Holdfast — River Severn

River level

The lowdown

• This is proper handy water at Meadowlands, WR8 0RB. Park next to the Severn, then it’s only a few feet to your chosen peg. Bob on.
• Access is off the B4211 Upton-to-Gloucester road via the Holdfast turn. The last bit is marked “Private road to Meadowlands”, so take it steady at 5 mph.
• There are 22 pegs across the stretch. Peg 19 was reported closed for safety repairs in a MUAA club notice, so check the latest club position before setting up there.
• The river can be low, clear and slow at times, and catches can vary massively from peg to peg. Have a wander and look for the better-looking crease before unpacking.
• Large shoals of bream are the headline attraction, with barbel also resident, including some big fish. Roach and perch are in the mix too.
• For bream and barbel, MUAA recommends a groundbait feeder approach. Keep things tidy and fish the pace, especially when the river is carrying a bit more water.
• Roach and chub are suited to stick or bolo float fishing. Lovely when the river settles and you can work the float through the glide.
• Winter brings large pike and zander into the picture. Boat traffic can affect parts of the stretch, so be ready to adjust your line and presentation.
• The club record for a five-hour match was 69 lb of bream in 2017. Recent matches also produced skimmer bream, roach, perch and chub.
• Keep dogs under control around the nearby sheep and cottages. Take every bit of rubbish, line and traces home, and don’t overfill keepnets in warm weather — two nets where possible is the shout.

Methods: Groundbait feeder is the main shout for bream and barbel. For roach and chub, try stick or bolo float tactics; winter is the time to think about pike and zander.

Access & tickets

The official MUAA pages describe membership access rather than a separate public day-ticket price. Adult annual membership is £30, concession membership for anglers over 65 is £25, ladies membership is £5 when joining with a partner, and under-16 junior membership is free.

Fish the club names

bream, barbel, roach, perch, pike, chub, zander

Key rules

• Use the B4211 Upton-to-Gloucester road and Holdfast turn; the final track is marked “Private road to Meadowlands”.
• Drive at 5 mph on the private access track.
• Close the main car-park gate after entering or leaving.
• Close the Severn pathway gates.
• Display your MUAA membership card in the vehicle windscreen when parking.
• Keep dogs under control because of nearby sheep and cottage owners.
• Take all rubbish home, including discarded line and traces.
• Avoid overfilling keepnets in warm weather and use two nets where possible.

Where it is