Coventry Canal – Nuneaton Stretch

The Coventry Canal – Nuneaton Stretch is a proper canal venue running through and around Nuneaton, Warwickshire. It’s a linear stretch rather than a commercial lake complex, so the fishing is shaped by the towpath, passing narrowboats and the exact section you’re allowed to use. A bit different from a neat lake with numbered pegs, but that’s part of the appeal.

• 1 lake: Coventry Canal – Nuneaton Stretch
• Fish: roach, tench, bream, perch, pike, zander
• Find it: Nuneaton · CV10 0HX

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

The Coventry Canal – Nuneaton Stretch is a proper canal venue running through and around Nuneaton, Warwickshire. It’s a linear stretch rather than a commercial lake complex, so the fishing is shaped by the towpath, passing narrowboats and the exact section you’re allowed to use. A bit different from a neat lake with numbered pegs, but that’s part of the appeal.

The canal heads on towards Bedworth and Coventry, while the wider waterway runs north towards Atherstone and Polesworth. For this fishery, though, don’t assume the whole lot is yours to roam. The permitted length depends on the section controlled by the relevant club or association, so pin that down before chucking a seatbox in the van.

There’s a decent mix of reported fish to keep things interesting. Roach, skimmers, bream and perch are all mentioned on the Nuneaton stretch. Across the wider Coventry Canal, pike and zander are also reported, giving anglers more than one way to approach the water. It’s not just a one-line-and-hope sort of place.

There’s proper match interest here too. A Canal and River Trust match report from December 2024 recorded 48 anglers on the Nuneaton section. That report mentioned skimmers to about 1 lb, bream, perch to about 1 lb 8 oz and roach caught on pole-fished red maggot. So, as a sensible starting point, a tidy pole setup and red maggots are well worth having in the bait bag.

Canal fishing is all about staying switched on. Start by looking for a steady tow, cover, changes in depth and anything that gives fish a bit of shelter. Keep feed tight, watch what the water is doing and don’t be afraid to have a second line ready. A narrowboat coming through can stir things up, so staying flexible is bob on. On a new stretch, ask the bailiff or controlling club about productive pegs, depth, tow direction and whether lure or predator fishing has any extra rules.

Access is available along parts of the towpath, with routes near Nuneaton town centre and the canal bridges. That makes moving between swims possible, although there’s no dedicated fishery car park, toilet, shower or changing facility identified. Bring the usual canal kit, sensible footwear, a landing net, pole gear, spare rigs and enough bait for a few different options. A trolley could save a bit of faff if the towpath allows it.

Before fishing, sort the permission side properly. No official day-ticket, season-ticket or match-peg price is published for this named stretch, and it shouldn’t be treated like a booking-based commercial venue unless the controlling club confirms that. Check the exact peg, local club rules, Canal and River Trust requirements and the Environment Agency rod licence before setting up.

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 proper towpath canal venue through Nuneaton, with roach, skimmers, bream and perch reported, plus wider-canal chances of pike and zander. The exact fishing rights and peg arrangements need checking before you chuck 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.