Old River Nene in winter is an angling mecca for shoals of fish

The Old River Nene that runs through the fenland town of March has been a winter hotspot for as long as Journal angling correspondent Dave Coster can remember.

Going back to when he lived in London, Dave travelled up regularly to this popular venue to fish in big competitions, often against top anglers from across the UK.

These days it is even easier for him to get to March, being only an hour’s drive from Grantham.

Although classed as a river, the old watercourse is more like a canal, connecting the River Ouse with the main River Nene. There are other drains that interlock too, creating a huge amount of water that fish can move around in.

And move they do during the colder winter months, with vast shoals of roach, rudd, perch and skimmer bream migrating into built up areas in both March and nearby Benwick.

This annual huge injection of fish continues to pull anglers from far and wide, almost guaranteeing top sport. Regular matches see big entries and often turn into frantic fish races, with those who are best at catching quickly with pole tackle winning all the prizes.

The Old Nene is renowned for producing big catches of roach in cold weather, with bread punch and hemp amongst the most popular baits, which require clever feeding and refined tackle. A groundbait and pinkie approach works better for the skimmers, while a worm and caster attack is more likely to find lots of perch and bonus tench.

There are also some huge rudd, normally found on the outskirts of March by the marina that is situated just past the bypass bridge. Big fish like this can be trickier to find, but it is worth the effort because they have been caught close to the 3lb mark.

In March itself, there are plenty of pegs to explore in the big park and along the section known as the allotments, most featuring moorings and boats dotted along the far bank. There is ample free parking near the library and swimming pool.

The waterway widens out beyond the bypass bridge, an area where waggler tackle cast to the far side can work well, close to the mouth of the marina.

Back through town, heading east, there are only a couple of swims to be found opposite Nene Parade, before private moorings and restricted access make the next section out of bounds. Half a mile further on, a footbridge over to parkland heralds plenty of well-spaced and prolific pegs to enjoy.

Fishing is free in March, while day tickets can be purchased on the bank in and around nearby Benwick.