Recreation Ground, Lido & Lucy's Mill, Stratford-upon-Avon

The lowdown

• The Recreation Ground starts opposite the Royal Shakespeare Theatre and runs downstream past the church. Proper central Stratford stuff, with buildings, tourists and plenty of summer boat traffic around.
• Lucy’s Mill carries on from past the church to Lucy’s Mill weir and the road bridge. There are approximately 15 pegs on this section.
• Below the weir, the water gets properly turbulent. That’s the bit for a float or ledgering approach, depending on how lively the flow is.
• The association highlights winter roach shoals and bream shoals on the Recreation Ground. A cracking option when the colder months put fish on the munch.
• The Lido has a council pay-and-display car park off the A439 Warwick Road, with a level tarmac route down to the river edge. There’s also a disabled fishing platform.
• Waterside council pay-and-display parking serves the Recreation Ground. For the Lucy’s Mill end, Greenway car park on Seven Meadows Road is cheaper, with roughly a five-minute walk via the footbridge.
• Stratford Marina car park is another useful option, giving access to the downstream Lido pegs and the upstream Recreation Ground pegs. Less faff if you’re chopping between sections.
• Match bookings are published by the association. Any pegs not booked remain available to members, so it’s worth checking before setting up.
• The river is closed from 15 March to 15 June inclusive. Night fishing is prohibited, and summer boat traffic means early starts could be the bob-on play.
• The association allows a maximum of two rods. Bring a suitably sized landing net and unhooking mat, every time. Barbel must not be retained in keepnets.

Methods: Float work and ledgering suit the turbulent water below Lucy’s Mill weir. The Recreation Ground’s winter roach and bream shoals are the main named target, with the urban setting and boat traffic shaping when and where you fish.

Access & tickets

Association members can fish these waters without an additional charge. Non-members must buy a day ticket in advance through the association’s online ticket page.

Fish the club names

roach, bream

Key rules

• All anglers must carry a suitably sized landing net and an unhooking mat.
• Maximum of two rods per angler.
• Barbel may not be retained in keepnets.
• Night fishing is prohibited.
• River close season runs from 15 March to 15 June inclusive each year.
• Live baiting is prohibited, and freshwater fish may not be used as live or dead bait.
• Dead baiting is permitted only from 1 October to 14 March. Pike lure fishing is permitted during the fishing season.
• A wire trace is required when deadbaiting or lure fishing. All treble hooks must be barbless, and gaffs are prohibited.

River level

Where it is