Barbel boost for River Aire

Match and specimen anglers from Yorkshire have cause to celebrate this week thanks to the completion of a five year project to rejuvenate barbel stocks on the River Aire.

Last Tuesday around 1,500 barbel were put into the West Yorkshire waterway by Environment Agency officers between Keighley and Leeds City Centre taking the total number of fish stocked during the project to 17,500 spread across six separate locations.

All the fish came from Calverton fish farm in Nottinghamshire which is paid for by rod licence money and follows numerous other stockings of fish into other UK rivers this autumn as part of the EA’s regular re-stocking programmes.

EA fishery officer for Yorkshire, Pete Turner, is passionate about improving angling on the Aire. He told Angling Times: “We have run a number of surveys on the river and seeked advice from the angling clubs who run stretches and although we knew there were barbel in the waterway we wanted to improve it for anglers.

“These fish have gone in at around 6-8 inches long so they should already be spreading out and taking anglers baits, and we will continue to monitor them to check their health and see if they breed.”

Some of the stockings have taken place on free fishing stretches of the river but several clubs have also benefitted, including Keighley Angling Club, who control a stretch west of Leeds. The club’s match secretary Darren Watson told Angling Times: “We have already started to catch them in matches which is a great sign and bodes well for the future. However, it’s not just barbel that we are catching – the whole river is fishing better than it has done in years for all species.”

The EA are asking anglers to report any barbel they catch from the river by tagging their catch photos on social media site Twitter. Simply post it on your twitter page and tag @PeteTurnerEA. The fish should have a small coloured tag on their heads to help you identify them.

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Foreign carp removed from Cheshire fishery

Environment Agency fishery officers had a catch to remember after removing these three non-native silver and big head carp from a fishery in Cheshire.

The fish, which weighed around 40lb each, were removed from Shakerley Mere, near Knutsford, after a request was made by controlling club Lymm Angling. Both the big head and silver carp which can grow to 100lb in weight are native to China and the Eastern Asia regions and look very similar in appearance. As well as harming native species, bighead carp have an alarming response to danger, jumping out of the water, which can pose real risks of injury to boaters and anglers.

Andy Eaves, an Environment Agency fisheries officer, who was involved in the eradication, said:

“Fishery owners play a vital role in our work to tackle non-native species and we encourage any other clubs to contact us if they suspect they are present.”

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Chris Yates defends management at Redmire Pool

Former British carp record-holder Chris Yates has defended management at Redmire Pool amid claims it has become 'just another fishery.'

The accusation came from Robert Fox, who has resigned as bailiff at the iconic Herefordshire pool after 20 years' service.

Souvenir T-shirts, the creation of a lakeside picnic area and the appearance of ghost carp are some of the reasons given by Robert for abandoning the water which has produced three British record carp. 

 “Jack Hilton would turn in his grave if he could see Redmire now,” Robert told Angling Times.

“Instead of the crystal-clear, weed-choked venue that we all know and love, the lake is now heavily coloured so there’s virtually no weed.

"Newly stocked, easy-to-catch carp are swimming among the original strains of fish and breeding with them.

 “Redmire is now a commercial fishery. Anglers are queuing up to fish there fish there. There’s even a picnic area, and you can buy souvenirs such as mugs and T-shirts.”

But Chris Yates, who has been associated with Redmire since he broke the UK carp record therw with a 51lb 6oz fish in 1980, is still a regular visitor to the lake and is confident it will return to its former glory.

“It’s a real shame to hear that ghost carp have found their way into the lake and now swim among the original leney strain of fish,” he said.

“But I know the owners and Les the fishery manager very well and these guys only have the venues best interests at heart and will rectify any issues.”

Meanwhile, fishery manager, Les Bamford, was quick to react to the claims and explained that they are working hard to resolve the issues.

“Redmire is a commercial water and has been for many years," said Les, "but I assure you that the welfare of the environment and the fish that inhabit it have, and will always be, our main priority.

“We have had problems with run off when potatoes were being farmed on nearby fields which has caused a build-up of silt and added colouration of the water, but we have now drawn up detailed plans on how to resolve this,"  he continued. 

"The same goes for the ghost carp that now inhabit the lake. We don't know how they got there."

