I have been trying to find a way to increase the time that I spend fishing in order to balance increasing work stress levels. I, like many people in today’s world, find it difficult to create space for a whole day of fishing amongst work and family commitments. I am fortunate to be within a few minutes drive of the Staffordshire and Worcestershire as well as the Shropshire Union canals. We regularly walk along the towpaths of these canals but I have never got to the point of trying to fly fish on these canals. So I took the plunge and joined a local coarse fishing club that holds the fishing rights to several sections of these canals.
My first surprise was the cost – at £15/year the club membership fees are good value. This offers unlimited fishing all year round for coarse fish and trout between mid-March and early October, however, all fish caught are to be returned. My total travel time to fish is 10 minutes. By way of comparison if I compare the cost and effort of fishing at my favourite local trout fisheries:
- Blithfield Reservoir
- £15 for 4 hour ticket although I usually boat fish which costs an additional £14.50
- Includes 3 fish plus catch & release thereafter although I don’t usually take any fish
- Season is March through November
- 2 hours travel time
- Ellerdine Lakes
- £18 for day ticket
- Catch & release only
- Season is all year
- 1.5 hours travel time
- Llynnau Gamallt
- £15 for day ticket or £60 for annual ticket
- Limit of 3 fish although I only catch & release
- Season is March through October
- 4 hours travel time
This may not be a completely fair comparison but indicates the attraction of this fishing option. One big draw back is that canals are public places and can be very busy at times which may not offer the same level of solitude of the other options. It also offers additional risk for fly fishers in close proximity to the general public. Given this it may be wise to join the Angling Trust for £29/year as this membership includes liability insurance.
Another option is the Canal and Rivers Trust waterways wanderer scheme which allows you to fish many of their sections of canal that are nor currently let out to clubs. The cost is good value at £20/year.
Tight Lines
Greg
