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The Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing Locations Guide
All images are © 2021 Mortimer & Whitehouse and the BBC.
What is Gone Fishing?
If you are not an angler that sits in front of the TV very often, you may have been missing out on this wonderful, wholesome fishing show from the last couple of years from the BBC. The Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing programme is a multi BAFTA-nominated show that first aired on BBC2 in 2018 with all 3 of its current series available via BBC iplayer and soon enough series 4 will be airing out TV screens.
To get all you MWGF fans excited, we thought we would list the locations of the beautiful British countryside the fishing show has visited to date so if you felt like pursuing the same fish or venue as Bob Mortimer and Paul Whitehouse do on the show, you can!
1. Lenwade Charity Lakes
Set in 32 acres of the beautiful Wensum Valley in Norfolk, this venue is near the tench fishing location featured in the very first episode of season 1 of the Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing show. The Tench Lake are Charity Lakes fishery is around four acres in size and attracts anglers looking for some excellent quality tench fishing as it holds tench in the 5-6lbs as well as plenty of fish 7-9lbm with double figures on occasions.
County: Norfolk
Contact: Via Website or Email - information@charitylakes.co.uk
Species: Tench, Carp & Coarse Species
2. Hay-on-Wye
Located in Middle Wye, Herefordshire, this river fishing location boasts not only barbel in its streams but is also one of the finest salmon rivers south of the border. The venue features on Episode 2 of the first season. Both rod licence and permits are required to fish Hay-on-Wye. Anglers should also note that canoeing may occur along some of the beats, especially during summer months on weekends and bank holidays.
County: Herefordshire
Contact: Fishing Passport for more information
Species: Barbel, Salmon, Trout & Coarse Species
3. Monsal Valley
Featuring in Series 1 Episode 3, Monsal Valley is a great fly fishing venue for wild rainbow trout, in the beautiful backdrop that is Derbyshire Wye. As a scenic stretch of river Wye, extending through the Peak District, this location requires fishing tickets or permits in advance of your session.
County: Derbyshire
Contact: Cressbrook & Litton Flyfishers’ Club Website
Species: Rainbow Trout
4. River Wensum
In the fourth episode of series 1, Paul and Bob fish the Wensum river. The River Wensum is a chalk fed Norfolk river and known to be a prolific barbel river, producing double-figure fish on a regular basis. It is also popular with anglers for its head of big chub, as well as fighting-fit brown trout and other coarse species. Stretches of the river through Fakenham are free to fish but still require a rod licence.
County: Norfolk
Contact: Wensum Fisheries Website or Fakenham Angling Club Facebook Page
Species: Roach, Brown Trout, Barbel, Chub
5. Bridge Pool
Featured in Series 1 Episode 5 when Bob and Paul fish for Sea Trout in the Hampshire Avon area, Bridge Pool is known as one of Southern England’s best Sea Trout pools as it also offers anglers some great coarse and fly fishing opportunities. Bridge pool can be waded depending on the tide height and day tickets can be purchased from Davis Tackle.
County: Dorset
Contact: Davis Tackle Website
Species: Sea Trout, Salmon, Dace, Specimen Perch & Sea Bass
6. River Test
In the last episode of series 1, the show follows Bob and Paul allow the River Test for a spot of predator fishing. As a chalk stream dream, the River Test is not only regarded as a great pike venue but also the birthplace of modern fly angling in the UK. In the fourth instalment of the 3rd series, Paul and Bob fish the Test again for brown trout.
County: Hampshire
Contact: View Fishing Breaks Website for more information
Species: Pike & Coarse Species
7. River Usk
In the first episode of the second series of the Gone Fishing show, Bob and Paul test their fly fishing skills in Wales. If you opt for fishing the Usk around Brecknockshire, you are likely to stop through another hotspot which is the Brecon Beacons National Park.
Location: Middle – South Wales
Contact: Visit Fishing in Wales Website for more information
Species: Wild Brown Trout
8. Bentley Lake
A great carp fishing venue in the south of England, Bentley Lake features on the second episode of the second season. The carp waters is a 3.5-acre carp lake with 7 swims to choose from and stocks over 80 quality English Carp.
County: Essex
Contact: Website or Twitter Page
Species: Mirror Carp, Common Carp
9. River Tay
The third episode of the second series has Bob and Paul venturing the north of the UK in Scotland for some more fly fishing. The Tay is Scotland's largest salmon river, measuring 117 miles in length, making the River Tay Scotland's most accessible salmon fishing river.
Location: Central & Highland Scotland
Contact: Salmon Fish Scotland Website or Tay Salmon Fishing Website
Species: Salmon
10. Upper Tamar Lake
Series 2 Episode 4 covers southern England and the return of predator fishing tactics. The 81-acre venue is nestled on the Devon and Cornwall border and boasts to be a coarse fishing haven. With over 43 perch to be captured and released, the venue is stuffed with the predator fish averaging around 2lbs but known to reach 5lb on lures, prawns & worms.
