River guide
River Nene in Northamptonshire
12 checked stretches so far — day tickets, club waters and guest tickets, each checked against the club's own pages.
The lowdown
The River Nene through Northampton has a canalised, urban character, with town-centre waters running alongside places including Becket’s Park. This section gives anglers a footpath-accessible left bank between Nunn Mills Road bridge and the Dead Arm.
Northampton Nene Angling Club manages these town-centre waters, with day membership available for daylight sessions. The club lists a mixed fishery including roach, chub, perch, bream, dace and carp, with the normal closed season and club rules applying.
Close season reminder
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 fishStretches
12 of 12 checked stretches. No rankings — we don't know which is "best" on your day, and neither does anyone else.
Midsummer Meadow
River Nene · Day ticket
Midsummer Meadow is a proper town-centre River Nene stretch, run by Northampton Nene Angling Club. It fishes from the left bank between Nunn Mills Road bridge and the entrance to the old river course known as the Dead Arm.
Checked 6 Oct 2026
Nene Navigation Channel
River Nene · Day ticket
A proper urban navigation stretch run by Northampton Nene Angling Club, with the Nene channel winding from the A45 road bridge area past Casuals Rugby Club and Rushmills Business Park to Queensbridge. It’s day-ticket water, with locks and a navigable-channel feel rather than a wild, tucked-away riverbank.
Checked 6 Oct 2026
The Leaps
River Nene · Day ticket
The Leaps is a town-centre River Nene stretch in Northampton, run by Northampton Nene Angling Club. It fishes from the left bank only, from South Bridge downstream to the lock pound.
Checked 6 Oct 2026
Becketts Park
River Nene · Day ticket
Becketts Park is a proper town-centre River Nene stretch, run by Northampton Nene Angling Club. It fishes from the left bank only, starting at the blue bridge by the marina entrance and running downstream to Nunn Mills Road bridge.
Checked 6 Oct 2026
Savages Cutting
River Nene · Day ticket
Savages Cutting is a town-centre River Nene stretch run by Northampton Nene Angling Club. It fishes along the left bank from the Dead Arm inlet down to the A45 road bridge, with a solid footpath running the full section.
Checked 6 Oct 2026
B&Q/Carlsberg to South Bridge
River Nene · Day ticket
A proper town-centre River Nene stretch, running downstream from the B&Q/Carlsberg area to South Bridge in Northampton. Most fishing is from the left bank, with a small right-bank section on the straight between B&Q and Carlsberg.
Checked 6 Oct 2026
Weston Mill to Billing Bridge
River Nene · Members only
A proper River Nene club stretch running from Weston Mill through the Billing area to Billing Bridge. It’s members only, with access through Billing Aquadrome and both banks included around the lower end.
Checked 6 Oct 2026
Plantation River Nene, Barnwell
River Nene · Members only
Plantation is a proper cracking WDNAC stretch near Barnwell, close to Oundle, with around 28 pegs on a sluggish, sheltered River Nene section. It’s picturesque, heavily wooded and capable of producing good bags of quality coarse fish.
Checked 6 Oct 2026
Ferry Meadows – River Nene
River Nene · Day ticket or members
Ferry Meadows is a cracking Nene venue in Nene Park, with fishable river sections plus the conjoined Overton and Gunwade lakes. It’s nationally known for bream, with proper match weights possible and a few big-ticket predators and carp in the mix.
Checked 6 Oct 2026
Bedford Road Bridge to Weston Mill Sluice Gates
River Nene · Day ticket
A proper urban-fringe River Nene stretch from Bedford Road Bridge down to Weston Mill Sluice Gates, run by Northampton Nene Angling Club. Day tickets are available, with sluices and river-control kit adding a bit of character to the water.
Checked 7 Oct 2026
Billing Bridge to Cogenhoe Mill
River Nene · Members only
A rural River Nene stretch running from Billing Bridge down towards Cogenhoe Mill, including both banks of the island. It’s Northampton Nene Angling Club water and members-only — no day ticket on this one.