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Its Not All Specimen Carp At Orchid Lakes

Described as ‘the home of the thirties’, Orchid Lakes, in Dorchester on Thames, Oxford is living up to its reputation with a host of 30lb plus fish being recorded over the last 2 weeks. These have all been banked from the fishery’s specimen lake known as the Orchid which is where you should head if you want to catch your first ever 20lb carp.

Compromising 17.6 acres of water, Orchid holds around 300 carp to 30lbs and a scattering of 30lb-plus specimens – ensuring you a chance of a challenging bonus catch this weekend. Conventional carp tactics are popular here with cell boilies and fake corn both proving exceptional hookbaits in the past. The spacious pegs here are all named after the lake’s features, with ‘Pads’ proving the most popular for the 30lbers for anyone who can brave the snags that give this swim its name.

Alternatively, head to the Club Lake if big carp aren’t your thing as this 2 acre gem can produce 100lb bags of coarse fish solely on sweetcorn. Tench and bream to 4lb will feature the most in your catch which are stocked regularly to fuel the appetites of the catfish which also reside here. Simply lay a small bed of micro pellets down at around 5m out and float fish over the top with sweetcorn or worm on the hook to keep the bites coming all day long.

Orchid Lakes, Dorchester on Thames, Oxford
Prices: £25 for 24 hrs. Orchid Lake, £10 a day Club Lake, £350 a season
Contact: 01865 341810, www.orchid-lakes.co.uk
Location: Orchid Lakes, Abingdon Road, Dorchester on Thames, OX10 7LP
Rules:  General: No more rods to be used at any one time than outlined on your ticket conditions ie 2 rods Club and 3 rods Orchid,  no keepnets sacks or tubes to be used, all fish to be returned to the water immediately, do not leave baited hooks unattended, use only micro barb or barbless hooks no nuts, beans or peas or maize,  no wading, swim raking or swimming, do not damage bankside vegetation or trees, please report all specimen fish caught, bait boats must be used with a safety line, no leaders are allowed regardless if they are safe zone or not.
Carp: No snag leaders, shock leaders or lead-core line, no bent hooks or braided main lines, no fixed rigs,  no leaders are allowed regardless if they are safe zone or not, suitably sized unhooking mats must be used at all times.
Catfish: A minimum of 10lb breaking strain must be used, no wire traces or barbed hooks, single hooks only, unhooking mats to be used at all times, no live or dead coarse baits are allowed.
Facilities: Café, shower, male/female toilets, disabled access

Fishing is Better Than Ever at Rush Lyvers

Now under new ownership, Rush Lyvers Lake in Hedon has been rejuvenated and is fishing better than ever with 50lb mixed nets being recorded on simple maggot and pole tactics.

The management have split the scenic 7-8 acre lake into two separate waters, Deeps and Shallows with the former planned to become a specimen carp water and the latter remaining as a match pleasure water.

The Shallows is a fairly easy venue with a big head of carp, tench, bream ide and silverfish meaning it will appeal to natural anglers. At this time of year it is easy to catch a bag of fish to around 4lb using a shallow pole rig and catapulting maggots or drip feeding them over the top.  Start fishing around 2ft deep and come shallower once the fish start feeding well. Pellets, meat and corn will equally catch as many fish if you prefer to use these as bait. The depth at around 13m is 15ft so if you choose to start fishing on the deck you will need more than your top three unless you’re using a feeder or waggler.

A good feature about this lake is the generous peg spacing with yards between each of the 150 pegs which are fishable across the two lakes.

TIP: When fishing shallow, shorten the line between pole-tip and float and try using a couple of small back shot behind your pole float in order to help with missed bites.

Prices: £5 per day - 1st extra rod £2, 2nd extra rod £1, available on the bank, night carp fishing only - £15 per night (Bookings Only) - from dusk till 7.30am, no guests
Contact: 01482 897611, day time only
Location: Preston Road, Hedon, Near Hull, East Yorkshire HU12 8JU
Facilities: Toilets, designated disabled pegs (wheelchair friendly)
Rules: Barbless hooks only, no ground bait or hemp, all carp to be returned to the water immediately

A Real Chance To Bag 600lb Of Carp At Alders Farm

IF YOU fancy a bagging session this weekend than my advice is to head to Alders Farm Fishery.

