Carp Fishing In Northamptonshire: The Best Day Ticket Lakes

Famous for being the home of Silverstone racing circuit, Weetabix cereal and some of the finest shoemakers in the world, Northamptonshire also boasts some of the best day ticket carp fishing lakes in the country.

Estate lakes, runs waters and big pits are commonplace, with many fisheries in this wonderful county offering the chance to fish for carp in excess of 40lb (with some over 50lb!)

Northamptonshire has some amazing day ticket carp fishing lakes, so let’s take a look at some of them in alphabetical order.

Biggin Lake (Oundle)

Biggin Lake is located in the Northamptonshire countryside, around 2 miles from Oundle.

The lake is situated within the grounds of Oundle Golf Club, though the dense surroundings will ensure that you are not struck by any stray balls!

In excess of 200 years old, this stream-fed estate lake is surrounded by mature greenery and trees. There are 61 generous pegs across 7 acres of water, with depths ranging from 3ft to 5ft.

Biggin Lake is a mixed coarse fishery and matches are hosted regularly. A good head of carp are also present, with the majority being around 10lb in weight. There is a good head of 20lb+ fish, with the lake record currently hovering around the 30lb mark.

Day tickets start £5, though anglers wishing to use 2 rods will be charged £10. Night fishing is possible with the purchase of an annual ticket.

Biggin Lake At A Glance:

Billing Aquadrome (Northampton)

Billing Aquadrome is located in Great Billing, approximately 7 miles from Northampton.

Set in 235 acres of gorgeous Northamptonshire countryside, Billing Aquadrome is a popular leisure facility that offers a park, a caravan site, a marina and a variety of different fishing opportunities, including lakes and a stretch of the River Nene.

Lily Lake is the specimen lake and is roughly 4 acres in size with 10 pegs. Other species are present, with tench of 11lb, bream over 16lb and pike to 23lb. There is a good head of carp, with an average size of mid/upper double-figures. Many 20lb+ fish are also present, with the lake record tipping the scales at over 36lb.

Kingfisher Lake is a slightly larger water that has a total of 28 pegs. Again, other species are present, but the majority of the carp tend to be low double-figures. Many of the larger fish from Kingfisher Lake were removed and stocked into Lily Lake, but there are still many fish in the 20lb+ bracket, and the lake record see-saws around the 30lb mark.

There is an on-site tackle shop, as well the opportunity to purchase drinks and snacks from the shop.

Night fishing is restricted to syndicate members, but day tickets can be purchased on the bank for £10, which allow the use of 2 rods.

Billing Aquadrome At A Glance:

Bluebell Lakes (Oundle)

Bluebell Lakes is located in Tansor, around 4 miles from Oundle.

Unless you have recently started carp fishing, you will probably have heard of Bluebell Lakes. It was established in 1994 and is one of the most popular day ticket fisheries in the country. The complex consists of 5 lakes, a creek and a small stretch of the River Nene.

Kingfisher Lake covers around 7 acres of water and is well-known for being the former home of Benson, one of the most famous day ticket carp this country has ever had.

The vision of the Bluebell management for the future of Kingfisher Lake is for it to be stocked solely with carp of 30lb and above. It is with this in mind that they remove all of the smaller fish on a regular basis, allowing the growth rates of the larger residents to be maximised.

This tactic is already paying dividends, with the average size carp already in excess of 20lb. There is also a good head of 30lb+ fish and a handful of different specimens that are in excess of 40lb. The lake record is a common called Bulldozer, who went just past the magical 50lb barrier when captured most recently.

Swan Lake is the larger neighbour of Kingfisher Lake, extending to approximately 12 acres in size. When talking about the best day ticket waters in the UK, Swan Lake will never be far from the conversation, and with four different carp in excess of 50lb, it is easy to see why. The Box Common and The Perfect Common, along with the mirrors known as Dave and The Z Fish make a formidable line-up.

Although this lake is largely populated by carp anglers, there is also a good head of catfish, with the largest being captured at well over 100lb. The catfish are known to be partial to boilies, so many of the carp anglers opt for a particle approach in order to avoid hooking one of these powerful beasts.

