Welcome to the Loughborough Soar Angling Society

Barbel

The Soar was once renowned for barbel though numbers dwindled due to poor recruitment to the point at which a capture was rare. We have been working with the EA over a number of years to stock fingerlings on a regular basis and we are pleased to see that these fish are now starting to show. The biggest reported barbel in recent years weighed 15lb 12oz’s.

Bream

Particularly numerous around The Osiers, Bomb Hole, and at Sutton Bonington on the river and throughout Loughborough canal with some river fish reaching the 5lb mark. A stocking of bream at Dishley Pool is now starting to show rewards with fish to 7lb’s present.

Carp

At one time heavily populating particular areas of the river the carp are now much more widely spread and small groups of fish can be found almost anywhere, fish in excess of 25lb’s have been caught though it can take time and effort to locate the species. A stunning 26lb common was reported in the summer of 2024.

Chub

Most numerous on the natural river and averaging 3 to 4lbs in weight but plenty of fish over 5lb and the outside chance of a 6lber.

Perch

All of our waters can provide great sport with perch to either the light lure enthusiast or bait anglers with the possibility of 3lb plus fish to be had.

Pike

Fish into double figures possible on all fisheries with 20lb plus specimens caught in the past. Sutton Bonington is always a popular stretch and Dishley Pool is also worth a try.

Roach

Very much a neglected species apart from in matches but stocks do appear to be on the increase and the angler willing to pioneer could find a bumper catch is on the cards.

Tench

Can often turn up in catches in the Soar lane area and also on Loughborough canal towards the Soar mouth but our flagship tench water is Dishley Pool where fish can be caught close in on the float or on the feeder. Stonebow Pond also holds a good head of smaller tench.

Zander

The species is now present along the entire river and canal system in small number and fish to 12lbs have been taken although the average is more in the region of 5lb’s in weight.

Rarities

You never do know what could come along while fishing the Soar, a stunning grass carp of 20lb’s has been caught on at least two occasions, a 5lb plus eel was caught in a match at Sutton Bonington and strangest of all a sturgeon which has reached in the region of 50lb’s has been caught numerous times, though reports have not been heard for a while so perhaps it has moved on.