Weir Permits

[fatboy]

Can anyone confirm whether it is still possible to obtain weir permits on the Thames? I know they used to be available from Thames Water (at their Vastern Rd offices in Reading). I have checked the TW web site but nothing there.

If anyone has got one (or had one recently), what is the access like to the weirs? i.e. bankside or boat? Is access also restricted by the need for a lock keeper to be present etc?

Thanks in advance


Chris

[scorpio]

If you have a boat you don't need a weir permit to fish the weirs. The only downfall is that you can only fish the hours the lock keeper is there that restricts you.

I used to fish the weirs every year but came back to RMC after a break.

There are some cracking fish in the weirs, especially from Reading upstream.

I am not sure if they are still available but if they are go for it.

Tony

[Tom]

Chris,

The address that you need is:
Fisheries Department,
Environment Agency,
PO Box 214,
Reading,
RG1 8HQ

If you write to them they will send you a permit application - otherwise just pop down to your local lock and ask the lock keeper for an application form - he should have one if there is fishing availble at that site.

I have had a permit for the last four years and I think it's pretty good value. This years ticket costs £21.60 for a years fishing on 18 different sites - the only downside to it all is that you are restricted to fishing lock keepers hours which means no early starts and the latest that you can fish to is 8pm. The permit covers bankside access and you can fish from some of the walkways over the weirs.
The weirs provide some of the very best fishing during the summer and some of them still remain quite fishable during the winter floods.
I'm not sure if all of the sites will be availble for fishing on the 16th though - I got a letter the other day from the EA saying that they have reopened Bell, Penton Hook, Shepperton & Molesey but were not sure if the others would be open for the 16th.

Hope some of this is of help,
Tom

[fatboy]

Tom, Scorpio

Apologies for not getting back sooner, just got back from a weeks hols and then had to catch up on the work thing.

Many thanks for the information.

The weirs close to me are on the Henley to Staines stretch, and if I remember correctly, some of those are covered by the permit.

I think the idea of a boat is great, getting you to the right area so you can trot down the flow or into slack water etc. Not sure if I can convince the ball and chain that the outlay is beneficial, especially as the plastic has taken a pounding recently on replacing some worn out kit. Maybe next season.....

At the end of the day, the price of the ticket is very reasonable and the variety of species you can potentially catch makes it seem quite worthwhile.

Thanks again

Chris

[scorpio]

A boat without a doubt is the way to go, you do have to have a permit to have a boat on the Thames I do believe but anchoring against the islands and trotting down on almost unfished sections is very prolific indeed. If you can afford it get a boat, if not save up for it, it's definately the way to go.

Tony