Urban Fishing: Britain’s Fastest-Growing Outdoor Craze

Nearly a million rod licences now fund lunchtime angling on city canals and rivers. Our guide reveals the stats behind the boom, mental-health perks, essential backpack-size tackle, licence and permit rules, and maps to top hotspots from London’s Regent’s Canal to Manchester Ship Canal. Learn how to swap office stress for a quick cast and land perch, pike or carp minutes from your desk. Click for expert tips and eco-friendly etiquette…..

Top 10 Hidden Fishing Spots in the UK You’ve Never Heard Of

There’s something truly special about stumbling upon a fishing spot that doesn’t appear in any guidebook. Last month, as I watched the sun creep over a secluded tarn in the Lake District, rod in hand and not another soul in sight, I was reminded why I fell in love with angling in the first place. It wasn’t just about the fish—though I did land a cracking brown trout that morning—it was about the connection to wild places that most people simply walk past.

After twenty-odd years of exploring Britain’s waterways, I’ve built up a mental map of spots that have given me some of my most memorable fishing experiences. These aren’t the venues you’ll find plastered across social media or packed with weekend warriors….

Fish Feeding Calendar – England

Species Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Common / Mirror Carp • • •• •• ••• ••• ••• ••• •• •• • •
Northern Pike ••• ••• ••• •• • • • • •• ••• ••• •••
Tench • • • •• ••• ••• ••• ••• •• • • •
Barbel • • • •• •• ••• ••• ••• ••• •• • •
Perch •• •• •• •• • • • •• ••• ••• ••• •••
Roach ••• ••• •• •• • • • • •• ••• ••• •••
Bream • • • •• ••• ••• •• ••• ••• •• • •
Chub ••• ••• •• •• • • • • •• ••• ••• •••
Brown Trout (rivers) • • •• ••• ••• •• • • •• ••• ••• ••
Atlantic Salmon (migratory) • • • •• •• ••• ••• ••• ••• •• • •

Dot scale – • = poor  •• = moderate  ••• = strong feeding activity. Red cells mark the statutory coarse-fish closed season on rivers (15 March – 15 June, Environment Agency). Game-fish seasons (trout & salmon) vary by river; always check your local by-laws before fishing.