Common Mead Lane / Chantry — Upper River Stour

River level

The lowdown

• This named water sits within G&DAA’s wider Upper Stour ground, which runs between Watersmeet and Eccliffe Mill. The club controls about seven miles in all.
• Expect a proper mix of rural and town-edge character around Gillingham. Meadow banks, footpaths and bridges give the place a bit of variety.
• Common Mead Lane access is from the rear of Brickfields Industrial Estate, off New Road. The club identifies parking near Tincknell Fuels for this approach.
• Chantry gives you another access and parking option at Gillingham Library car park. The walk to Common Mead Lane is a long one, mind, so pack light.
• This is mixed trout and coarse water. The club lists chub, roach, bream, perch, dace, grayling, carp and trout across its Stour fishery.
• The exact peg count and stretch length aren’t published, so have a wander and look for the obvious features: meadow edges, bridges, footpaths and the changing town-side cover.
• The flow, depth and individual swims aren’t specified for this named section. A bit of colour and steady water should be worth keeping an eye out for when conditions suit.
• For coarse anglers, trotting and light feeder work are the obvious starting points wherever the flow and depth allow. Keep things tidy and fish the water in front of you.
• The published coarse-fishing season runs from 16 June to 15 March. Day tickets are daylight tickets, and night fishing isn’t advertised for this stretch.
• Eccliffe Mill is the notable landmark at the southern end of the named beat. It’s a useful marker when getting your bearings along the Upper Stour.

Methods: Go prepared to switch between trotting and feeder work, with lighter tackle for the mixed coarse water and a trout approach where appropriate. Let the flow, depth and colour on the day pick the swim and method.

Access & tickets

River day tickets are open to anyone wishing to fish the Upper Stour stretches and cost £6 per day. Buy them through G&DAA’s online booking system; a river-only annual membership costs £40, while basic annual membership also includes the river stretches.

Fish the club names

chub, roach, bream, perch, carp, trout

Named by Gillingham & District Angling Association across its waters, not for this stretch on its own.

Key rules

• River day tickets apply during the coarse-fishing season, published as 16 June to 15 March.
• An Environment Agency rod licence is required on club waters.
• Return fish to the water.
• Leave no litter.
• Close gates after use.
• Do not take cars onto the riverbank.
• Do not obstruct gateways, roads or property access when parking.

Where it is