River Don
River Don
- Boat Ramps
- 1
- Access Points
- 4
- Species
- 19
The River Don in Yorkshire, England, is a remarkable urban and semi-rural fishery that winds through the heart of Sheffield and continues eastward through Rotherham and Doncaster before joining the River Ouse. Once heavily degraded by industrial pollution from Sheffield's steel industry, the Don has undergone one of England's most impressive river recovery stories, transforming from a near-lifeless waterway into a thriving multi-species fishery. The river offers a diverse range of fishing experiences, from fly fishing for wild brown trout in the upper reaches above Sheffield to coarse fishing for barbel, chub, perch, and pike in the middle and lower sections. The completion of a 20-year project to install fish passes at 18 obstructions along the river — including the landmark Masbrough Weir fish pass in Rotherham in 2020 and the Meadowhall fish pass in 2013 — has opened the entire river corridor from the North Sea all the way to Sheffield's spawning grounds, making salmon a genuine and growing prospect on this historically industrial river.
Species & education
Learn what type of fish are at River Don and what's needed to catch them.
Fishing spots, boat ramps & amenities
Learn how to get on River Don. Uncover great fishing access points, boat ramps, and all the facilities you need for an unforgettable day on the water. Some locations shown may border or include private property. Always check property boundaries and applicable regulations before visiting. onWater's Public & Private Land layer can help you plan your access with confidence.
Know where you can legally fish on River Don
See public and private land boundaries along the water, turn on private parcels with owner details to know where permission is required, and find land-trust parcels that offer permitted fishing access.
England licenses and regulations
England Boating Regulations
Canal & River Trust is the navigation authority for most inland canals and rivers in England and Wales, covering boat licences, registration, and rules of navigation. For coastal/sea boating the national Maritime & Coastguard Agency guidance applies instead.
England Fishing License
An Environment Agency rod fishing licence is required to fish for salmon, trout, freshwater fish, smelt or eel in England. Buy a short-term or annual licence online via GOV.UK; junior licences are free but must be registered.
England Fishing Regulations
The official Environment Agency freshwater rod-fishing byelaws for England: close seasons, size and catch limits, permitted baits and methods, and rod limits. These apply in addition to holding a rod licence.
England Stream Access Laws
Closest official page on public access to land and water in England. Note there is no general public right to fish - fishing rights are privately owned, so you need the owner's or club's permission or a permit even where access on foot exists.
Take River Don with you
The onWater Fish app keeps this water's access points, species and conditions in your pocket, with the tools you use once you're there.
Use the map without signal
Download the map around River Don to use it offline when coverage drops.
Log your catches here
Keep a private fishing journal for River Don to find where and when fish are biting for you.
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Water and weather conditions (10 day forecast)
See the best times to fish River Don and check the forecast before you go.
Doncaster
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