Sitting just south of the rolling hills of the Cotswolds and its freshwater lakes, Swindon is perfectly situated to make the most of a relaxed but challenging summer of angling.
Having picked up a lot of momentum over the last few years, the Angling Times says that the nation’s fisheries are now worth some £1.7 billion to the economy each year, owing to avid anglers casting their lines out throughout the summer months.
This year might just see angling creep up again in popularity as those who enjoyed the days on the lakes and rivers last year induct new fishers. Or, of course, you may have caught the fishing bug last year and are now plotting many more trips to local waterways in 2024. In preparation for this, we’re delving into what Swindon has to offer local anglers and why fishing has come roaring back as a popular hobby, pastime, and sport.
Fishing in Swindon
Before we delve into the idyllic locations to fish close to Swindon, first, you’ll need to renew your licence. There are eight kinds of fishing licences relevant to local fishing in Swindon that are available from the government. Split into categories of duration and number of rods, you can get licenses for one day, eight days, 12 months, an over 66 or disabled 12-month, or a 12-month junior licence for two or three-rod trout and coarse fishing.
With the highest price being £53.70 for a three-rod trout and coarse license lasting 12 months, it’s not an overly expensive mandatory part of going angling. With that sorted, you can head down to the best fishing stores in town. There’s ADDIKTCARPING, Hinders Bait Store, Angling Direct, and Wiltshire Angling. All are very well-reviewed, and you browse their websites before visiting in most cases.
Finally, you now get to pick where you’ll fish. Coate Water is a big favourite. Opening in June, the Swindon Council website lists tickets and permits to fish here as being around £9 for a bankside day ticket up to £323 for a 24-hour season permit that allows overnight camping. You could also venture a bit further out to the carp-loaded Lake Pochard, Ivy House Lakes in Chippenham, or Thames Valley’s Orchid Lakes down towards Oxford.
Surging popularity of fishing
Of course, much of fishing’s resurgence is owed to the specific experience it granted at the turn of the decade, but it’s held up strongly since. It probably helps that entertainment media has produced some very popular fishing content in recent years. You could look to the likes of River Monsters, Extreme Fishing, or Monster Carp on TV or the ever-popular series of fishing slot games at casinos like Jackpot City.
Big Bass Bonanza, Big Bass Splash, and Big Bass: Secrets of the Golden Lake are invariably sitting among the best slots, while new ones continue to expand the range. Big Bass Splash even hit the random cash drops suite to enhance its appeal. Still, for the more seasoned anglers, the joys of fishing go beyond entertainment and the thrill of getting a fish on the end of a line – be it digitally or by the waterways.
Angling offers that almost unique blend of fitness, mindfulness, and general health all in one. The sport itself requires you to be alert and burst into action to activate your limbs, core, back, and shoulders, while the peace between reel screams lets you enjoy other hobbies or enter a kind of meditative state. On top of this, being out in nature delivers countless benefits to all aspects of your health – especially on a nice sunny day.
This summer’s going to present another golden opportunity for fishing in and around Swindon, so even if you’ve never cast out before, 2024 looks to be the best time to gear up and get started.