Anglers visiting the Buckinghamshire venue this summer are leaving with aching arms as nets as big as 600lb have been featuring in both matches and pleasure sessions.

There are seven lakes at this prolific venue but the biggest weights have been coming off Ash where carp in the 2lb to 5lb range are the main quarry along with the odd bigger fish to keep you honest. Anglers have been bagging up with as many as 200 fish in a session by feeding 4mm fishery own pellets and fishing a 4 or 6mm banded version over the top. That said any method and baits will work on this pool including corn, meat and paste. There are a multitude of features to aim for around the edge as well as a main island in the middle which can be reached with a feeder or big waggler.

Fishing for a big weight could not be simpler just cup in two big pots of 4mm Cold Water Sinking Pellets at the start, put a bit of paste or pellet on the hook and fish immediately over the top of the loose feed, aim to catch at 3m, or even shorter if you can get away with it. The key to getting that magical double ton bag of carp is to keep the fish interested for your whole session. Feed the rest of your pellets by hand and create a 'slosh' each time when topping up the peg, which will be on very regular intervals.

If carp arent your thing than there is the Pump Lake. This is one of the smaller lakes on the complex and resembles a canal at 14m. It is full of silverfish making it an ideal short pole, whip or waggler water; a great place for beginners or juniors.

Prices: £9 a day, £16 specimen lake dawn til dusk ticket
Contact: 07860 235655, www.aldersfarm.com
Location: Alders Farm Fishery, Ivy Lane, Great Brickhill, Bucks, MK17 9AH
Rules: Barbless only, no bolt rigs, fishery own pellets, feeders must be inline only, max hooks size 12, no braid, no floating poles, no carp sacks, no fires, no groundbait by hand, no hemp, no pet meat, no nuts, no bread
Facilities: Toilets, tackle/bait shop, disabled access

Tench On The Feed At Northants' Willowbrook Fishery

The big tench have been on the feed at Willowbrook this summer and it is still not too late to get in on the action.

The 9-acre, Rysons Lake is the hotspot for them and they go to double-figures meaning strong gear is required, particularly in the weedy swims. There are also big bream to over 14lb, carp to 35lb and tonnes of silverfish (roach and skimmers) to go at for those of you just looking for a bite.

Depths vary from 4-10ft on this pool but you don’t need to find the deepest water to catch. That said the main tactics is to fish the traditional open end feeder with a sweet groundbait and worm or corn on the hook, or even the Method feeder chucked out towards the middle. However, if you choose a peg with features such as lily beds or overhanging trees you can target them using waggler tactics, balling in with groundbait.

Willowbrook Pool is a mature, picturesque but typical commercial style water of approximately twelve acres. Predominantly stocked with carp ranging in size from 3 to 40lbs with typical catches in excess of 100lbs. There are 40 fishable pegs making this an ideal match venue.

If you prefer running water there is also Harpers Brook. A ultra-narrow river containing chub to 4lb and roach; ideal for the roving angler.

TIP: Fish dead depth when targeting tench because they may drop the bait quickly and you will not see the indication.

Prices: £7 a day, or £60 a year for Rysons and £70 for Willowbrook Lake

Contact: 07999 589011

Location: Willowbrook Coarse Fisheries, Mill Lane, Thrapston, Northants, NN14 3LE

Rules: Barbless only, no tins, no bread or floating baits, pike fishing December to March only, no fires, night fishing for night permit holders only

Facilities: Disabled access

100lb Nets To Be Had At High Heyes Fishery

With 100lb plus nets featuring in matches pleasure anglers should have no trouble filling their nets when they visit High Heyes Fishery in Lancashire.

The three lake venue is host to two match style lakes and a specimen carp water meaning big weights as well as big fish can easily be sought. Lake One, the most mature pool on the complex is fairly deep at around 8-9 foot and although it is known for its big carp to over 20lb, there is also a huge head of bream to over 5lb in here which can make for a cracking days sport by themselves.

