CARP TAKE BACK SEAT TO SILVERS

Variety is the name of the game at How End

ENJOYING a fruitful session at a commercial fishery doesn’t always have to mean bagging up with carp anymore.

An increasing number of pleasure anglers prefer to catch a bag of silvers rather than a netful of match carp, and so more and more fisheries are setting aside silverfish-only ponds so they can offer their customers something different.

One such venue is How End Fisheries in Bedfordshire. The two-lake complex prides itself on offering an alternative to the carp domination on many commercial venues. The owners prefer to keep their lakes freshly stocked with more silvers than carp, and that means ide, roach, tench bream and barbel.

That doesn’t mean weights are lower than at other venues. Far from it – already this summer anglers have reported bags to over 200lb at How End, with individual fish to over 5lb... more than big enough to pull the elastic out of your pole or set your reel’s clutch screaming!

The two ponds, Yasi’s and Dani’s, are both very comfortable to fish. The car park sits neatly between the two, allowing short walks to either without any need to lug your gear up ludicrously steep slopes or steps.

A tackle and bait shop and both gents and separate women’s/ disabled toilets are the cherry on the top of the angling cake.

Yasi’s Lake is a superb pleasure pool. This 17-peg, canal-shaped water is around 13m wide, making it ideal for pole anglers. There are carp, of course, but

most bites you’ll get are from the ide, barbel, roach, perch and bream. Every swim has the same underwater features, including ledges on the far and near sides.

Dani’s Lake, meanwhile, is designed for rod-and-line fishing with feeder and waggler the top methods in an abundance of open water.

Features include sunken bars and a visible island.

The beauty of this pool is that you never know whats going to pull your tip round – it could be a carp, crucian, tench, roach, bream, rudd, perch or even chub.

PRICES: £9.50 adults, £7.50 concessions. Evening ticket (4pm onwards) £4. Season permits also available LOCATION: How End Fisheries, How End Road, Houghton Conquest, Bedford, MK45 3JT

CONTACT: Call Phil on 07753 743802 or Tanya on 07711 637338. Alternatively, visit www.howendfisheries.co.uk

RULES: Use only keepnets supplied by the fishery. No meat allowed, barbless hooks only, no pole feeders, elastic is restricted to a size 12 solid/Black Hydrolastic equivalent, fishery pellets only to be used as feed

Parking, tackle shop, FACILITIES:toilets