The East Midlands County of Northamptonshire is landlocked between 8 other counties, yet is home to many rivers, canals, and other waters that make it a wonderful location for fishing. With a small population compared to many other UK counties, Northamptonshire offers a variety of landscapes and often beautiful and tranquil spots for fisheries. The county is well-served by the major UK motorway network.
- Swanspool Lake
- Brian Crowhurst Ringstead Fishery
- Meadow Lakes Northampton
- Swan Valley Lake
- Blue Lagoon
- Welford Reservoir Carp Syndicate
- Ditchford Lakes
- St. James Lake
- Grendon Ponds
- Gayton Wood Farm
- Ecton Lakes
- Brickhill Farm Fishery
- Brampton Fisheries
- Barnwell Country Park
- Pitsford Fishery
- Willowbrook Lake Fisheries
- Bluebell Lakes Fishery
- Rushden Gravel Pits
- Yoke Hill Farm Fishery
- Sywell Reservoir
- Naseby Reservoir
- Boddington Reservoir
- Elinor Trout Fishery
- Wold Farm Fisheries
- Stanwick Lakes Fisheries
- Rushton Lake
- Newnham Grange Lakes
- High Park Lake
- Grundy’s Lake
- Grendon Lakes Fishing
- Jigsaw Lake
- Drayton Reservoir
- Corby Boating Lake
- Canons Ashby Lakes
- Billing Aquadrome Fishing
- Biggin Lake
- Mill Cotton Fishery
- Lakeside Coarse Fishery
Fishing Clubs in Nottinghamshire
| Name | Address | Website | FB |
|---|---|---|---|
| Desborough and Rothwell Angling Club | 19 Chatsworth Avenue, Kettering, Northamptonshire NN15 6XN | Website | |
| Northampton Nene Angling Club | Northampton, Northamptonshire UK, M280LH | Website | |
| Wellingborough and District Nene Angling Club | 73 Northampton Road Broughton Kettering Northamptonshire NN14 1NR UK | Website | FB |
Fishing clubs within the county include the Northampton Nene Angling Club which has been around since the mid-1800’s. The club manages stretches of the river’s Nene and Great Ouse plus 20miles of fishing on the banks of the Grand Union Canal. 30lbs carp and similarly sized pike are often landed, while the waters are home to many more coarse species.
Wellingborough and District Angling Club is another established club that fishes on the Nene, as well as managing a variety of canal stretches and several lake fisheries. Among these is Grendon Ponds which consists of two small ponds with carp in double figures, and which is popular with novices and leisure anglers. Swanspool Lake is unusual in being n an urban setting and is another that is popular with younger anglers new to the sport.
Earl’s Barton Angling Club manages three waters – Gravel Lane, The Dam, and Hardwater’s Gravel Pit – and offers a lovely and peaceful location to fish for good sized carp, bream, and other coarse fish. All waters are restocked regularly.
Recommended Venues
Fisheries within the county are plenty, and among the most popular is Green Farm Fishery, located not far from the pretty town of Towcester. With five lakes within the facility, including a respected match lake, this an established fishery with great facilities including disables access, a café and clubhouse, toilet facilities, and plentiful parking. Sparrow Lake is for the leisure angler and offers regular catches of smaller carp and other coarse species. Buzzard is the specimen carp lake with specially chosen fish up to 28lbs and a good head between 10lbs and 15lbs.
Pitsford Fishery is in the small town of the same name and is easily reached by road. Offering a beautiful and quiet place to fish, there is one 2.2acre lake but it is worth tackling if you’re looking for specimen catches. Carp up to 35lbs are present as are catfish of 70lbs. Other species include Perch, Roach, and Rudd of good weights, and many other coarse species. Day tickets are available as is night fishing, with each requiring booking in advance. Toilet facilities are provided, and disabled anglers are catered for.
Carp Fishing in Northamptonshire
There are plenty of opportunities for excellent carp fishing across Northamptonshire, with some very pleasant spaces dedicated to coarse fisheries. Stanwick Lakes Fishery is a large and established fishery in easy reach of the A45 and features six well-stocked lakes. Elson’s Lake is the specimen lake with a few carp in excess of 40lbs and more than 100 in the 20lbs bracket. Mallard Lake also houses sizeable specimen carp, while Roman Lake is an invitation-only syndicate lake. Booking is needed on some lakes for day tickets, so we recommend you contact Stanwick Lakes before you visit.
With three good well-stocked lakes, Wellingborough Lakes is a prime fishery close to Northampton and in the beautiful setting of the Nene Valley. Mill Lake is a 21-acre gravel pit where there are around 15 carp above 40lbs, and plenty between 20lbs and 30lbs. the well-stocked Heron Lake is a smaller water yet is home to more than 45 30lbs carp with some over 40lbs. Smallest is Island Lake where there are plenty carp over 20lbs and many into the 30lbs and 40lbs bracket. This is a membership-only fishery that welcomes members of all ages and ability.
Historic Sywell Country Park is home to a fishing lake that is regarded as among the best for tench in the UK. Fish of up to 12lbs have been landed with an average of 7lbs, and there are also 30lbs pike and other coarse fish in the waters of the 67acre lake. In beautiful surroundings, fishing is available by day ticket and season passes.
Pike Fishing in Northamptonshire
Naseby Reservoir is the largest in the county at 93 acres is among the best places to fish for pike in Northamptonshire. The time to try your hand at predators is after a wet winter when the water is high at the dam wall, where there are plenty of platforms to fish from. Pike of more than 30lbs have been caught here, and there is also a good head of carp up to 40lbs, with colossal numbers of good-sized roach also in the water.
Cosgrove Park is a holiday home and touring caravan park that offers access to no fewer than 18 lakes, 2 small ponds, and stretches of river and canal that can also be fished. There can be few fisheries that offer as varied a selection of fishing experiences as this. The smallest lake is an acre and the largest 25-acres, and the waters hold good sized pike of over 30lbs, as well as 30lb-plus carp and many other coarse species.
Fly Fishing in Northamptonshire
Located centrally in England, the many rivers, canals, reservoirs, and lakes of Northamptonshire offer plenty of opportunity for fly fishing. Elinor Trout Fishery is a medium-sized facility close to Kettering with a spring-fed lake plus managed riverbank fishing. It is considered among the finest trout fisheries in the county. Rainbow trout of in excess of the 13lbs have been caught here and fishing is by bank or boat.
Mid Northants Trout Fishers manages six waters in the region that each offer excellent fishing opportunities and welcomes anglers of all ages and levels of experience. The club has an active social scene centred around fly fishing. Also worth visiting is Pitsford Water Park where newcomers to fly fishing are encouraged to enjoy a beautiful setting and expert, friendly advice from the tackle shop staff. Fishing by day and season tickets is available, and there are courses throughout the year to help improve all aspects of this fascinating hobby.