Stillwater fisheries are open all year. Fishing is not permitted on any river venue from 15th March to 15th June inclusive. Additional fishery rules apply on some waters. Members must respect all notices displayed at fisheries that are issued on behalf of the Committee.

A key is required to open gates at the Airman Pit, Broom Lake (which also gains access to the Stanford Canal and Broom River) and Willington. Replacement keys are available at a cost of £5 from the Membership Secretary. All gates must be locked after entering or leaving a water.

For each fishery an indication of the species known to be present is given, along with the weight of specimens reported in recent seasons. However, fish populations always fluctuate over time and can be impacted by predation.

Your future fishing is in your own hands so please respect the fisheries, the fish and other water users.  Waters are hard to come by but easy to lose. Report any suspicious incident immediately to an Officer of the Club.

Care should be taken on all fisheries. Potential hazards include deep water, steep and/or uneven banks and slippery surfaces.

BEWARE - OVERHEAD POWER CABLES CAN KILL  

Fishing, or carrying rods and poles, near overhead power cables can be extremely dangerous and has resulted in serious injury or death to anglers.  Even if a rod or pole does not come into contact with the power line, electricity can arc across and deliver a potentially lethal electric shock to the angler.

Overhead power cables run adjacent to, or cross, these club waters:

• Willington Lake
• Horsebridge (Ivel Navigation)
• Clifton Road Bridge (Ivel Navigation)
• Boot Bridge (River Ivel)
• Pavenham (River Great Ouse)
• Little Paxton (River Great Ouse)

 Overhead power cables are also present on waters that are not directly controlled by the club (e.g. Grand Union Canal or IPA waters).  Always look up to see if overhead power cables are present before fishing.

Airman Pit

Entrance off the A600 (Hitchin Road) just north of the ACO Business Park.

Fishery Rules:  NIGHT PERMIT REQUIRED FOR NIGHT FISHING (Junior night permit holders must be accompanied by a night permit holder over the age of 18 and occupy the same swim whilst night fishing).  Fishing from marked swims only.  No fishing from the bank to the south of pegs 1 and 25.  To safeguard catfish, use of double hooks, treble hooks or uncoated wire traces is banned on this venue from 31st March - 1st October.

Species:  Catfish (45lb+), carp (25lb+), roach (3lb+), perch (3lb+), pike (25lb+), bream (10lb+), tench (6lb+) and rudd (2lb+). 

Broom Lake

Take the first single track road on the right going north from Stanford on the B658.  Drive slowly for approximately 1 mile to the SDAA car park.  If conditions permit, members will be allowed to drive around the lake to their swim (cars and small vans only).

Fishery Rules:  NO NIGHT FISHING.  Fishing from marked swims only.  The use of the drive around Broom Lake is for angling purposes only.  [Please note: as part of the ongoing Broom Lake improvement programme many of the trees on the edges of the islands have been removed to reduce the amount of silt caused by leaf drop.  Although the tops of the trees have been removed, there are still many tree roots that are potential snags for any tackle cast tight to the islands’ margins]

Species:Carp (25lb+), tench (10lb+), bream (10lb+), pike (15lb+), roach, rudd, perch and crucian carp.

Back to top

Stanford Pit

Located near the crossroads by the Green Man PH in Stanford.

Fishery Rules:  No fishing off the island at any time.  Do not light any fires or damage young trees.

Species:  Roach (1lb+), rudd (1lb+), tench (3lb+), crucian carp, carp and perch.

Back to top

Willington Lake

Turn off the A603 at Willington towards Great Barford.  The entrance is located on the left just after crossing over the cycle path (dismantled railway) bridge.

Fishery Rules:  NIGHT PERMIT REQUIRED FOR NIGHT FISHING No parking in the gateway entrance. Vehicles must be parked carefully off the track, as large farm vehicles require regular access along the whole track and through the gates. Never drive vehicles through the gates at either end of the track. Keep to the edge of any ploughed or cropped fields. Raking of swims is permitted, provided other anglers are not disturbed and the raked weed is left in a heap by the water’s edge so that insects and invertebrates can crawl back into the water.

Species:  Carp (30lb+), pike (20lb+), bream (10lb+), tench (10lb+), rudd, perch, roach and chub.

