Fishing at Barnwell Country Park

The fishing areas at Barnwell Country Park are on two small former gravel pits - North Lake and Mill Lake, as well as 1km of moderate paced side channel of the River Nene known as ‘the Backwater’.

The park has around 5.9 hectares of willow fringed lakes and 1km of riverbank where fishing is permitted - North Lake (2.48 hectares) and Mill Lake (1.43 hectares). The lakes and river contain a natural head of coarse fish. No formal stocking has taken place, other than a small number of Crucian Carp in Mill Lake.

The lakes can provide some excellent tench fishing and there are huge numbers of rudd in both lakes as well as some good sized bream.

One or two carp have made their way in the lakes (up to 20lb+) which are probably escapees from other fisheries in the Nene Valley. Other species include pike, perch, roach, chub, bream, and eels.

The park, with its easy parking, toilets and paths, provides a good accessible venue for novices, with a reasonable stock of smaller fish. There are two wheelchair accessible swims on Mill Lake and two on North Lake, with a further 4 fishing platforms on North Lake.

Season permits (including car parking pass) are available providing 12 months of fishing on both lakes and the river for day and night fishing. See further information.

Tackle and techniques

Standard carp fishing techniques such as boilie fishing and stalking can both be successful, although floater fishing is not so easy owing to the numerous and regularly fed duck population.

The river backwater provides opportunities for both trotting the glides and trundling a ledger rig into the holes for the wily chub.

Fishery rules

1. Fishing on the lakes is allowed all year round (there is no closed season).
2. The statutory closed season applies on the river from 15 March until 15 June inclusive.
3. All fish to be returned alive  where they were caught. Fish welfare must  always be paramount and for all fish.
4. All anglers to have and carry a valid Environment Agency (EA)  rod licence and season permit. Anglers must produce their permit and rod licence when requested by a  park Ranger, EA  Officer or the police.
5. A valid car parking ticket or car park pass must be displayed for the duration of your stay.
6. Anglers under 12 must be accompanied by an adult. Anglers under 16 must have a signed parental consent form.
7. No boats, bait  boats  or drones.
8. No tents. Drab coloured bivvies and brollies are  permitted. Please ensure any equipment does not block paths.
9. All discarded line, litter and waste must be removed from your swim, even if it is not your own (litter includes cigarette butts) - anglers will be held responsible for any litter in their swim.
10. To prevent harm to wildlife please inform the Rangers of any hung-up tackle unavoidably left.
11. Barbless hooks only (maximum size 8 for tench fishing). Semi barbed trebles are acceptable for pike fishing.    
12. No fixed leads. Semi fixed or sliding only. All leads must be able to break free should a fish become snagged. Ensure the lead is ejected in the event of a line break.
13. Fishing is only permitted from pre-prepared fishing pegs: bank-side vegetation must not be cut or trampled to make new spots.
14. Non-disabled anglers are permitted to fish from the reserved/disabled platforms but must move if a disabled angler requests to use that swim.
15. Unhooking mats must be carried by every angler.
16. Landing nets must be carried by every angler. Net size must be a minimum of 30 inches (77 cm) or any holes in the mesh larger than 25 cm internal circumference.
17. Keep nets, sacks and pine tubes are not permitted.
18. Forceps to be carried by every angler. Anglers dead baiting for pike must have forceps of a least 12 inches.    
19. Pre-dampened unhooking mats must be used for all fish.
20. Three rod limit. However, at certain times of year in weedy swims you will be asked to only use two.
21. Predator fishing is only permitted between 1 October and 31 March. No dead baiting nor any form of lure fishing allowed outside this time.
22. No live baiting.
23. Baited rods must not be left unattended at any time.
24. Particle baits must be properly cooked or weakened until the core is soft.
25. Any unused bait must be removed from site and not thrown in the lake.
26. All pike rigs must have a wire trace.
27. No pike gags.
28. Keep bite alarm volume to a minimum.
29. No BBQ’s, fires or music.
30. Do not fish in any fenced off areas or in ‘No fishing’ areas.
31. The council maintains the right to ban any fishing method or bait it deems to be causing harm to fish or wildlife.
32. The council reserves the right to use any area of the lakes for its own purposes (such as pond dipping or conservation tasks) and to reserve the areas of bank.
33. The council maintains the right to suspend all fishing and access to the park or certain areas of the park in extreme circumstances such as a risk to public safety.
34. Anglers may rake swims. Ensure all weed is left at the water’s edge so any fish fry or invertebrate life can return to the lakes.
35. The council reserve the right to hold angling events. No other anglers may attend during this weekend.
36. No swimming or paddling.
37. Night fishing is permitted  - maximum of 2 nights per session.
38. The council maintains the right to change fishery rules if necessary.

Anglers must abide by general park bylaws. Any infringement of these rules or other anti-social activities witnessed must be reported to the Rangers.

Further information

Please contact the Rangers office for a season permit application form:

• Telephone: 0300 126 5931
• Email: [email protected]

Last updated 01 April 2026