Staines Bridge to Teddington Lock — ALL FREE (16 miles)

River level

The lowdown

• This is a long open-access reach rather than one enclosed fishery, so the feel changes from site to site. Handy if you fancy exploring, less handy if you want everything laid on a plate.
• The advertised stretch runs from Staines Bridge to Teddington Lock — roughly 16 miles of the non-tidal River Thames.
• Fishing is only allowed where you have legitimate public bank access. That bit matters. Free fishing doesn’t mean every bit of riverbank is fair game.
• There’s no separate day ticket identified for the publicly accessible banks, and no season-ticket price because this fishing is free.
• The reach crosses two very different administrative areas: Surrey and Greater London. Access, parking and local restrictions can vary at each public riverside site.
• The Lower Thames is described as a major coarse fishery. Official Thames material reports bleak, chub, perch, roach, gudgeon and dace, and says the river can produce virtually any freshwater species.
• The coarse-fish close season runs from 15 March to 15 June inclusive. Outside that period, check the current rules and any local restrictions before setting up.
• This is ordinary freshwater fishing upstream of Teddington Lock. Locks and weirs are a separate matter, with extra Environment Agency rules and a dedicated permit needed at designated sites.
• The Thames byelaws prohibit gorge bait. Fish must also be weighed as close as possible to the point of capture, with national and regional rod-fishing byelaws applying too.
• We're not sure on ticket prices for this one — check with the club or local regulations before you leave.

Methods: It’s a proper coarse-fishing river, but no single method or set of swims is specified for the whole 16-mile reach. Pick your publicly accessible bank carefully and check the current restrictions before fishing.

Access & tickets

Buy the current Environment Agency River Thames lock-and-weir permit. Abingdon is one of the listed sites covered, and anglers must show the permit to the lock keeper on arrival if the site is locked. The EA lock office number is 01235 522 061.

Fish the club names

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

Named by Environment Agency across its waters, not for this stretch on its own.

Key rules

• Fishing is only permitted where the angler has legitimate public bank access.
• A valid England rod fishing licence is required, even where fishing is free.
• The Thames coarse-fish close season is 15 March to 15 June inclusive.
• Fishing in Environment Agency locks and weirs is excluded from the ordinary free-bank arrangement.
• A separate Environment Agency lock-and-weir fishing permit is required at designated lock and weir sites.
• Thames byelaws prohibit gorge bait.
• Fish must be weighed as close as possible to the point of capture.
• National and regional rod-fishing byelaws apply.

Where it is