Fishing is truly a national sport here in the UK. It does not matter where you live, there is always a pool or stream somewhere that you can dip a line into. The same applies as to what type of fishing you enjoy as well. There are coarse fishing spots everywhere to enjoy, from Land`s End to John O`Groats. Game fishing is almost as prevalent with reservoirs, streams, rivers and private pools providing endless opportunity for salmon, trout and grayling. Finally with the great coastline we have sea fishing by the bucketful, from rock fishing for wrasse in Cornwall to flatfish in Southend, but it is coarse fishing which offers the greatest variety of places to drive to.
The beauty of fishing is that even if you live in a major city such as London, there are hundreds of opportunities within a few miles or a few hours drive at the most. You just have to know where to look for them. So where are some of the best fishing places to drive to near London?
For coarse fishing, you can start with the rivers. Father Thames is the obvious choice, but there are other rivers and tributaries and streams offering an enjoyable day`s sport. The River Lee is a lesser known fishing water, along with Coppermill Stream in Tottenham that is well worth investigating. Of course there are also plenty of canals which are a great way for any angler to start. Regents Canal and the famous Grand Union Canal are long waterways with plenty of places to fish.
For still waters within easy driving distance in Greater London there are almost too many to mention. However, you could try Clapham Common Pond, Birchmere Lake in Thamesmead, Hampstead Heath Boating Pond and Tooting Common Main Pond. For those prepared to travel a little longer and a bit further the waters become more secluded and there is less general public around. That makes it a much better day out for the more experienced angler. So venues such as Chase Waters in Dagenham, Gunnersbury Lake in Brentford and Epping Forest Ponds are a great day out, as well as superb fishing venues.
This is only just scratching the surface of what is available for coarse anglers in and around London. Most waters respond well to traditional float methods such as waggler or to other swimfeeder techniques. Easy baits include traditional sweetcorn, maggots, casters and bread, although always check before you take any boilies or seed baits. So if you are at a lose end this weekend why not invest in one of the London car rentals and take a drive to your favourite spot.
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