Forth and Clyde Canal – Falkirk Stretch

This is canal fishing rather than a tidy commercial lake, so expect towpaths, lock pounds and a bit more freedom to find your own water. The named stretch is the Forth & Clyde Canal around Camelon and Lock 16 in Falkirk. It forms part of the wider canal system, with the Falkirk Wheel linking the Forth & Clyde Canal to the Union Canal nearby.

• 2 lakes: Falkirk Stretch, Falkirk Flight, locks 3–16
• Fish: tench, bream, roach, perch, pike
• Find it: Falkirk · FK1 4PE

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

This is canal fishing rather than a tidy commercial lake, so expect towpaths, lock pounds and a bit more freedom to find your own water. The named stretch is the Forth & Clyde Canal around Camelon and Lock 16 in Falkirk. It forms part of the wider canal system, with the Falkirk Wheel linking the Forth & Clyde Canal to the Union Canal nearby.

The full Forth & Clyde Canal runs for roughly 57 km, or 35 miles, between the River Carron and Bowling on the River Clyde. That gives you plenty of water to get your head around, even if you’re focusing on the Falkirk Stretch. The Falkirk Wheel is a useful landmark when planning access and working out where you are.

There’s a cracking mix of recorded species here. Tench, bream and roach give you options on lighter float or feeder gear, while perch and pike add a bit of predator interest. No official fishery-specific stocking information is available, so it’s best to keep expectations sensible and fish the swim in front of you rather than chasing a guaranteed bag.

For a new canal venue, keep the approach simple and mobile. Take a float rod or small feeder setup for the coarse fish, plus suitable predator gear if that’s your plan and the current rules allow it. A landing net, unhooking kit, spare rigs and enough bait for a few changes are all worth having. Spend a few minutes watching the water, checking access and looking for areas that give you a comfortable, safe place to fish before clipping up.

Sort the permit position before packing the tackle box. The Scottish Federation for Coarse Angling is associated with fishing permits for the canal system, but no current day-ticket or season-ticket price has been published. An old annual-permit figure from 2012 isn’t a current price, so don’t rely on it. Check with the current fishery or angling federation for permission, booking arrangements and any rules covering tackle, bait, keepnets or catch limits.

Access and water conditions can change around canal maintenance. The Falkirk Flight between locks 3 and 16 has been affected by engineering works, including dewatering and fish rescue operations. Never enter a dewatered section, as deep silt and hidden hazards can make it properly dangerous. No fishing opening hours, night-fishing permission or dedicated facilities have been confirmed either, so check the latest canal and angling arrangements before setting off. The towpath provides general walking and cycling access in places, but allow for a bit of faff with parking, kit and the final walk to your swim.

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 — “The Forth & Clyde Canal’s Falkirk Stretch gives you a proper canal session near Camelon and Lock 16, with tench, bream, roach, perch and pike on the species list. Permit arrangements and access restrictions need checking before you chuck a bait in.”

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.