Now when it comes to London Town, we’re sure that you don’t automatically think of fishing. After all, we’re a city of nine million or so people, so there’s not exactly loads of places to get away from all that hustle and bustle. But you’d be surprised to know that there are actually plenty of places dotted about where you can cast a rod and catch some fish. So, if you’re looking for something chill and a bit different to do, then why not check out these fishing spots in London:
1. Beech Hill Lake, Barnet
Kicking off this roundup of the best fishing spots in London is Beech Hill Lake – one of three lakes that were originally created in the 1880s as estate lakes for Squire Charles Jack, who owned nearby Beech Hill House. Now a part of the neighbouring Hadley Wood Golf Club, it was drained and de-silted back in 1982 and then stocked with a whole host of fish species, including bream, carp, roach, perch, chub and even eels!
The lake is fishable on a day ticket from sunrise to sunset, and there’s a maximum of two rods per person and per peg. You’ll also have to have a valid rod fishing licence in order to fish here.
📍You’ll find Beech Hill Lake at Northfield Road, Barnet, EN4 9DW.
🚇 Nearest station is Cockfosters.
2. The River Wandle, Morden
The River Wandle is one the best spots for fly fishing in London, and it’s a lovely location to while away the hours with your rod. A 14-mile trail *ahem* wandles its way along the river itself, and it’s packed full of wildlife too – kingfishers, green woodpeckers, water voles and even kestrels all call this area home.
If you’re wanting to fish, your best bet is to hop aboard the tube to Morden and enter the river at Morden Hall Park. Start heading up towards Earlsfield and you’ll find plenty of spots to cast your line. Keep in mind that the river is fairly shallow, so you’ll need to be slightly technical, though you’ll stand a good chance of catching some brown trout and 30lb carps around the middle section. There’s also a beautiful National Trust property nearby, Morden Hall, which is well worth exploring.
📍You’ll find Morden Hall Park at Morden Hall Road, Morden, London, SM4 5JD.
🚇 Nearest station is Morden.
3. The River Lea, Tottenham
Stretching from the Chiltern Hills to the Thames at Bow Creek, the River Lea is London’s second largest river and makes its way through wildlife-filled marshes and leafy parks along its 68-kilometre-long route. Bordering Clapton, it’s well worth going for a stroll here and perhaps making your way into the Walthamstow Wetlands, where you may be able to spot grey herons, little egrets, swifts, bats and even kingfishers or peregrine falcons if you’re lucky.
The stretch of river that runs from Waltham Abbey to Tottenham is arguably the best stretch of river to go fishing, and it’s owned by The River Lea Angler’s Club. You’ll need to purchase a day ticket, though you’ll stand a good chance of catching some sizable pike around the weirs in the River Lee Country Park and Olympic Park too.
📍You’ll find the River Lea at Tottenham, London, N17 9PH.
🚇 Nearest station is Tottenham Hale.
4. The Grand Union Canal, Paddington
Another one of the best fishing spots near London here, The Grand Union Canal links London with Birmingham – a mighty 137 miles in length. It’s one of the best places to go carp fishing in London, and it also is a lovely spot to while away the hours on a scenic amble.
Various stretches of the canal are owned by some of London’s best fishing clubs – so make sure you find out if you need to buy a day ticket – and you can stand a chance of reeling in everything from carp and roach to barbel and rudd here. Paddington is fairly busy, so we’d recommend heading a bit further West out of town.
📍You’ll find The Grand Union Canal at Southall, UB2 5NB.
🚇 Nearest station is Hayes & Harlington.
5. The Barnes & Mortlake Angling & Preservation Society, Barnes
Ok, so you’ll have to become a member of the angling club to fish in these waters, but trust us, they are well worth the membership fee! As a member of the club, you’ll be able to gain access to four excellent fishing lakes across South West London – including their brand-new venue The Copse Pool in Barnes.
It’s located right next to The London Wetlands Centre, and is stocked with various different species including bream, perch, tench and roach too. You can also pay a visit to the Thames Young Mariners, which is situated in Ham, Richmond. There’s everything here from carp to flounders and mullet to pike.
