With a rich heritage of angling, Greater Manchester offers an abundance of day ticket coarse fisheries together with a large number of angling clubs and societies, many of which offer day ticket fishing on some of their waters.
In addition to these stillwater venues, a good number of which are lodges and reservoirs which fed local mills and factories with water, there are plenty of parks which offer fishing and, as is to be expected from its industrial past, plenty of canals. Improving water quality in its rivers also means that formerly heavily polluted rivers such as the Irwell are now seeing a revival, and with it increasing opportunities for fishing.
We have teamed up with Fisheries to bring you a list of the best places to go around Manchester. You should be able to find one in every area!
Here we look at 12 which are worth a visit.
Boggart Hole Clough
Part of a large woodland and urban country park in Blackley, Boggart Hole Clough offers day ticket fishing for carp to over 20lbs, decent sized tench and a good mix of silver fish to the north of Manchester. With parking nearby and disabled access, tickets are available from the on-site cafe.
Address: Boggart Hole Clough Park, Charlestown Road, Blackley M9 7DF
Bonemill Dam
Proving that size isn't everything, Bonemill Dam may only be small at about half an acre but it offers some good fishing in an attractive wooded setting with overhanging trees and lily pads. Suitable for disabled anglers, the water is stocked with bream, tench, perch and roach as well as carp averaging about 10lbs but running to 20lbs.
Address: Bonemill Dam, Hyde SK14 2QB
Bradshaw Hall Fisheries
To be found to the north of Bolton, Bradshaw Hall Fisheries is a well established and popular fishery with a total of nine lakes offering a mix of day and night ticket fishing set in more than 50 acres. All the waters are well stocked with a mix of carp and silver fish and there is an on-site cafe which serves food, drinks and refreshments throughout the week.
Address: Bradshaw Hall Fisheries, Slack Lane, off Bradshaw Road, Bradshaw, Bolton.
Chorlton Water Park
Run by the Chorlton Carp Anglers club and available on day ticket for fishing between 8.00am and dusk, the lake at Chorlton Water Park is part of an attractive nature reserve. Day tickets are available from the park office. The predominant species in the lake are carp which are caught to over 30lbs although there are a large number of small specimens in the lake.
Address: Chorlton Water Park, Off Maitland Avenue, Chorlton M21 7WH
Clifton Marina
Although it has a reputation as being a fairly hard water to fish, Clifton Marina is an attractive water with a good head of big fish including carp, tench, roach, perch and bream. Part of the Clifton Country Park, the water is available for fishing on day ticket from Salford City Council.
Address: Clifton Marina, Clifton House Road, Swinton M27 6NG
Debdale Lakes
Part of the 45-acre Debdale Park in Gorton, the angling at Debdale Lakes is run by the Debdale Angling Society and with fishing available on day ticket by advance purchasing only. Also known as Gorton Upper Reservoir, the water is well known for its decent head of coarse fish including bream to over 8lbs, good sized perch and pike to over 20lbs. There are toilet facilities and a cafe on site.
Address: Debdale Lakes, Hyde Rd, Manchester M18 7LJ
Gingham Fisheries
Gingham Fisheries on the outskirts of Horwich near Bolton comprises an old reservoir lodge with 27-pegs and a smaller seven-peg pond, both of which hold mirror, common and crucian carp as well as a good mix of silver fish. The carp run to just over 20lbs in the larger of the two waters. The fishery is open from 6.00am until dusk in summer with ticket moneys required to be paid with the correct change in the tick booth on site.
Address: Gingham Fisheries, Top of Gingham Brow, Horwich, Bolton BL6 6PJ
Kingsdown Flash
Offering some 40 pegs, about 18 of them suitable for disabled anglers, Kingsdown Flash in Abram near Wigan offers day ticket angling for a mix of silver fish and carp including tench, bream and crucians as well as commons and mirrors to over 20lbs.
Address: Kingsdown Flash, Abram, Wigan WN2 5XH
Moss Farm Fisheries
Moss Farm Fisheries in Irlam, Manchester, where you’ll discover six lakes totalling 25 acres. Five lakes are for pleasure and match fishing whilst the other is a members-only specimen lake holding a mix of carp between 10lbs and 30lbs. Membership is £50 to join and after that £20 a day to fish.
