What Fish Are In The Thames

Let’s talk about the Thames. You know, that murky, brown river snaking through London. You probably think it’s full of shopping trolleys and old bike tires.

Think again. The Thames is actually a wild, watery wildlife park. It’s teeming with fish. And not just boring ones.

We’re talking about giant fish. Shocking, right? Let’s dive in.

The Superstar: The European Sea Bass

This is the rockstar of the river. It’s a sleek, silver predator that loves the brackish water where the sea meets the city. You can even catch them right under London Bridge.

Fancy a bit of urban fishing? In summer, the bass go wild for shrimp and small fish. It’s the closest you’ll get to a seafood dinner sourced from the shadow of Big Ben.

And they get huge. We’re talking over 10 pounds. That’s a hefty fish commuting past the Houses of Parliament.

The Gentle Giant: The Common Carp

If the bass is the rockstar, the carp is the lazy, chubby couch potato. This fish is a legend. It can live for decades and grow as big as a small dog.

They cruise the muddy bottom like slow-motion submarines. Kids love them because they look so prehistoric—big scales, whiskery mouths. They’re basically the river’s grumpy grandpas.

Here’s a fun fact: carp can recognize people. Seriously. They learn who feeds them and who doesn’t. So, be nice to the carps. They remember your face.

The City Slicker: The Roach

Okay, roach aren’t glamorous. They’re the common sparrow of the fish world. But they are everywhere in the Thames.

They’re silver, with bright red eyes. Pretty in a weird, alien way. Anglers catch them by the bucketload, which is great because it means the river is healthy.

If you see a splash near the shore, it’s probably a roach eating a bug. They are the river’s little cleanup crew. And they never stop. Total workaholics.

WTF Fish: The Eel

Let’s get weird. The Thames has eels. Yes, like the ones in jelly. But these are wild, ghost-like creatures that slither through the dark depths.

Thames Estuary Partnership | Digital resources | United Kingdom

Here’s the kicker: eels travel from the Thames all the way to the Sargasso Sea near Bermuda to breed. That’s a 4,000-mile trip. They start life as tiny, transparent leaves floating in the ocean.

Then they swim back up the river and hide for twenty years. They are the river’s secret ninjas. Nobody sees them, but they’re definitely there, plotting.

The Heavyweight Champion: The Wels Catfish

Okay, buckle up. This fish is a monster. It’s not native, but it’s here. And it’s taking over. These things can grow over six feet long and weigh a hundred pounds.

They eat anything—ducks, rats, other fish. They have no scales and look like a slimy, prehistoric alien. Imagine swimming and bumping into that.

One was caught near the Tower of London. The Tower of London! That means a giant, whiskered beast is lurking beneath the tourist boats. Chills, right?

The Surprise Guest: Salmon

You’d think salmon are for Scotland, not London. But the Thames is now a salmon highway. After 150 years of being extinct here, they came back.

Why? Because the river got cleaner. Today, salmon leap up the Thames, heading to spawn in clean tributaries. It’s a miracle of modern pollution control.

You can stand on a bridge and see them jump. Silver arcs of hope. It’s oddly inspiring for a river that once smelled like a toilet.

The Shiny Showoff: The Zander

Zander are like the sleek sports cars of the river. They come from Eastern Europe, but they love London. They have fangs like a vampire and eyes that glow in the dark.

They hunt at night. They are ambush predators. They hide in the shadows under docks and pounce on smaller fish. They are the ninjas of the night shift.

Night Fishing River Thames

Anglers go nuts for them because they put up a fight. Plus, they look cool. Pointy teeth, greenish flanks. Total bad guys of the deep.

The Little Guys: Sticklebacks & Gudgeon

Not everything is a giant. The river is full of tiny fish that kids catch with nets. Sticklebacks have armor plates on their sides. They look like mini knights.

Gudgeon are bottom-dwellers with barbels (tiny whiskers). They are the river’s vacuum cleaners, hoovering up scraps. They are cute in a derpy way.

You can find them in the shallows near the bank. Just put your hand in the water. You might touch one. It’s like a tiny, wet secret.

A Trade Secret: The Flounder

These fish are weirdos. They are flat. They lie on the riverbed with both eyes on one side of their head. Yes, really. They look like a pancake that grew eyes.

They swim into the Thames from the sea to feed. They bury themselves in mud and wait. It’s a lazy hunter’s dream—just lie still and dinner comes to you.

You can’t see them. They’re invisible. So next time you walk along the South Bank, imagine you’re stepping over dozens of lurking eyeballs. Creepy and wonderful.

The Future: Golden Mullet & Sea Trout

More fish are arriving every year. The river is healing. We’ve seen golden mullet, which are shiny like coins. And sea trout, which are like salmon’s wild cousins.

Scientists think the Thames could become a major spawning ground for endangered species again. It’s a comeback story. And the fish are the stars.

So, next time you cross a bridge, don’t just look down. Look for the splash. That’s a conversation with a prehistoric giant, a vampire fish, or a tiny knight. The Thames is alive. And it’s absolutely bonkers.