Nene Navigation Channel
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.
Run by Northampton Nene Angling Club · checked 6 Oct 2026 · boundaries only partly described by the club
The lowdown
- This is a navigable backwater of the River Nene, so expect a more managed, channel-style session than a remote river wander.
- The channel starts near the main river by the A45 road bridge, then passes around the back of Casuals Rugby Club before carrying on through Rushmills Business Park.
- At the far end, it reaches Queensbridge beside the Britannia Pub, before eventually rejoining the main river at Nene Valley Way.
- Access is via Queensbridge. There’s a path through the trees leading from the bridge to the main footpath, giving you a straightforward way in on foot.
- Parking is available on Queensbridge, but local parking restrictions apply. Worth checking the signs before setting up, rather than risking a cheeky ticket.
- The water has locks and a proper navigation-channel character. That should suit anglers who like managed urban water, with the likely focus on finding comfortable swims and reading the channel.
- Named fish are roach, perch, chub, tench, bream and dace. Plenty there for a mixed-bag approach, whether you fancy trotting or working a feeder.
- The stretch is close to Northampton’s Rushmills and Nene Valley Way areas, so it’s handy for a short session without a massive faff getting deep into the countryside.
- Fishing is dawn until dusk only. The closed season runs from 15 March to 15 June inclusive, so plan around that window and leave the night gear at home.
Methods: A mixed coarse approach should fit the named roach, perch, chub, tench, bream and dace, with trotting or feeder work worth considering on this navigable channel. The locks and managed character are the key features to make sense of when choosing a swim.
Access & tickets
2026/27 day membership
Day membership for one person, valid only for the purchased fishing date.
£6 per person per session (as listed 6 Oct 2026 — check before you go)
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.
Fish the club names
roach, perch, chub, tench, bream
Key rules
- A valid Environment Agency rod licence is required.
- Day membership is valid only for the purchased fishing date.
- Fishing is permitted from dawn until dusk only.
- The closed season is from 15 March to 15 June inclusive.
- Crayfish trapping is prohibited.
- Magnet fishing is prohibited.
- Fishing from boats, kayaks or other watercraft is prohibited.
- Fish must not be removed from the water.
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 fishRiver level
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.
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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
Where it is
Pins mark the access postcode each club gives, not the bank itself. Exact boundary map: see rights holder.
Community reported
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