Mixed nets to a ton on Brookside's Snake Pit

One of the best match waters in the north-west the Snake Pits at Brookside are producing some excellent weights at the moment with mixed nets to 100lb coming out over the past two weeks with the carp feeding shallow.

These fish average around 5lb and are currently being caught by anglers using floating bread or pellets, fished anything upwards of two feet deep, in five feet of water. However, this is a mixed venue which holds tonnes of skimmers, ide, perch, roach, chub and tench and these can be caught one a chuck, on pellet, maggot, corn as well as chopped worm and caster. Nets to 40lb can be made up of silver fish so if you don’t fancy catching carp all day this lake is worth a visit if you fish the right way as to avoid the carp. The lake is canal shaped so fishing across at around 13m as well as in the margins works well. The anglers who do best here keep the feed going in through-out the session to keep the bites coming. At weekends and on Thursdays the lake is closed to pleasure anglers so if you can only visit the venue on weekends there are other options.

One of them is Kingfisher which is fishing its socks off at the moment. This lake is predominantly a carp water with fish averaging 1-2lb. Nets over 50lb are commonplace so expect plenty of action. Paste is currently working well on here but pellet or corn will also provide plenty of action. The pole or waggler will both work on here with simple rigs.

TIP: Find a peg where the wind is blowing into your face as these tend to produce more fish, best pegs are the early pegs

Brookside Fishery, Warrington, Cheshire

Prices: £7 a day or £5 concessions. Night fishing on Linear Lake is £25 booked in advance

Contact: 01925 730893, 07817 271087, www.brooksidefisheries.co.uk

Location: Brookside Fisheries, Beaumont, Tarporley Rd, Whitley, Warrington, WA4 4DT

Rules: No keepnets, barbless only, unhooking mat required on carp lakes, no nuts, no live/dead baiting

Facilities: Café, toilets