Residents across Tameside get the benefit of being relatively close to a vast river that’s teeming with different fish to catch. Recently given a huge boost, now, the River Tame is among the best for recreational anglers in the country. Better still, getting to the right spots and ensuring that you’re clear to fish has become much easier.
So, how about casting a line this winter? Well, naturally, it’ll be rather cold most days, with the wind, rain, and overcast weather often deterring anglers from the River Tame’s banks. Yet, winter presents a distinct challenge and opportunity to land personal bests that exceed regular summer catches and even iconic predator fish.
Where to Fish the River Tame in Tameside
The River Tame meanders its way from the northeast of the borough with a slight south-western leaning. It flows through Mossley, down to Stalybridge, sharply looping over and to the west of Dukinfield, southwards to split Denton and Hyde, and then cutting further west to eventually trail into Stockport.
There’s a lot of the River Tame to fish, but to go about any form of angling in the UK, the minimum requirement is a rod licence from the government website. After that, you then need to consider if the spot you want to fish is a rented location, a private fishery, or under the watch of the Canal River Trust.
On the former, you’ll want to make contact with the owners of that stretch of water, be it a club or a private landowner. From there, you should be able to book yourself in for a set number of rods and a day or night of angling. On the latter, you’ll need a different kind of licence that has helped to streamline River Tame fishing.
By going to the Canal River Trust website, you can use their map to find out where you can fish the waterways overseen by the authority. Use the search function to find a place in Tameside, such as Hyde, and then it’ll show the River Tame colour-coded. The yellow stretches from Dukinfield down to Marple and west to Beswick require a Waterway Wanderers licence directly from the CRT.
Thrilling Fish to Catch on the River Tame this Winter
Fishing can be a wonderfully exciting activity, with the build-up of anticipation followed by the battle and, hopefully, the catch. It’s inspired a great many action-themed shows like River Monsters, as well as a lake’s worth of fishing-themed games. Chief among them is the Big Bass series, which features prominently among the myriad of slot bonus and promotion offers online.
It’s because of this draw of fishing, be it an adventure into the Amazonian rainforest or hitting fish symbols hoping for cash prizes, that winter has a particularly unique appeal to anglers. In the summer, catching the hungry fish is relatively easy, but the clear skies certainly help the most challenging fish to discern bait from prey.
In the winter, these fish – particularly the predators – aren’t as hungry due to the cold, generally speaking, but don’t get as much help from above due to the poor weather. As such, trying to catch northern pike and trout becomes the focus on the River Tame. Many pike continue to hunt in the winter, while trout prefer the cold anyway.
Having bulked up in the summer months anyway, northern pike can’t help but strike minnows or even artificial lures during hard-water season, while trout remain active thanks to their excellent metabolisms. Towards the end of last winter, the Environment Agency also restocked the river with dace, chub, and roach, numbering 4,000. Naturally, this will continue to benefit predatory fish and anglers alike through to this winter.
So, if you’re up for the challenge of winter fishing on the River Tame, be sure to check the CRT map and be ready to reel in hefty trout or perhaps a lively pike!