Checked 7 Oct 2026
River Nene, Thorpe Waterville Upper
River Nene · Members or guest ticket
Thorpe Waterville Upper is a quiet, deep and sluggish River Nene stretch above the bridge where Thorpe Road leaves Thorpe Waterville towards Aldwincle. It’s a proper easy-access bit of river, suited to static fishing from the single bank.
Checked 7 Oct 2026
Pins mark the access postcode each club gives, not the bank itself. Exact boundary map: see rights holder.
Access & tickets
2026/27 day membership
Northampton Nene Angling Club
Valid for the River Nene town-centre waters only. Dawn to dusk fishing. Environment Agency rod licence required.
£6 per session (as listed 06/10/2026)
Covers: Midsummer Meadow
2026/27 day membership
Northampton Nene Angling Club
Day membership for one person, valid only for the purchased fishing date.
£6 per person per session (as listed 06/10/2026)
Covers: Nene Navigation Channel
Standard day ticket
Northampton Nene Angling Club
£6 per person per session. Valid from dawn until dusk.
£6 per person per session (as listed 06/10/2026)
Covers: The Leaps
Day membership
Northampton Nene Angling Club
Valid for River Nene town-centre sections; fishing from dawn to dusk only.
£6 per person per session (as listed 06/10/2026)
Covers: Becketts Park
Day membership
Northampton Nene Angling Club
Northampton Nene Angling Club day-ticket fishing for one session. A valid Environment Agency rod licence is required.
£6 per session for the 2026/27 season (as listed 06/10/2026)
Covers: Savages Cutting
Day membership
Northampton Nene Angling Club
Current club day-membership product. Valid from dawn to dusk only.
£6 per session (as listed 06/10/2026)
Covers: B&Q/Carlsberg to South Bridge
Northampton Nene Angling Club membership
Northampton Nene Angling Club
Club members only. Day tickets are not available.
Covers: Weston Mill to Billing Bridge
2026 adult WDNAC membership
Wellingborough & District Nene Angling Club
Club membership for 1 January to 31 December. Members-only water.
£60 (as listed 06/10/2026)
Covers: Plantation River Nene, Barnwell
2026 senior WDNAC membership
Wellingborough & District Nene Angling Club
Club membership for 1 January to 31 December. Members-only water.
£45 (as listed 06/10/2026)
Covers: Plantation River Nene, Barnwell
2026 junior WDNAC membership
Wellingborough & District Nene Angling Club
Club membership for 1 January to 31 December. Members-only water.
£10 (as listed 06/10/2026)
Covers: Plantation River Nene, Barnwell
Adult day ticket 2026
Peterborough & District Angling Association
Booked in advance online through the association.
£5 (as listed 06/10/2026)
Covers: Ferry Meadows – River Nene
Senior day ticket 2026
Peterborough & District Angling Association
For anglers aged 65 and over; booked in advance online.
£3 (as listed 06/10/2026)
Covers: Ferry Meadows – River Nene
Junior day ticket 2026
Peterborough & District Angling Association
For anglers under 18.
Free (as listed 06/10/2026)
Covers: Ferry Meadows – River Nene
Club day membership
Northampton Nene Angling Club
Day membership for fishing this stretch. Valid from 1 June 2026 to 31 May 2027. Dawn to dusk only.
£6 per person per session (as listed 07/10/2026)
Covers: Bedford Road Bridge to Weston Mill Sluice Gates
Environment Agency rod licence
Northampton Nene Angling Club
A valid licence is required alongside the club day membership.
Covers: Bedford Road Bridge to Weston Mill Sluice Gates
Northampton Nene Angling Club membership
Northampton Nene Angling Club
Required for access to this members-only stretch. No day ticket is available here.
Covers: Billing Bridge to Cogenhoe Mill
Environment Agency rod licence
Northampton Nene Angling Club
May be required for club day membership.
