River Medway Below Flood Barrier — New Cut, Long Reach, Shallows and Bungalows

River level

The lowdown

• The New Cut was made when the flood barrier was built, straightening the river. It has steep, man-made banks, so it feels more engineered than pretty — but it fishes.
• Bream bags over 40lb are described as quite common in the New Cut. That’s a fair old haul, especially when the shoals settle in.
• The New Cut also holds roach, occasional chub and barbel. Barbel run from roughly 1lb to 8lb, with a reported best of 15lb 2oz.
• Long Reach is a nicer-looking bit, with a towpath on one side and wooded banks on the other. Bream to 30lb are common, with a reported 70lb bag.
• Long Reach produces roach and chub to waggler and feeder tactics. Summer brings loads of bleak, so expect plenty of baitfish activity in the warmer months.
• There are large pike and perch along the margins. Deadbaits are the obvious winter ploy, particularly when the water has a bit of colour and the predators are on the munch.
• The Shallows holds roach, perch and chub, with occasional bream. When the main river is in spate, it can provide seriously large catches.
• Winter pike fishing is described as excellent, with fish over 25lb recorded. A sturgeon of 8lb 11oz was also previously caught from the fishery — a proper cheeky surprise.
• The fishery includes the Bungalows below Lucifer Bridge, but night fishing isn’t allowed there. Fishing is generally dawn to dusk unless you hold a Platinum permit.

Methods: For bream, feeder work and waggler fishing are the key approaches, with roach and chub responding well on Long Reach. In winter, switch to deadbaits for pike and work the margins for perch; barbel are the bonus when the flow is right.

Access & tickets

Day tickets are obtainable on the bank from society bailiffs. The standard river and lake day ticket costs £10 for one or two rods.

Fish the club names

barbel, bream, carp, chub, eel, perch, pike, roach, rudd, tench, zander, carp

Key rules

• The river close season runs from 15 March to 15 June inclusive.
• Day tickets are valid only on designated day-ticket waters, from gate opening until one hour before country-park gate closing time.
• Dogs are prohibited on society waters.
• Fishing from boats or bridges is prohibited.
• Bait boats are prohibited on all society waters.
• Baited rods must not be left unattended.
• The society asks anglers not to use keepnets during warm summer months.

Where it is