WHERE TO FISH
With a rapidly-growing stock of hard-fighting commons and mirrors to over 30lb, big spring hits are possible at this superb day-ticket lake
Exclusive tactics map of Wyreside Lakes’ Sunnyside 2, PLUS Mat Woods’ Day Ticket Diary
ORIGINALLY a trout water, this well-maintained and picturesque 11-acre lake has 20 swims and offers some of the very best carp fishing in the North West of England.
There are roughly 200 carp in Sunnyside 2, with no shortage of hard-fighting doubles, a good head of twenties and an increasing number of fish over 30lb.
Swims one to nine offer great access, with parking behind each peg, and the channel that runs in front of these swims is a popular spot with regulars.
When it comes to the subject of which baits work best, Curtis Hitchmough offered the following advice to anglers visiting the venue for the first time: “Particles work really well on Sunnyside 2. When the lake is quiet over the winter we feed the fish with maize once or twice a fortnight until the warmer weather arrives and more anglers return.
“We introduce the feed in a sort of square shape around the lake, and anglers fishing over particles from peg 12 at about 18 or 19 wraps (70-75 yards) always seem to do well.
“The channel is also a popular area to target, but the fish can start to back off in spring once they have been fished for a bit.
“If a new wind picks up, it’s really important to move on to it straight away. The fish love to follow the wind here. And when the fish are having it, you can enjoy a big hit over a decent bed of bait.
“Yellow baits also tend to work very well on ‘Sunny Two’, and the fish will take a dog biscuit off the top too when the conditions are right.”
“The channel is a popular area to target, but the fish start to back off in spring once they’ve been fished for a bit”