The Butts
The Butts is a compact urban-edge stretch of Upper River Great Ouse in Milton Keynes, run by MKAA. Expect roughly 250 yards of mostly slow, deep water, with pedestrian access from Stanton Low car park.
Run by Milton Keynes Angling Association · checked 14 Oct 2026
River Great Ouse
The Butts
Our river artwork — photos for this stretch are on the way
River level
Measured — Environment Agency
Haversham gauge
Nearest EA gauge we've matched — it isn't on this stretch, so levels on your peg will differ.
Loading latest reading…
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 Haversham on Live River Levels
The lowdown
- A proper little Ouse section, tucked away just beyond Bradwell Lake and handy for a quiet session without loads of faff.
- The fishing runs on downstream from Bradwell Lake, with the downstream limit marked by a large concrete block — originally a bridge support.
- Much of the water is slow and deep, so it looks well suited to steady float work, trotting where the flow allows, or a tidy feeder approach into the deeper stuff.
- There’s no vehicle access to the bank. It’s pedestrian-only, so keep the kit sensible and avoid turning the walk into a full expedition.
- Access starts at Stanton Low car park, between the Grand Union Canal and Asda, just beyond Bradwell Lake on Newport Road.
- From the car park, follow the canal towpath until it gets close to the river. That’s the route in, so allow a bit of time for the walk and tackle-carrying.
- It’s a compact stretch rather than a huge wandering venue. Spend a few minutes looking for depth changes, crease lines and any slightly steadier edges before settling into a swim.
- MKAA names perch, pike, roach, dace, bream and chub among the fish across its waters. That gives you a nice mixed-species angle, from silverfish and bream to a cheeky predator session.
- For a general day-ticket attack, keep things versatile: float or feeder for the slower water, with lure or deadbait options if you’re targeting pike and the rules allow your chosen setup.
- The legal river close season applies from 15 March to 15 June inclusive, so plan sessions outside those dates and make sure the ticket and rod licence are sorted before fishing.
Methods: Keep it versatile on this slow, deep water: float or feeder for roach, bream, chub and perch, with pike tactics if that’s your target. Look for the crease, depth changes and steadier edges rather than just dropping in anywhere.
Access & tickets
Adult day ticket 2026/27 — two rods
Sold on the bank by MKAA bailiffs; valid from midnight to midnight.
£10 (as listed 14 Oct 2026 — check before you go)
Adult day ticket 2026/27 — three rods
Sold on the bank by MKAA bailiffs; valid from midnight to midnight.
£18 (as listed 14 Oct 2026 — check before you go)
MKAA season membership 2026/27 — adults fishing two rods
Membership book covering the stretch.
£65 (as listed 14 Oct 2026 — check before you go)
MKAA day tickets are available from bailiffs. Annual membership is also available through Milton Keynes Angling Association.
Fish the club names
perch, pike, roach, bream, chub
Named by Milton Keynes Angling Association across its waters, not for this stretch on its own.
Key rules
- Maximum of three rods is permitted on an MKAA day ticket.
- The legal river close season applies from 15 March to 15 June inclusive.
- A valid Environment Agency rod licence is also required.
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 fishWhere it is
Pins mark the access postcode each club gives, not the bank itself. Exact boundary map: see rights holder.
Community reported
Recent angler updates
No angler updates yet — that's normal. Be the first to help the next angler.
How busy was it?
Nobody's said yet. It's part of the 20-second update below.
No live tracking — this is what anglers told us after their session, and it's never part of the venue score.
Water updates from anglers
No active water updates.