Covers: Billing Bridge to Cogenhoe Mill
Adult annual membership
Nene Anglers
Nene Anglers annual membership
£65 (as listed 07/10/2026)
Covers: River Nene, Thorpe Waterville Upper
Concession annual membership
Nene Anglers
Nene Anglers annual membership
£50 (as listed 07/10/2026)
Covers: River Nene, Thorpe Waterville Upper
Guest ticket
Nene Anglers
Members receive three guest tickets per season; day session
£10 (as listed 07/10/2026)
Covers: River Nene, Thorpe Waterville Upper
Species
We only tag a stretch with a fish when the club names it. Some clubs name fish across all their water rather than stretch by stretch — those are flagged on the card.
| Stretch | Carp | Tench | Bream | Roach | Pike | Perch | Barbel | Chub | Zander |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Midsummer Meadow | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ||||
| Nene Navigation Channel | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ||||
| The Leaps | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ||||
| Becketts Park | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ||||
| Savages Cutting | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ||||
| B&Q/Carlsberg to South Bridge | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ||||
| Weston Mill to Billing Bridge | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | |||
| Plantation River Nene, Barnwell | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | |||
| Ferry Meadows – River Nene | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ||||
| Bedford Road Bridge to Weston Mill Sluice Gates | ●* | ●* | ●* | ●* | ●* | ●* | |||
| Billing Bridge to Cogenhoe Mill | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | |||
| River Nene, Thorpe Waterville Upper | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
● named by the club for this stretch · ●* named across the club's waters · blank = not named (not "absent").
Rules — who runs what
You’ll need a Northampton Nene Angling Club membership book to fish Carlton. Contact the club about membership; the fishery page doesn’t give a price.
Club pageWellingborough & District Nene Angling Club
This is Wellingborough & District Nene Angling Club water, not a day-ticket fishery. Membership runs from 1 January to 31 December; 2026 adult membership is £60, senior is £45 and junior is £10.
Club pagePeterborough & District Angling Association
Day tickets are available online through Peterborough & District Angling Association. The 2026 adult advance ticket is £5, senior is £3 for anglers aged 65 and over, and juniors under 18 are free; booking on the day adds a £2 surcharge. Annual night permits need to be arranged by contacting the association directly.
Club pageNene Anglers does not issue ordinary day tickets. Members receive three guest tickets per season at £10 per day session, with the gate code available through the Nene Anglers Clubmate app.
Club pageFished the river recently?
Pick the stretch you fished and add a 20-second update there — one stretch at a time keeps it useful.
Each stretch page lists its own key rules. You'll need an Environment Agency rod licence on all of them.
River levels
Measured readings straight from the Environment Agency. These are the nearest gauges we've matched — not readings from the stretches themselves.
Measured — Environment Agency
South Bridge 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 River Ready
Measured — Environment Agency
Bedford Road Sluice 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 River Ready
Measured — Environment Agency
Nene Valley 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 River Ready
Tips & reports
Our take (editorial, not club advice): on any decent-sized river, a lead that holds bottom without dragging is half the battle — go up in weight before you go up in bait. A bit of extra colour after rain often brings barbel and bream closer in, but a fast-rising, debris-filled river is dangerous; if in doubt, don't. Weather tools built for still lakes don't translate neatly to rivers, so we haven't bolted a lake-style weather score on here.
No angler reports on these stretches yet — we'll only show real ones once our moderated river reports are live.
Where this comes from · checked 6 Oct 2026
- GOV.UK — Freshwater rod fishing rules: when and where you can fish
- Northampton Nene Angling Club — carlton (northamptonneneac.org)
- Wellingborough & District Nene Angling Club — barnwell river nene princess lake (wdnac.org.uk)
- Peterborough & District Angling Association — home (fishinginpeterborough.co.uk)
- Nene Anglers — thorpe waterville (neneanglers.co.uk)
Rules, prices and ticket availability change — the rights holder's own page always wins.