WHERE TO FISH EXTRA
Rivers carrying extra water are no problem at these tried-and-tested hotspots, renowned for their big catches of slabs
RAIN and coloured water might mean game over for those looking to catch roach on rivers. But if bream are your target, these are the ideal conditions for a net of slabs – and these final few weeks of the season are when these fish feed with a vengeance!
There aren’t many rivers that don’t have shoals of bream in them, but some are more notable than others and, on each venue, there will be hotspots.
These are swims or areas that have produced nets of bream year after year.
Why not go straight for goal, then, and head for one of these bream havens?
We’ve compiled a list of the most noted venues on these pages – rivers where, once you’ve located the fish, a great day is on the cards. Just remember to pack a towel or two to help to get rid of all that slime when you’ve finished!
WARKS AVON, STRATFORD-UPON-AVON, WARKS
The two swims next to the rowing club on Stratford’s recreation ground section are famed for bream, fishing directly in front of the Shakespeare theatre. It’s feeder work here, casting tight across to where the silt beds are, fishing redworms or bunches of maggots.
Tickets: £3
Contact: 07890 467464
RIVER NENE, PETERBOROUGH, CAMBS
Opposite the mill on Peterborough’s Embankment has always been home to bream, but these are nomadic fish that can move about, so location is essential. Once you find them, 200lb catches are not unrealistic on feeder tactics!
Tickets: Free fishing
Contact: 01733 551053
BRISTOL AVON, NEWBRIDGE, AVON
Always fancied by locals to produce a few fish when the river is up and coloured, Newbridge has thrown up plenty of match wins with catches of bream and skimmers. A feeder rod is all you need, using big baits as the fish are of a good average size.
Tickets: £3 in advance
Contact: 07720 882368
RIVER THAMES, MEDLEY, OXFORDSHIRE
Get on the top end of Medley immediately below Godstow Lock and adjacent to the famed Trout Inn, a small section of Thames that is an out-and-out bream area where pole and feeder will both
work well in coloured water.
Tickets: £5
Contact: 01865 201020
RIVER TRENT, BURTON JOYCE, NOTTS
Head to the roadside stretch and get on the pegs in the early thirties where a big shoal of bream can be found. This area has produced in previous RiverFest finals and the fish are still there in winter. A feeder fished three-quarters of the way across is as complicated as things need to get.
Tickets: £6, £5 in advance
Contact: 07702 339618
RIVER GREAT OUSE, BEDFORD, BEDFORDSHIRE
