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Fishing[edit]

Fishing on the Trent near Ingleby by George Turner, 1850

Evidence of fishing along the Trent can be traced back to the Neolithic period, with the possible remnants of a fish weir discovered in the abandoned river channels at Hemington.[1][2] More definitive finds from the medieval period were also found at this site and near Colwick. These consisted of V shaped alignments of stakes; wattle panels and a large wicker trap and demonstrate that passive fishing techniques were in use on the river.[3]

The Domesday catalogue showed that there were many successful mills and fisheries along the Trent. Mills were important locations for fish and eel traps, the eels being caught during ‘quill time’ between mid-August and early September.[4] Written records show that in the 12th century landlords were paid in salmon, in lieu of rent at Burton upon Trent.[4]

In the 17th century Izaak Walton described the River Trent as 'One of the finest rivers in the world and the most abounding with excellent salmon and all sorts of delicate fish.'[5] A list composed in 1641 for the Trent, contained thirty types of fish and other species including those that migrated from the sea such as shad, smelt, salmon and flounder, and riverine species such as trout, grayling, perch and pike.[6]

The largest of those listed was the sturgeon, which at one time were caught in the Trent as far upstream as King’s Mill, but only in low numbers. Particular examples included one of eight feet taken near Donington castle in 1255, and another at King's Mill of seven feet in 1791.[7] The last known catch was in 1902 near Holme, the fish was eight and a half feet long and weighed 250 pounds.[8]

The effluent and industrial pollution of the early 20th century, led to a rapid decline in fish stocks, large stretches of the river became fishless and species such as salmon almost disappeared. As water quality improved from the 1960s onwards, fish numbers recovered, and recreational coarse fishing became more popular.[9]

Fishing on the Trent near Hazelford Ferry, 2009

By the 1970s the Trent was regarded as 'one of the most productive rivers in the British Isles'.[9] by anglers, who would travel from South Yorkshire and other surrounding areas, to fish the Trent as their local rivers still remained badly polluted and were absent of fish.[10]

Analysis of catch returns from 1969 to 1985, showed that the fish caught most often by anglers were barbel, bream, bleak, carp, chub, dace, eel, gudgeon, perch, and roach. Over the study period the returns revealed that there was a variation in the species caught, with a shift from roach and dace based catches, to one of chub and bream, a change that was perceived by anglers to represent a ‘serious detriment’ to the fishery.[9] This led to comments that the river had become ‘too clean for its fish’, and its popularity, especially for match fishing, declined from the mid 1980s.[11] Competition from other fisheries such as well stocked ponds and lakes with better amenities and more consistent catches of fish also meant a reduction in the appeal of fishing the Trent.[12]

Recreational fishing is still popular, although anglers no longer line the banks as they once did. There are many fishing clubs that use the river, with catches including barbel, bream, carp, chub, dace, pike, and roach.[13]

Salmon, a species that became virtually extinct due to historic pollution, have been progressively reintroduced on the tributaries since 1998, with thousands of salmon parr being released into the Dove and its tributary the Churnet each year.[14] Returning adult salmon have been seen leaping over weirs on the river [14] and in 2011 a large salmon weighing over 10 pounds (4.5 kg) was caught at an undisclosed location, and was 'thought to be the biggest caught on the Trent in the last thirty years'.[15]


Carp fishing near Dunham

4D [1]


smelt [16] Burbot [17]

Brook Lamprey [18]

Snart [19]

Fisheries of Europe. [20] P222. [21]

BoTehist [4]


  1. ^ a b Brown, A.G. (2008). "Geoarchaeology, the four dimensional (4D) fluvial matrix and climatic causality". Geomorphology. 101 (1–2). Elsevier Science: 280–285. doi:10.1016/j.geomorph.2008.05.021. Retrieved 10 May 2013.
  2. ^ G. Mathias Kondolf; Hervé Piégay (28 January 2005). Tools in Fluvial Geomorphology. John Wiley & Sons. pp. 66–. ISBN 978-0-470-86832-4.
  3. ^ A. G. Brown (1997). Alluvial Geoarchaeology: Floodplain Archaeology and Environmental Change. Cambridge University Press. pp. 258–260. ISBN 978-0-521-56820-3.
  4. ^ a b c Nigel J. Tringham (Editor) (2003). "Burton-upon-Trent: Economic history". A History of the County of Stafford: Volume 9: Burton-upon-Trent. Institute of Historical Research. Retrieved 24 July 2013. {{cite web}}: |author= has generic name (help)
  5. ^ Walton, Izaak (1833). The Complete Angler ; Or, Contemplative Man's Recreation; Being a Discourse on Rivers, Ponds, Fish and Fishing. With Lives and Notes. p. 248.
  6. ^ "An itinerary of Nottingham: Trent Bridge". Transactions of the Thoroton Society, 29 (1925). nottshistory.org.uk. Retrieved 10 June 2013.
  7. ^ Glover 1829, pp. 171
  8. ^ Stone 2005, pp. 72, 101–102
  9. ^ a b c Cowx, I.G.; Broughton, N.M. (1986). "Changes in the species composition of anglers' catches in the River Trent (England) between 1969 and 1984" (PDF). Journal of Fish Biology. 28 (1). Wiley: 625–636. doi:10.1111/j.1095-8649.1986.tb05197.x.
  10. ^ Lyons; Hickley; Gledhill (2008). Pitcher, T.J.; Hollingworth, C (eds.). An Evaluation of Recreational Fisheries in England and Wales. John Wiley & Sons. p. 148. ISBN 9780470995396. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  11. ^ "The disappearing roach: River Trent is too clean for its fish". The Independent. independent.co.uk. 1999. Retrieved 10 January 2015.
  12. ^ Robinson, C.A.; Hickley, P.; Axford, S.N. (2003). "The value and performance of large river recreational fisheries". Ecohydrology & Hydrobiology. 3 (1). Wiley: 59.
  13. ^ "River Trent Fishing". Trent Vale. trentvale.co.uk. Retrieved 10 May 2013.
  14. ^ a b "To stock fry and parr into the River Dove". Biodiversity action reporting system. Ukbars. Retrieved 10 May 2014.
  15. ^ "Anglers first salmon is also a river trent record". Hucknall Dispatch. Hucknall Dispatch. 2011. Retrieved 10 January 2015.
  16. ^ "The status of smelt Osmerus eperlanus in England". Report 516. Natural England. pp. 17–18. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
  17. ^ Worthington, T; Kemp, T.S.; Osborne, P.E.; Howes, C.; Easton, K.E. (2011). "A review of the historical distribution and status of the burbot (Lota lota) in English rivers". Journal of Applied Ichthyology. 27 (s1). Blackwell: 1–8. doi:10.1111/j.1439-0426.2011.01836.x.
  18. ^ "Chemical spillage wipes out fish in River Trent". News in Brief. The Ecologist. 2009. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
  19. ^ Snart, Charles (1801). Practical Observations for Angling in the River Trent. S. and I. Ridge.
  20. ^ William A. Dill (1 January 1993). Inland Fisheries of Europe. Food & Agriculture Org. pp. 236–. ISBN 978-92-5-103358-6.
  21. ^ William A. Dill (1 January 1993). Inland Fisheries of Europe. Food & Agriculture Org. pp. 222–. ISBN 978-92-5-103358-6.

Bibliography


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