At Swarkestone our fishing starts a few hundred yards above the bridge on the Melbourne (south) bank.
Access to the section is good with parking on the bank above the Bridge and a locked access track downstream of the Bridge.

Above the bridge the river is deep and slow, the main species being roach, perch, bream, plus a few carp and barbel. If the river is high the pegs just above the bridge are usually fishable.

1. Area above Swarkestone Bridge

Below the Bridge the River is more varied with shallower faster gravel runs and riffles, and produces good catches of roach, dace, chub and barbel particularly during the summer months.

2. Gravels below Swarkestone Bridge

The section below the Bridge regularly produces double figure barbel.

The swims in the 1st and 2nd fields downstream are ~4-6 feet deep with a gravel bottom and are ideal for either barbel or stick / waggler fishing for silver fish.


For further views of the section click the pictures below: