FISHING

Doctor’s Pond

The Doctor’s Pond in Great Dunmow is a brilliant facility for first time anglers, young people and those “just brushing up” on their angling skills. The Doctor’s Pond is one of the main features by which Great Dunmow is known. The pond acquired its name as the supposed breeding place for leeches used by doctors who lived in North Street, next to the pond. It is said that this was the place used by Lionel Lukin (1742-1834), the inventor of the first self-righting lifeboat, for his experiments using model boats.

The pond holds a good head of common and mirror carp and roach and is shallow so relatively safe. To fish the pond is free but you will need a licence if you are over 13 years old. Licences for children aged between 13 and 16 are free but you’ll still need to get a junior licence. These are available at: https://www.gov.uk/fishing-licences/buy-a-fishing-licence

A fishing licence allows you to use 2 rods. Some people buy 2 licences to fish more than 2 rods but we would prefer you limit the number of rods to 2. Please remember to look after and protect our fishy residents by following the rules which are designed to protect them.

Please set up your landing net and unhooking mat and get your disgorger ready before casting in your line for the first time.

Please enjoy fishing at the Doctor’s Pond but whatever you do – as with all of our open spaces – take all of your rubbish home with you. If you have line to throw away, wind it into a hank and cut it through to make short lengths before putting it in the bin.

Rules for fishing at the Doctor’s Pond:

• Fishing at the Doctors Pond is free but all anglers over 13 must hold a valid rod licence. No more than 2 rods are allowed.
• All fish must be handled with care and released immediately – Keep nets are not allowed.
• No barbed hooks allowed. Barbless and micro barbed hooks only to be used.
• Anglers must have an unhooking mat, a disgorger and a landing net to hand.
• All fishing line and used hooks must be taken home and line cut through before disposal.
• All other rubbish is to be taken home or placed in the bins provided.
• Fishing from the footpaths is not allowed to maintain access for the general public.
• Make sure children know what to do when they catch a fish before they start fishing.

River Chelmer

Whilst GDTC do not own the river, we do own and maintain the land through which the river Chelmer flows between Church End and Braintree Rd. The river has a good head of Dace, Roach and Chubb and is one of the few rivers in Essex where it is possible to see Brown Trout. You might also spot a non-native signal crayfish. Egrets (a large white member of the Heron Family) breed over the Chelmer Valley as do many other birds and aquatic mammals such as voles.

Chelmer is not the original name of the river but rather a back-formation from the name of Chelmsford, under the assumption that the ford and town were named for the river they straddle (the actual namesake being a Saxon landholder, Cēolmǣr). Earlier the river was known as the Baddow, which survives in the names of Great and Little Baddow.

There is an ideal paddling space for children by the small “stone” bridge (park at Braintree Rd and walk upstream 500m) where it is possible to catch sticklebacks with a net whilst Mum & Dad have a picnic on the bench provided.

Like the Doctor’s Pond, fishing is free but you will need a licence if you are over 13 years old. Licences for children aged between 13 and 16 are free but you’ll still need to get a junior licence. These are available at: https://www.gov.uk/fishing-licences/buy-a-fishing-licence

Please remember that rivers have a “Closed Season” between March 15th and June 15th inclusive when you cannot go fishing to protect the fish whilst they are breeding.