Trent and Mersey Canal

This is canal fishing, plain and simple — not a lake complex with a reception and a row of numbered pools. Bibby's / Stone District Angling Club lists the Stone stretch of the Trent and Mersey among its club waters. Its published length is 2.6 miles, with boundaries at Meaford Lock and Aston Road Bridge on the A51.

• 1 lake: Trent and Mersey Canal — Stone stretch
• Fish: roach, bream, perch, chub, carp, pike
• Tickets from: Canal-only membership — £15
• Find it: Stone · ST15 8LD

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

This is canal fishing, plain and simple — not a lake complex with a reception and a row of numbered pools. Bibby's / Stone District Angling Club lists the Stone stretch of the Trent and Mersey among its club waters. Its published length is 2.6 miles, with boundaries at Meaford Lock and Aston Road Bridge on the A51. Those are the limits to get straight before choosing where to settle down.

The fish list gives mixed-species anglers plenty to chew over. The club describes large shoals of roach, alongside bream, perch and gudgeon. Carp are present too, and occasional large chub are reported. That's a cracking mix if your idea of a good session isn't tied to one species. Just keep the distinction clear: fish being present doesn't tell you which swim they'll be in, or promise they'll be on the munch.

There are some eye-catching club claims behind the silver-fish appeal. Mixed bream and roach bags of 40 lb are reported, and the published best canal match weight exceeds 49 lb. Those figures show why this stretch deserves more than a passing glance from anyone who enjoys a busy net of silvers. They're reported results, though, not an everyday target. The club also reports pike to 20 lb, giving predator anglers something else to consider.

Getting your bearings starts with three listed access points: Westbridge car park, Whitebridge and Meaford Lock Road Bridge. That's useful detail for planning your starting point rather than heading vaguely towards Stone and hoping for the best. Don't mistake a representative map location near Newcastle Road Lock 29 for a fishery reception. Dedicated angler toilets and wheelchair fishing platforms aren't confirmed, so check any essential access or comfort needs before loading the kit.

The ticket headline is refreshingly straightforward: canal-only membership is advertised at £15 and can be bought through the club's online shop. The membership period runs from November 1 to October 31. Crucially, that's a canal-only product, not a ticket for every club water. No day-ticket price is listed in the checked shop information, so don't turn up expecting to hand over a few quid for a day's fishing without checking first.

A little homework will save a faff here. Daily fishing hours, night-fishing permission and canal-specific seasonal closures aren't stated, while bait, hook and rod-limit rules need checking with the club. Membership dates aren't proof of an open fishing season. Stone Private Angling Club separately lists Aston Lock 26 to Meaford Lock 33, too, so be precise about whose permission covers your chosen bank. Your appropriate rod licence and fishing permission are separate requirements.

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 proper club-controlled canal stretch through Stone, with 2.6 miles of mixed fishing and canal-only membership advertised at £15. Roach shoals, bream and perch lead the line-up, with carp, occasional large chub and club-reported pike to 20 lb adding interest.”

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.