Basingstoke Canal – Odiham Stretch

The Basingstoke Canal – Odiham Stretch is proper different from a standard lake fishery. This is canal water around Odiham, North Warnborough and Greywell, with plenty of towpath to explore and likely-looking swims to pick apart. The wider navigable canal runs for approximately 32.1 miles, finishing at King John’s Castle near Odiham, as Greywell Tunnel is no longer navigable. It’s got a real end-of-the-line feel to it.

• 1 lake: Basingstoke Canal – Odiham Stretch
• Fish: chub, bream, carp, crucian, perch, pike, roach, rudd
• Tickets from: Adult day permit, age 16–64 — £5.00
• Find it: Odiham · RG29 1DH

Based on how each lake is set up — not a ranking.

The Basingstoke Canal – Odiham Stretch is proper different from a standard lake fishery. This is canal water around Odiham, North Warnborough and Greywell, with plenty of towpath to explore and likely-looking swims to pick apart. The wider navigable canal runs for approximately 32.1 miles, finishing at King John’s Castle near Odiham, as Greywell Tunnel is no longer navigable. It’s got a real end-of-the-line feel to it. Quite a nice backdrop while you’re watching a float.

The Basingstoke Canal Authority describes the canal as having a healthy self-stocked coarse-fish population. Published species include chub, common bream, common carp, crucian carp, gudgeon, mirror carp, perch, pike, roach, rudd and silver bream. So there’s a decent spread of targets, whether you fancy light float work, a roving chub session, or sitting it out for a cheeky carp.

On a new canal, keeping things simple is usually bob on. Have a good look before settling in. Watch the margins, reeds, cover and any changes in depth, then fish the swim that gives you the best signs rather than automatically parking up at the first available peg. A quiet approach, accurate feeding and a bit of patience can all help. Bring a sensible selection of floats, light and stronger hooklengths, plus enough bait to switch things around if the fish aren’t on the munch.

Fishing is from the towpath side only, by rod and line, with a maximum of two rods. You can’t fish from floating craft or public wharves, and fishing isn’t permitted within 20 metres of a lock, bridge or aqueduct. That means a quick bit of planning matters. Check the surrounding features before unpacking, leave room for other towpath users and make sure your chosen swim is within the rules.

This is catch-and-release fishing, and the canal is a Site of Special Scientific Interest. The statutory close season runs from 15 March to 15 June inclusive across the entire canal, including the Odiham Stretch. You’ll need an Environment Agency rod licence as well as a Basingstoke Canal Authority fishing permit. Day and annual permits are bought online through the authority’s web shop, with day tickets issued digitally. An adult day permit is £5.00, while an adult annual permit is £37.00, with concession and junior options also available.

There are useful local landmarks around Colt Hill public car park and the Odiham Wharf area, while the John Pinkerton II boat trip leaves from Colt Hill Wharf. No official night-fishing permission or night hours are published for this stretch, so check with the authority before planning anything after dark. Take all tackle and litter home, carry the right permit details, and you’ll be set for a tidy day exploring this cracking bit of canal.

Good background reading. Most of it is a few years old, so treat it as a starting point and ask on the day.

Videos linked by the fishery

• Our read

  Checked Sept '26 — “A cracking canal stretch around Odiham, North Warnborough and Greywell, with a healthy self-stocked coarse-fish population and very reasonable permit prices. It is towpath-only, catch-and-release fishing, with a proper close season and a few rules to get your head around.”

This is our own summary of recurring public feedback and the venue details we checked, not a copied customer review or a promise you’ll catch. Feedback changes, so we keep it separate from the Tackle Index score.