Frampton-on-Severn Fishing

Summary

Frampton‑on‑Severn (Hock Cliff/Framilode reach) sits on the upper Severn Estuary in Gloucestershire, where an immense tide rips past a grassy floodbank and mudflats. It’s a quirky, wild mark better known to locals than tourists, offering seasonal sport for flounder, school bass and mullet when conditions line up. Come for big skies, huge tides and proper estuary fishing—just treat the mud and the famous Severn Bore with utmost respect.

Location and Access

This is the east bank of the Severn opposite the Arlingham peninsula, reached via Frampton‑on‑Severn, Framilode and Epney. Access is mostly along public footpaths on the floodbank (Severn Way); you fish from the grassed bank and never from the mud below.

• Driving: Leave the M5 at J13 and follow signs for Frampton‑on‑Severn via the A38/Perry Way. For broad access, head to The Green in Frampton (approx GL2 7EP), Saul Junction car park for the canal/footpath access (approx GL2 7LA), or Epney village lay‑bys near The Anchor (approx GL2 7LN).
• Parking: Small village/street parking near Frampton Green; dedicated parking at Saul Junction; limited kerbside spots at Epney. Be considerate—many lanes are narrow.
• Walk-in: 5–25 minutes on flat, grassy footpaths and field margins depending on your chosen stretch (Framilode to Epney/Hock Cliff). Expect stiles and gates; not wheelchair friendly.
• Ground: Grassed floodbank with soft, deeply muddy foreshore below. The cliff section at Hock Cliff is unstable—fish from the top path/bank only.

Seasons

This is a high-energy, brackish estuary. Species are seasonal and strongly influenced by salinity and freshwater spates.

• Common targets (in season)

• Flounder: Late autumn through early spring on neaps and smaller springs; still turn up in summer on settled spells.

• School bass: May–October, especially on warmer evening floods and at first light.

• Thick‑lipped mullet: June–September around the canal outfall/Framilode Pill and slack eddies.

• Occasional/encounters

• European eel: Late spring–early autumn after dark; release immediately (see regulations).

• Smelt and small estuary species: Intermittent catches, mainly late winter/spring.

• Migratory fish present (salmon, sea trout, shad, lampreys) must not be targeted and must be returned unharmed if accidentally hooked.

Methods

Simple, robust estuary tactics work best in the savage tide. Keep rigs streamlined and baits tough so they survive crabs and flow.

• Ledgering for flounder/bass: 12–13 ft beach/estuary rods with 15–20 lb mono or 30–40 lb braid, strong 5–7 oz wired leads.
• Rigs: One‑up/one‑down or single hook running ledger for flounder; pulley/dropper with 2/0–3/0 circles for bass on bigger tides. Longish snoods (60–90 cm) can help flounder.
• Hooks: Size 2–1 for flounder; 2/0–3/0 (patterns with good wire) for bass.
• Baits: Estuary ragworm and lugworm are king; peeler crab in May–July for bass; mussel or razor can score; small fish/squid strips as scent carriers. Bind soft baits with elastic.
• Mullet: Stealthy float tactics or light ledger with bread flake or small rag in slack water near outfalls; fine line and small hooks (size 8–12).
• Casting: Don’t blast—fish often run surprisingly close along the margin on a flooding tide. Position baits on travel lanes just off the bank and along gutters.

Tides and Conditions

Tide rules everything here; plan sessions around state and strength. The Severn’s range is huge and the bore can end sessions abruptly.

• Best states: Last 2 hours of the flood and first hour of the ebb are prime; neap tides are easier to fish and often best for flounder.
• Springs vs neaps: Big springs bring power and debris; great for bass if you can hold bottom. Neaps give you presentation time for flounder and mullet in slacks.
• Time of day: Dusk into dark for bass and eels; bright days on neaps can still do flounder. Early mornings in settled summer weather for mullet.
• Conditions: After heavy rain the fresh pushes fish down; best after 2–3 stable days. Light SW–W winds are kind; strong easterlies can make it dour.
• Severn Bore: On significant bore days (ratings 3–5), avoid the peak of the flood—waves, surge and floating debris make it unfishable and hazardous.

Safety

This is a serious tidal river with dangerous mud and an unstable cliff line. Treat it like a working waterway, not a beach.

• Stand on the floodbank/top path only; never venture onto the foreshore or mud—people and dogs get stuck here every year.
• Hock Cliff is actively eroding with frequent rockfalls. Keep back from the edge and avoid the base entirely.
• The tide races and rises fast; the bore arrives in minutes. Keep an escape route and move well before it reaches you.
• Use a sturdy tripod, locking grip‑leads and don’t leave rods unattended—surges can drag tackle.
• Wear a lifejacket, carry a headtorch, fish with a partner, and keep a charged phone. Inform someone of your plan.
• Access involves field paths, stiles and uneven ground; not suitable for wheelchairs or limited mobility.
• Livestock and electric fences appear along sections; keep gates as found and give animals space.

Facilities

Rural but not remote: you’re close to villages and the canal, though bankside amenities are minimal.

• Parking: Saul Junction car park and limited village/on‑street options (see access). No parking on the floodbank.
• Toilets: Often available at Saul Junction/canal facilities and cafés during opening hours; none on the riverbank itself.
• Food & drink: Pubs and cafés nearby, e.g., in Frampton‑on‑Severn, Epney and at Saul Junction.
• Tackle & bait: Nearest options are in Gloucester/Stroud area; phone ahead for fresh worms/crab. No bait/tackle on site.
• Mobile signal: Generally fair on the bank, with occasional patchy spots in low areas.

Tips

Think “travel lanes”, tough baits and timing. The fish use the flooding water like a conveyor belt along the bank.

• Don’t overcast; set baits just beyond the margin where the flood forms a seam—flounder and bass patrol it.
• Fresh rag or lug outfishes frozen here; peeler crab is a bass magnet in late spring.
• Keep rigs simple and streamlined; minimize hardware to reduce debris collection.
• Use bait elastic generously—crabs are relentless. Check baits often on springs.
• A long butt spike or tripod braced into the turf stops rod creep on the surge.
• Check Severn Bore times; plan to be packed up or well clear 30–40 minutes beforehand on big bores.
• Mullet are spooky—wear drab clothing, keep low, and feed small bread mash sparingly near outfalls.

Regulations

This is tidal water; recreational sea angling is generally permitted from public rights of way and with landowner permission where applicable. Always obey local signage—some stretches of bank are privately owned.

• Bass (ICES areas 7a–k incl. Severn): As of current UK rules, minimum size 42 cm; recreational bag limit typically 2 fish per angler per day from 1 March–30 November; catch‑and‑release only in December–February. Check for annual updates before you go.
• European eel: Critically endangered—return all eels immediately. Do not deliberately target them.
• Salmon, sea trout and shad: Protected; you must not target them. If foul‑hooked or accidentally caught, return at once.
• Licences: No EA rod licence is required for sea fish in tidal waters, but a licence is required to target migratory salmonids anywhere—don’t fish methods likely to catch them here.
• Designations: The Severn Estuary/Hock Cliff areas are protected (SSSI/SPA/SAC). Stay on marked paths, avoid damaging vegetation/cliffs, and do not dig bait on the foreshore.
• Close season/coarse byelaws: Tidal reaches usually exempt, but local byelaws can vary—check the Environment Agency for any specific restrictions in the upper estuary.
• Access rights: Use the Severn Way and other public footpaths; if a bank is signed private/no fishing, respect it.

Always check the latest national and local regulations and the Severn Bore timetable before fishing.