River Wye

Ross-on-Wye Angling Club’s Town Water is a proper River Wye stretch at Riverside Park, Herefordshire. It sits on the left bank looking downstream, starting at the boundary hedge below Ross Rowing Club and running down to one meadow below Wilton Bridge. That gives you approximately just over a mile of river to get your head around, rather than a tiny bit of bank where every peg is already spoken for.

• 1 lake: Town Water
• Fish: barbel, bream, trout, carp, chub, eel, perch, pike
• Tickets from: Town Water coarse day ticket — £10 per day
• Find it: Ross-on-Wye · HR9 7BS

Based on how each lake is set up — not a ranking.

Ross-on-Wye Angling Club’s Town Water is a proper River Wye stretch at Riverside Park, Herefordshire. It sits on the left bank looking downstream, starting at the boundary hedge below Ross Rowing Club and running down to one meadow below Wilton Bridge. That gives you approximately just over a mile of river to get your head around, rather than a tiny bit of bank where every peg is already spoken for.

Access is available from Riverside Park and nearby public access points. Parking is available near Riverside Park, with additional limited parking near the old Wilton Bridge and Wye Street. It’s worth having a little wander before committing to a swim, especially on a first visit. Take a look at the river, spot the obvious changes in pace and depth, and keep your kit manageable if you fancy moving around.

The club says this water is noted for larger barbel and pike, which gives the stretch plenty of appeal. The recorded species list is cracking too, including chub, bream, brown trout, carp, dace, eel, grayling, perch, roach and salmon. That’s a decent mix, so your approach can be shaped around the conditions and what you fancy targeting rather than being locked into one style of fishing.

For coarse anglers, the current day-ticket price is £10 for the Town Water section. Tickets can be obtained through club bailiffs on the bank, and the official day-ticket page also lists Badger’s Bait, The White Lion and Riverside Cafe as local outlets. Club membership is separate from the day ticket, while salmon fishing is restricted to club members with the relevant salmon permits. The £10 ticket does not cover salmon fishing.

River fishing rewards a bit of homework. Bring tackle that lets you adapt, keep an eye on the pace and colour of the water, and ask the bailiff where access is best on the day. A mobile approach can pay off when a swim is quiet, but there’s no need to rush about blindly. Give likely holding water a proper look, fish carefully, and be ready to change things if the river isn’t playing ball. If you’re after barbel, chub or pike, check the permitted methods and current club guidance before setting up.

The coarse-fishing season runs from 16 June to 14 March inclusive, and fishing outside that season is prohibited under the club rules. Night fishing isn’t permitted either, with night defined as one hour after sunset until one hour before sunrise. Check conditions before travelling, as the club may close the water when river levels or conditions are unsuitable. Keep gates shut, take every bit of litter and line home, avoid unnecessary time out of the water, and remember that dogs, fires and fishing along the Hope and Anchor frontage are not permitted.

Good background reading. Most of it is a few years old, so treat it as a starting point and ask on the day.

Videos linked by the fishery

• Our read

  Checked Sept '26 — “Ross-on-Wye Angling Club’s Town Water is a cracking just-over-mile stretch of the River Wye, with day-ticket coarse fishing for a proper mix of river species. The club highlights larger barbel and pike, with Riverside Park access and a £10 bank-side day ticket.”

This is our own summary of recurring public feedback and the venue details we checked, not a copied customer review or a promise you’ll catch. Feedback changes, so we keep it separate from the Tackle Index score.