At 20 acres, Mallard Lake is the biggest lake of the complex and has plenty of evenly spaced pegs, many of which are doubles. Although some anglers class this as the runs water of the complex, with it being such a large lake, it is still possible to blank. The carp do tend to hang out in large groups, so it is wise to stay mobile and follow them. The average size is upper double-figures or low-twenties, with a good head of 30lb+ fish. The lake record is a common that has been captured at just shy of 50lb, but will no doubt cross the magical barrier in the very near future.

Bluebell Lake has a similar stock level to Mallard Lake, but is around half the size. It isn’t just carp that get targeted here, with anglers also trying to tempt the specimen bream and tench that reside in the depths. There are plenty of smaller carp coming on in the lake, making the average size around mid double-figures. There is also a good head of 20lb+ fish and many that have crossed the 30lb barrier.

And last but by no means least, Sandmartin Lake, which is probably the most overlooked water at Bluebell Lakes. At around 8 acres in size, it is the mid-sized lake of the complex, but its depths of 20ft make it the deepest. Similar to Bluebell Lake, it is stocked with mixed coarse species, though carp remain the most popular target. Again, the average size is mid double-figures, with plenty of bigger fish also present. The lake record is a common that recently joined the Bluebell Lakes portfolio of 50lb+ fish.

There are toilets and showers on the complex, and many of the local takeaways will deliver to the main gate. There is also an excellent tackle shop on-site which stocks everything that you need and more.

Day tickets are available on Bluebell, Sandmartin and Mallard lakes, with prices starting from £15. For anglers wishing to fish these lakes for longer, 24 hour tickets range in price between £30 to £37.50, depending on how many rods you wish to use.

The minimum booking on Kingfisher and Swan lakes is for 24 hours, with tickets priced from £32.50 to £42.50 according to the number of rods.

Bluebell Lakes At A Glance:

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Boddington Reservoir (Daventry)

Boddington Reservoir is located near Byfield, approximately 10 miles from Daventry.

This is by no means a big fish water, but it is certainly a big water, extending to some 65 acres in size.

There are more than 120 pegs around this mixed coarse fishery, with many anglers visiting in order to target the roach, perch, tench and pike.

A good head of carp are also present, with sizes averaging in the high single-figures to low double-figures. There are a number of larger specimens, with the pick of the bunch reaching the upper-20lb bracket.

Night fishing is not allowed at this extensive Northamptonshire venue, but day tickets are valid from dawn until dusk and are priced at £10 (midweek) or £11 (weekends).

Boddington Reservoir At A Glance:

Castle Ashby Fishery (Northampton)

Castle Ashby Fisheries is located near Grendon, around 10 miles from Northampton.

Set in picturesque countryside, the Castle Ashby complex consists of 3 lakes.

Brickyard Lake and Grendon Lake are both stocked with mixed coarse fish and are predominantly aimed at pleasure anglers. With that being said, the carp in Grendon Lake are in plentiful supply and the larger residents are over 20lb in weight, so some rod-bending action is always on the cards.

Scotland Lake is the largest lake of the complex, covering around 9 acres of water and boasting 40 pegs. The average size carp is low/mid double-figures, with a number of upper double-figures and low-twenties also present. The lake record is in excess of 30lb.

There is a cafe on-site and the bacon rolls come highly recommended. There are also toilet/handwashing facilities.

Day tickets are available across all 3 lakes and cost £10 for the use of 2 rods. Night fishing is possible on Scotland Lake, but only with a limited-availability membership.

Castle Ashby Fishery At A Glance:

Drayton Reservoir (Daventry)

Drayton Reservoir is located near to Daventry Country Park, approximately 2 miles from Daventry.

This famous Northamptonshire venue extends to 17 acres in size and has water levels that vary greatly, with depths of 3ft in the shallows and deep water of up to 30ft near to the dam wall.

It is arguably one of the most well-known venues in the country for delivering big hits of fish, with many anglers banking in excess of 100 carp in a 24 hour session.

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With numbers of fish like that being recorded, you might think that anglers are banking multiple single-figure fish. In reality, the average size is currently mid double-figures, with over 25% of the stock weighing in excess of 20lb. There are several different 30lb+ fish, with the lake record tipping the scales at over 35lb.

There is a car park and toilets on-site and the lake is patrolled 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to maximise the safety of anglers.

