Despite being a born and bred Londoner, when I was a kid my dad used to take me fishing. A lot. As I grew up I would take myself on the bus from Fulham to Kingston and happily pull out all manner of small fish – and the occasional eel. Over the years, I have taken my own kids fishing – albeit usually in a warmer climate with much bigger fish – but there’s still a lot of fun to be had fishing in and around London.
Near to where we live is Crane Park, with a river that winds from Feltham and through to Twickenham. For real tiddlers (kids and fish) a net and some paddling suffices as they don’t need a rod until they are a bit bigger. Remember that sticklebacks and minnows (and water beetles and caddis flies) are fascinating to kids. I remember my son’s face when he caught his first fish on a line – it was a decent sized Tench.
A couple of weeks ago, I took a friend’s eight year old son on the train to Windsor. Windsor and Eton Riverside train station is practically next to the river so it’s only a short walk before you set up. There are public loos at the station too. A day pass from the ranger costs £5. Further details available from http://oldwindsorac.webs.com/fisheries.htm and http://www.total-fishing.com/fisheries/river-thames-windsor)
It was his first fishing experience. We talked about fishing on the journey there – and what was in his packed lunch. By the time we had set up his rod and the rain shelter (a good investment for £20 – and it adds to the adventure) it had started to rain. Heavily. He was perplexed but intrigued when his first catches were fresh water mussels. He mastered casting quickly – with only one tree snagging - and landed his first small Roach within about 30 minutes. Phew! His face was a picture – there’s something deeply satisfying about catching your own fish – even if you can’t eat them. The trouble with the short attention spans of small people and early successes is that they are unlikely to want to linger long on a cold, wet river bank. But no doubt he will join me again soon (I have a mental note to pick a sunny day next time).
Interestingly, this adventure prompted my teen daughter to ask if she could come next time. Mind you, she had thoroughly enjoyed some river fishing we managed in America on our holidays this year. I've explained that the fish here might not be quite so big...
To fish on London rivers you need a licence. These can be purchased at any Post Office or online http://www.postoffice.co.uk/rod-fishing-licence - a day licence costs from £3.75, an 8 day licence is £10 and for a year is £27. Kids (over 12) licences cost £5. You should note that the fishing season closes between 5 March and 15 June.
There are other great places to fish. I chatted to some young lads recently who were trying to catch some fabulous carp in Bushy Park – note that you need a separate licence for the Royals Parks (e.g. Hampton Court and Bushy Park - http://www.hrp.org.uk/HamptonCourtPalace/planyourvisit/sportandleisure The cost of a permit is £27 per year for an adult, and £13.50 for concessions or children (under 12)).
Some people may worry about the cost of the kit – and while you can invest a lot a simple starter pack (rod, reel, line, hooks, floats, weights) can cost as little as £20 from your local fishing tackle store or even Amazon. It’s a brilliant idea for a Christmas present. And if the kids are in the Cubs or Brownies, they can earn a badge for fishing. A box of bait (maggots or worms) costs a few pounds but it can be fun digging up your own or experimenting with food stuffs. Don’t forget the hand wipes if you intend to feed your youngsters while enjoying your fishing!
And yes, we always let the unharmed fish back once they have been caught!
