I've been fishing the Ise between Warkton and Burton Latimer since the 1980s. I've compiled a little guide to my part of this lovely little river.
Fishing Guide to the River Ise through Kettering, Northants.
All areas are free fishing (remember you still need a licence, the enviroment agency visit once or twice a year to check them) except 13 & 14, which are presently controlled by Thrapston and Kettering Angling Club.
I wrote this in spring 2013, and being a small spate river, it changes from season to season.
1. Boughton House Estate. Out of bounds. No fishing without the prior consent of the gamekeeper.
2. A few spots that can hold summer chub 1lb-2lb
3. Try the bends for chub and small shoals of larger roach.
4. A large hole that is popular with kids. always holds a shoal of small roach, including a few larger ones.
5. Between the large hole, and the alotments, the river is pretty barren of fish.
6. Lots of fish. chub 2lb-4lb, and roach, which in some swims, average between 1lb-2lb. best in summer, but can be quite busy with dog walkers and joggers.
7. 2 overhanging trees, which are usually good for a chub.
8. a few shoals of small roach, not really worth fishing.
9. has produced Roach over 4lb in past decades. fish around the storm drain for a good bag of small roach.
10. the swims just above the A6 can produce big bags of roach in winter.
11. Wicksteed Park. Out of bounds. No fishing between the A6, and the broken concrete sluice.
12. difficult access above the metal bridge, but some good chub, and big roach. Run off streams from the lake are devoid of life, due to lack of oxygen.
13. Wickstead park lake £5 a day, tickets from baliff. Unfortunatley, neglected. only worth fishing late spring and early summer for tench.
14. River Slade. in previous years has held good shoals of winter roach, and chub up to 6lb. fishing has declined, but still holds a few roach, chub, and (since 2011) a few bream.
15. Cross over the railway bridge behind the lake for access to 15-20. try the hawthorn swim, for big chub, and a good shoal of roach.
16. some good trotting spots for roach, and some very big chub. A few dace starting to appear too.
17. a nice deep hole. feeder fishing best, due to uneven bottom. roach, chub and perch.
18. some very big roach, and good chub, but inaccessable due to overgrown banks.
19. deep hole on the corner can fish well in summer.
20. looks good, but barren.
21. inaccesible, due to railway line, overgrown banks and Weetabix.
Other fish: pike to 20lb, but the size of the river makes then difficult to target. Rainbow trout- I've caught 3 to 7lb, but I've not seen one since the 90s. Carp do ocasionally escape from the leisure village lake into the Slade. I see a few tench in the river every season, but have never caught one. The fabled grayling do exist, I've caught 1 in 30 years. Gudgeon- now extinct in this part of the river.
I hope this is useful to somebody. If you want anymore info:
brianasharp@live.co.uk
Please respect the river, its fish, wildlife and its other users.
Brian.
