Guide to the best perch waters
As the name suggests, this well oxygenated stretch of the Tone is narrow and fast, just perfect for stick float fishing. The dominant species here are 1lb-4lb chub, but there are also good numbers of roach and dace. Try maggots, casters, hemp and tares. Contact: 07753 120460
Prices: £7 per day, Taunton AA
2 RIVER WYE, WYEBANK, LYDBROOK, HEREFORD
A very shallow, fast beat of the Wye, perfect for floatfishing. Provided water levels are stable, this stretch can offer unrivalled action on the float from chub and barbel. The chub run to 5lb-plus. Try trotting pellets to start with to avoid the smaller fish or, for a mixed bag, go with maggots. Contact: 01874 712074
Price: £27.50 per day, Wye and Usk Foundation
3 RIVER TRENT, CLIFTON BRIDGE, NOTTINGHAM
The pegs above Clifton Bridge offer the chance of bumper bags of dace, chub, roach and perch on the float. Waggler and stick float will both score, with the dace often coming shallow for the loosefeed. Contact: Nottingham Federation of Anglers, 07707 510933 Postcode: NG7 2SA
4 HAMPSHIRE AVON, FORDINGBRIDGE, HANTS
On the stretch near the Fordingbridge recreation ground the water is crystal clear and weedy with quick, deep runs. You will find chub to 6lb, roach to 3lb and some very big dace. Bring at least six pints of maggots! Contact: Riverside Kiosk, 07539 797510
Price: £5 per day, £2.50 OAPs
5 RIVER DEE, ECCLESTON, CHESHIRE
Just outside Chester lies this interesting stretch of the picturesque River Dee. The floatfishing here is very different, with depths of up to 14ft off the rod-tip to deal with. If you learn the water, however, bags of roach and dace can be caught on red maggots.
Contact: Chester Tackle Locker, 01244 345069
Price: Free fishing
6 DORSET STOUR, LONGHAM, DORSET
It won’t cost you a penny to fish the float on this well-known stretch of the famous Dorset Stour. There are plenty of big chub that will be happy to take a maggot trotted down the current under a waggler – some of these fish run as big as 7lb. On the middle of the stretch there are some deeper pools where good numbers of silver fish can be found.
Contact: Ringwood Tackle, 01425 475155
Price: Free fishing
7 RIVER SEVERN, BRIDGNORTH, SHROPS
The top and bottom ends of this stretch, running alongside Riverside Road, are fantastic holding areas for chub to 6lb. In clear water, bronze maggots on the waggler or stick can take plenty of these fish and some bonus perch to 4lb.
Contact: Middle Severn Angling, 01746 769070
Price: Free fishing
8 KIPLING’S MEADOW, SUFFOLK STOUR, SUDBURY
Look for the long straight glides on this picturesque stretch of river and you will find shoals of 12oz-plus roach. At this time of year maggots can be deadly, but as the weather cools be prepared to switch to punched bread to keep bites coming. If the float shoots under very quickly, you may be attached to a rare Stour chub – which run to 6lb. Contact: Just-Fishin, 01787 313882
Prices: £5 per day, Sudbury and Long Melford District AA
9 RIVER CREEDY, EXETER, DEVON
There are plenty of dace along this very underfished stretch. The river is quite wide and slow here – but it’s full of fish. As well as dace, there are chub, trout, and a few barbel to target. Start on the waggler and fish across to the
trees on the far bank.
Contact: Exeter Angling Centre, 01392 436404
Price: £6 per day
10 BRISTOL AVON, KELLAWAYS, WILTSHIRE
This fast, narrow and snaggy stretch of the fantastic Bristol is alive with chub. Matches here are often dominated by the stick float, with 30lb nets of chub, dace and roach possible on this tactic. Contact: chippenhamangling@gmail.com
Price: £6 per day, Chippenham AA (available online)
11 RIVER SWALE, NORTHALLERTON, NORTH YORKS
Nets to 50lb of chub are possible from this river on waggler tactics. The stick float will also score. Casters and hemp are essential in getting the chub – which average 2lb-4lb – on the feed.
Contact: 01609 779140 Postcode: DL7 9QS
12 RIVER NIDD, COWTHORPE, YORKSHIRE
The bottom section of this fishery offers over 3,000 yards of prime fishing. Not only is there a variety of fish to target, including chub, dace, roach, grayling and perch, but there is also every type of river environment imaginable, from fast rapids to deep pools.
Contact: 07714662783
Price: £50 per year, Bradford No. 1
13 RIVER RIBBLE, CHURCH DEEPS, MERSEYSIDE
A hotspot for roach and chub, this stretch offers some fantastic sport uunder the right conditions. The banks here are quite steep, which can make fishing difficult, but if care is taken the rewards are here. Try balling in some groundbait and running a float over the top with maggots or casters on the hook. Contact: Southport & District AA, www.sdaa.org.uk
Price: £65 per year, £45 OAPs
14 RIVER WHARFE, COLLINGHAM, WETHERBY, WEST YORKSHIRE
This stretch runs from Linton Bridge downstream to Collingham Wood and offers excellent shallow water fishing for chub, dace, perch and barbel. Keep a regular feed of maggots, hemp and casters going through the swim and fish will follow the bait upstream. Contact: 07742 942990
Price: £5 per day, Wetherby DAC
15 OLD RIVER NENE, MARCH, CAMBRIDGESHIRE
As the weather cools, the town centre in March becomes packed with silver fish. Most anglers fish the pole, but the waggler will also take its fair share of roach and rudd. The water can be very clear here, which can cause the fish to spook off large baits. Pinkies or breadpunch are the best bet. Contact: Millview Tackle, 01354 660566
Price: Free fishing
16 RIVER THAMES, MEDLEY, OXFORD
Popular with match anglers, this stretch can be a prolific venue to catch roach and chub on the waggler. Maggots are by far the best bait, especially when fished over a dark groundbait. Good perch of over 3lb can also show here, so bring some worms as a change bait for these.
Contact: 07990 587379
Price: £5 in advance, £8 on the bank, Oxford DAA