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Overview: The Match-Fishing River
The River Trent is 185 miles long, flowing from Staffordshire through Stoke, Burton, Nottingham, Newark and Gainsborough to the Humber Estuary. It is England's third longest river and arguably its most consistently productive coarse fishery — particularly for match anglers.
Massive shoals of bleak, roach, dace and skimmer bream support an equally impressive predator population, while the lower river holds Britain's most reliable barbel fishery with regular catches over 16 lb.
Best Species and Tactics
Barbel are the marquee. Pellet feeder, big boilies and rolling meat on heavy gear in the lower river (Collingham, Newark, Carlton-on-Trent, Gainsborough) produce double-figure fish nightly through summer.
Roach are legendary on the Trent — pole-fished hempseed and caster catch massive nets. Carp to 30 lb increasingly show up in the lower river. Pike, perch and zander all reach specimen sizes, and chub fishing at Burton-on-Trent and Shardlow is excellent.
Where to Fish the Trent
Lower Trent at Collingham, Carlton-on-Trent, Newark and Dunham Bridge is barbel headquarters. Middle Trent through Nottingham Embankment and Holme Pierrepont produces big roach and chub catches.
Upper Trent at Burton and Shardlow is narrower and chub-and-barbel focused. The tidal Trent below Cromwell Lock is the country's top zander and predator stretch, with eels, flounders and even sea trout mixed in.
Best Season to Fish
The coarse close season runs 15 March to 15 June. Opening day on 16 June is one of the most heavily fished days of the year on the Trent.
Barbel peak June-November. Roach and chub fish year-round, with pole-fishing matches running throughout winter when other rivers are unfishable. Pike season runs October to February. The river fishes well in mild winters.
Access, Permits and Regulations
Anglers aged 13 and over need an Environment Agency rod licence. Major controlling clubs include Nottingham AA, Lincoln & District AA, Newark Federation and Trent Valley AA. Day tickets are widely available at £6-£10.
Tackle shops in Newark, Nottingham, Gainsborough and Burton sell permits and provide current river reports. The Severn-Trent Water Authority maintains some access points along the towpaths and former canalised sections.
Nearby Spots Worth a Day Trip
The River Soar and River Derwent (Derbyshire) are major Trent tributaries with excellent chub, barbel and grayling. The Trent and Mersey Canal links the upper river to Stoke and offers easy roach and bream fishing.
The River Idle, joining the tidal Trent at Stockwith, holds big bream and pike. Lincolnshire's drains and the Witham River are an hour east and famous for tench, bream and pike.
Frequently Asked Questions
The English river coarse close season runs 15 March to 15 June inclusive. Coarse fishing reopens on 16 June. The opening day on the Trent is one of the most heavily fished days of the angling year.
The Trent has produced multiple barbel over 18 lb in recent seasons, with the river record around 20 lb. The Lower Trent between Collingham and Gainsborough is the most consistent stretch for double-figure fish on pellet feeder tactics.
Collingham, Carlton-on-Trent and Newark for barbel. Nottingham Embankment and Holme Pierrepont for roach and chub matches. Cromwell Weir downstream for zander and predators. Burton and Shardlow for upper-river chub and barbel.
Yes. The Trent holds excellent pike, perch and zander populations, especially below Cromwell Lock where the river becomes tidal. Lure fishing with jigs and softbaits is very popular and produces double-figure pike and 8 lb-plus zander.
Yes — an EA rod licence plus a club or day-ticket permit are required. Nottingham AA, Lincoln DAA and Newark Federation cover much of the river. Day tickets cost £6-£10 and are sold by local tackle shops and bailiffs on the bank.