A day ticket covering the use of 2 rods costs £12. Night fishing is possible, but must be booked in advance. A 24 hour ticket is priced at £25.

Drayton Reservoir At A Glance:

Lakeside Fisheries (Towcester)

Lakeside Fisheries is located near Duncote, around 3 miles from Towcester.

Lakeside Fishery consists of 3 small lakes that total 3 acres, all surrounded by beautiful Northamptonshire countryside. With Top Lake and Bottom Lake stocked with silver fish, it is Large Lake that is of interest to us carp anglers.

Large lake is just over 2 acres in size and, although it has 24 pegs, fishing is restricted to a maximum of 8 anglers at one time. This is a very beautiful and picturesque water, surrounded by lots of greenery and mature trees and boasting lots of interesting features, which include an island.

While other species of coarse fish do exist, carp are the predominant species, with the biggest residents reaching weights in excess of 30lb.

There is an on-site toilet for the convenience of anglers.

Day tickets are priced at £10 in the summer and £7.50 in the winter and allow anglers to use a maximum of 2 rods. The lake is also available for private bookings and this costs £100 for up to 10 anglers. Unfortunately, night fishing is not allowed at this lovely Northamptonshire venue.

Lakeside Fishery At A Glance:

Manvell Farm Fisheries (Wellingborough)

Manvell Farm Fisheries is located in Walgrave, approximately 12 miles from Wellingborough.

Set in rural Northamptonshire, this farm complex consists of a fresh produce shop, a cafe with indoor and outdoor seating and 2 fishing lakes.

The lakes are very small, so probably won’t be of interest to the serious specimen hunter, but they do have an abundance of appeal in their own right. If you are looking for an intimate water where you can put a bend in the rod while enjoying the surrounding nature, this could be the perfect fishery for you.

In addition to common and mirror carp, the lakes also have some koi and ghost carp swimming in their depths. The average size isn’t huge – between high single-figures to low double-figures – but some larger specimens do exist and there are different fish that have exceeded the 30lb barrier.

Day tickets are valid from sunrise to sunset and cost £10. A 24 hour session will set you back £20. As the lakes are both small and popular, it is advisable to book your tickets in advance.

Manvell Farm Fisheries At A Glance:

Naseby Reservoir (Northampton)

Naseby Reservoir is located in Naseby, around 13 miles from Northampton.

Naseby Reservoir certainly has some history, having been around since the 1700s. After being closed for some time, it reopened as a fishery in 2003 and to this day, it still serves the purpose for which it was built – to feed the Grand Union Canal.

Covering an enormous 93 acres, this is one of the largest fisheries in the region, and with only 80 pegs, each angler has more than enough water to themselves. Although this is a huge expanse of water, the stock levels are equally large, so bites are never too hard to come by.

As you can imagine, the water levels drop drastically during the summer months, so the fishable area often gets reduced by more than 50%. This concentrates the fish into a smaller area, increasing the chances of a bite.

The carp run from single figures all the way to over 30lb. The average size is low/mid double-figures and, in addition to the carp, there are also a number of catfish present.

Anglers wishing to fish with 2 rods can purchase a day ticket for £10. Night fishing is available for members only.

Naseby Reservoir At A Glance:

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Pitsford Fishery (Northampton)

Pitsford Fishery is located in Pitsford, approximately 6 miles from Northampton.

This is a beautiful lake of around 2 acres, surrounded by some of the finest countryide that Northamptonshire has to offer.

The lake has 20 pegs and a host of mature features – deep holes, gravel bars, lilies and reed-lined margins to name a few. The deep holes go down to depths of around 10ft, while the shallow areas are as little as 2ft. The average depth is around 7ft.

Tench, perch and barbel are present, along with a good head of carp. The average size is probably scraping double-figures, though there are some larger specimens in the mid/upper 20lb bracket. Although the lake record carp was captured at a top weight of 40lb, that particular fish is no longer in the lake.

There are toilets on-site and the gates can be locked overnight for added security.

Day tickets are priced at £10 and allow the use of 2 rods. Night fishing and longer stays can be arranged, but must be booked in advance with the owners.

Pitsford Fishery At A Glance:

Stanwick Lakes Fisheries (Wellingborough)

Stanwick Lakes Fisheries is located in Stanwick, around 7 miles from Wellingborough.

