River Trent - Long Eaton - Colwick (Nottingham)

River Trent – Below Cranfleet Lock, Long Eaton

• Members Only Water (except for club match bookings)
• Available for match bookings (up to 12 pegs approximately)

Without doubt, this is one of the best and most prolific stretches of the River Trent.

• It produces large catches and very big specimen fish.
• In recent years there are increasing numbers of very big carp (over 40lb) and barbel (over 18 lb).
• It is one of the best 'big barbel' waters in the country and in years to come could provide fish of record potential.
• Chub and bream over 7lb have also been reported.
• Can provide superb roach fishing (stick or waggler)
• Also lots of decent perch

Although there is an excellent footpath along the whole of the stretch, access to river level at many pegs can be difficult in some instances and anglers should take care.

There is something here for every angler. All tactics and all baits may have their day, although certain areas are better suited than others, and whether you want to catch a bag of small fish, or huge specimens, there is something for you.

From Cranfleet Lock the main flow is on your near side making these excellent stick float pegs. This is quite fast flowing, depths varying between 4 and 8 feet, and with a relatively clean gravel bottom. Feeder tactics also work well throughout this stretch, which produces roach, chub, barbel, skimmer bream, hybrids and bleak, and both pole and waggler will work when conditions are right. For those with mobility difficulties, the pegs at either end of the marsh have easiest access (below the jetty and before the fence end).

Parking is in the BW Car Park, but please note that this is sometimes locked.  Keys for the gate may be obtained from the Chandlery at Sawley Marina, or on line from British Waterways.

 

LEVAS are always interested in hearing from people prepared to join the team that bailiffs this stretch. Please contact the General Secretary (David Kent).

Directions

• From Nottingham Road (near Asda), at the mini roundabout turn into Waverley Street (Tesco on left).
• Continue straight (over mini roundabout and through various sets of lights, along Main Street, and at next roundabout turn left (first exit) past Tapper's Harker pub.
• Cross railway level crossing, then turn right at mini roundabout.
• Continue under Railway Bridge, over further level crossing, and then follow Meadow Lane right to end, where the road widens and may be used as a car park.
• access is before end of Meadow Lane, take right turn signed Cranfleet Lock. Follow road to end (watch for road humps) to car park on river's edge, adjacent to Cranfleet Lock.
• This is upstream end of fishery. Access is from car park along footpath to left. The first peg is immediately below the jetty (built for boats waiting to access Cranfleet Lock. which may be used by anglers during winter months.
• There is an excellent footpath from this point right down to other access point (described above).

 

River Trent, COLWICK PARK (Post Code NG4 2)

1. Members Only Water
2. Match Bookings (up to 30 pegs) Taken From Visiting Clubs
3. Opposite side of the river to the Holme Pierrepont National Water Sports Centre, where the Canoe Slalom course runs into the river.

Please note:

• In places, especially on the upstream half of the pegs, the banks are very steep.
• Great care is needed to gain access to the waters' edge.
• Early 2012, the NRA (as part of the flood prevention scheme) built solid fishing positions at river level and accessed these with steps from the top of the flood bank.  This has made fishing much safer and more comfortable. (See photographs below)
• It is recommended that at least two people fish together to ensure help is on hand if difficulties are experienced.
• You no longer need to wade across the 'loop' to gain access to this water, as this has now been bridged
• Halfway down the stretch access to the bank is much easier (more of a gentle slope).

 

This excellent 3lb 4oz perch from the river at Colwick was caught by Scott Handley on 9 September 2006

One of the best stretches of the middle Trent and over the 30 or so pegs available, offers members an incredible variety of fishing with potential for large catches and big specimens of several species. From the top end (point of entry) to below the exit of the Canoe Slalom,

No angling is permitted from the opposite bank, thus giving members relatively undisturbed sport. The river here is between 50 and 80m wide.

This stretch holds large barbel, carp, chub, bream, tench, pike, perch, roach and dace, as well as gudgeon and bleak. Pleasure anglers have taken bream catches weighing in excess of 100 lb and chub and barbel catches of over 50 lb.

The upstream end is below the massive mechanical weir gates (part of Nottingham's flood prevention measures). The flow is regulated by the gates and in normal conditions is very light (and usually diverted across the river), with the Canoe Slalom Course taking much of the flow. These early pegs are generally shallow (1 to 1 ½ m), and can produce excellent tench and bream catches. Be prepared to give worms and bread a try here, feeding groundbait and casters. Some large carp are also present.

Crossing the 'loop' and heading downstream to the entrance to the lock gates, the river continues to deepen (in places 3+ m). Most of the flow is towards the far side of the river, but can vary depending on weir and lock gates in use at the time. Large barbel and carp have been hooked in the slacker water towards the near bank, roach and 'skimmers' feed avidly further out (waggler works well) and chub can respond to feeder tactics casting well over (ground bait or block end each having their day, maggot or caster/hemp as bait). As you move down this stretch, access to the bank becomes difficult. Banks are very steep and members are advised not to fish here alone.

The pegs immediately opposite and below the Canoe Slalom are favoured by match anglers, and have produced excellent catches of big chub and barbel, although roach and bream cannot be discounted. The far upstream peg produced a 47 lb all chub weight on caster and hemp for the club's 5 hour match record on this stretch, and 30 lb catches have been common in matches. Access to all of these pegs is difficult (steep banks and a long way down to the water).

From where natural bank starts on the far side, and for about three pegs there is a very large shoal of resident barbel, including some very big fish (doubles). The water is much shallower here (to 2m) and quite fast flowing.

From this point to the end of the stretch, the river runs straight, is around 45m wide, 2m to 3m deep and with steadier flow. Access to the waters edge is much easier along this stretch. This part can be a very even match length and responds well to waggler, although stick float, pole of feeder all have their day. Catches here are mainly roach and bream, although there are some big chub throughout the stretch that can show from time to time.

Four barbel in excess of 16-00 in weight were caught in a week at the end of February 2017 from this stretch of River,

LEVAS are always interested in hearing from people prepared to join the team that bailiffs this stretch. Please contact our General Secretary (David Kent).

Directions

• Leave Long Eaton on the A6005 and head for Nottingham for 7.2 miles.
• Turn left onto A6008 (Greyfriar Gate, Nottingham), and continue past Broadmarsh Shopping Centre.
• Get in middle lane and follow signs for Trent Bridge.
• When road becomes Canal Street, move into middle lane of three before roundabout, follow signs for A612.
• After roundabout, turn right onto A612 (Fisher Gate, Nottingham) and head for Colwick.
• Continue on the A612 Colwick Road for 2 ½ miles, past the race course and into Colwick.
• Turn right at sign for Colwick Park, and right again to enter the park.
• Follow road on park (past Trout Lake on right) until you see the river on your left, weir and lock gates.
• Car park is on right.
• Leave car on foot, cross road, river immediately ahead.
• Turn downstream to where stream (the loop) runs into river.
• Cross Bridge and club water continues downstream for 30 pegs.