Fishing

Somerset is a beautiful place and boats many brilliant places to take your fishing rod if you can find time in your stay. Here some of the best public venues to go fishing whilst enjoying your stay in the West Country.

Wall Eden Farm

Wall Eden Farm offer on-site fishing on their pond and river; with their very own stretch of the River Brue - nestled by their log cabins and a small coarse pond. The team at Wall Eden will even hire tackle and can give you a hand, teaching you to fish!

Brean Down

Anglers who prefer chasing salt-water species may fancy a trip to Brean Down. It is a challenging location to fish, but it could provide you with the fish of a lifetime. In the summer, bass, rays, smoothounds, conger eels. Mackerel and pouting could be at the end of your line, while winter fishermen could hook codling and whiting. Ragworms, peeler crab and squid are recommended as baits by locals, who advise it is not best for novices.

Brean Down is free to fish from, but anglers will face a lengthy walk to reach of the best spots, Brean Down Fort.

Blagdon Lake

Sitting at the foot of the Mendip Hills in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), Blagdon Lake covers 440 acres and is classified as a SSSI by Natural England for its’ wildflower meadows and bird populations. The long, narrow shape makes it ideal for both boat and bank fishing. There are deep basins and long banks to drift over, plenty of points and promontories for access to deeper areas as well as shallow, sheltered bays of quieter water. Most of the seven-mile perimeter has easy bank access but to explore the more remote areas a boat is the answer.

Travel along its narrow length to the east and you come to the shallowest area of the lake at Top End where the River Yeo enters. In between there are many superb fishing areas with proven track records of producing the goods – Bell’s Bush, Peg’s Point, Rainbow Point, Ash Trees, Rugmoor and Green Lawn, are all areas that successful anglers will quickly become accustomed to. All methods work on the lake but many locals and experts stick to small flies and nymphs fished slowly on or near the surface

The lake is managed by Bristol Water Fisheries and the season runs from March 15 to November 30 and permits are available from Blagdon Lodge, off Upper Strode.

Chew Valley Lake

Chew Valley is well renowned for its scenic beauty and top quality fly fishing. The size and condition of the trout caught there is second to none and anglers find success using a wide variety of fishing methods and fly patterns, so it's also a popular competition venue. Chew has an excellent capacity for producing grown-on fish and the lake records stand at 22lb 7oz for Brown Trout and 14lb 9oz for Rainbow Trout.

There is also a Wheely Boat at Chew Valley. This boat, specially designed for use by anglers in wheelchairs, is available by advance booking only. Lifejackets must be worn by all boat fishermen, and these are available for loan on request. Anchoring is not permitted from the Dam to the line of yellow buoys between the North Shore and Walley Bank. No boats are allowed in the area marked off by white buoys in front of the Stratford bird hide.

Cheddar Reservoir

This 90-acre freshwater reservoir is owned by Bristol Water and is a lovely venue when the weather is friendly.  Boasting a huge head of tench, with the biggest approaching 8lbs they're renowned for their fierce fighting ability! Decent-sized roach are also on offer, and predator hunters will pleased the bowl-shaped water holds a good quality of perch and a large number of pike. Cheddar Angling Association mangers the reservoir and tickets are available from:

Somerset Angling Bridgwater, Fishing Tackle Warehouse, Unit 1, Warne Park, Warne Road, Weston-super-Mare, BS23 3TP, 01934 782407

Crossroads Service Station, Axbridge Road, Cheddar, BS27 3DA, 01934 742385

Apex Park - Burnham-on-Sea

Covering over 42 acres, Apex Leisure and Wildlife Park offers visitors a chance to relax away from the bustle of Burnham's shopping centre and beach. Apex was once an area of clay digging where several pits were excavated and when these were later flooded, they became lakes which are now home to many types of wildlife. The fishing rights for Apex Lake are held by Highbridge Angling Association. The waters are stocked with carp and bream and make good fishing grounds. Permits can be obtained from Thyers Tackle Shop, Highbridge (Tel 01278 786934). Consideration to other park users is requested.