Penton Hook Lock / Weir (EA)

River level

The lowdown

• Fishing is only allowed from the allocated areas. No wandering off and chucking in wherever takes your fancy.
• The first island can be fished inside the sections marked with wooden posts. The second island is also available within its own posted areas.
• Getting there means crossing the lock gates and the weir walkway. The second island is reached by footbridge, so there’s a bit of access faff to factor in.
• The wheelchair-accessible fishing platform is closed until further notice. Blue-badge parking is available at the lock, but check with the lock keeper beforehand.
• The whole place is tied into the lock-and-weir setup, with the islands and walkway forming the main fishing infrastructure. The official guide doesn’t give a fishery length or peg count.
• It’s a daylight-only job. Fishing is allowed from dawn until dusk, so plan around the light and don’t expect a cheeky night session.
• The open season runs from 16 June to 14 March inclusive. The coarse-fishing close season is 15 March to 15 June inclusive, with no fishing during that period.
• The official EA guide doesn’t name target species for Penton Hook, so there’s no checked species list to build a swim plan around.
• Roadside parking may be possible where local restrictions allow, but parking on Beech Tree Lane and Thames Side is prohibited — both are private.
• Toilets are available at the lock. If the fishing area is locked when you arrive, the lock keeper can provide access once you show the required permit.

Methods: The checked guide doesn’t specify methods, so keep the approach flexible and work within the allocated areas. Any session has to fit the dawn-to-dusk hours and the marked fishing zones.

Access & tickets

Buy the current Environment Agency River Thames lock-and-weir permit. Abingdon is one of the listed sites covered, and anglers must show the permit to the lock keeper on arrival if the site is locked. The EA lock office number is 01235 522 061.

Fish the club names

The club doesn't list species for this stretch, so we haven't guessed.

Key rules

• Fish only from the allocated fishing areas.
• The first island may be fished only within the area marked by wooden posts.
• The second island may be fished only within the areas marked by wooden posts.
• The wheelchair-accessible fishing platform is closed until further notice.
• Fishing is permitted from dawn until dusk only.
• Fishing is closed from 15 March to 15 June inclusive. The open season is 16 June to 14 March inclusive.
• An EA lock-and-weir fishing permit is required.
• A valid Environment Agency rod licence must also be held.
• Show the permit to the lock keeper on arrival.

Where it is