Angling is often seen as much more of a summer activity. You get to enjoy a nice day by a tranquil river or lake with the chance to reel in a decent-sized fish. Given the spells of waiting for the reel to scream, it makes sense that you’d want to be out in the sun with as little potential discomfort as possible.
However, such is the popularity of fishing in Britain right now that many are expected to continue to cast a line in these winter months. While claiming to have braved the winter weather as an angler can certainly be inspiration enough, the differing challenges that the fish present because of the climate tends to be the main drive.
That said, it’s difficult to overlook the rise in prominence of fishing beyond the waterways. Angling’s not seen as a dull pastime anymore, with catching fish beside some superb rivers being an exciting prospect to a growing crowd regardless of the time of year. So, where can these inspired anglers cast a line in Gloucestershire?
Fishing Becomes the Centrepiece of Entertainment
In England and Wales, it’s said that there are nearly 2.3 million coarse anglers, 840,000 game anglers, and 1.1 million sea anglers. That’s a hefty audience of participants in an activity, but far more than this count is regularly seeking out and tuning in to entertainment that’s based around fishing.
While there have been more bombastic outings run riot on our TVs before, the grounded and more cheery Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing has proven itself to be just as popular. It doesn’t have the mystery or challenge of a River Monsters or Extreme Fishing, but makes angling look very enjoyable and accessible.
While TV shows have been a home for popular fishing entertainment for quite some time, the shows don’t tend to be framed as the must-watch options compared to their contemporaries. In a different corner of entertainment, fishing is the ultimate theme that people continue to seek in all its forms.
In the world of online slots, there’s an outright fishing frenzy. Among the most popular slots, you’ll invariably find a fishing-themed game in the mix. Top of the charts tends to be the game that introduced the headline fishing feature, Fishin’ Frenzy, but the popularity of the format has flooded the selection with unique takes on the theme.
Casting a Line in a Wintery Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is teeming with incredible locations to cast a line, regardless of the time of year. Of course, the approach to these locations does need to be tweaked in the winter. This includes testing the ground before setting up your rod and being sure to not overfeed the waterway, as fish don’t require as much food in the cold.
The rivers and lakes of the Cotswolds are, naturally, of massive appeal. For this, Cotswold Water Park is likely your best choice. The carp, roach, bream, tench, and even pike are there in strong numbers and good sizes. For some night fishing and a shot at the carp sizing over 40lbs, Forest Carp Lake in Coleford is your best choice.
Gloucestershire has also gained a reputation for producing particularly large zander. In 2023, one weighing 18lb 14oz was reeled in from the Gloucester Canal. The record still stands at 21lb 5oz in the UK, which was landed from the River Severn in 2007.
Fishing is having a moment in British entertainment, and that’s helping to encourage more anglers to experience the challenges of winter fishing in the superb fisheries of Gloucestershire.