Top 10 Places to Take Your Child Fishing

This summer holidays, why not give fishing a try? It is a great pass time to spend some quality time with your child whilst teaching them about nature and great skill. If you are struggling to find somewhere that is child-friendly, this is the guide for you. 

Things to Know Before You Go

Adults should always supervise a child when fishing at any venue.

Adults or Parents will require a rod licence to fish but Children under 13 do not need a licence.

Licences for children aged between 13 and 16 are free but you’ll still need to get a junior licence.

Remember to pick up Angling Direct’s Free Whip Kits! (whilst stocks and promotion lasts)

Read more; Get Kids Fishing 2021 - FREE Whip Kit Offer 

Tips For Fishing With Kids

Keep the Fishing Simple - Select easy tackle, bait and methods to use as well as easy fish to catch, even if this means tiny catches.  

Stick to Short Sessions - A Kids attention span tends to be small so little fishing trips on day ticket venues may be best until they seem more interested in the pass time.

Shelter and Protection - Brolly or bivvy, make sure there is some shade for your kids as well as kitting them out with protective fishing clothing, hat, sunglasses and of course sun cream.

Fishing Snacks - Keep up the enthusiasm of angling with regular food breaks, whether its homemade sandwiches or a bacon bap cooked at the bankside.

Patience is Key - As the adult, expect to be sorting tangles, adding bait to hooks and the excitement that every fish pull may give to your young angler. As you both wait for action, teach the child fishing knots, let them smell the different bait flavours or even share fun facts about fish, birds or your surrounded nature.

For more fishing with junior angler tips, see our related blogs here:

A Beginner’s Guide for Junior Anglers – Tips for Parents 

Top 10 Tips for Taking Your Child Fishing 

10 Kid-Friendly Fishing Venues

1) Rushmoor Lakes

The Rushmoor Lakes are a great day ticket fishery for all types of angler, ranging from the novice to the more mature angler and kids are welcome. There are 2 lakes to choose from; Pintree Specimen lake and the Kingfisher Lake. Both are catch and release and the tickets are sold bankside with parent and child tickets available.

County: Surrey

Contact: Website or ritajelley@yahoo.co.uk

Stock: The lakes are stock with a variety of species from roach, perch, to superb stock of carp and chub.

Facilities: Disable access pegs.

2) Waldegraves Holiday Park Fishing Lakes

Waldegraves Holiday Parks has 4 lakes on offer that stock a variety of coarse fish and is the ideal fishing venue for the whole family. The venue is managed by a permanent fishing warden so that the fish and their environments are maintained to the highest standard. There is also sea fishing available from the Park’s beach and tackle and bait for both freshwater and sea angling are available from The Wheatgrain shop at Waldegraves.

County: Essex

Contact: Website or email: holidays@waldegraves.co.uk 

Stock: Carp, Sturgeon, Bream, Tench, Roach, Rudd, Perch and Gudgeon

Facilities: There is accommodation on site, food and drink establishments plus disabled facilities.

3) Cobbleacre Park

A scenic fishing site settled in the heart of Norfolk, Cobbleacre Park is a family-friendly environment so children and adults of all ages can enjoy a visit with various lakes to keep family members of all ages and skillsets entertained. Alex’s lake is best suited to the beginner angler and for those who don’t fish in your family, there are also occupied picturesque walks available.

County: Norfolk

Contact: Website or info@cobbleacre.co.uk 

Stock: Carp, Catfish, Ide, Roach and Perch

Facilities: Camping facilities, toilets and showers.

4) White Acres

Set in 184 acres of beautiful countryside, White Acres is a caravan holiday venue that includes 13 stunning fishing lakes. There are lots of great features around their lakes that are ideal for beginners or an expert angler and each lake is around 19 metres wide and 5 metres deep.

County: Cornwall

Contact: Website or Call 0330 123 4850 

Stock: Roach, rudd to carp and catfish.

Facilities: On-site tackle shop and Lakeside Café.

5) Anglers Paradise

Angler’s Paradise offers one of the best places for a family carp fishing holiday in the UK. Offering 30 lakes where you can catch carp and more species of fish. There are lakes for beginners, Specialist anglers as well as day ticket lakes for those not staying in the accommodation at this venue.

County: Devon

Contact: Website or Call 01409 221559

Stock: Variety of carp

Facilities: Large game room, play area, food and drink establishment and tackle shop.

6) Junior Lakes at the Hawkhurst Fish Farm

Designed for the ultimate beginner angler, the Junior Lakes at Hawkhurst Farm is made up of three very well stocked ponds. The venue offers basic fishing equipment to hire out and have a water bailiff on site who will be happy to show you how to set up and provide guidance.

County: Kent

Contact: Website or Email: info@hawkhurstfishfarm.co.uk 

Stock: Mixture of carp up to 10lb, tench, roach and perch.  

Facilities: Fishing Tackle Hire, Bait Shop and Waterside Café.

 

7) Farlows Lake

There are 3 lakes in total at this venue that carry a variety of fish from anglers of all skill sets. The third lake; Lake 3 is less than 1 acre and is bubbling with a mixture of species and carp averaging 3lbs in weight. This lake is a great platform to educate young anglers and simple tactics are the way forward.

County: Buckinghamshire

Contact: Website or email: info@farlowslake.co.uk  

Stock: Carp, Bream, Tench, Perch and Roach.

Facilities: Angling Direct tackle shop on site, shower, toilet facilities and a café.

 

8) Sywell Reservoir

This 67-acre reservoir is run by the local council and has been known to attract the likes of John Wilson who famously filmed his fishing show here. Fishing is available along the reservoir on day tickets, concession, evening tickets and 24-hour tickets. For young anglers, this venue boasts a chance to catch tench and predator species.

County: Northamptonshire

Contact: Website or email: sywell@northamptonshire.gov.uk 

Stock: Tench, Pike, Predator, Roach, Rudd, Perch and coarse species.

Facilities: Within the grounds of the Country Park there are toilets and food available at the Pump House café.

 

9) Weymouth Pier

A free venue to practice sea fishing, the Stone pier and pleasure pier in Weymouth both produce a lot of fish during the summer months. The area provides easy access for both disabled and young anglers with a real chance of many species of fish, although most are small.

County: Dorset

Contact: Find more information here.

Stock: Summer Species at the piers include Wrasse, bass, mackerel, garfish, mullet, bream (black and gilthead), rays, dogfish, pouting and conger eels. In the winter you can catch Whiting, rockling, dabs and codling.

Facilities: Toilets and cafes can be found near the piers.

 

10) Whitby Sea Fishing

Whitby Sea Fishing Trips Ltd is a charter, family-friendly business carrying out sea fishing trips from Whitby targeting mostly Mackerel in the summer. Depending on your chosen booking slot you can do 2hr evening trips, 3hr testers that are ideal for the family or longer trips to fish around wrecks and reefs.

County: North Yorkshire

Contact: Website or email: info@whitbyfishingtrips.co.uk 

Stock: Whiting, Mackerel, Pouting, Halibut, Ling and Cod.

Facilities: Skipper / Fishing Guide. Facilities found around Whitby Harbour.

 

We hope you found this list useful and that this summer you and your family give fishing a go! If you need any advice on local venues, tackle or fishing tips, pop into your local Angling Direct store.