Aire and Calder Navigation

The Knottingley section of the Aire and Calder Navigation runs from Ferrybridge Flood Lock through to Weeland Road Bridge. That makes it a canal venue rather than a boxed-off lake, with fishing from the towpath along the designated stretch.

• 1 lake: Aire and Calder Navigation, Knottingley section — Ferrybridge Flood Lock to Weeland Road Bridge
• Fish: roach, perch
• Tickets from: Advance day ticket — £7.00
• Find it: Knottingley · WF11 8ND

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

The Knottingley section of the Aire and Calder Navigation runs from Ferrybridge Flood Lock through to Weeland Road Bridge. That makes it a canal venue rather than a boxed-off lake, with fishing from the towpath along the designated stretch.

At the Ferrybridge end, the fishing spot is the flood lock behind the Golden Lion pub. Access there is listed at postcode WF11 8ND. At the other end, Weeland Road Bridge is around WF11 9ER, giving you two useful markers when planning the session.

Parking is available down Marsh Lane in Knottingley, with the Marsh Lane car park close to Weeland Road Bridge. One important bit of housekeeping: don’t block the entrance to the Knottingley amphitheatre. The amphitheatre is pedestrian access only, so it’s a case of keeping the car well out of the way and carrying the gear in.

The stretch is controlled by Mirfield Angling Club, which sells day tickets for the water. An advance ticket is £7.00, bought online through the club, while tickets are also available from listed tackle-shop agents. Buying from a bank bailiff costs £10.00, so sorting it beforehand saves a few quid and a bit of faff.

Fishing is generally dawn to dusk on the club’s canal waters, and night fishing is prohibited on the Knottingley stretch. You’ll also need a valid Environment Agency rod licence alongside the club day ticket. There’s no published seasonal closure for the wider Aire and Calder canal section, although the Knottingley rules still apply for your visit.

For local information and bait, Aire Tackle in Knottingley is recommended. That’s handy if you need a last-minute top-up or want to check the local picture before settling into a swim. The reported canal species include roach and perch, so this is one for anglers happy working a towpath stretch rather than expecting a purpose-built lake with fixed pegs and facilities.

The free-standing area is reserved for CRT and Mirfield Angling Club organised events, so check where you’re setting up and keep clear of that space. With the long canal layout, marked access points and simple ticket arrangements, the Knottingley stretch looks bob on for a flexible day session, especially if you like moving along the towpath and having a proper look before committing.

Aire Tackle in Knottingley is the obvious local stop for bait and information. Parking at Marsh Lane gives access near Weeland Road Bridge, while Ferrybridge provides the other named end of the stretch.

As a canal venue, the approach is nicely flexible: carry light, watch the towpath, and be ready to move if a swim doesn’t look right. Roach and perch are the named species here, making a tidy float or light-line session a sensible starting point without overcomplicating things.

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 — “Aire and Calder Navigation at Knottingley is a proper canal stretch running from Ferrybridge Flood Lock to Weeland Road Bridge. It’s towpath fishing, day-ticket controlled, and handy for a straightforward dawn-to-dusk session.”

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.