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Shropshire Anglers' Federation
THE REA BROOK
The REA BROOK
Length of fishery: Just over 3 miles
Location. South of Shrewsbury on the inner link road.
Access. Parking is generally roadside and has many points of access. Check local OS maps for more information.
The Rea Brook is a truly wonderful fishery. A delight for the roving angler, game or coarse, it holds a fantastic array of species and invertebrate life. Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Sea Trout/Grilse, Salmon, Grayling, Pike, Perch, Roach, Dace, Chub, Barbel, in fact almost every freshwater species is to be found.
The Rea Brook flows through the Rea Brook valley, an area of outsatnding natuaral beauty managed by the Shropshire Wildlife Trust. Here a wide and varied species of birds, flower and fauna can be found along its length before the Rea Brook ends its journey as it joins the River Severn upstream of the English Bridge.
Fishing is to both banks where permitted/accessable, to all Shropshire Anglers' Federation season permit holders and day ticket holders. A dedicated team of Bailiffs have been assigned control of policing the entire Rea Brook section.
The upper limit starts at a point where the Hereford Road crosses the brook at Meole Brace roundabout by the Brooklands Pub (B4380. Map Ref: SJ 49033 BNG 10724). It flows in a easterly direction, winding its way through the local golf course before turning north and then north east toward the town centre and the River Severn. The lower limit is where it empties into the river Severn. Here fishing is limited due to the Brook passing a developed area of supermarkets and retail establishments. The banks on this lower section can unfortunatley be unkempt, messy and untidy due to the nature of its commercial surroundings. However once above this lower section it is a totally different fishery altogether passing through idyllic hazy water meadows and fields, paddocks, coppice woods and established commons and woodland.
The fishery passes through some delightful surroundings. As it flows away from the busy Meole Island it enters the local golf course and gently winds its way past the many tees and greens that have claimed many a stray golf ball in its time. Access along the golf course section is by foot only and permitted by kind permission of Shrewsbury Town Council and the management of the golf course. Please obey any requests or instruction from the green-keepers or groundsmen at all times. Please keep to the paths.
As it passes under the A5112 the 'Brook' meanders through some fantastic surroundings. A line of trees either side flank the brook as it winds and weaves its way towards the Sutton area before tuning north and heading for the Rea Brook residential area. Full of twists and turns there is always something new and exciting around the next corner and is best tackled by travelling light. From the Rea Brook estate it then flows alongside the A5112. This section is stuffed to the gunwhales with features, and fish.
The Rea Brook is packed full of features, deep holes, shallow glides and fast riffles, weirs and pools, undercut banks, overhanging branches and trees, short narrow sections, long wide sections, eddies and pools, and a full range of depths, it has it all. Quite often all of these features can be found in as little as just 20 yards ! An average width of around 4 to 5 yards gives the Rea Brook a very intimate feel providing the bank or wading angler some challenging fishing to bait or fly.
Mature wooded banks offer plenty of cover and at times swims can be few and far between, however we are currently in negotiation with the Environment Agency, Shropshire Wildlife Trust, and Shrewsbury Town Council to improve this fishery and its access for all. We are also seeking National Lottery grants to help make improvements to the fishery and its surroundings and to aid with the clearing and management.
The Rea Brook will respond quickly to any rainfall, colouring up and rising much quicker than the River Severn. It will also run crystal clear, days or even weeks before the River Severn too !
Because of the length of the Rea Brook it is impossible to show it all on one single photo. Below are a selection of images arranged in order following the river upstream from its lower limit. These will, we hope, give you an idea of its character. A few snaps of the fishery are to be found at the bottom of this page.
This overhead shot shows the finish or lower end of the Fishery. Here the Rea Brook empties into the River Severn above the ENGLISH BRIDGE (far left hand side of photo). Working our way upstream, it passes under the road at Coleham, and again under the railway line and Old Potts Way (A458) before it skirts around the edge of the car park and passes behind the two large buildings. In this shot it the Brook flows from bottom right to top left.
Here the 'Brook' enters from the top left, Old Potts Way just out of shot at the bottom of the picture. It passes under Bage Way and the A458 and into the Rea Brook Valley.
From the Roundabout at Old Potts Way and Bage Way you can just make out the course of the Brook by the tree line as it flows alongside Pritchard Way
The Saddlers section and Rea Brook estate
After twisting and turning its way around the Rea Brook estate it joins the golf course and passes back under the road and railway line
As we work our way upstream, the Brook enters top right of shot as it skirts the golf course.......
........and heads toward Moneybrook Way and the Brooklands.
 
The upper limit. The 'blue bridge', just visible bottom left of shot. This is where the fishery starts.
If you were to arrange all of these pictures on a large sheet of paper the Brook would flow from the bottom of the page to the top.
Grid Ref/GPS:
SJ 48725 BNG 10275 (blue bridge/upper limit)
SJ 4962 BNG 1226 (River Severn/lower limit)
Sat Nav:
Fishery Length: 3.25 Miles/5356 Metres
Early spring and a slightly coloured Rea Brook
Twists and turns so much a feature of the Rea Brook
Where livestock graze in the adjacent meadows points are provided for access. A vast amount of bankside clearance has already been undertaken along the lower part of the fishery. We would like to see the fence moved back slightly from the bank to allow for better access.
Good mixed bag taken from the Brook
 This swim almost has it all.....
A fast, swift flowing run hits the bank, left hand side of photo, forming a good range of features;
A lovely slack behind the wall and a large, deep eddy to the right........
......before turning through 90 degrees, flowing under a footbridge and shallowing into this lovely, twisting glide.
 
 
 
 
  
  
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