TackleIndex
RiverClub water · Members

Sonning — Barnet & District Angling Club

A cracking one-and-a-quarter-mile Thames stretch at Sonning, run by Barnet and District Angling Club. It’s tree-lined, properly varied in depth, and holds barbel, bream, chub, roach and plenty more besides.

Run by Barnet and District Angling Club · checked 12 Oct 2026

River level

Measured — Environment Agency

Shiplake Lock gauge

Nearest EA gauge we've matched — it isn't on this stretch, so levels on your peg will differ.

Loading latest reading…

We don't publish an "ideal level" — nobody can promise one. Flood water is dangerous: if it's up and coloured, stay well back from the edge. Open River Ready

The lowdown

  • The downstream boundary sits just upstream from St Patrick’s Stream, with access at the St Patrick’s Stream end.
  • The first ten pegs are the headline bit for barbel, bream, chub, dace and roach. A handy spread of Thames sport.
  • Those opening swims are about 14 feet deep at the edge, so there’s proper depth close in. Worth plumbing carefully before chucking.
  • Further upstream, the water shallows off to roughly 6–9 feet. The upstream section then varies around 8–12 feet, giving you a fair few options.
  • The banks are tree-lined, with cover providing shelter and fish-holding areas. Expect plenty of shade and likely-looking water beneath the branches.
  • Barbel are a big draw, with the club reporting fish over 16 lb from the venue. The official Sonning specimen record is a 15 lb 3 oz barbel from February 2024.
  • Bream to over 12 lb are reported, while the official Sonning record is 8 lb 15 oz from July 2023. Chub to 8 lb are also reported, with a 7 lb 14 oz Sonning fish recorded in January 2024.
  • Roach, dace, perch, pike, carp, bleak and gudgeon are also named by BADAC. There’s a proper mixed Thames cast here, not just a barbel bash.
  • Summer boat traffic is common, but BADAC says it doesn’t generally stop fish feeding once you’ve established a swim. Let the water settle, then get on the crease or work a feeder line.
  • A locked car park is provided off Milestone Avenue, Sonning. The club gives postcode RG10 9TN for the venue access.

Methods: The depth and mixed species make feeder work, trotting and sensible barbel tactics all worth considering. Find a swim, settle in, and don’t let the summer boats put you off.

Access & tickets

Adult subscription 2026/27

£98 subscription plus a £30 joining fee for new members.

£98 plus £30 joining fee (as listed 12 Oct 2026 — check before you go)

Junior subscription 2026/27

Junior membership with no joining fee.

£35 (as listed 12 Oct 2026 — check before you go)

Disabled or associate subscription 2026/27

Disabled: £75 plus a £30 joining fee for new members. Associate: £72 plus a £30 joining fee for new members. One-off Shepherds Way/Sonning key fee: £18.

£75 or £72, plus £30 joining fee where applicable; £18 key fee (as listed 12 Oct 2026 — check before you go)

Apply online through Clubmate, entering your personal details and uploading a membership photograph. A club key covering Sonning and Shepherds Way costs a separate one-off £18.

Fish the club names

carp, bream, barbel, perch, pike, roach, chub

Key rules

  • Members fishing club waters must carry their current membership card and Environment Agency licence.
  • Barbless hooks only, maximum size 10.
  • Fixed rigs are prohibited.
  • Floating baits on the surface are restricted.
  • Groundbait is limited to 1 kilogram per angler.
  • Carp pellets are limited to ½ kilogram per angler.
  • Night fishing is only covered where it is allowed; no Sonning-specific night-fishing permission was confirmed.

Coarse fishing on English rivers is closed from 15 March to 15 June inclusive. That's the law for coarse fish on rivers — it's not a club rule, and game-fishing seasons work differently.

GOV.UK — Freshwater rod fishing rules: when and where you can fish

Where it is

Pins mark the access postcode each club gives, not the bank itself. Exact boundary map: see rights holder.

Community reported

Recent angler updates

No angler updates yet — that's normal. Be the first to help the next angler.

How busy was it?

Nobody's said yet. It's part of the 20-second update below.

No live tracking — this is what anglers told us after their session, and it's never part of the venue score.

Water updates from anglers

No active water updates.

Help other anglers