To catch them fish the pole, waggler or slider at around 11m using groundbait laced with small pellets, fishing pellet or corn on the hook. If silverfish arent your cup of tea, the big carp in here can be caught by fishing on the surface during summer evenings or the margins during the day on baits like meat, corn or big pellets.

If you just fancy a nice mixed net then there is Lake Three. This water contains ide to 3lb, carp to double-figures, silverfish as well as barbel which have now grown to over 8lb. This lake responds to down the edge tactics and anglers have been catching the barbel on worm fishing just 2m out.

TIP: If targeting the silvers on Lake One, keep potting in small nuggets of groundbait to keep them feeding in your peg.

Prices: £5 a day for one rod, £6 for two
Contact: 01257 451936
Location: High Heyes Fishery, Langton Brow, Eccleston, Chorley, Lancs, PR7 5PB
Rules: Barbless only, no keepnets, no fixed rigs, no braid, no bread, no boilies, no dog or cat meat, no PVA, luncheon meat as hookbait only, groundbait to be cupped or feeder only
Facilities: Toilets, café at weekends

Fishing records tumble across the country

Records have tumbled in the soaring heat at fisheries up and down the country.

Fish stocks have gone in to a feeding frenzy since the temperatures rose and catches peaked last week with a series of huge weights setting new venue bests at some of the UK’s top complexes.

Leading the way was Lincolnshire’s Lindholme Lakes, which saw no less than four records fall during a five day festival, with Andy Bennett’s 321lb 10oz catch the best of the quartet.

Over 16,000lb of fish were shared between the field during the five-day tournament and the Guru-backed rod said: “It was one of the best week’s fishing I have ever had and I averaged 220lb a day.

“It rained heavily in the days leading up to it which oxygenated the water and created the perfect conditions for the fish to feed. On the day I broke the record I was catching a 3lb carp almost every drop in!”

Reigning Fish O’Mania champion, Andy Geldart, continued his winning streak with a 291lb 8oz fishery best from Woodland Lakes in Thirsk, while Doncaster’s Barnburgh Lakes saw three people break the previous best of 336lb in a day, with Barry Foster’s 372lb haul of F1s enough for the win.

In the Midlands, Ian Wood showed his class at Moorlands Farm, using paste on Bank Pool to set a new landmark for the Worcestershire fishery with 263lb 8oz.
Many regulars at Tunnel Barn Farm had stated the fishery record would be broken this summer and that prediction came true when Lee Richards weighed in 280lb. This was upped again days later by Dave James with 314lb 10oz. Fishery manager, Les Whetton, told Angling Times: “Everything seems to be right at the minute – the conditions have been spot on, the anglers are in great form and the fish want feeding. I wouldn’t rule out the record going for a third time in the coming weeks.”

The biggest weight of the year from any fishery was taken at Buckinghamshire’s Alders Farm when Colin Spencer filled no less than eight keepnets with an astonishing 612lb. His haul isn’t eligible for an official fishery record, however, as there wasn’t the minimum of 20 competitors as required by fishery rules.

Last but not least, Maver’s Graham Dack grabbed the headlines at Puddledock Farm, taking his place at the top of the all-time leaderboard with a 277lb 2oz weight from the Snake Lake.

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Big Bream To Be Had On The Leeds & Liverpool Canal At Bingley

Big bream have been showing in numbers from the urbanised section of canal at Bingley.

Bingley Angling Club control 3 miles of the cut From Dowley Gap Top Lock to Swine Lane Bridge and most pegs offer some cracking canal sport.

Unlike many sections of the Leeds & Liverpool this area isnt just about small fish caught using light tackle. Commercial type methods work well for the bream using mainly 4mm or 6mm expander pellets and corn, but try big punched bread as a change bait. Seeds and berries work well for Roach and Skimmers particularly as autumn draws near. Here is a breakdown of each area.

 Dowley Gap to Britannia Bridge. This stretch is quite shallow at about three and half feet but is tree lined which gives the fish confidence. Best method being pole fished chopped worm and caster for perch, bream, and carp.

Britannia Bridge to Three Rise Locks. This area is deeper at around five feet deep. Here commercial methods take priority; waggler fished corn for bream to 6.7lbs and carp to 21lbs to baits fished on the top, pole fished pellet and corn for bags of bream to 50lbs, and  groundbait feeder fished with a cocktail of worm and caster for both bream and roach.

