RIVERS & CANALS

CALDER & HEBBLE CANAL, BRIGHOUSE, WEST YORKSHIRE

The Red Beck section has been fishing very well lately for quality roach. There are four platforms to fish from, making this stretch easily accessible, with parking nearby. Caster is an excellent bait, and building a line steadily through the day can work very well. Hemp can also fish well, however this bait is a less reliable option for bites than caster. Contact: Calder Angling Supplies, 01484 711063 Price: £4 day tickets

RIVER MERSEY, WARRINGTON, CHESHIRE

SILVERS HOTSPOT This deep stretch of the Mersey has been fishing well of late for quality roach, dace and bream. A stick float approach can often score well, where having rods set up to fish a variety of depths will help you to keep in touch with fish throughout the day. Feed a few balls of groundbait laced with maggots and casters at the start of the session and run your float over the top while loose-feeding on a continuous basis. Contact: 01925 637525 Price: £50 a season

RIVER SWALE, THORNTON BRIDGE, NORTH YORKS

This stretch of the Swale regularly produces barbel to 12lb and chub to 7lb on meat and pellets fished on the bomb. There is also a good population of perch to over 2lb, and these can be caught on worm or on lures. If you’re a fan of floatfishing then casting a stick and feeding maggots and casters will lead to lots of bites from dace and chublets, as well as the chance of hooking the odd larger fish. Contact: 07753 142960 or 01706 526356 Postcode: YO61 2RH