Aberechan & Penarth — BAA

River level

The lowdown

• This is a varied bit of Severn rather than a one-note channel. You’ve got shallow runs, deeper glides and a weir pool to pick apart.
• The fishing is on the left bank, and BAA says access is good. That makes it easier to move around and find the crease when conditions change.
• The main access and parking are in a field beside Aberbechan Bridge. The approach is from the A483 between Welshpool and Newtown.
• The gate is locked, so don’t turn up without the code. It’s supplied on your BAA membership card — simple enough, but an easy one to forget.
• Upstream of the BAA car park, use the canal towpath. A gate beside a derelict lock-keeper’s cottage gives access to the upper Aberbechan section.
• A riverside path runs upstream towards Penarth Weir. There’s also a short section below Bechan Brook and the Plant Yard, reached via the towpath.
• For tactics, the shallower runs look made for a tidy trot when the flow is right. The deeper glides and weir pool are natural feeder or leger water, especially when there’s a bit of colour.
• Salmon are taken here each year, but every salmon caught must go straight back under the stated Natural Resources Wales emergency byelaw.
• Giant hogweed is present alongside the river, particularly upstream near Penarth Weir. Take care around the banks and stick to sensible access routes.
• Night fishing is prohibited, so this one is strictly a daylight job. There’s over a mile to explore, though, so plenty of scope for a proper wander.

Methods: Match the method to the flow: trot the shallow runs, or work a feeder and leger through the deeper glides and weir pool. Keep mobile and look for the crease between steady water and pace.

Access & tickets

Get BAA membership online, by telephone or by post; the 2026 membership year runs from 1 January to 31 December. Under-13 membership is free, and night permits must be bought separately in advance from BAA headquarters.

Fish the club names

carp, chub, pike

Key rules

• All salmon caught must be returned under the stated Natural Resources Wales emergency byelaw.
• Night fishing is prohibited.
• The access gate is locked; the lock code is supplied on the BAA membership card.
• Fishing is subject to BAA association bye-laws and the appropriate Environment Agency licence.
• Giant hogweed is present alongside the river, especially upstream near Penarth Weir; take care around the banks.

Where it is