Bingley Three Rise Locks to the world famous Five Rise Locks. Again shallow and tree lined give the fish confidence here. Fish either pellet on the pole for carp, bream and ide.

Five Rise Locks to Micklethwaite Lane. This stretch comes into its own in autumn for roach that start to shoal up ready for winter. Pole fished hemp, caster, and bread punch is the winning method here.

Mickletwaite Lane to Morton Lane. A rural stretch where pole fished worm and caster will catch both perch and skimmers down the track.

Morton Lane to Swine Lane. Pole fished red maggot or pinkie will catch silverfish steadily throughout the day, a switch to corn or pellet will bring bream to the net on overcast days.

Prices: £2.50 from WH Kershaw Vacuum Cleaner Shop, Shipley, Bingley AC,

Contact: WH Kershaw, 01274 595574, www.bingleyanglingclub.co.uk

Location: Leeds & Liverpool Canal, Dowley Gap Lane, Bingley, W Yorks, BD16 1WA

Rules: One rod max, no litter, no fires, no night fishing

Big Slabs To 10lb At Yorkshire's Pottery Pond

If you fancy getting on the feeder this weekend and catching a net of big bream, pay a visit to Pottery Pond where anglers are currently sacking up on slabs to over 10lb.

The ancient 5-acre lake is in fine form with most pegs producing fish but for the best bream bags head to the North Bank where casting well out into open water is easier, and that’s where to bream sit.  Pottery Pond is not a commercial but more of a big fish natural water which can often be quite challenging but the rewards can be huge with carp to 30lb, tench into double-figures, specimen perch and pike along with odd big roach and crucians.

For the slabs, you may find fishing in the early morning or at dusk are more productive and while a standard groundbait feeder will work, anglers with the best bags have been catching on the Method feeder with small boilies, pellets or worm on the hook, putting out plenty of feed in the process.

The pole can also score well on here particularly for a nice mixed bag of tench, skimmers and roach. Pellets, chopped worm and caster as well as maggot can all work on their day, fishing on the deck in the margins.

HOT PEGS: The spit and the centre of the lake for bream including the North Bank.

PRICES: Pole/waggler/feeder £5; Specimen carp or pike £10 (up to three rods). Night fishing £20 (book in advance).

CONTACT: 01347 810617, 07867 584236, www.potterypond.co.uk

LOCATION: Pottery Lane, Strensall, York, YO32 5TW

RULES: Barbless hooks only, no carp or large fish in keepnets, night fishing only with prior permission.

Enjoy Chub And Roach Nets to 30lb For Free On The Medway at East Peckham

With the river season now in full swing, anglers have been setting their sights on targeting the huge shoals of roach and chub found on the River Medway with nets over 30lb already being enjoyed.

The river weaves its way through some of the busiest areas of Kent but there are some stretches tucked away in a rural hotspot just like the one at East Peckham.

With deep gulleys, shallow glides and dense cover, it’s easy to see why the Peckham area of the waterway draws in the big shoals of roach, bream, perch and big chub. Best of all, you can keep most of your hard earned cash in your pocket as it offers free fishing and bagging up only requires a few quids worth of bait.

The stickfloat or waggler are winners for silverfish, a groundbait feeder will attract bream when there is a bit of colour in the water and deadbaits or lures will put you in with a real chance of landing a double figure pike but when the river is fairly low and slow you can also easily fish the pole for perfect presentation.

With thousands of tiny fish in the upper layers, getting the bait close to the deck quickly is key to finding the better stamp specimens. With this in mind, a reasonably heavy rig is advised. A balling in approach works well for a mixed net here, catapulting maggots and casters over the top to keep the fish moving.

FISHERY FACTFILE

Prices: Free fishing at East Peckham between the bridge at Branbridges Road and the weir upstream
Contact: 01622 200000
Location: River Medway, Branbridges Road, East Peckham, Kent
Rules: No fires, no carp in keepnets
Facilities: A free parking car park is situated next to the café on Branbridges Road Industrial Estate. This closes at 2pm but there are also various spots where cars can be parked on the main road.

