With lakes, ponds and rivers with many tributaries or even the odd reservoir with fish such as carp, perch and roach and a large coast line
bordering the North Sea, you can see why Essex is the perfect county to consider when planning a relaxing and pleasurable fishing trip.
The Rivers Chelmer
& Blackwater running through the town of Chelmsford are a known angler's hotspot for their course Fishing in Essex. Although often known as 'The Canal', the
Chelmer & Blackwater are for most of their length classed as canalised rivers and as such are subject to the closed season regulated by the Environment Agency,
from whom a rod licence is required to fish the waterways. Species caught here include roach, bream, tench, chub, perch, pike, dace, barbell and carp to over 30
lbs.
If the challenge of the sea is more to your liking, you can find a wide range of charter boats offering angling trips from the many ports along the Essex
coast. Professional skippers will take either individual fishermen or groups of sea anglers on all day fishing trips to fish for bass, cod, plaice, conger eels, shark and
many other species of fish found around the cost of Great Britain.
Back on dry land you will find that Hanningfield Reservoir, built in the 1950s, offers some of
the most picturesque Fishing in Essex. The reservoir is the second largest in Essex and when full holds approximately 26, 075 million litres of water. The reservoir
stocks 50, 000 fish each year and the record for the biggest fish caught to date stands at 24lb 1oz and was landed by John Hammond in 1998. Hanningfield reservoir
is also a great place to fish for rainbow trout, which are regularly stocked.
Turn off the A12 at Kelvedon and follow the signs to Tiptree and you will discover
Brookhall Lake. This 50 peg, 4 acre site situated in the beautiful Essex countryside is heavily stocked with bream, carp, tench and roach. The venues match record
was recently broken in a club match with 252lb of carp to 14lb from peg 30.
So if you are considering Fishing in Essex, we think you will find our counties
waterways have enough diversity to challenge anyone, from the amateur angler to club matchmen and even the "speci" boys.