Back to top

River HIT, Flit, Ivel Navigation & River Ivel

Shefford Hardwick Meadow: Right hand bank of the River Flit upstream of Shefford Bridge, but do not fish in front of farmhouse.

Shefford: Right hand banks downstream of the Rivers Flit and Hit from the Shefford Bridges to where the two rivers meet and then downstream to the Shefford Mill boundary.

Horsebridge: Drive down the track off the B658 and across the bridge to the car park.  Left hand bank upstream to the Shefford Mill boundary.  Left hand bank downstream to where the river leaves the footpath.  Right hand bank downstream to a point 50 yards above the overflow pool.  [Please note that a bank collapse by the overflow pool in November 2008 is currently affecting the flow and water levels in the Horsebridge sections.  The Club is working with Fish Legal to resolve these problems.

Back to top

Clifton Road Bridge: Left hand bank upstream to the pump house.  Keep out of the wood at the rear of The Lakes Farm, Clifton at all times, and do not fish from the bank within the wooded area.  Left hand bank downstream to the fence above Stanford Lock.

Stanford Canal: Left hand bank downstream from where the stream from Stanford Mill enters the Canal to the junction with the River Ivel.  Use the club car parks located off Mill Road, Stanford or at Broom Lake.

Boot Bridge: Left hand bank upstream one meadow only (shared with Letchworth GCAA).  Left hand bank downstream one meadow only. (IPA members are also permitted to fish this meadow)

Back to top

Langford Mill: From the junction of Langford Mill Pool downstream on the left bank of the River Ivel to the junction with the Stanford Canal, then back upstream to the start of the willow plantation (water shared with Biggleswade & Hitchin AA).  Parking at Langford Recreation Ground.

Broom River: Right hand bank of the River Ivel upstream of the disused lock near Holme Mill (Jordans) to the junction with the Stanford Canal.  Use the Broom Lake car park or the parking area next to the disused lock.  Do not use the car park at Holme Mill (Jordans).

Species:  Roach (2lb+), perch (4lb+), chub (6lb+), pike (15lb+), dace, bream, tench and carp (20lb+).

Back to top

River Great Ouse

Pavenham: From the Oakley crossroads, carry on to Pavenham for 1 mile.  At the top of the hill turn right onto the farm road.  Club water extends from the Caravan Park downstream to the notice board.

Fishery Rules:  Cars must not be driven down any further than the car parking area.  Vehicles must not exceed 15mph. Walk in single file, keeping to the edge of fields. Parking is also available for two cars only next to the railway bridge, with pedestrian access to the river along the field verge to the western side of the railway.  Limited night fishing is allowed provided 12hours notice is given by telephone (contact details in the club book). No access during the closed season.

 Species:  Barbel (12lb+), chub (6lb+), perch (3lb+), roach, dace, pike and bream.

Back to top

Willington: Located behind Willington Lake, club water extends from the lock downstream to the ditch, approx. 275 yards.

Fishery Rules:  No parking in the gateway entrance. Vehicles must be parked carefully off the track, as large farm vehicles require regular access along the whole track and through the gates. Never drive vehicles through the gates at either end of the track. Keep to the edge of any ploughed or cropped fields.

Species:  Pike, chub (5lb+), perch, bream and roach.

Back to top

Little Paxton: Right hand bank downstream from the B1041 past the sewage farm and down towards the railway line.  Left hand bank of the main river downstream from the B1041 and the right hand bank downstream of the navigable section to their junction.  Lammas Meadow from a point opposite the golf course downstream and into the wood.  Notice boards denote the boundaries.  The designated car parking is within Rowley’s Allotments, located on the north side of Mill Lane, between the B1041 and B1043.  Further parking is available off the B1041

Fishery Rules:  Whilst within Rowley’s Allotments, vehicles must not exceed 5mph and parking is only permitted within the SDAA gravelled parking area, located at the end of the third track on the right.  Members must not park anywhere else within the allotments.

Species:  Barbel (14lb+), bream (8lb+), chub (5lb+), pike (20lb+), perch (3lb+), roach, eels, catfish (20lb+) and carp (20lb+)

Back to top