County: Devon & Cornwall
Contact: SW Lakes Trust Website
Species: Carp, Bream, Rudd, Roach, Perch & Eels
11. Lough Erne
The lake that features in the 5th episode of the second series is in the town of Enniskillen in Northern Ireland. As the episode features predator angling tactics again, you can see the venues breathtaking wildlife. Both a DAERA coarse rod licence and a permit is needed when fishing for pike and other fish at this venue.
Location: Fermanagh, Northern Ireland
Contact: Northern Ireland Direct Government Website
Species: Pike, Perch, Rudd, Bream, Roach, Salmon & Brown Trout
12. River Ure
A great fishing venue for targeting the lady of the stream, otherwise known for grayling can be found along the River Ure in the Yorkshire Dales, like in Series 2, Episode 6 of Gone Fishing. The River Ure is known for providing fly anglers with lots of stock with the best stretches pertaining above Hawes and downstream to Aysgarth Falls.
County: Yorkshire
Contact: Yorkshire Fly Fishers Club Website
Species: Grayling & Brown Trout
13. River Tweed
The first episode of the most recent series of Gone Fishing to grace our TV screens was set back in Scotland for more salmon fishing but this time along the River Tweed. The river Tweed is one of the truly great Atlantic salmon rivers in Scotland and its salmon fly fishing season starts on the 1st February and extends to the 30th of November, giving plenty of salmon fishing opportunities.
Location: Southern Scotland
Contact: Guided Fly Fishing on River Tweed
Species: Salmon, Grayling & Trout
14. River Lea
The second episode of the 3rd series features Paul's childhood river, the River Lea. Some stretches of the river are under the Hertford Angling Club but stretches such as Hartham Common fall under different permits.
County: Hertfordshire
Contact: Visit Hertford Angling Club Website
Species: Chub, carp, barbel and perch
15. Norfolk Broads
Also a firm favourite of the Angling Direct team, the Norfolk broads boasts plenty of pike fishing which features in the 3rd episode of the latest series. With Angling Direct Wroxham being right on top of the broads, we suggest popping in to speak with the team of giving the store a call for some tips. See AD Wroxham information.
County: Norfolk
Contact: Visit the Norfolk Broads Offical Site
Species: Pike
16. Great Somerford Lakes
Series 3 Episode 5 features Paul and Bob going lake fishing to target the shy crucian carp. This venue consists of a 5-acre trout lake, stocked with rainbows and brown trout and 2 more course lakes; a 6 acre and 1-acre, all of which are old gravel pits. Great Somerford Lakes is a very mature and picturesque setting.
County: Wiltshire
Contact: Visit Website or Email Russell Wilmott at greatsomerfordlakes@gmail.com,
Species: Crucian Carp, Tench, Roach, Rudd, Perch & Trout
17. River Wye
Fishing another stretch of the River Wye, this time in Wales, the final episode of series 3 is Bob’s favourite river. The River Wye is the fifth-longest river in the UK that courses its way through mid-Wales before crossing the border into England and offers stretches ideal for fly fishing, coarse and predator tactics.
Location: Mid-Wales
Contact: Visit Fishing Passport
Species: Chub, Brown Trout, Carp, Eel & many coarse fish species
18. River Esk
Yorkshire's River Esk was one of the chosen locations of the Gone Fishing Christmas Special that took place in Middlesbrough. The River Esk boasts nooks and crannies that make it such a haven for sea trout and salmon to dwell in.
County: Yorkshire
Contact: Visit Esk Fishery Association Website
Species: Brown Trout, Sea Trout & Salmon
19. River Tees
The second river featured in the Christmas special is the stretch of the River Tees that runs through Middlesbrough and stocks sea trout and salmon. The River Tees, especially closer to the mouth of the river offers anglers some of the most beautiful scenery in England. Although the river Tees does have some free stretches to fish, some of the better stretches are owned by clubs and will require a permit to fish.
County: Yorkshire
Contact: Visit Fishing Passport
Species: Sea Trout, Salmon & other coarse species
20. Staithes Sea Fishing
Staithes is a seaside village in the Scarborough Borough of North Yorkshire, England and is known for its rocky coastline, towering cliffs and choppy sea. You can fish from the coast or hire out a charter boat to get some deep-sea fishing.
County: Yorkshire
Contact: Charter boats are available with Threesisters Charter & All My Sons Charter
Species: Weever Fish, Pouting Fish, Monkfish & Dab
For all accommodation featured in the show thus far, see the official website for the show. The official site also shares more information and merchandise.
Sneaky peek of not very hairy bikers, from first ep of new series, coming soon to BBC2 #gonefishing pic.twitter.com/LhLsWTo3i9
— Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing (@MWGoneFishing) August 8, 2021