Stratford Upon Avon Angling Association
Stratford Canal
Stratford AA Members can fish some stretches of the canal with a membership, the water is held by a private fishing club .A.D.D.A.C available stretches include Bishopton Lane (To bridge 50) / Timothys Bridge Road and Birmingham Road.
Stratford Canal - Bishopton Lane
Bishopton bridge to Lock 50, the stretch of canal up to lock 50 is controlled by a local angling club called A.D.D.A.C you will need a licence or a day ticket to fish the water but if you have a Stratford Angling Association membership you can fish the canal.
There are plenty of fish in this canal, with all the usual suspects Bream and plenty of silvers and a considerable zander presence, there is also the bonus of Carp that can run to 20lb plus, on the right day you should not be surprised to nab a double figure fish from this stretch.
Stratford Canal - Timothys Bridge Road to Birmingham Road
Back in the day the stretch of canal running from Timothy's Bridge Road off the masons road industrial area towards the town centre was so popular if you didn't get there before 6pm in the midweek you struggled to get a swim, nowadays it doesn't get fished much at all but it should as it is full of fish, again this stretch is controlled by a local angling club A.D.D.A.C.
This whole stretch has been had a path laid which makes it into a bit of a thoroughfare but first thing and at dusk its a great place to fish, Tench come out at dawn and dusk and there are plenty of carp and everything else. 40 years ago the Stratford Canners ran along the canal here and the lights from the plant lit up the canal so you could fish well into the night. These days those factories are no longer there and if you walk approx half a mile from Timothys bridge to the Birmingham Road you will find a premier inn hotel right on the canal towpath with a carpark which is pay and display.
Directions & Parking
Bishopton Lane CV37 9QY, there is no on road parking close to the canal bridge, there is a park & ride car park 300 yards away next to the railway station where you can park.
Non Fishy Facts
The Stratford upon Avon end of the canal (the southern end) was started in 1793 and completed around 20 years later, used primarily for transporting coal right up until the 1930s where it fell in decline and disrepair eventually being taken over by the National Trust who used a combination of volunteers, the army and prisoner inmates to restore the canal and in 1964 it was reopened by The Queen Mother. In 1988, the National Trust handed the Southern Stratford-upon-Avon Canal to the canal and river trust who do sterling work today to make the canal a very well managed and cared for environment.
If you fish the canal toward the Birmingham Road end you can nip over to the Mcdonalds which has recently been built right by the side of the canal, if you stay at the premier in on Birmingham Road (The Waterways, Birmingham Road, Stratford Upon Avon CV37 0AZ) you can use the pay and display car park attached to the hotel at £5 - £6 per day its literally next to the towpath.
