East Midlands
The River Trent is the third-longest river in the UK at around 250 miles, and unusually for a British river it flows north — from its source in North Staffordshire, gathering the Tame, Dove, Derwent and Soar along the way, through Nottingham and Newark to the Humber Estuary. It's one of English coarse fishing's genuine legendary waters: the old "Trent Otter," J.W. Martin, built his reputation on its barbel in the 19th century, and Burton Joyce's "Golden Mile" was mecca for match roach fishing through the 1970s as the river recovered from a catastrophic 1953 cyanide pollution incident.
Today the Trent is firmly back to full health and, if anything, better than ever — huge barbel and chub through Nottinghamshire, with specimen-hunters converging on named stretches like Fiskerton, Rolleston, East Stoke and the pegs above Clifton Bridge. Salmon are even quietly returning to a river that once, in 1880, recorded 3,000 rod-caught fish before industrial pollution wiped them out.
River Trent
Fiskerton & Rolleston
Nottingham Piscatorial Society water — seven of the top ten match weights in the 2018 Division 1 National came off these stretches, including the top three. Barbel, chub, river carp, bream, roach, dace, perch and pike throughout.
Barbel · Match fishingClifton Bridge
Shallow, brisk, oxygen-rich gravel runs make this genuine "barbel heaven" — the pegs just above the bridge are locally legendary for producing double-figure fish.
BarbelNewark & the tidal Trent
Below Cromwell Weir the river turns tidal — tougher wading and access, but the fish get bigger. Overlooked by Newark Castle, this stretch can be night-fished from a bivvy for barbel, chub and big carp.
Barbel · CarpBurton Joyce ("the Golden Mile")
The historic heart of Trent match fishing — famous for trotting the stream for big roach, a tradition still very much alive today.
RoachTributaries
River Soar, Erewash & Idle
The Trent's main Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire tributaries — reliably good, less-pressured coarse fishing away from the main river's crowds.
CoarseGeneral guide only — day tickets on the Trent are typically bought in advance online rather than on the bank (Nottingham Piscatorial Society, £8–£10/day), with most stretches requiring a permit. Always confirm current permits, rules on keep nets and night fishing, and any local byelaws before fishing.
Check today's conditions for the East Midlands →