TackleIndex
River

Harrold-Odell Country Park – River Great Ouse

A permit-only bit of the Great Ouse inside Harrold-Odell Country Park. Your permit also covers the permissible fishing waters on Grebe Lake and Kingfisher Lake, so there’s a decent bit of water to get your head around.

Run by Bedford Borough Council · checked 10 Oct 2026 · boundaries only partly described by the club

River level

Measured — Environment Agency

Turvey gauge

Nearest EA gauge we've matched — it isn't on this stretch, so levels on your peg will differ.

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We don't publish an "ideal level" — nobody can promise one. Flood water is dangerous: if it's up and coloured, stay well back from the edge. Open River Ready

The lowdown

  • This is the River Great Ouse running within the country-park boundary, with fishing limited to the established swims. No wandering off to find a cheeky new peg.
  • It’s season-only fishing here. The 2026–27 permit period runs from 16 June 2026 to 14 March 2027, with no single-day tickets available.
  • There’s some proper river interest on the books, with Great Ouse barbel recorded to 14lb 11oz and chub to 6lb. Pike and perch are also named river species.
  • Grebe Lake is listed as 35 acres, and the same permit can cover permissible fishing waters on Grebe Lake and Kingfisher Lake too.
  • The riverbank meadow is grazed by cattle from May to November. An electric fence may run along part of the bank when the cattle are in, so take care getting about.
  • Parking is restricted to designated areas. The main car park stays open 24 hours, while the overflow car park shuts at 5pm.
  • Small tents or bivvies are allowed within the swim, but they mustn’t block the bank path. Day/night anglers can stay for up to 48 hours, then need a 72-hour break.
  • You can use three rods in one swim if you hold two rod licences. Keepnets are banned, and every fish must go straight back into the water it came from.
  • Predator anglers need wire traces, while lure hooks must be barbless. No live baiting, live-bait fishing, floating baits, pre-baiting, mass baiting or bait boats.
  • Soluble boilies are okay, but nuts and beans are banned. Barbed and bent hooks are also prohibited, so check the terminal tackle before settling in.

Methods: The named river fish point towards proper barbel and chub approaches, with predator gear for pike and perch. Keep everything within the established swims and follow the tight bait and hook rules.

Access & tickets

2026–27 adult permit

Season permit, covering the permissible fishing waters on the River Great Ouse within the country-park boundary, Grebe Lake and Kingfisher Lake.

£52.80 (as listed 10 Oct 2026 — check before you go)

2026–27 concession, junior or OAP permit

Season permit. No single-day tickets are available.

£21.95 (as listed 10 Oct 2026 — check before you go)

2026–27 adult day/night permit

Allows day/night fishing, subject to the maximum 48-hour stay and 72-hour absence rule.

£82.10 (as listed 10 Oct 2026 — check before you go)

Permits are issued by Bedford Borough Council for the 2026–27 season. The listed permit period is 16 June 2026 to 14 March 2027, and no single-day tickets are available.

Fish the club names

barbel, chub, pike, perch

Named by Bedford Borough Council across its waters, not for this stretch on its own.

Key rules

  • Fishing is permit-only and prohibited during the closed season.
  • A current Environment Agency rod licence is required.
  • Only established swims may be fished; some areas are excluded, with maps available at the park.
  • All fish must be returned to the water from which they were caught.
  • Keepnets are prohibited.
  • Guest anglers are not permitted.
  • Barbed and bent hooks are prohibited. Wire traces are required for predator fishing and lure hooks must be barbless.
  • Live baiting, fishing for live bait within the park, floating baits, pre-baiting and mass baiting, including bait boats, are prohibited.
  • Nuts and beans are prohibited; soluble boilies are permitted.
  • Small tents or bivouacs must stay within the swim and must not obstruct the bank path.

Coarse fishing on English rivers is closed from 15 March to 15 June inclusive. That's the law for coarse fish on rivers — it's not a club rule, and game-fishing seasons work differently.

GOV.UK — Freshwater rod fishing rules: when and where you can fish

Where it is

Pins mark the access postcode each club gives, not the bank itself. Exact boundary map: see rights holder.

Community reported

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