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Discover everything to fish in Melksham Forest

Find the best moment to go fishing in Melksham Forest, the most caught species, the techniques used, go fish with anglers nearby, find a fishing charter or guide, save your spots and discover new ones.

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N°1 | The Salmon fish

The Salmon fish belongs to the Salmonidae family. It can reach a maximum weight of 47 kg for a height of 1.5 m. The current size of the salmon is 50 to 70 cm, with a weight of 2.3 to 9.1 kg. It can reach a maximum weight of 47 kg for a height of 1.5 m. The current size of the salmon is 50 to 70 cm, with a weight of 2.3 to 9.1 kg. Spawning season is in October-November. Fertility is 1,500 and 1,800 eggs per kg of weight. It is fished in March in October. Salmon have a hydrodynamic and powerful body. The caudal peduncle is elongated and narrower than in trout, with which salmon share many characteristics. The mouth does not extend beyond the plumbing of the posterior edge of the eye. Adults have sexual dimorphism in the muzzle. Females have a rounded snout, while males have an elongated snout and their jaws bend sharply as they age, giving them the name of becard. The caudal fin is fairly indented, with a concave posterior edge and well defined tips. The adipose fin characteristic of Salmonids is present in salmon. The livery is different depending on the reproductive stage of the individual. The parr have 8 to 11 dark-colored vertical bars on the sides. The smolt and the adult have a silvery livery with black cross-shaped punctuation above the lateral line. At the time of reproduction, the male is adorned with bright colors.

Fishing period : from March to October

Minimum size : 50 cm

Difficulty :

N°2 | The Bullhead fish

The Bullhead fish belongs to the Ictaluridae family. This species generally measures 15 to 20 cm, but can reach a maximum of 45 cm for a weight of 2 kg. It can live up to 6 years. It breeds in May-June and lays up to 5000 eggs. It can be fished all year. It is a scaleless fish with bare, viscous skin. Its naked body is elongated and has thousands of sensory cells (electro-receptor cells) that are a particular feature of the species. He has a large flattened head, a very wide mouth with large lips and 8 barbels, 6 of which hang, and 2 are located behind the nostrils. Its pectoral fins have sharp spines that are dangerous. Similarly, its first dorsal fin has a sharp sting. It also has a short fat fin (between the dorsal and caudal fins). Its brown back is almost black or greenish brown, its sides lighter, its belly yellowish white.

Fishing period : All year

Minimum size : 20 cm

Difficulty :

N°3 | The Chub fish

The chub fish belongs to the family of Cyprinidae. The common catch size of the chub fish varies from 15 to 30 cm, but it can reach 80 cm for a weight of 8 kg. The longevity is estimated at about ten years. The reproduction of the chub takes place between April and June. The female lays 20,000 to 100,000 eggs. It can be fished from July to Mars. The body is long and cylindrical with a terminal mouth, pointing upwards, with large lips. The big head has a flat forehead. The large, black-edged scales give it a reticulated appearance. The anal fin has a convex rear edge. The back and upper part of the head are greyish-green to brown in color; the flanks have silvery or even golden highlights; the belly is whitish. The fins are grey except for the bellies and the pale red anal fin.

Fishing period : From July to February

Minimum size : 15 cm

Difficulty :

N°4 | The Bronze Bream

The Bronze bream belongs to the Cyprinidae Family. The current catch size varies between 30 and 50 cm, for a weight of 0.5 and 2.5 kg. Some individuals can reach a maximum height of 80 cm for a weight of 7 kg. It lives between 20 and 25 years. It reproduces between April and June and lay 100,000 to 300,000 eggs. The Bronze Bream can be fished all year round in 2nd category streams and is not hard to catch with the right bait. In Europe, there are 2 or 3 types of bream, 5 species and 2 subspecies. The Bronze bream has a very high and strong body flattened laterally. The bushy back, especially in older individuals, is characteristic of this fish. Its body is covered with large scales and mucus. The Bronze bream has a fairly small eye compared to the size of the muzzle. The mouth is small, oblique, barbless and protractile. The upper jaw protrudes beyond the lower jaw. Teeth are subject to seasonal replacement. The anal fin is very long and has 23-30 soft rays. On the other hand, the dorsal fin is short and inserted behind the pelvic fins. The caudal fin is very indented with the lower lobe longer than the upper lobe.

Fishing period : All year

Minimum size : 30 cm

Difficulty :

N°5 | The Three Spined Stickleback

The three spined stickleback belongs to the Gasterosteidae family. The usual size of the three-spined stickleback is 4 to 5 cm for females, with males being a little smaller, about 3 to 4 cm. The life span of the three-spined stickleback varies from 3 to 5 years in natural environments and up to 8 years in captivity. Spawning season extends from March to June. Fertility is 200 to 400 eggs. It is fished from June to March. The three-spined stickleback is a tiny fish with a tapered, laterally compressed body. Its head is quite small, with fairly large eyes, and ends in a narrow mouth that is slightly oriented forward and upwards. The caudal peduncle of the three-spined stickleback is very narrow with a slightly indented caudal fin. The long dorsal fin is set far back, plumbing the anal fin. The dorsal fin of the three-spined stickleback is preceded by three spines, two long and one short, placed on the back of the fish. A curved spine also precedes the implantation of the anal fin. The pelvic fins are replaced by two thorns. The color of this fish is greenish brown for the back, with metallic reflections, silvery for the sides and whitish for the belly. Along the lateral line of the three-spined stickleback, there are no scales but bone plates called "badges", a kind of natural shielding that accompanies the thorny defenses of this fish.

