Saxon Mill Fishery, River Avon, Guy's Cliffe

The lowdown

• The setting is a proper Warwickshire Avon backdrop, with the ruins of Guy’s Cliffe House looking over the water. The Saxon Mill and Guy’s Cliffe House are both close by, giving the stretch a bit of character before you’ve even tackled up.
• The main water runs for approximately two miles in total. It’s mixed and varied, with weirs, shallow weed, slack water and deeper spots all part of the venue’s make-up.
• There are more than 40 pegs in the mixed-species area, so there’s plenty of water to explore. The fishery also has an exclusive eight-peg area for pike, carp and barbel.
• That exclusive members’ section sits away from the main public footpath. Handy if you fancy a quieter session and want to focus on the bigger-species side of the water.
• Pike are a real headline attraction here. The site describes the stretch as particularly strong for pike, with fish over 20lb reported from the deeper areas.
• River carp are reported in the slack water below the first weir. That sounds like the sort of spot worth giving a proper look before choosing a swim.
• The barbel are described as fewer but larger, so this isn’t about filling a net with them. Pick a likely area, settle in and give the swim some time.
• The named river fish include roach, chub, dace, grayling, pike, carp, barbel and eel. A decent mixed bag of species, with the weirs, weed and depth changes offering different bits of water to work.
• The syndicate allows lure fishing, while live baiting is allowed in moderation under the stated terms. The water is described as suitable for multiple fishing disciplines, so there’s room for more than one approach.

Methods: Pike lure fishing is clearly one of the main attractions, with deeper areas holding fish over 20lb. For carp and barbel, look towards the slack water below the first weir, while the varied weirs, weed and deeper spots give plenty to explore.

Access & tickets

Tickets are available through the official booking page for Saxon Mill Fishery Syndicate. The monthly rolling syndicate is £8.99 per month, valid for 12 months, while the one-year full syndicate ticket is £90.

Fish the club names

carp, pike, barbel, roach, chub, eel

Key rules

• Syndicate water rather than a normal public day-ticket fishery.
• Rules and terms apply.
• Live baiting is allowed in moderation under the stated terms.
• Lure fishing is allowed.
• The monthly rolling syndicate ticket provides full 24/7 fishing across the advertised water.
• The one-year full syndicate ticket provides unlimited fishing 24/7 and requires no booking.

River level

Where it is