Fishing near Northolt N/W London

[raqman]

Hi All fellow Anglers, a newbie here.

 

I have started fishing for about a month now, Staines, Colne Canal, Epping ( no luck yet lol) but wanted advice where the best place to fish is.

 

From what I am reading in the forums, it may seem savage for me to ask, but where can I fish and be lucky enough to catch something edible to take home proudly to the wife to cook for us all.

 

It seems that unless one goes fly fishing for £15 for 4 hours, it is illegal to catch big enough fish to take home.

 

Any advice will be apprieciated, thanks

[hermes]

Hi mate, I used to live down the road in Ruislip.

 

There are loads of places to go round where you are.

 

I would start at the Grand Union canal in Northolt! Good fishing there, there is loads canal round you.

Try the canal that runs under the A40 as you head towards London on the left hand side, I think there used to be a golf range there and the high nets used to back onto the canal. Loads of Roach and the usual canal fish are there.

 

If you head towards Uxbridge you come across the canal again and can fish either side of the A40 as well. Also Harefield is well worth fishing again thats on the canal.

There are loads of lakes in the Colne valley, nearly all private but I think you can fish the Rickmansworth Aquadrome on a day ticket.

 

Nearer home you have the Ruislip Lido, I used to fish there thirty odd years ago, I think thats day ticket too.

 

I would aim for the canal in your area mate, it's all over the place, around Northolt, Greenford, Southall, Harefield, Uxbridge, Watford etc etc!

 

You say you have fished in Epping?, I live there and there are loads of ponds stuffed with fish and are free to fish. Just don't even think about taking fish home with you whatever the size mate, thats not what fishing is about is it.

 

If you need to take fish home then make sure it's from a Trout fishery that allows that to happen, make sure you don't take them from anywhere else please.

 

Go fishing, have fun, catch some fish and treat them with respect and return them back where they came from and I will answer any fishing questions you have about your area....

Edited September 8, 2009 by hermes

[madchris]

Hi All fellow Anglers, a newbie here.

 

I have started fishing for about a month now, Staines, Colne Canal, Epping ( no luck yet lol) but wanted advice where the best place to fish is.

 

From what I am reading in the forums, it may seem savage for me to ask, but where can I fish and be lucky enough to catch something edible to take home proudly to the wife to cook for us all.

 

It seems that unless one goes fly fishing for £15 for 4 hours, it is illegal to catch big enough fish to take home.

 

Any advice will be apprieciated, thanks

 

nice to meet you ragman,

personally even if legal i would not eat any fish from our rivers canals etc round the s/e of england! with all the HRT hormones turning males into females i dread to think what would happen! just catch and return with all respect to the fish and maybe one day they or their offspring may be a record!

[raqman]

Wow thanks for the answers guys, yes I noticed people parked on the A40 near Uxbridge (would not want to leave my car parked on that stretch though)

 

I did not realise it is illegal to take fish you catch on the Thames or canals home, but now that you say about the toxic levels, I would not want to at this stage!!! (guess I have been lucky not to catch anything to date)

 

I did look into Trout fishing, but it seems to be available for Fly Fishers (I enjoy looking at my float and sitting and taking in nature) so would be great to know where I can do that.

 

Regarding the Grand Union Canal, do you mean the Marina in Yeading, behind the Tesco's?

 

Sorry for not responding earlier, I did not get the email advising of a response.

[gozzer]

Wow thanks for the answers guys, yes I noticed people parked on the A40 near Uxbridge (would not want to leave my car parked on that stretch though)

 

I did not realise it is illegal to take fish you catch on the Thames or canals home,

 

 

I live too far away from the Thames to comment on the state of the water, but as to the legality of taking fish, here are the By laws for the Thames region.

 

Page 19 covers what species and how many can be taken.

 

 

http://publications.environment-agency.gov...e-e.pdf?lang=_e

 

John.

[lutra]

nice to meet you ragman,

personally even if legal i would not eat any fish from our rivers canals etc round the s/e of england!

Yep apparently even FERA is concerned about us eating our coarse fish.

 

So much so, according to this weeks AT that we even have private contractors offering £25 (tax payers money) for 2kg of fish from some s/e waters for testing. Which is kind of ironic as as we have the EA spending our money on stopping the taking of coarse fish.

 

Ive tried googling it but i cant find any links to the AT story or the money on offer.

Edited September 10, 2009 by lutra

[hermes]

I mean the closest canal to you is at Northolt golf range, on the left hand side of the A40 as you drive towards Greenford roundabout. Talking of Greenford roundabout you could always turn left there and drive up about half a mile and fish the same canal but further round.

 

There's canal everywhere in that area, Perivale, Hanger Lane, Greenford, Uxbridge, Harefield, Rickmansworth, Watford - the list could go on forever..... but I don't know the Marina in Yeading

 

It's worth going into a local tackle shop, I think Judds are still in South Ruislip, very near the station, they could help you a little.

[gozzer]

Yep apparently even FERA is concerned about us eating our coarse fish.

 

So much so, according to this weeks AT that we even have private contractors offering £25 (tax payers money) for 2kg of fish from some s/e waters for testing. Which is kind of ironic as as we have the EA spending our money on stopping the taking of coarse fish.

 

Ive tried googling it but i cant find any links to the AT story or the money on offer.

 

 

Fishing is one of the most popular activities in the UK, and it appears to be on the increase. The endorsement of TV chefs, and immigration from areas such as eastern Europe where catching and eating your own fish is common, means more people are taking up course fishing. But little is know about the potential health effects of eating course fish, and a CSL project is investigating how pollution might affect fish across the UK, and people who eat them.

 

You'd think an agency like Defra would at least be interested enough to learn how to spell what they're on about...... Wouldn't you?

 

John.

[raqman]

this is all really great info guys, glad I found this website!!

 

I originally fished as a kid when I was living in Italy and now have taken up the activity.

 

It is true in Italy we also fished to catch the "lunch of the day", as it also serves as a good excuse to tell the Missus why you have been out on a Sunday with your mates rather than coming home empty handed (or with a Tesco receipt hidden) and I understand the concerns of over fishing and taking home, as if uncontrolled, leaves the fish population decimated.

 

Living near Lake Garda, we did not have this problem, then we would also find private paid for lakes where you could do all sorts of fishing.

 

So from what I understand from all your valuable input, I cannot take home fish for two reasons:

 

It is illeagal.

I will be jailed for manslaughter for poisoning the family.

 

I will go to all these canals to pick up my fishing skills and for the odd two hour stint, but where would you all recommend I go to fish and take home where it is not a Fly fishing venue.

 

Thanks to all and for the advice on the pollution issue!! (This should be made more public as a major health issue).

[lutra]

You'd think an agency like Defra would at least be interested enough to learn how to spell what they're on about...... Wouldn't you?

 

John.

lol, but i wouldn't comment further with my spelling like it is but i suppose that's why I'm a builder and not payed to write.