Fishing period : June to March

Minimum size : no restriction

Difficulty :

N°6 | The Largemouth black bass

The Largemouth Black bass belongs to the Centrarchidae family. It has an average size of 50 to 70 cm for 4 kg. Its longevity is about 15 years. Spawning occurs from late spring to mid-summer. The number of eggs varies according to the size of the female, from 2000 to 14000 eggs. It is caught from March to October. Large-mouth black bass is a moderately large and robust fish. Its head is strong. Its terminal mouth is large, broad and oblique. The lower jaw is slightly prominent while the upper jaw extends to the back of the eye. The two dorsal fins are almost entirely separated. The first dorsal fin is rather low and has 10 spines. The second dorsal fin with a rounded shape is higher and has an average of 12 rays. Pelvic fins are short, rounded and have 1 spine and 5 soft rays. The pectoral fins are rather short, broad, rounded at the tip and have 13 to 15 rays. The dorsal side of the body varies from bright green to olive. The sides are pale green or golden green. There is a wide, uniform black lateral band that sometimes extends over the operculum and eye to the muzzle. The sides of the head vary from green to olive. The caudal is devoid of bright colors. The ventral side varies from milk white to yellow.

Fishing period : March to October

Minimum size : 30 cm

Difficulty :

N°7 | The Rainbow trout

The Rainbow trout belongs to the Salmonidae family. On average, it measures 35 to 70 cm and weighs 500 g to 6 kg. In this species, a maximum lifespan of 11 years has been observed. Rainbow trout reproduce naturally from late March to early July. Fertility is about 2000 eggs per kg. Depending on the region, it is fished from March to September. Rainbow trout have a streamlined, laterally compressed and slender body. It has a small head and a slightly split mouth. Its body is arched at the level of the dorsal fin. It should also be noted that there is an adipose fin common to all Salmonids. Its scales are small and thin. Generally, the entire body is punctuated by small black spots, many on the back and sides, as well as on the dorsal and caudal fins. The back is olive green and the sides are silvery. The color of the belly varies from white to yellowish. Nevertheless, the general coloring of the body varies greatly depending on the age, habitat and physiological stage of the fish. The particularity of rainbow trout lies in the presence, all along the body, of an iridescent longitudinal band, predominantly pink. During the breeding season, the female is generally rounder because of the ovarian volume, while the males appear to be more elongated. They become darker and their colors more vivid.

Fishing period : march to September

Minimum size : 20 cm

Difficulty :

N°8 | Bitterling Fish

The Bitterling fish is a freshwater fish and belongs to the Cyprinidae family. Its scientific name is Rhodeus Amarus. The current size of the bitterling fish is 5-6 cm. Some individuals can reach a maximum height of 11 cm and a weight of 10 g. This species is one of the smallest Cyprinid in Europe. It lives on average from 2 to 3 years. The spawning period is between April and June. It lays 40 to 100 oocytes. This fish is easy to catch due to its small size. The bitterling is a small fish whose body is high and laterally compressed. The lateral line is short or incomplete. The scales on the back have a grey-green coloring. The sides are clear with silvery reflections. During the breeding period the silver coloration changes to a pink to bright red color with a dark blue sideband. Sexual dimorphism occurs between the male and female during reproduction. A 5 to 8 mm laying tube (ovipositor) develops in the female, which allows her to lay her eggs in the gill cavity of freshwater mussels. The male has a higher body than the female and its colors become brighter during the breeding season. The bitterling fish's eyes are quite large. Its mouth is small, oblique and the upper jaw protrudes beyond the lower jaw. The anal and dorsal fins have a short base and 8 to 10 branched rays.

Fishing period : prohibited all year

Minimum size : not available

Difficulty :

N°9 | The Pumpkinseed fish

The Pumpkinseed fish belongs to the Centrarchidae family. It is a migratory fish that can reach a weight of 40 g to 50 g for a length of 20 cm. But the largest specimens can reach a weight ranging from 3 kg to 4 kg for a maximum size of 40cm. The life span of the sun perch is 8 to 10 years. Breeding takes place in the months of May to August. A female can lay between 1500 and 3000 eggs. It is fished all year round, but the best times are in spring and autumn. Its high body is very flat laterally. Its mouth is terminal, small and slightly oblique. The caudal fin is slightly forked. The two dorsal fins are united, giving the impression of being one. The pectoral muscles are long and pointed. The anal fin has 3 sharp spines. The coloring is brilliant with green and blue touches on the back and rust colored spots on the flank. The cheeks are crossed by bright blue lines, particularly marked in males. The operculum is wide and has a black spot bordered by a scarlet red spot in the male, which may be absent or less marked in the female. The male is larger and more colorful than the female.

Fishing period : all year

Minimum size : 15 cm

Difficulty :

N°10 | Brown Trout

The Brown Trout belongs to the Salmonidae family. According to the location, the adult size varies from 25 cm to 80 cm for 300 to 800 g. It lives for 3 to 6 years. The spawning period starts in October and end in January. The female can lay up to 4000 eggs. The fishing period is open from the second Saturday of March until the third Sunday of September. This fish is not hard to catch but the fishing needs complex skills. Depending on its environment, the brown trout have a very variable color, but the brown trout, as its name shows, is rather brown with scattered black and red spots, depending on the spawners. It has a certain mimicry according to the bottom of its living spaces since the dominant brown will become a green dress if it lives close to the banks where yellow and even sometimes silvery white will mix. It has a "useless" adipose fin between the dorsal fin and the caudal fin. The head is tapered, strong and has a powerful jaw. Its back is a pretty black or night blue.

Fishing period : March to September

Minimum size : no restriction

Difficulty :

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The best moment to go fishing!

The fishing forecast allows you to forecast your fishing trips and always go at the right time to the right place!

How it works

This is a score of 1 to 10 calculated city by city according to some forty criteria affecting fishing: moon, weather conditions, atmospheric pressure, sunrise / sunset. sun, tides, swell etc .