Head To The Dee For Cracking River Roach Sport

Anglers fishing the Dee at Holt are enjoying some cracking sport with roach to 1lb filling nets.

The delightful, picturesque beat 7 stretch was virtually unfishable for a huge chunk of last year due to flooding but this year it is back with a bang with pleasure anglers reporting good catches of not only roach but salmon, trout, perch, eels and dace along with the odd specimen barbel.
Tactics wise, the river here responds to a variety of methods depending on what species you want to catch but for a good mixed bag you can’t beat the blockend feeder fished with white or bronze maggots. 5-6lb line on your reel should suffice with a medium tip to account for the flow. The roach are in abundance through the whole stretch so simply find a nice slack area and fish a feeder or trot a float down.

 For bigger fish like barbel, beef up your gear and fish baits like meat or halibut pellets in the faster flowing spots. For more info on fishing on the Dee at Holt, visit www.fishinginthenorthwest.co.uk

TIP: Try not to visit the venue on Thursdays and Sundays as the river has fresh cold water running through it from Bala Lake where the river starts, as they open the gates to release water from the lake which makes fishing more difficult.

Prices: £20 a season from Dee AA
Contact: Chester Tackle Locker, 01244 345069, www.deeanglers.co.uk
Location: River Dee, Dee Lane, Holt, Cheshire, LL13 9YT
Rules: No fires, no night fishing

Big Mixed Bags On Offer For Wirral Anglers At Dam Head

If you live on The Wirral or Merseyside area and want to fish a water which offers plenty of bites and where the fishing is easy then why not pay Damhead Fishery a visit?

With beautiful surroundings in a peaceful rural location, easy access and great fishing it is an ideal one-lake venue for pleasure anglers especially those wanting to teach a novice how to fish. 

There is a very large head of silver fish in this water, especially skimmers but the lake also holds plenty of barbel, carp and tench to surprise you. With plenty of features and good margin depths it is ideally suited to the pole with the possibilities of fishing the waggler or the tip from certain pegs.

Tactics wise you do not need anything complicated and big catches can be made fishing just 4m out. Just feed little and often with 2mm pellets or caster, maggot or corn and be accurate and you won’t go far wrong. Baits like 4mm expanders work well as hookbaits on hooks of around size 16 and mainline of around 3-5lb should cater for anything you come across at this venue. If you want to just catch the carp, which average around 7lb, then you are best advised to try mini boilies or bigger pellets as feed and on the hook.

TIP: For a big net of silverfish, try feeding a pinch of hemp and maggots every chuck in.

Prices: £7 a day 1 rod, £9 for two, £5 for an evening ticket
Contact: 07704 465611, www.fishinginthenorthwest.co.uk
Location: Damhead Fishery, Damhead Lane, Neston, Cheshire, CH64 2TP
Rules: Barbless only, no braid, no keepnets, unhooking mats to be used, no dog or cat meat
Facilities: Toilets, drinks and snack hut, bait shop

200lb Mixed Nets At The Sedges

With numerous re-stockings taking place over the spring and bumper pleasure and match weights featuring this spring, there has never been a better time to visit The Sedges Fishery.

The Somerset venues three lakes total over 6 acres of water with plenty of well-spaced pegs. All are well stocked with mainly carp and bream, although there are also plenty of tench, perch, roach and rudd to make an interesting and bites filled days fishing.

The lake showing the most recent form is Tile. Tile is a 20 peg lake with depths of around 6-7ft and is stocked with mainly carp and bream, although there are also plenty of smaller silvers. A pleasure fishing net of 200lb is easily possible on this pool with carp averaging around 4lb and the bream around 2lb. Top tactics at the moment are either the Method feeder to one of the lakes four circular islands or the splash waggler but margin fishing with baits like paste, corn and meat will also pay dividends. If you cant find a peg on this lake then Brick Lake (20 pegs) also offers similar sport but with slightly bigger carp.

The Canal Lake (24 pegs) has seen numerous stockings of new fish recently including a large amount of barbel and crucians which average around 1-2lb. There are also tench, chub, bream, roach, rudd and carp which all go to over 5lb and offer plenty of variety. It is only around 13m wide to the far bank and depths vary from 3-5ft. It pays to fish tight across for the carp using baits like paste or pellet but if you prefer a net of silverfish to 50lb simply fish down the track with worm or soft pellet.

