River Medway Sportsground, Tonbridge
A cracking, easy-access Medway stretch right in Tonbridge, with the river splitting around the sportsground into two channels. It’s a member and day-ticket venue, with steady summer roach sport, proper chub and some big surprises tucked away.
Run by Tonbridge & District Angling & Fish Preservation Society · checked 10 Oct 2026 · boundaries only partly described by the club
River Medway
River Medway Sportsground, Tonbridge
River level
Measured — Environment Agency
Town Lock gauge
Nearest EA gauge we've matched — it isn't on this stretch, so levels on your peg will differ.
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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 river is narrower here than on many upstream stretches, which makes it feel more manageable and less of a faff to read.
- Average depth is about 4 feet. The flow is generally sluggish, particularly through summer, so it’s a lovely setup for controlled trotting and feeder work.
- The Medway splits into two channels around the sportsground, giving you a few different looks and plenty to explore rather than one uniform run.
- Good chub are present, while specimen roach give you something proper to aim for. Hemp and caster can produce cracking summer roach catches.
- Bream can switch on in a big way. Bags of 50lb have been recorded from Tinkers Island and behind the bowling green.
- There are occasional carp, barbel and very large tench in parts of the stretch too. Pike, perch, dace, eel, rudd and zander are also listed by the society.
- Little-and-often groundbaiting is the key bit of the puzzle. Go in heavy with a big ball of feed and you could be waiting a long while for that first bite.
- Sunny summer weekends can bring boat traffic, which may be a pain for long-pole anglers. Keep an eye on the channel and be ready to switch approach.
- The banks are even and comfortable, with tarmac footpaths, nearby toilets and several public car parks. It’s suitable for disabled anglers and only a short walk from Tonbridge railway station.
- Remember, fishing is only allowed during the sportsground’s displayed park opening times, and the section between the swimming pool and Town Lock is out of bounds.
Methods: Keep it tidy with hemp and caster for roach, or work a feeder through the steadier water for bream and mixed coarse fish. Feed little and often rather than balling in heavily, and be prepared to adapt when boats turn up.
Access & tickets
Standard river and lake day ticket
Valid for one or two rods; obtainable on the bank from society bailiffs.
£10 (as listed 10 Oct 2026 — check before you go)
Day tickets are obtainable on the bank from society bailiffs. The standard river and lake day ticket costs £10 for one or two rods.
Fish the club names
carp, tench, bream, roach, pike, perch, barbel, rudd, eel, zander
Key rules
- Fishing is restricted to the sportsground’s displayed park opening times.
- Fishing between the swimming pool and Town Lock is prohibited.
- Anglers must not obstruct public footpaths.
- Anglers must not interfere with other park users.
- The coarse-fishing close season runs from 15 March to 15 June inclusive.
- Boats can be a problem for long-pole anglers on sunny summer weekends.
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 fishWhere it is
Pins mark the access postcode each club gives, not the bank itself. Exact boundary map: see rights holder.
Community reported
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