs that are part of the Ivel Protection Association.
Dorset Stour, Christchurch, Dorset
Throop Fisheries is one of the most popular day-ticket venues in the land, and all three beats are home to very good barbel and, especially, chub. The weed starts to grow fast at this time of year, and link legering in the gaps with boilies, paste or pellets is the best way to tempt the fish out from cover.
THE BEST SPECIMEN RODS ARE IDEAL FOR CATCHING FISH ON RIVERS...
River Wey, Farnham, Surrey
Take one glance at this narrow and shallow waterway in the town centre and you might think it’s devoid of fish, but there are plenty of chub hiding away. Drip-feed a few loose offerings in to get the fish interested before freelining a piece of bread or even a mussel over the top.
River Ancholme, Brigg, Lincolnshire
The arm running through the town centre is the winter hotspot, but come the summer, it’s time to head to the main river in search of the big bream and tench. Examples to over 6lb of both species can be caught, and bait dropping worm and caster into gaps in the weed is the way to attract a shoal.
River Wensum, Dereham, Norfolk
Chub are the primary target for visitors to the stretch that runs through the middle of the idyllic Billingford Lakes, and there is every chance of a 5lb-plus specimen. Floatfishing with pellets works if you can find a decent glide. Link-legering and rotating hookbaits is a solid back-up option.
River Wye, Ross-On-Wye, Herefordshire
You’ll struggle to find a more scenic stretch of river than the Angling Dreams-controlled zone at Lower Court Hill. The Beach swim – which can be exclusively booked by two anglers – is a real hotspot, and aggressively feeding maggots and casters will draw big chub and barbel to 8lb out from the cover. Bookings must be made in advance. Email: bookings@anglingdreams.co.uk
THE BEST FLOAT RODS WILL HELP YOU CONTROL YOUR FLOAT EASILY WHEN TROTTING...
River Thames, Abingdon, Oxfordshire
The Upper Moors stretch produced a venue record catch of bream last summer when Tom Hobbs put together an enormous 297lb haul. His successful tactics revolved around using a large 30g feeder and a mixture of Ringers Sweet Fishmeal groundbait and brown crumb laced with casters and corn.
River Steeping, Wainfleet St Mary, Lincs
Narrow and weedy, the river at Vicarage Lane doesn’t look that promising but bream to 7lb pack into the area every summer. Floatfishing corn over groundbait will do the trick. Whip and maggot will get small rudd every chuck.
Hampshire Avon, Fordingbridge, Hampshire
Plenty of anglers have smashed their chub personal best on the short day-ticket stretch by Fordingbridge Sports Club, and a 6lb-plus giant is never out of the question. Rove the area and look for snags that the fish are likely to linger close to before presenting a light bomb or link leger with your chosen hookbait nearby. Tickets must be purchased before fishing from the park kiosk or nearby petrol station.
River Swale, Northallerton, North Yorkshire
Northallerton DAC controls plenty of popular water in the area, with stretches at Morton, Scruton and Thrintoft all early season hotspots. Chub and grayling are the species that you are most likely to encounter, and a small feeder or leger cast close to far-bank cover is the best way to unlock your swim’s full potential.
River Weaver, Preston Brook, Cheshire
The area downstream of Dutton Locks is controlled by Lymm AC and is capable of fantastic silverfish sport. Long pole with hemp is the key to finding the quality roach in the slow and deep water, while fishing close in with maggots will tempt perch and gudgeon into feeding. Chuck a cage feeder laced with groundbait, chopped worms and casters close to the far-bank cover if you are searching for the resident bream. Email: lymmacheadbailiff@gmail.com