TIP: This is a venue where it pays to follow a warm wind so pick a peg where the wind is blowing into.

Prices: £7 a day, or £5 after 4pm
Contact: 01278 445221, www.thesedgesfishery.co.uk
Location: The Sedges Fishery, River Lane, Dunwear, Bridgwater, Somerset, TA7 0AA
Rules: Barbless only, fishery own nets, no nuts or boilies, no fixed leads/feeders, un-hooking mats for specimen fish
Facilities: Toilets, tackle shop for end tackle/drinks/snacks

Bag Up On Brafferton's Big Chub

It is still a number of weeks until you can fish the rivers again so why not try your hand at a bit of stillwater chub fishing?

The Island Lake at Thirsk’s Brafferton Carp Lakes is stuffed with them and not small stuff either with individual lumps touching 8lb, enough to make the elastic stream out of your pole! The swims opposite the main island are the hotspots for the species and spring time is the best period to target them.

Tactics wise you can’t beat the pole fishing shallow and spraying maggot but you must keep the feed going in and try not to fish your swim straight away, letting the fish build up confidence before targeting them.

You can always fish a light Method feeder cast tight to the island for carp and F1’s averaging around 5lb in the meantime and this also allows you to feed your chub swim via a catapult while you wait. To do this you need to take at least four pints of maggots for a full day to get through the roach, which can otherwise be a real nuisance so you need the chub to push them out of the peg.

The depth at around 11m is around 6ft but the chub will feed around 2-3ft when they are in confident mood and a simple pole rig with a bulk around 8 inches from the hook is all that is required to achieve nets of around 50lb of chub and roach alone.

There are three other lakes on-site including a ghost carp lake, offering something different to the usual commercial carp.

TIP: When fishing on the pole for chub, a kinder pot is a great way of keeping the feed going in to help entice a bite.

Prices: £7 a day

Contact: 01423 360402

Location: Brafferton, Boroughbridge Road, Brafferton, N Yorks, YO61 2PD

Rules: Barbless hooks only, keepnets allowed when used sensibly

Facilities: toilets, cafe

New Claygate's Sophie Lake Is A Great Choice For Tench

The management at this picturesque three-lake complex are always working hard to take it to the next level and there latest development has given sport a major boost.

Most snake lakes are associated with solely carp and F1s but Lake Sophie is the exception to the rule. In recent months it has been drained an desilted, with certain areas dug out further to create deep holes to make the bigger fish that often seek sanctuary easier to locate.

Carp to 15lb are plentiful but in recent weeks it is the tench sport that has tempted anglers back time and time again. Catches of up to 20 fish a day are being taken on worm and maggot, with specimens averaging between 3lb and 6lb. Big bream are also a possibility, with slabs to 10lb falling for the same approach.

Bagging enthusiasts are catered for with the well-stocked Lake Eva which is throwing up 150lb plus nets of small carp on a daily basis, with pellet the best offering.

Over on the Lake Amy the focus is on specimen carp and with fish to over 30lb it’s easy to see why it is a winner with locals. Mainline Cell boilies are working well when produced at the bottom of the island shelf alongside a small pva bag of pellets or crushed boilies.

Top tip

Flavourings work well here and a liberal coating of any krill flavoured product on your pellets will help hold the shoals of carp, bream and tench for longer.

VENUE FACTFILE

Prices: £8 for one rod on Sophie and Eva, £12 for two rods on Amy

Contact: 07770 513448 or visit www.newclaygatelakes.co.uk

Location: New Claygates Lakes, Collier St, Marden, Kent, TN12 9PL

Rules: No fixed rigs, barbless hooks only

Facilities: Parking

Target The Margins On Sherwood's Holmesdale For 100lb Carp Nets

On many commercials moving from lake to lake can be rather repetitive with similar catches to the other pools on site but at Sherwood where every lake offers a new experience, this couldn’t be further from the truth meaning you’ll never tire from visiting it’s scenic banks.

