As a wheelchair user, I'm restricted to where I can go fishing. I'm a member of the Earl Of Harrington Angling Club which has several lakes and ponds in the Derby area and the River Derwent through the City. Also, I have the canal ticket for the Pride Of Derby Angling Club and I fish several local commercial fisheries and enjoy all these venues.
The Earl of Harrington's Angling Club was created by the then Earl, at Elvaston Castle near Derby in 1912 and he was Chairman of the Club. Besides the river fishing from Darley Abbey to Borrowash, the Club owns Derwent Valley Fishery at Darley Abbey and controls five still waters across Derby including Allestree Park Lake, Markeaton Park Lake, Mill Dam, Alvaston Park Lake and Heatherton Pond. I regularly enjoy fishing the Earl’s waters and there are many accessible pegs, with some pegs specifically for wheelchair users.
The Pride of Derby leases 12 miles of the Trent & Mersey Canal from the River Trent's confluence to Stretton near Burton-on-Trent, excluding one and a half miles at Weston-upon-Trent. I've enjoyed fishing at Willington, Stenson Bubble, Findern, and Swarkstone Lock, which offer good, year-round fishing and are accessible.
Birch House Lakes consists of seven lakes providing a mixture of pleasure and match angling on new and established waters. There is plenty of parking, a fishing lodge where refreshments are available and modern facilities. The water bailiff is always on hand to offer help and advice and I've fished at Birch House for several years, the fishing is good and there are plenty of pegs to choose from with many accessible pegs.
Not far from Elvaston Castle, Beechwood Park has six lakes, Swan 1 & 2, Warren, Oak, Kingfisher, and Horseshoe with 172 purpose built pegs, including some accessible to wheelchair users. All the lakes are primarily stocked with Carp, Bream, Tench, Roach and Rudd. Warren Lake has 24 pegs and offers mixed coarse fishing with Carp to 15lbs, Tench to 5lbs, Chub to 4lbs and also Roach, Rudd, Bream and Perch. There are also regular club and open matches.
With two lakes offering a mixed bag of species, Springwood Fisheries provides relaxing and enjoyable fishing with on-site toilet facilities, a cafe providing hot snacks and hot and cold drinks. I tend to fish the lower lake as it’s nearer the car park and there are plenty of accessible pegs.
Set within the grounds of The Coopers Arms pub the five-acre manmade lake comprises of 35 pegs and includes disabled access and platforms. The lake is well stocked with a wide selection of coarse fish including Carp, Bream, Tench, Roach, Chub & Barbe and day tickets are available. The fishing is good at and the wooden decking makes it very accessible for wheelchair users.
Not far from Birch House, Longford Fishery consists of six lakes with some parking right next to the pegs, ideal for anglers with disabilities. The waters provide a mixture of pleasure and match angling for Carp, Tench and Silvers. The café is open for most of the year serving hot and cold food and drinks, with toilets next to the café.