Free fishing on river wensum

[caino]

I am going on holiday to Norfolk in may and have always wanted to fish the river wensum so i am very excited. Can anyone please tell me the best stretches to fish to the north of the river or any other rivers in the north of norfolk which are good. I am staying near Fakenham and don't really want to travel far but this is a lifelong dream so I might stretch a bit. Are there any good free stretches or will I have to pay?

[fishypaul]

hello mate welcome to the forum, sorry i cant help you its not my area

[carper-chris]

Depends what species you are after, i have fished the river Bure quite alot and had chub to 7lb 12oz on a free stretch in Buxton, also had pike to near 20lb, i have seen a picture of someone who caught a barbel from there but only heard one report. If you can get to Wroxham you have the chance of getting into pike to 30lb+, again on the Bure and the stretch i fish in the town is free, there is also good coarse fishing to be had there with very decent bream, roach, perch etc.

Another good stretch on the Bure is at Horstead, just a few miles from Buxton which holds some decent fish and if you travel a few miles further you will come to Coltishall common which is free but in the hotter months there will be alot of boats, same applies to Wroxham.

I have only fished the wensum once with no real succes, a few perch and roach but where we fished right in the middle of the city we had kids swimming around us, so wasnt ideal. I don't really know much about the Wensum as is a bit far for to get to as i don't drive.

Hope this helps.
If you want more info then pm me.

Chris.

[sonygeezer]

Hi caino
I have fished around and about Norfolk as I live in Norwich
If you are staying at Fakenham there are a couple of free spots you can try
1 In Fakenham itself above the mill for about 400 metres and below the mill on Fakenham Common is free fishing and Free Parking on the common. Google map location

2 If you head along the A1067 Fakenham Rd towards Norwich and turn onto the B1147 Dereham Rd and follow this Rd for approx 3 miles just before you cross over two bridges very close together there is a stretch (on the right) of free fishing along here and you can park for free here also. Google map location

Hopes this helps you a little.

[jaylensyd]

I fish the Wensum fairly regularly, and as sonygeezer says the area around the mill and out towards Dereham is as good as most places on the river. There are some nice Roach to be had here, along with skimmers and the occasional nice bream. Try running a stickfloat down,or you may have success with a feeder, the favourite method of Nick Larkin, one of the best around here. All the best, hope you have a great time, and tight lines.

[spurspants]

Great tips Sonygeezer. Thanks. I'm holidaying in Norfolk this summer too and very keen to have a go at the Wensum. We stay in a village called Tatterford near Fakenham so I know Fakenham a little bit but I didn't even know there was a common! I've seen your google map link but can't work out where the parking you mention is? Please help!

[centrepin]

Parking is opposite the mill. Turn into Wensum Tyres and Wensum Enginering and follow the right hand track (the left is a restricted byway that follows the river for a short while) and the car park is through the bollards on the right. And its Free.

[Noel]

Don't forget all the rivers in the country are now closed until June 16th if you're coarse fishing.

Fly fishing for trout only until then.

[spurspants]

Thanks Centrepin. That's a big help. I'm going to be around from July 18th to Aug 1st so with 2 weeks up there I hope I'll get at least a couple of days on the river. Might even get me a centrepin and see if I can make head or tail of it. Never used one before but I love the idea of trotting a float down with the current.

Don't worry Noel, I'm not there till open season. I won't be on any river till late June at the earliest.

Thanks for your help.

[centrepin]

Hi, The Wensum will be very weedy when your here so carry a few bits of tackle so you can touch ledger as well, some swims will be impossible to trot, not all, but some. Trotting with a centrepin to me is the best of the best but a word of advice, but don't buy a cheap reel, it will never be the same. It's a big layout to try something new for the first time but..........There's always ebay if you don't like it. Hope you have a lovely time.

Centrepin