Worcestershire's River Arrow must rank amongst one of the prettiest rivers in the Midlands and Studley Angling Society's two stretches offer a variety of angling which will suit those who prefer a more natural form of fishing than that provided by today's stillwater commercial coarse fisheries.

The half mile stretch on the left bank looking upstream at Wixford near Ragley Hall (left) has three weirs and long slow glides offering not only lovely barbel and chub fishing but also a mix of species including bream, roach, dace, perch and carp.

The upstream stretch about five miles away near the parish church in Studley (below) is a different water altogether.

Running for about a mile downstream from the field opposite the church, it is much narrower with fast shallow riffles running into deeper slower moving pools.

Although it has few barbel it is stuffed with silver fish including chub, roach, perch, dace and even a few trout.

Whilst the Wixford length will appeal both to anglers who like to stay in one peg for several hours or prefer to rove up and downstream searching out different swims, the mainly narrower Studley stretch will favour those who like to seek out a few fish from a swim and then move on to another peg.

Chub, roach, dace, bream, carp and perch can be caught anywhere along the slower glides and many back eddies where stillwater tactics work well and although the barbel can also be caught almost anywhere most anglers targeting this species head for one of the three weir pools where there is faster moving water.

Anglers fishing the Wixford stretches can park their vehicles either on the grass verge on the left just past the entrance to Ragley Hall and before the left fork to Wixford.

The pipe over the river can be seen from this spot and it gives ready access to the upstream swims and pegs.

Taking the left fork, parking is again on the left hand verge a couple of hundred yards down the road where a track leads down to the river through the trees.

Parking for the upstream Studley Park length is either on the left just before the church or in the church car park itself, although anglers are asked to note that this car park is obviously busier on Sundays when there are church services.