Erewash Canal

The Erewash Canal stretch around Ilkeston gives you roughly 4.2 miles of water to explore, from Sandiacre Bridge through to Station Road Bridge. It’s controlled by Nottingham Anglers Association and takes in a proper mix of urban and rural surroundings.

• 1 lake: Sandy Bottoms
• Fish: roach, bream, chub, perch
• Find it: Ilkeston · DE7 4RE

Based on how each lake is set up — not a ranking.

The Erewash Canal stretch around Ilkeston gives you roughly 4.2 miles of water to explore, from Sandiacre Bridge through to Station Road Bridge. It’s controlled by Nottingham Anglers Association and takes in a proper mix of urban and rural surroundings.

That variety is handy. One day you might be dropping into a towpath-side swim near the built-up bits; the next, you’re tucked away in a quieter section with a bit more greenery. Access is available at several points, so there’s less faff when you’re looking for a new peg.

The canal holds roach, bream, chub and perch. Skimmers are particularly noted below Pasture Lock, in the area locally known as Sandy Bottoms. That sounds like the place to have a good look if you fancy building a net of smaller bream and skimmers, while the rest of the stretch offers classic mixed canal sport.

There’s access near Sandiacre Bridge and from Mill Lane, Sandiacre. You can also get in around Stanton Gate Bridge, Stanton Hotwaters, near Greens, by Gallows Bridge and from Station Road in Ilkeston. Parking is described near Stanton Gate Bridge, with other access coming from public roads and towpath-side locations.

Tackle-wise, keep things flexible. A light float approach should suit the roach, perch and skimmers, while a slightly stronger setup gives you a better chance with bream and chub. As ever on canals, spend a few minutes looking for depth changes, cover and patrol routes before clipping up and settling in.

The stretch is listed as open all year, and no closed season is listed for this section. Night fishing isn’t permitted, though, so this is a daylight canal mission. Day tickets are available, but the current price isn’t published, so check with Nottingham Anglers Association or an authorised ticket outlet before travelling.

You’ll need the relevant fishery permission or day ticket, plus a valid Environment Agency rod licence. Match-booking arrangements aren’t specified, and ticket arrangements or rules may change, so advance confirmation is the sensible move. No toilets, catering, accommodation or other on-site facilities are listed — best bring your own brew and bait.

Overall, this is a useful, accessible canal venue for anglers who like moving between pegs and adapting to the water. With a fair length to fish and several access points, it looks well suited to a roving session rather than parking up in one spot all day.

We're not sure on ticket prices for this one — check with the club or local regulations before you leave.

Good background reading. Most of it is a few years old, so treat it as a starting point and ask on the day.

Videos linked by the fishery

• Our read

  Checked Sept '26 — “A cracking 4.2-mile managed stretch of the Erewash Canal, running from Sandiacre Bridge to Station Road Bridge in Ilkeston. Expect mixed canal species, plenty of access points and year-round fishing, with permission and an EA rod licence required.”

This is our own summary of recurring public feedback and the venue details we checked, not a copied customer review or a promise you’ll catch. Feedback changes, so we keep it separate from the Tackle Index score.