📍You’ll find the BMAPS at 74 Ashcroft Square, Hammersmith, London, W6 0YJ.
🚇 Nearest station is Hammersmith.
6. Walthamstow Reservoirs, Walthamstow
Offering over 13 miles of paths to explore across an untamed, wildlife-friendly site, the Walthamstow Wetlands are definitely one of the biggest draws in this neck of the woods. There are ten individual reservoirs that make up Walthamstow Wetlands, all of them within the Site of Special Scientific Interest, and two of them are exclusively used for fly fishing with both rainbow and brown trout present.
There are also six different coarse reservoirs and the Coppermill Stream to choose from if you’re wanting to go coarse fishing for carp, bream, barbel, chub, pike and perch too. There’s also a neat café and visitor’s centre, where you can grab a warming cuppa post-fishing and enjoy some panoramic views.
📍You’ll find the Walthamstow Wetlands at 2 Forest Road, London, N17 9NH.
🚇 Nearest station is Tottenham Hale.
7. Epping Forest, Essex
A slightly-longer-than-usual trip along the Central line brings you to the edge of Epping Forest. A north-east London forest that spreads well into Essex, Epping Forest boasts approximately 1,700 acres of shrubbery. It makes up London’s largest open space and makes for the perfect spot to unwind and get away from the stress of the city. An abundance of lakes, rivers, cute little bridges and plenty of Instagram worthy spots live in this not so little gem.
There are 25 different fishing lakes here, including Baldwins Pond and Blackweir. Both are fairly small ponds, but they’re stunning and full of features for a whole host of different fish to hide in. It’s not all about coarse fishing here either – you can go fly fishing over at Thornwood Springs which is a great place for newbies too.
📍You’ll find Blackweir Hill at Baldwin’s Hill, Essex, IG10 1SF.
🚇 Nearest station is Loughton.
8. Picks Cottage Fishing Lakes, Sewardstone
Another one of the best fishing spots in London here, the Picks Cottage Fishing Lakes is a five lake fishing complex available exclusively to members. Each and every lake on the complex is tailored to a different style of fishing to ensure some of the best sport available in the South East of the UK.
There’s everything here from carp and catfish to bream and tench, and all members must purchase a ticket prior to fishing. There’s also a tackle shop here and a café right by the water too – perfect for a pre- or post-fish cuppa.
📍You’ll find Picks Cottage Fishing Lakes at Picks Cottage, Sewardstone Road, London, E4 7RA.
🚇 Nearest station is Chingford.
9. Redbridge Lakes, Woodford
Redbridge Lakes is a family-run establishment in Essex that consists of two main fishing lakes, Daisy and Cuthbert, which are stocked full of silverfish, carp and even the elusive and fearsome pike.
Originally a piece of unkempt wasteland, the project was to develop a conservation area as a place to chill out, and there are also nature trails, a fishing tackle shop, a koi pond and a café with an alcohol licence – perfect for balmy, sunny evenings. It’s also a great spot for birdwatching.
📍You’ll find Redbridge Lakes at 175 Roding Lane, Woodford, Woodford Green, Essex, IG8 8LY.
🚇 Nearest station is Woodford though we’d suggest driving to this one.
10. Clapham Common Lakes, Clapham
Now when it comes to Clapham Common, you’d be hard pressed to think of fishing spots – though you’d be wrong. There are in fact two great lakes here for fishing, and there are some good sized carp up to about 25lbs in both of them. The most popular spot to fish here is Mount Pond, which is also full of tench and bream too, and you can fish from an island in the middle here – there are also some great reed beds nearby too.
This being Clapham, there’s also plenty to do once you’ve finished fishing, so why not make the most of the various different pubs, restaurants and cafés too.
📍You’ll find Clapham Common Lakes at Clapham Common North Side, London, SW4 9DE.
🚇 Nearest station is Clapham South.
So there you have it, a roundup of the best fishing spots in London. So whether you’re wanting some R&R and are looking to see if luck is on your side, then you know exactly where to head!