Fishing

Salmon

Since 2011 Salmon have been returning to the River Stour to spawn thanks to improvements in water quality and the creation of gravel spawning beds by the Environment Agency.

Bream

Often found in the deeper, stiller waters of the river. Easy to identify from its deep, thin and flat body.

Barble

These muscular fish can power-swim through fast flowing water.

Two pairs of sensory 'barbules' around the mouth help the fish to find food amongst stones on the river bed.

Pike

A deadly predator, who hangs out in still water waiting for its next meal to swim by.An adult pike will eat other fish, insects and even water birds.

Perch

Knicknamed 'stripy' these predatory fish are easy to identify from their stripes and orange fins.

They have expandable jaws and can swallow another fish almost half their size!

Minnow

These tiny fish grow to around 5cm long and are often seen together in large shoals.

They need their large eyes to keep watch for herons and kingfishers who enjoy a tasty minnow!

Eel

Adult eels can live for up to 40 years in rivers before swimming to the Sargasso Sea, in the Atlantic Ocean, to spawn.

Unlike other fish, they can move between rivers and ponds by slithering across wet grass.

Lamprey

These snake-like creatures were around 200 million years before the dinosaurs and are still living in Christchurch Harbour today!

Instead of jaws, they have a circular disc of razor sharp teeth.