Set amongst the charming Northamptonshire countryside, the complex consists of 5 day ticket lakes, 3 of which are aimed at carp anglers.

Elsons Lake is one of the specimen lakes of the complex. Extending to 6 acres in size and having a depth range of 5ft-9ft, this water has 15 pegs, 2 of which are doubles. This lake has many features, with the overhanging trees and brambles being among the most prominent. The carp stock is envious to say the least, with more than one hundred fish weighing in excess of 20lb and twenty that have crossed the 30lb barrier. There are at least five different carp that are established at over 40lb in weight.

Mallard Lake is another specimen lake, though at 4 acres, is slightly smaller than its neighbour. There are close to 100 carp per acre of water in this lake, and with the majority of them being in excess of 20lb, big hits of fish are quite common. The average size is between 18lb and 25lb and the lake record is 33lb.

Swan Lake is around 3 acres in size and is known as the runs water of the complex. Heavily stocked with carp between 10lb and 20lb, there is plenty of rod bending action to be had. With more competition for food, the fish aren’t gaining as much weight in this lake as they in the others at this fishery, but with a lake record already at 27lb, it shouldn’t be long before this lake produces its first 30lb+ specimen.

There is a small tackle shop near to the main entrance where you can pick up any essentials that you may have forgotten. There is a secure car park and toilet facilities on-site.

Mallard Lake and Swan Lake can be fished on a first come, first served basis. Day tickets are priced at £10 (2 rods) or £13 (3 rods). A 24 ticket costs £20 and allows the use of up to 3 rods.

Anglers wishing to fish Elson’s Lake must book their sessions in advance. A non-refundable deposit of £5 is taken at the time of booking, which is then deducted from your ticket price. A day ticket costs £14 and a 24 hour ticket is priced at £23.

Stanwick Lakes Fisheries At A Glance:

Willowbrook Coarse Fisheries (Kettering)

Willowbrook Coarse Fisheries is located in Islip, approximately 11 miles from Kettering.

The complex comprises of two beautiful lakes, enclosed by mature trees and other greenery.

Ryson Lake covers 9 acres of water and has 34 pegs. This is a mixed coarse fishery which is well-known for the specimen bream and tench. There is also a good head of carp, with high single-figures to low double-figures being the average size. Some 20lb+ fish do exist, with rumours of a 30lb+ specimen also gracing the banks.

Willowbrook Lake is slightly larger, extending to 12 acres in size with 40 pegs. This is a beautiful estate lake which has plenty of natural features, including deep margins, overhanging trees and lily pads. The majority of the carp here are low/mid double-figures, well supported by a number of 20lb fish and a handful that have crossed the 30lb barrier.

Day tickets are valid from 6:30am until sunset and are priced from £7. You must purchase a season ticket in order to fish overnight.

Willowbrook Coarse Fisheries At A Glance:

Wold Farm Fishery (Wellingborough)

Wold Farm Fishery is located in Podington, around 8 miles from Wellingborough.

This 70 acre estate is situated close to the border of Northamptonshire and Bedfordshire and offers shooting, corporate events and fishing.

The fishery consists of 3 pleasure lakes and the main specimen lake which is called Wold Lake.

Wold Lake is a delightful 2 acre water, surrounded by mature trees and hedges and boasts 2 central islands. There are only 6 swims available, with the position of the islands separating the water between each angler.

The majority of the carp in this lake are in excess of 15lb, with a good head of twenties and a number of fish that have crossed the 30lb barrier. In addition to carp, catfish are also present, with the larger residents reaching 40lb+.

There is very little in the way of facilities at this fishery, but nets, cradles and weigh slings are provided for each angler.

A day ticket at Wold Lake is priced at £21 and a 24 hour session will set you back £41. While these prices may seem high, you are paying for a fishing experience that not many other venues can offer.

Wold Farm Fisheries At A Glance:

Conclusion

Northamptonshire boasts some of the finest day ticket carp fishing lakes in the country and attracts visiting anglers from all over.

Whether you are looking for an arm-aching runs water or a lake that gives a genuine chance of banking a 50lb carp in the UK, you should consider some of the recommended venues.

Have you ever fished in Northamptonshire? If so, which is your favourite lake? Please let me know in the comments.