South
Our pick of the best rivers to start your season, plus stillwaters to try now
DORSET STOUR, THROOP, HAMPSHIRE
This three-beat stretch is noted for chub running to well over 6lb. Rich at Ringwood Tackle recommends a visit to Beat 2: “The river is running fairly coloured so the weed growth hopefully won’t be as bad as in previous years. I’d be going down with a pellet approach early on.” Angling Times reporter Jake Benson visited the stretch last summer, taking several good chub on maggots. He said: “It’s a great place to sight fish if it’s clear. The chub here can be suckers for red and bronze maggots.” Contact: Ringwood Tackle, 01425 475155 Postcode: BH24 1EA
RIVER BRUE, LYDFORD-ON-FOSSE, SOMERSET
Glaston Manor AA runs the fishing on some fantastic stretches of this narrow meandering river. Local angler Jamie Stevens says: “Around Lydford is some lovely fishing. You’ll find more overhanging trees here, and plenty of good sized chub, roach and dace. Those who fish it use caster and hemp to good effect, on pole or waggler. At Cowbridge Road shoals of bream and tench lie in the slightly deeper holes, but it can be weedier here.” Another recommended area is Flights Weir, with chub to 5lb. Day tickets are available from Tip Top Tackle at £7. Contact: Tip Top Tackle, 01458 441937 Postcode: BA16 9QB
RIVER LEA NAVIGATION, WALTHAM ABBEY, ESSEX
Jon Bray, shop manager at Johnson Ross Tackle, says: “We’re spoilt for choice here. It’s the best chub water in the country – 8lb fish aren’t uncommon. Try the day-ticket Dobbs Weir, a great mixed fishery, and for just £4 on the bank it’s superb value. In the connecting middle pool are huge chub and barbel well into double figures. In the main pool you’ll catch everything, from big perch and carp, to bream and roach at the tails of the weir. I’ve also heard of fantastic roach nets from the deep, wide stretch above the weir opposite the Fish and Eels pub. King’s Weir is definitely also worth a look for specimen fish.” Contact: Jon at Johnson Ross Tackle, 01992 462044 Postcode: EN11 8TP Several stretches of this winding waterway can be prolific, but where should you head? Richard Taylor from Medway Tackle suggested a few different spots: “The Maidstone Victory AS run a stretch at Barming on a day ticket, the club have done a lot of work down there, and the fishing is very good. You will catch mixed nets of roach and chub on the groundbait feeder or waggler fished maggot and caster.” He also recommended two club stretches: “The first stretch is on the upper Medway at Ashurst, which is a renowned barbel stretch run by Royal Tunbridge Wells AS – anglers often take fish over double figures here on rolled meat or legered boilies and pellets. They also own the river at Teston, which is fast enough to run a stickfloat for good-sized roach.” The town centre of Maidstone is also a renowned roach spot – as a bonus it’s also free fishing. Contact: Richard at Medway Tackle, 01732 360690 Postcode: TN10 3EJ
RIVER THAMES, STAINES, SURREY
Dave at Davies Angling gave us
the heads-up about some river stretches to try early season: “The free stretch at Laleham is good for a mixed bag of bream, roach and perch. A groundbait feeder with maggots or chopped worm hookbaits should score. For barbel, anywhere between the two road bridges upstream of the shop in Staines is a good bet. It’s certainly not prolific, but there are some very large fish there to 18lb. Legered boilies is a popular method, krill-flavoured baits proving best. There are also several carp to well over 30lb.” Contact: Davies Angling, 01784 461831 Postcode: TW18 4EN
ROYALTY FISHERY, CHRISTCHURCH, DORSET
Arguably the most famous stretch
of the Hampshire Avon, and you’ll be pleased to hear it’s just as good today! At the back end of last season Angling Times was inundated with specimen chub from the stretch, two over the 8lb mark. Nigel from Davis Tackle said: “Trotting maggots towards the far-bank overhanging trees in the Waters Meet can be good, and there is normally a shoal of good fish in the Piles swim. A few barbel are hanging around the Trammels stretch, and salmon anglers have seen a few at the Boathouse, along with the famous Pipes swim.” Rolling meat or legering boilies and pellets are popular tactics for the barbel. Contact: Davis Tackle, 01202 485169 Postcode: BH23 1QE