Pitsford Water Fishery

Pitsford Water is a proper big bit of water near Brixworth, Northamptonshire. This Anglian Water trout fishery covers approximately 413 hectares, so there’s a fair old stretch to get your head around. The fishery is operated from Pitsford Fishing Lodge, which is your starting point for permits, boats and the latest venue info.

• 1 lake: Pitsford Water
• Fish: trout, pike, perch, zander
• Tickets from: Day trout permit — eight-fish limit plus catch-and-release — £40
• Find it: Brixworth · NN6 9SJ

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

Pitsford Water is a proper big bit of water near Brixworth, Northamptonshire. This Anglian Water trout fishery covers approximately 413 hectares, so there’s a fair old stretch to get your head around. The fishery is operated from Pitsford Fishing Lodge, which is your starting point for permits, boats and the latest venue info. Definitely one to plan rather than rock up with a handful of kit and hope for the best.

The main target is rainbow trout and brown trout, with trout fishing fly fishing only. The 2026 trout season runs from 28 February 2026 to 31 January 2027. There are a few permit routes, too. The day trout permit with an eight-fish limit plus catch-and-release is £40, while the four-fish option is £34. Senior anglers can get a six-fish permit for £34, and the sporting trout permit is £28 with a zero-kill limit and barbless flies.

With 413 hectares to cover, a boat is the obvious way to explore more water. A standard day boat is £32, or £25 for a half day before or after 2pm. Single-manned options are £20 for a day and £17 for a half day, with a sunset boat after 6pm also £17. There’s a Blue Badge wheelyboat for £23. Walk-in, non-prebooked boats carry a 10% surcharge, so booking ahead looks the bob-on option if you’ve got a particular session in mind.

For the trout side, take the usual fly-fishing approach to a new reservoir: have a few different lines and flies ready, keep an eye on the conditions, and be prepared to move rather than flog one area all day. The fishery provides an anglers map showing named banks, restrictions, parking and no-fishing areas, so give that a proper look before choosing a swim or setting off. It’s also worth asking at the lodge about the current plan, any useful restrictions and where anglers are being directed.

Predator anglers can target pike, perch and zander during the published periods. Fly and lure fishing from boats is available from 28 February to 14 March 2026 and again from 16 June 2026 to 31 January 2027. Deadbaiting from boats runs from 1 October 2026 to 31 January 2027, while bank deadbaiting is available from 1 November 2026 to 14 February 2027. Only sea deadbaits are permitted for the published predator deadbait fishery. Pike, perch and zander must be returned alive, and any trout caught while predator fishing must go straight back.

There are a few boring-but-important bits to nail before you go. A valid rod licence is required, the check-clean-dry biosecurity policy applies, and night fishing isn’t advertised; the published late option is the sunset boat after 6pm. Pitsford Water is open every day except Christmas Day. Fishing Lodge opening is 08:00-14:00 from March to November, 09:00-14:00 from 14 to 28 February, and it’s closed in December and January. Permits can be bought online or from the tackle shop, with boats and permits bookable through the fishery website. There are two public car parks, charges apply, and anglers need to leave by the advertised closing time. Accompanied children can fish free within the permit rules and limits.

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 — “Pitsford Water is a cracking 413-hectare Anglian Water reservoir near Brixworth, with fly-only trout fishing plus seasonal predator angling for pike, perch and zander. It is run from Pitsford Fishing Lodge, with boat fishing, permits and a useful on-site tackle shop.”

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.