River Dee (Farndon & Holt)

River level

The lowdown

• The Dee forms the England–Wales border here, with Farndon Bridge the main landmark and crossing. Handy one for getting your bearings.
• This is a wild, natural spate river, so expect the character to change with rain and water levels. A bit of colour can make all the difference.
• Banks are often steep and can turn properly slippery after wet weather. Take care getting down to the swims, especially when the river’s pushing through.
• Winter can be especially productive, with fish shoaling up. That’s a good time to concentrate effort rather than charging about all over the bank.
• Predator fishing is a real feature. Pike over 20 lb have been caught, while perch over 3 lb are also on the cards.
• The water is described as a year-round fishing stretch, but the coarse-fish close season runs from 15 March to 15 June inclusive.
• Cold-water releases from Bala Lake can increase the flow on Thursdays and Sundays. That can make fishing more difficult, so keep an eye on conditions before heading out.
• This is membership water rather than a normal day-ticket venue. No guest passes are issued, so you’ll need your own Dee Anglers membership.
• It’s a tidy, no-faff setup: one swim per angler, two rods maximum, and you must carry a landing net and disgorger. Handle fish carefully and return them quickly.
• Night fishing is banned, and there’s no camping, fires or radios. Keep dogs under control, shut gates, don’t block livestock access, and leave no litter behind.

Methods: Predator fishing is the headline act here, with pike and perch the named targets. Match your approach to the spate conditions, and be ready for the river to get harder when Bala Lake releases lift the cold-water flow.

Access & tickets

Access is membership-based through Dee Anglers, with no guest passes issued. Membership runs from 1 January to 31 December, and tickets for the following year are available from 1 December.

Fish the club names

pike, perch

Key rules

• A valid Environment Agency fishing licence is compulsory.
• Members must carry their Dee Anglers membership card while fishing.
• Junior members must be accompanied by an adult member.
• The coarse-fish close season is 15 March to 15 June inclusive. Fishing for eels, flatfish and salmonoid species is also prohibited during that close season.
• No fish may be introduced to or removed from association waters. Fish must be handled carefully and returned quickly.
• A maximum of two rods may be used at one time. Anglers must carry a landing net and disgorger.
• An individual angler may occupy only one swim at a time. Rods must not have terminal tackle in the water when unattended.
• No night fishing, fires, radios or camping. Dogs must be kept under control, gates closed after use and vehicles must not block gates.
• Livestock access to the river must not be obstructed. Littering can result in membership being revoked.

Where it is