Holmedale Lake (56 pegs) is the venues bagging water where carp nets well over 100lb of fish over 10lb feature. The lake contains plenty of small islands which can be targeted using a feeder but you can also fish the margins so most methods will catch fish.

On Sherwood Lake (64 pegs), the pegs in the mid-forties are the hotspots where you can land carp to double-figures. For a net of silverfish including ide, setup on any peg and fish maggot or caster both shallow and on the deck using the long pole on most pegs.

Cavendish Lake is another great silverfish water where pole and pellet short will see a mixed net of over 50lb caught. The lake contains loads of different species though, even gudgeon.
TIP: Ide can be very shy biting species so use a very light float such as a 4x10 Preston Chianti.

Prices: £6 a day
Contact: 07721 316334, www.sherwoodfishery.co.uk
Location: off Peafield Lane, Mansfield, Notts, NG21 9HL
Rules: Barbless only, no boilies, nuts or peas, no floating baits, no cat or dog meat
Facilities: Camping, caravan hook-ups, angling tuition on-site

Fish An Evening Under The Lights At Lancashire's Rising Fishery

There is nothing worse than turning up at your favourite complex to find that the water of your choice is taken by match anglers but you can sleep in the comfort that this issue will never occur at The Rising Fishery which is dedicated to pleasure fishermen.

Set in the beautiful foothills of Pendle, Lancs, this three lake site – which is under new management -  and holds no matches is stocked with everything from hand sized roach to 30lb plus carp.

The Hallows is the biggest water, providing lots of features for you to place a float next to. Two islands are the perfect place to launch a light waggler or small feeder towards, while the abundance of reeds and water plants down the edge make the margins an appealing area to target.

Broomstick is a small snake lake and has a uniform depth throughout of around 5ft. Carp to double figures, bream ,tench and roach figure in mixed bags.
Cauldron which is situated next to the car park making it ideal for anyone with mobility problems. This is home to some of the biggest fish onsite and beefed up tackle is advised if you want to get the better of these large residents.
Boilies work for the lumps, while corn, pellet, meat and maggots are a better option if you want to see the float fly under regularly.

TOP TIP
When using the Method feeder set your tip fairly slack. If it is too tight, fish will brush up against a tight line and spook easily.

VENUE FACTFILE
Prices: Adults £6, concessions £5
Contact: 07725 054976, www.therisingfishery.co.uk
Location: Rising Fishery, Guide Lane, Higham, Burnley, Lancs, BB12 9BX
Rules: No keepnets or catmeat, groundbait only through a feeder
Facilities: Café, toilets and parking

Survey discovers shock specimens in Grand Union Canal

One of the largest populations of specimen fish ever found in a stretch of UK canal has been discovered.

Vast bream shoals boasting fish to 12lb 12oz, chub over 6lb, huge numbers of carp to 28lb, 20lb-plus pike and perch over 3lb were found when the Canal & River Trust (CRT) carried out an electrofishing operation on a stretch of the Grand Union Canal.

The survey took place at Maple Cross, near Harefield in London, which is controlled by Blenheim Angling Society and it wasn’t just the size of the fish that has stunned fishery experts, but also the numbers, as the survey uncovered well over 200 bream and 50 carp.

A healthy stock of barbel was also discovered in the stretch that was surveyed by MEM Fisheries and the news further proves the specimen potential of canals across the nation.

“This is an incredible find and what’s even more encouraging is that this is probably only around 30 per cent of what’s actually in this stretch,” said Carl Nicholls, Fisheries and Angling manager for the Canal & River Trust. “Many anglers still underestimate canals and think they’re just about small silver fish - this just goes to show that this certainly isn’t the case.”

There is a growing number of anglers that have already realised the specimen potential of the nation’s canals. One of those is Fox-backed specialist Dan Sales, who is delighted by the news and hopes it inspires more big-fish hunters to set their sights on their local ‘cut’.

“It’s crazy, I see commercial fisheries packed out and then I’ll walk for two-miles on a canal without seeing another angler, yet I’m catching perch to over 4lb,” Dan told Angling Times. “This is an incredible spread of species of specimen fish and anyone who reads this story and doesn’t feel an urge to go and give a canal a go must be mad.”

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