Fishery of the Week Warks Avon
The Warwickshire Avon below Stratford-upon-Avon has a strong claim
THE Warwickshire Avon has shown exceptional chub form this season.
Match and pleasure anglers alike have been enjoying some of the best sport in living memory, with 50lb-plus nets of fish to over 6lb a regular achievement.
There has never been a better time to pay the waterway a visit, and one of the best areas for chub – and perhaps in the country as a whole – has to be the dayticket stretch known as Seven Meadows.
Just to the south of the historic town of Stratford-upon-Avon, this delightful 50-peg venue offers exceptional sport without the hustle and bustle of the more famous tourist and boat-choked town sections further upriver in the town centre.
There are three main areas on Seven Meadows, one of which has only just been opened up to anglers thanks to efforts of the three clubs who control the stretch – these being Stratfordupon-Avon AA, Shipston Angling Club and ADD Angling Club.
The swims at the bottom end of the venue have been producing some superb chub sport in recent weeks, particularly those immediately downstream of the lock cutting. Chris Hallows bagged 98lb, including a chub of 6lb 9oz, fishing waggler and maggot tactics in a match.
Angling Times couldn’t wait to visit the stretch with England International Darren Cox, and he came up with the goods, netting more than 35lb of chub to 4lbplus, while his friend Nick Sutton bagged a whopping 50lb.
Both men were pegged on the narrow section below the weir. “You wouldn’t believe how many chub are in this stretch” said Garbolino UK boss Darren.
“The good thing about it is that the swims are so varied that no matter what the time of year, or the conditions, there is
“The swims are so varied that no matter what the conditions there’s something to catch”
something to catch.
“You can fish any method you like, from pole to stick float,” Darren continued.
“The slower-paced pegs above the weir are great for a netful of roach on hemp or bream on the feeder, while the narrow section below the weir is shallow and full of chub and dace of various sizes.
“There have even been barbel to 14lb-plus coming out this season. The Avon really is superb at the moment.” PRICES: £5 on the bank CONTACT: 01564 793260, Stratford AA LOCATION: River Avon, Seven Meadows Road, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warks, CV37 9AL (parking is down a track just off the main A4390 road) RULES: No fires