Cotswold Lakes Trust offers a number of its lakes for angling in association with Ashton Keynes Angling Club. Some of these lakes have been fished for decades and are some of the most iconic destinations in the Cotswold Lakes.
Large Lake (Lake 32): approximately 55 acres
Large Lake as it is known, or lake 32, is a lovely water. Not as peaceful as some of our other waters as during the warm spring and summer months it is busy with tourists and walkers who frequent Keynes Country Park. This shouldn’t put you off though as there is some lovely fishing to be had. Bream are present in large numbers and their average size has increased in recent seasons to 5lb or so. They do shoal up and if you can find some weed free areas are very catchable. Tench also abound this lake and make for superb sport on misty summer mornings watching a float. Both of these species can be caught in the margins with them being very visible in the superbly clear water. Carp are present with an estimated head of 50 or so fish up to upper thirties/low forties in weight. Again not an easy water but the rewards are there. The Pike fishing is largely untapped and there is the opportunity perhaps for some specimen sized fish to be caught. The Roach shoals that are frequently seen are thriving too, though they are not often targeted. There is a restriction on where you can fish and this must be adhered to as Keynes Country Park is shared with two leisure operators: Cotswold Country Park & Beach and Lake 32 Outdoor. Member parking is available in the anglers’ car park on Spratsgate Lane.
Cokes Pit Local Nature Reserve (Lake 34): approximately 20 acres
Cokes Pit is a beautiful natural lake which affords the angler peace and tranquillity. The lake holds a big head of Tench and is the ideal place to spend the day catching them. Recently stocked with 26 Carp up to 4-5 pounds to complement the old existing stock; there are up to 20 or so original fish that are rarely fished for and difficult to catch. There are Roach and Bream also available, and the Pike fishing is also very good in the winter months. This water has a close season and is only fishable from June 16th to March 14th. The lake is also a designated Local Nature Reserve (LNR) and as such has restricted areas where angling is not permitted. Due to the Local Nature Reserve designation, there are NO DOGS allowed on this venue. Member parking is available in the anglers’ car park on Spratsgate Lane.
Neigh Bridge Country Park (Lake 56): approximately 14 acres
Neigh Bridge has probably been our most popular water to date; mainly because of the large Carp present that go up to upper thirties at the right time of year. They are not easy to catch and it is a pressured venue with anglers being present for most of the time. It also has some lovely Tench and some very big Bream that largely go ignored. Roach and Perch are present and during the summer months are visible. Pike fishing on this venue has improved of late with fish into the high doubles being caught in recent winters. This venue is exceptionally clear but sometimes very weedy. Member parking is available for free in the gated overflow area of the main Pay & Display car park.
Top Pit (Lake 31): approximately 25 acres
TopPit at Keynes Country Park is another iconic lake but access is restricted to a limited number of places, available as an add-on membership to existing qualifying members. New spaces on this ticket are sometimes allocated via a ballot, but are not available to new members during their first season.
CLT/AKAC Membership
Membership numbers for Cotswold Lakes Trust/AKAC waters are capped due to site capacity and we are currently FULL.
Renewals for existing members take place in March each year, after which time any places not renewed are offered to prospective members via a ballot. We do not operate a numbered waiting list, but should you be interested in being considered for a place then please email angling@cotswoldlakestrust.org to register your interest for the next ballot (by March 15th). Priority may be given to previous lapsed members of Cotswold Lakes Trust Angling, depending upon the number of available places.
Those successful during the ballot will be notified in April, so if you have not heard by the end of April then you have unfortunately been unsuccessful on this occasion. Registered interest is not carried over to subsequent ballots, so if you are unsuccessful on this occasion you will need to email before the following year’s ballot to be considered again.