Oxford Canal – Coventry Stretch

The Oxford Canal – Coventry Stretch is a proper wander of canal in Warwickshire, running for approximately 18 miles between Hawkesbury Junction — also known as Sutton Stop — and Bridge 69 at Hillmorton Locks near Rugby. So, this isn’t a tidy little lake with numbered pegs and one car park. It’s a long, navigable canal stretch where finding the right bit of bank is part of the game.

• 1 lake: Oxford Canal – Coventry Stretch
• Fish: perch, pike, zander, chub
• Tickets from: Official Tusses day membership — valid for 24 hours from the selected date — £5
• Find it: Coventry · CV6 6DF

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

The Oxford Canal – Coventry Stretch is a proper wander of canal in Warwickshire, running for approximately 18 miles between Hawkesbury Junction — also known as Sutton Stop — and Bridge 69 at Hillmorton Locks near Rugby. So, this isn’t a tidy little lake with numbered pegs and one car park. It’s a long, navigable canal stretch where finding the right bit of bank is part of the game.

Hawkesbury Junction is where the Oxford and Coventry Canals meet, and it makes a handy landmark at the western end. From there, the Oxford Canal through to Rugby is largely level, with no conventional lock sequence apart from the junction stop lock. That gives the stretch a fairly consistent feel, but there’s still plenty to look at as you move along. Corners, cover, towpath features and changes in the far bank are all worth checking before you plonk the gear down.

Tusses Angling Club controls the fishing on the relevant water, and anglers need the correct club day membership or another valid club permit. You must fish only where Tusses controls the rights. A separate Environment Agency rod licence is required too, as the club ticket doesn’t replace it. The official day membership costs £5 and lasts for 24 hours from the selected date, with purchase through the Tusses website.

A recent angling listing also reports a £25 annual price for the relevant Tusses canal waters. That figure wants confirming with Tusses before you part with the quid. The water is generally available year-round, subject to club, Canal & River Trust and legal restrictions. Before setting off, it’s worth checking the current club details, the exact fishing rights for your chosen section and anything that may affect access on the day.

The fish mix is classic canal fare, with silverfish and coarse fish present. Perch, pike, zander and chub are specifically reported, and the stretch is promoted as a predator venue. That gives you a few ways to tackle it. A light perch approach could be a cracking way to explore, while lure or deadbait plans may appeal if you’re targeting the bigger predators. Chub anglers will naturally be looking for cover, flow and likely ambush spots.

Remember, this is shared water. Boats and other waterway users are part of the session, so keep tackle tidy, stay switched on and choose your swim with a bit of common sense. If you’re new to the stretch, a mobile approach makes sense: travel light, carry a few options and spend time looking before committing. Ask Tusses about the best areas, current access and any local rules, then build your plan around the conditions rather than forcing one swim all day.

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 long canal venue running for roughly 18 miles from Hawkesbury Junction to Bridge 69 at Hillmorton Locks. Tusses Angling Club controls the fishing, with silverfish and coarse fish plus perch, pike, zander and chub on the list.”

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.