You've waited all week to go fishing, got yourself some bait and are raring to go on your favourite river.
But on arrival it’s the colour of gravy and hammering through. It’s a position we’ve all been in, and the disappointment can be enough to make you want to pack up and go home.
However, some venues fish superbly in such conditions. Here, we reveal a dozen of our favourites that you should head to when we’re hit with a pile of rain.
CHECK THE RIVER LEVELS BEFORE YOU GO!
Although you have plenty of options when it comes to floodwater fishing, it’s always worth checking how much extra water is on your chosen venue before setting out. To do so, visit check-for-flooding.service.gov. uk/river-and-sea-levels
RIVER SEVERN, ATCHAM, SHREWSBURY, SHROPSHIRE
This stretch at Lower Brompton Farm can be fished on a National Trust day ticket, purchased from Attingham Park Hall. You’ll get a code for the gate, and you can call the day before and pay over the phone, saving time in the morning. It’s a bit of river that always produces numbers of barbel when there’s a bit of extra water on.
Contact: 01743 708170
RIVER TRENT, NEWARK, NOTTINGHAMSHIRE
The stretch by Farndon power station is controlled by Newark DPF, with barbel to double figures on the cards. Smelly paste, pellets or boilies work a treat, especially where there are slacks that the fish can hold up in. Big shoals of bream are also present, and a heavy feeder packed with plenty of fishmeal groundbait and worms will sort them out. Stone slabs installed in the pegs create a comfortable base from which to launch your attack.
Contact: 07960 031910
BARBEL ARE A PRIME TARGET IN A FLOOD. HERE ARE THE BEST RODS AND REELS TO CATCH THEM.
RIVER RIBBLE, PRESTON, LANCASHIRE
The free stretch upstream of London Road Bridge is a great bet for barbel when carrying extra water. Many locals reckon that the higher the river is, the better the fishing! Use smelly boilie and pellet hookbaits, dropping them into the nearside 'crease' when it's pushing through. This river rises and falls quickly, so be ready to work your way further out of come closer in, depending on its movement.
Contact: Wayne's Tackle, 01772 729229
RIVER WELLAND, SPALDING, LINCOLNSHIRE
Roach gather in huge numbers in this urban hotspot. Although the Welland here will colour up, it's more like a canal, so it's a good bet when other stretches are out of sorts. You'll find big perch here too, plus pike. Use bread and hemp for the roach and lures for the predators. The fishing is free but a ticket is required, available through the P&DAA website.
Contact: www.fishinginpeterborough.co.uk
GET COMFORTABLE ON THE BANK WITH OUR GUIDE TO THE BEST FISHING SEATBOXES.
RIVER WENSUM, BILLINGFORD, NORFOLK
The Wensum running through Billingford Lakes is home to quality chub, and 5lb-plus specimens are banked on a regular basis. There are plenty of trees and snags that break up the pace, providing ample shelter for the fish to hold up in. Legered cheesepaste is the way forward in flood conditions. Try mixing shortcrust pastry in with the smelliest cheese you can lay your hands on!
Contact: 01362, 788111
OLD RIVER NENE, MARCH, CAMBRIDGESHIRE
Typically, the fishing gets better in March as it gets colder. However, this year the fish have pilled in early due to the floods. It's free to fish, and you'll catch loads of roach, perch and skimmers. If the water's coloured, feed groundbait and fish pinkies over the top. If it's clear, bread can be the way to go, fishing punch over liquidised feed. Hemp is also worth trying, especially if you have a boat moored opposite.
Contact: Mill View Fishing Tackle, 01354 660566
STAY WARM AND DRY ON THE BANK WITH OUR GUIDE TO THE BEST WINTER WATERPROOFS.
HENBROOK, ST NEOTS, CAMBRIDGESHIRE
On this tiny Ouse backwater the roach shoal up out of the main river. There are good perch about too, plus some pike. Keep it simple, fishing with bread for the roach. For a mixed bag, introduce a little groundbait and try a variety of hookbaits over the top. St Neots & District FPAS controls the fishing, with day tickets and memberships available from Ouse Valley Angling.
Contact: Ouse Valley Angling, 01480 386088
RIVER WYE, HEREFORD, HEREFORDSHIRE
There aren’t many stretches of river in the county that offer better fishing than the Wye through Hereford at this time of year. When it’s up – which it often is – you’ll not only catch barbel, but some superb roach. Fishing a stick float right down the edge can fool some of the largest fish, while casters are a proven winner. There are piles of dace, big perch and chub to go at as well.
Contact: Woody's Angling Centre, 01432 344644
WHIP TACTICS WORK WELL ON MANY OF THESE VENUES. HERE'S A GUIDE TO THE BEST WHIPS.
WEST SEDGEMOOR DRAIN, STATHE, SOMERSET
When the Somerset Levels waters run high, the fish really pack into slacks around bridges and sluice gates. The pumping station at Stathe, where this drain meets the River Parrett, is a great bet for a variety of species – expect lots of silverfish, as well as quality perch. Caster and worm is a good choice for the larger stamp of fish. Day tickets from Taunton AA.
Contact: tauntonangling association.co.uk
THROOP MILL POOL, DORSET STOUR, DORSET
Throop Fishery on the Dorset Stour is arguably Britain’s most popular chub stretch. There are loads of swims to go at across three ‘beats’, but when it’s flooded, the Mill Pool is well worth a try. As well as chub, it’s home to a bit of everything (species-wise) including barbel, carp, tench, eels and roach, plus some big perch and pike. Worms can be a great bet on the hook.
Contact: Davis Tackle, 01202 485169
BANKS CAN BE WET AND SLIPPERY AT THIS TIME OF YEAR. GRAB A PAIR OF THE BEST FISHING WELLIES OR BOOTS AND KEEP SAFE AND DRY WHEN FISHING.
RIVER THAMES, RUNNEYMEDE, LONDON
This is one of the best free fishing areas on the entire river, with barbel to over 12lb possible. The river is quite pacey, and heavy feeders and leads are essential to pin your hookbait to the deck. Mould stiff paste around a pungent boilie, making sure the hookpoint is always on show so that you don't miss a bite when one comes along.
Contact: 01784 461831
BRIDGWATER DOCKS, UPPER BASIN, SOMERSET
You can't fish the main basin any longer, but the smaller one over the road bridge can be an excellent spot whenever the water runs high. It's an especially good spot for big bags of silver bream, roach and perch. Maggot over groundbait is all you need for lots of bites. The fishing is free, too.
Contact: Somerset Angling, 01278 431777
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