Bridgwater and Taunton Canal

Fancy a canal session rather than a lake complex? This is the Taunton Angling Association stretch of the Bridgwater and Taunton Canal, with approximately six miles of fishing advertised by the club. Its rights run from Firepool Lock in Taunton to Upper Maunsel Lock. That boundary matters: the separately managed Bridgwater section isn’t covered here, so get the right ticket for the water you’re heading to.

• 1 lake: Taunton Angling Association section: Firepool Lock to Upper Maunsel Lock
• Fish: roach, rudd, tench, pike, perch, bream, eel
• Tickets from: Senior daily ticket — £10
• Find it: Taunton · TA3 5TA

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

Fancy a canal session rather than a lake complex? This is the Taunton Angling Association stretch of the Bridgwater and Taunton Canal, with approximately six miles of fishing advertised by the club. Its rights run from Firepool Lock in Taunton to Upper Maunsel Lock. That boundary matters: the separately managed Bridgwater section isn’t covered here, so get the right ticket for the water you’re heading to.

Roach and rudd are the headline attraction for a bit of silverfish action. The club describes fishing for both as productive throughout the year, giving this stretch appeal beyond a cheeky summer outing. Tench, pike, perch, bream and eels are also listed. That’s a cracking mix of species, but it isn’t a promise of getting bagged up or finding a lump in every swim. Pick your target without turning the species list into a catch guarantee.

Getting onto the canal isn’t tied to one entrance. Road-bridge access is listed in Taunton, at Bathpool Hyde Lane, Creech St Michael, Durston and Upper Maunsel. Handy for planning which part of the length to tackle. The listed postcode points to Creech St Michael canal car park, not the whole fishery, while the coordinates identify the canal near bridge 27. Treat those as a particular starting point rather than the address of all six miles.

Ticket-wise, there’s a senior daily option for £10 and a senior weekly option for £25. The daily ticket covers your selected date; the weekly ticket lasts one week from purchase. Buy online before you start fishing and carry your ticket as proof. Members can also bring an accompanied guest for £5 per day, although guest bookings are capped at five daily across all association waters. Sort that beforehand rather than leaving yourself a bankside faff.

This is towpath-side fishing only, so don’t plan a session from the opposite bank or a boat or kayak. There are important gaps in where you can drop into a swim, too: no fishing inside locks, within 25 metres of lock approaches or movable bridges, or within 30 metres of overhead power lines. Bridge access doesn’t mean every nearby spot is fair game. Keep those distances in mind when choosing where to set up.

A suitably sized landing net is compulsory, and every fish must go back alive. Fish mustn’t be removed or transferred elsewhere, and any deaths must be reported. Finally, keep an eye on the clock: fishing runs from one hour before sunrise until one hour after sunset, and you must leave by that finishing time. No night fishing on this association’s canal stretch—this one’s for a daytime session with a little room at either end.

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 — “Proper canal fishing across approximately six miles of Taunton Angling Association water, with roach, rudd and a mixed supporting cast. This guide covers Firepool Lock to Upper Maunsel Lock—not the separately managed Bridgwater section.”

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.