FARLOWS LAKE ONE, BUCKS
An historic day-ticket lake with brilliant facilities and dozens of big carp over 30lb to a top weight of 45lb...
FARLOWS was one of the first popular day-ticket waters on the carp scene, with 30lb-plus fish reported as far back as the 1970s.
Despite being so heavily steeped in history, it offers bang-up-to-date facilities, including a café, showers and an extensive on-site tackle shop.
Lake One is around 25-acres and is full of nooks and crannies, with visiting anglers able to target an array of bars, islands, weedbeds and every other conceivable feature.
There are around 1,200 fish present, and stocks comprise a mix of old, scaly originals, some of which are thought to be of Donald Leney’s legendary strain, plus newer stockings of Italian, Sutton and Dink strains.
At the right time of year there are between 50 and 60 fish over 30lb, and a growing head of forties to a lake record of 45lb.
Tactics needn’t be complicated, with simple rigs and beds of high-quality food baits taking the majority of the captures. From late spring to early autumn, surface fishing and zig rigs can be deadly.
We asked venue regular Wayne Mansford to give Carpfeed readers, or anybody visiting the lake for the first time, a few pointers on how best to approach the venue.
He said: “If you’ve never fished here before then go into the tackle shop and talk to the bailiff and go on the Facebook page. There’s lots of information out there and the staff here will always keep you updated on the most recent catches.
“Have a good walk around and have a look in the margins, in the snags and in the reeds.
“A set of polarising sunglasses will help you to spot the fish. If you do decide to fish near the reeds, try to cast close to them and fish with your clutch locked up.
“In summer it can get weedy, but I like fishing in the holes in the weed with PVA bags. Naked chod rigs can work really well too.
“Later in the year the fish like to get up in the open water off the Smelly Bank and show themselves. This is the siltiest area of the lake, with depths of about 9ft to 13ft, while it’s generally around 6ft to 8ft elsewhere on the lake and around the islands.
“I use small fluoro pop-ups once the weather cools, and I’ll use maggots too, but there are silver fish present, so you don’t want too many.
“Particles like corn and hemp can work well and the carp can move in on them quickly, but you’ll also find out very soon if the bream have beaten them to it – and at that point it’s time to try something different!”