Address: Moss Farm, Cutnook Lane, Irlam M44 5NB.
Orrell Water Park
Run by Wigan Council, Orrell Water Park offers day ticket fishing with permits available from the on-site Madison's Cafe. A good mixed fishery suitable for anglers of all abilities, it offers carp to about 20lbs with a good head of double figure fish as well as a decent mix of silver fish including bream, roach, rudd and tench.
Address: Orrell Water Park, Lodge Road, Orell WN5 7AT
Scot Lane New Pond
Scot Lane New Pond is a relatively small but attractive 60-peg water which is popular with carp anglers and is available on the £45 a year Wigan and District AA card which covers about 18 waters in the North West. It comprises two ponds which are connected by a short canal.
Address: Scot Lane New Pond Fishing, Wigan WN6 7LA.
Sycamore Fisheries
Sycamore Fisheries is an attractive six lake family run venue offering pleasure, match and carp fishing on day ticket with ample car parking close to the waters. Day ticket money is collected on the bank and hot and cold drinks and confectionery are available at the onsite farm shop. Tel 07710 780864.
Alkrington AC has two attractive pools totalling 31 pegs on the old Alkrington Hall estate which dates back to 1212. To be found near Middleton to the north of Manchester the pools offer fishing for carp and silver fish.
Altrincham and District AC
Altrincham and District AC has a wealth of waters including a stretch of the River Dane and Boothsmere, a spectacular Cheshire mere of approximately 10 acres just outside Knutsford which holds carp over 31 lbs as well as tench to over 8lbs, large bream, roach, pike and perch.
Broughton AC
Broughton AC in Crumpsall, Manchester has four waters including Ashenhurst and Bowker in Higher Blackley, Whittlebrook in Walkden and Simister in Simister.
Bury District AS
Check out the Bury District AS if you want to go fishing in Bury near Manchester. The society currently offers six waters; Cromptons Lodge, Big and Little Carcus, Field Lodge, Island Lodge, and Cartwheel. Adult membership costs £50 with junior membership at £15. In addition, day ticket fishing is also available in all the valley waters except for Cromptons Lodge. Crompton’s Lodge offers five well-spaced bivvy pegs for day and night fishing. This lake is primarily carp waters and is described as medium difficulty. Little Carcus is the smallest lake located in Kirklees Valley. Field Lodge is a mixed fishery whilst Island Lodge is a medium-sized lake that is excellent for advanced anglers who want to challenge themselves.
Farnworth and District AS
Farnworth and District AS hold stretches of the River Irwell as well as Tommy Walkers, Gorse Pit and Dixon Green Reservoir. Contact Robert Fernhead on 07930 540639.
Heywood & District AS
Heywood & District AS is a family friendly club whose flagship water is Mutual Mills, a 24-peg mixed fish lake.
Radcliffe AS
Radcliffe AS has Starmount Lodges between Bolton and Bury, Redbridge Lodge and Armitage Vale Lodge at Breightmet and the two Redbank Lodges in Radcliffe.
Rochdale and District AS
Formed about 120 years ago, Rochdale and District AC has six waters including a carp lake with fish to 20lbs, a dedicated tench lodge and a trout fly-only water holding rainbows, browns and blues.
The Salford Friendly AS
The Salford Friendly AS is regarded as the world's oldest angling society and offers a free membership option to join what has become the River Irwell and its tributaries largest environmental lobbying group. The club has a number of still waters within the area and offers free fishing to encourage people to take up fishing as a pastime. All of these waters are located in Inner City Public Parks. Its venues include sections of the River Irwell, Salford Quays, Drinkwater Park, Dams Head Lodge,Secret Lake, Kingfisher Lake, Agecroft Pond and sections of the Rochdale Canal.
South Manchester Match AC
South Manchester Match AC is a friendly and competitive match fishing group which organises matches throughout the year for its members on some of the best venues in the North. All matches are on a Sunday and for six hours where venues allow.
Wigan and District AA
Founded more than 120 years ago by a group of miners and factory workers, Wigan and District AA offers a mix of fishing for members on lakes, canals and rivers with venues which include 13 stillwaters, two canals and three rivers.
