Tidefest
Tidefest returns to the Thames for a ‘lucky’ 13th year running
London’s only major river match returns to the tidal Thames at Kew for the 13th year running. This year’s 40 peg Tidefest Angling Championship will be held on Sunday 6th September over four zones at Strand on the Green, Chiswick and Barnes. The winner will receive the Mike Martin-Davies Trophy named after the late three times champion who sadly passed away during Covid.
Date and Time: Sunday 6th September 2026
Fishing: 12 – 5pm (depending on tide)
Draw: 9am Strand on the Green, Kew Bridge London W4 3RE
This sponsored event uses the Continental Payout system with Top Four prizes by zone of £400, £250, £250, £250 to give four lucky anglers a chance to make the frame.
Tickets are £20 in advance including a £5 donation to the angling charity Get Hooked on Fishing.
Tickets go on on sale from 12 noon on Wednesday 8th April 2026
The Thames produced some outstanding catches in last year’s competition where the winner was the previous Tidefest champion Mark Brush (Daiwa Gordon League) with 26lbs 5ozs of quality redfins from Kew. In second place was Andrew Wooding with 20lbs 5ozs of big roach from further downstream. Andrew also had a rare two pound specimen in his haul. The Barnes zone was won by Rob Peck with 18.08 and Chiswick by Steve Edwards with just shy of 11.14.
Thames Tidefest began in 2014 as a coalition of many river related organisations, including the Angling Trust, with the aim of increasing public awareness and appreciation of London’s river as an environmental and recreational resource. It features angling, canoeing, paddle boarding, river dipping and river and foreshore explorations. It grew out of the desire to see a cleaner Thames with the successful Thames Tunnel Now campaign in favour of what is now the Thames Tideway Tunnel.
Tidefest Organiser Martin Salter said:
“We are lucky that this fabulous event, which is a celebration of London’s river, is still able to run in its 13th year thanks to new sponsorship from the Port of London Authority. As the Thames gets cleaner following the opening of the Tideway Tunnel we are fully expecting catches to increase and for a greater number of species to turn up in angler’s nets.”
Angling Times columnist and Thames regular Keith Arthur added:
“I’m pleased to see Tidefest going from strength to strength and last year it was absolutely wonderful to see such magnificent roach and other silver fish coming from the fully-tidal stretch of River Thames. With roach to 2lb caught in matches it gives an indication of the potential for those prepared to tackle a big river with a huge tidal variation. This is definitely a match for the river specialists and I’m expecting it to be well attended once again.”
The event also raises funds for the young person’s angling charity Get Hooked on Fishing of which Keith is a Trustee.
More info:
Martin Salter – [email protected]
Will Barnard – 07747 647921
Keith Arthur – 07785 755702
Booking info:
Angling Trust – To book tickets online go to – anglingtrust.net/competitions/tidefest-2026/ or tel: 0115 822 4519 or email [email protected]
Tackle Up – 151 Fleet Road, Fleet GU51 3PD. Tel 01252 616129 (CASH OR CHEQUES ONLY)
