Fishing Near Me | Top 10 Rivers for pike
Fancy catching a monster pike that isn't from Chew or Blagdon? Then you are in luck as we've put together a list of some of the best venues for you to go and catch a river pike. Check out our river pike venue list below and let us know which one you will be trying this weekend.
North
Iver Crossens Drain, Southport, Merseyside
Anglers have been reporting plenty of double-figure pike to both lures and deadbaits. Look for areas where silverfish are topping and fish here for the best possible chance of catching.
Prices: £5 from Ted Carters, Southport DAA
Contact: Southport DAA, 01704 213690
River Torne, Epworth, S Yorks
This water is full of pike and perch making it a great choice for lure or dead bait fishing anglers. Roving is the best approach for the pike and wobbling small roach deadbaits is deadly for them. Otherwise use a lure in firetiger or perch colours for the best results.
Contact: 07554 096547
Prices: £4 on the bank or £25 a year, Doncaster DAA
Website: www.ddaa.co.uk
River Don, Sheffield, S Yorks
The Cineplex and Hillsborough areas are worth a visit for pike to 15lb on spinners once the levels drop a little. Spinner baits work well in the flow although you can’t beat a roach imitation shad worked along the bottom.
Contact: Billy Clarke Tackle, 0114 255 1145
Prices: Free fishing
Midlands
River Bure, Wroxham, Norfolk
This free-to-fish stretch of the Bure is a pike hotspot with plenty of jacks to go at and a good number of doubles. The railway bridge is a hotspot for the pike but you can catch them from all banks here. Ledgered dead roach works well although mackerel usually pulls out the biggest specimens. Lures are also worth a chuck around structure for the pike.
Prices: Free Fishing
Contact: Angling Direct, 01603 782453
Postcode: NR12 8UR
River Soar, Kegworth, Leics
The basin in front of the Sutton Bonnington lock gate is a pike hotspot with loads of fish in the 5lb -10lb bracket available. You can catch them next to your feet on the near bank where there’s a depth of 8ft. Float fish a roach deadbait and within 10 minutes you’ll probably have a bite!
Prices: £15 a year, LEVAS
Contact: David Kent, 07766 081877, Long Eaton Victoria Angling Society
Website: www.levas.co.uk
River Wye, Monmouth, Wales
The Wyastone Leys stretch is a popular pike venue at this time of year where fish well into double figures can be found in the slack water below Boys Rock Pool. You can trot a deadbait along the slacks to catch them although ledgering is normally the way to go here.
Prices: £20 a day, Monday to Wednesday only, Angling Dreams
Contact: 07976 908985, Angling Dreams
Website: www.anglingdreams.co.uk
River Severn, Upton upon Severn, Worcs
Aside from being a fantastic area to catch zander the stretch downstream of the town is excellent for pike. Livebaits work best but if you’re struggling to catch them a trotted dead roach or bleak will work wonders. Twenties are a possibility along here although there’s lots of jacks to go at. It’s hard to get to the best spots from the bank here but if you’ve got a boat you’ll enjoy the best sport.
Prices: Free Fishing
Contact: 01743 272828
South
River Lea Navigation, Ware, Herts
Spinning and jigging is working well in Ware town centre for specimen pike with double figure fish possible. There are plenty of roach showing on the Conkers stretch at Broxbourne and the pike have followed them in, so look out for crashing fish.
Prices: £4 on the bank, Hertford AC & Ware AC Joint
Contact: Johnson Ross Tackle, 01992 462044
Website: www.wareanglingclub.co.uk
West Sedgmoor Drain, Slathe, Somerset
The Pumping Station is a hotspot for pike and a 20lb fish is always on the cards. There’s no flow here so you can float fish a dead roach or rudd just off the bottom for the best results. Cast all around your swim to find where the pike are hiding out.
Prices: £7 a day adults, Taunton AA
Contact: 07753120460
Website: www.taunton-angling.co.uk
River Thames, Abingdon, Oxford
The open water near the town bridge is a hotspot for pike where double figure specimens lurk in the shadows for their next meal. You can catch bleak all along this stretch and they work wonders as a livebait fished on a float – otherwise you should leger a roach deadbait under the bridge for the best results.
Prices: £10 a day bought in advance from the Guildhall (postcode OX14 3HL)
Contact: Abingdon-on-Thames Fisheries, 01235 522642
Website: www.abingdon.gov.uk/town-council-services/fisheries