Where to Fish

Popular Locations

Leicester Mile Straight

Location:

This city centre stretch of the canalised river soar is best accessed via Upperton Road bridge or Newarke Street bridge. Parking is limited to Western and Eastern Boulevards where parking fees may apply.

Fishing is from the concrete embankment stretching from Leicester City FC, down past Newark street bridge

Species:

Famous for its bream and carp fishing in the 1970s due to the hot water outfall from the now demolished power station, this section sees very little angling these days, but contains a good mixture of coarse fish including roach, bream, tench, carp etc.

Top Tips:

Bridges are well known fish holding spots, especially in winter and at times of bright sunshine and clear water.

Aylestone Riverside Park

Location:

This section is well signposted off the A426 Lutterworth Road heading towards Leicester. The Riverside park has a Free designated car park available to anglers and other riverside users.

Species:

A few hundred yards above the lock, there are some conker trees on the far bank and this is a well known chub area. Roach, perch and other species are also present.

Top Tips:

Below the lock is a small section known as the ‘Dead Arm’ due to the backwater near Aylestone Road taking the flow out of the canal for a few hundred yards. This section can be particularly good when the canalised river Soar above is carrying flood water.

Canal Street Bridge

Location:

Access to Canal Street Bridge is via Granby Road, just off the A426 Lutterworth Road. There is ample parking close to Saint Andrews Football Club.

Species:

Most coarse fish can be found in this section, with an increasing number of dace and chub due to the confluence of the river Soar at Kings Lock.

Top Tips:

The chub average 3lbs, but specimens in excess of 5lbs have been caught in matches. Look for over-hanging trees, bushes and tree roots if you want to target the chub specifically.

Kings Lock

Location:

There is a free car park adjacent to Kings Lock at the bottom of Marsden Lane off the A426 Lutterworth Road.

Immediately below Kings Lock is where the River Soar enters the Grand Union Canal (GUC) and its at this point that the GUC becomes the canalised River Soar. The Environment Agency does not allow fishing on the canalised river Soar from 15th March to 15th June inclusive. Above Kings lock, anglers are permitted to fish year round.

Species:

Above Kings Lock, there is a real mixture of species to be caught including roach, bream, tench and perch. Below the lock and due to the confluence of the river Soar, additional species like dace and chub can also be caught.

Top Tips:

Below Kings Lock, you are effectively fishing a small river, so look to fish near known fish holding areas such as over-hanging trees as well as in the main flow of the river.

Blaby

Location:

Access and parking is on New Bridge Road just on the outskirts of Blaby via the A426. This location also provides access for anglers looking to fish the ‘County Arms’ section of the canal between Blaby and Glen Parva.

Species:

Roach, skimmer bream and Perch are the most popular species to be caught. Carp and tench can also put in an appearance as can the odd chub.

Top Tips:

In the winter months when boat traffic is minimal, fish can often be found in the middle of the canal in the ‘boat track’ where the water is deeper.

Glen Parva

Location:

This large section can be accessed at several points with the most popular being close to the Manor Pub and Restaurant on the Little Glen Rd between Blaby and Glen Parva. Parking is on the slip road adjacent to the Manor Pub.

Species:

Roach and skimmer bream are the main species on this section, but make sure your tackle is up to handling the odd bonus tench and carp!

Top Tips:

Bread, both punched and in small flakes is a great and cheap all year round bait that catches most fish and in particular the roach and bream in the Autumn/Winter months.

Crow Mills

Location:

This popular section is just a few minutes drive from South Wigston on the Countesthorpe Road. There is a designated free car park (height restrictions apply).

Species:

This section is best known for its prolific tench fishing, although it also contains a good mixture of most coarse species including carp. If you are looking to target the tench, then fish early or late in the day close to features like over-hanging bushes and reed beds.

Kilby Bridge

Location:

Access is near to the Navigation Inn Pub on the A5199 approx 2 miles south of Wigston. Parking is on the grass verge on both sides of the A5199 (do not park in the pub car park).

Species:

A mixture of coarse fish, including roach, bream, perch and tench. This section of the canal benefited some years ago from the stocking of several thousand small carp by British Waterways. Since this time, these fish have thrived with fish now in excess of 20lbs being caught.

Top Tips:

If you can put-up with the boat traffic, check out the turning basin just down from the pub where there is a large resident shoal of bream.

River Soar & Canalised River Soar Mill Lane, Thurmaston

Location:

This stretch of the River Soar and canalised River Soar in Thurmaston offers good access at the end of Mill Lane off of the old Melton Road in Thurmaston (LE4 8BD). Park in the public car park and cross the small footbridge over the canalised River Soar and fish from the towpath side only.

Species:

Roach, Dace, Bream and Perch are the main species. Chub can also show along this stretch which runs all along the back of Watermead County Park. This stretch is also popular with predator anglers targeting Pike and Perch.

Top Tips:

Access to this stretch can also be made via Watermead Country Park (parking charges may apply) or the bridge on Wanlip Road near to the Hope and Anchor Pub.
IMPORTANT: Please note that that the Environment Agency (EA) River Close season does not apply on this stretch from the overflow weir at Watermead Park South through to Wreake Junction only.

Canalised River Soar Meadow Lane, Syston

Location:

Limited parking before and after the bridge on Meadow Lane adjacent to the Old Junction Boatyard (LE7 1NR).

Species:

Roach, Perch, Dace

Top Tips:

Great area to target silver fish in the winter with bread punch and other small baits like maggots, worms and casters.
IMPORTANT: No fishing at any time on the boat moorings opposite the Old Junction Boat Yard. The EA river close season rules apply to this stretch from the point where the river Wreake joins the canalised river Soar at Wreak Junction (below the Old Junction Boat Yard).

River Soar, Cossington

Location:

Access to this stretch is via the side of the road bridge over the River Soar on Syston Road near to Cossington Mill. There is limited parking on Mill Lane off Syston Rd (LE7 4UZ). Wigston A.S. control the fishing rights both upstream and downstream of the road bridge including the Weir Pool which is highly regarded for its Chub, Barbel and Bream fishing. To access the main downstream section of the River Soar, walk along the towpath immediately below the road bridge to where the lock cutting meets the main river.

Species:

This stretch offers excellent fishing for all river species including Chub, Dace, Barbel Bream and Perch.

Top Tips:

There are only a limited number of pegs (approx. 8 pegs downstream of the lock cutting (no fishing below “Private” gate upstream of Rothley Brook and 3 pegs in/downstream of the weir pool before the road bridge) and the stretch is sometime booked for matches, so please visit the Wigston A.S. Facebook page and check for signs before fishing. Upstream of the Weir Pool and Lock gates the river is much deeper and slower with plenty of places to fish from.

IMPORTANT: EA River Close Season rules apply. No night Fishing allowed on any Wigtson A.S. controlled waters.

River Soar, Sileby

Location:

Fishing from the left-hand bank (facing downstream) above Sileby Mill Lock only.
Access is via Mill Lane near Sileby Mill Boatyard (LE12 7UX) where there is very limited (3 cars max) roadside parking on Mill Lane. No parking allowed in the Boat Yard and please do not block any access points.

Species:

Roach, Dace, Chub, Bream, Perch & Pike

Top Tips:

Due to the very limited parking, this stretch would suit roving anglers carrying minimal amounts of equipment and is popular with anglers targeting species like Chub, Perch and Pike

IMPORTANT: EA River Close season rules apply.
Wigston A.S. fishing from left hand bank (facing downstream) upstream only of Sileby Mill lock.

Over 25 miles of great fishing on the GUC, canalised River Soar and River Soar in Leicestershire