Ultimate guide to the best feederfishing venues in the country
As the big competition kicks off, we spotlight the host fisheries
With Feedermasters tickets selling out within an hour of going online, it’s clear that this branch of coarse fishing is becoming increasingly popular.
With that in mind, we’ve compiled an overview of the venues where the qualifiers are held. They include everything from mighty rivers to windswept lakes, so you’re sure to find a fishery in among them all to cater for your angling needs.
Even if you’re not going to a qualifier, these venues are still worth checking out – they offer some of the best fishing of their type available.
1 DECOY LAKES, PETERBOROUGH, CAMBS
One of our oldest and most popular commercials, Decoy Lakes offers fishing for big carp, F1s and silvers across 11 lakes.
It’s no surprise that this is one of the chosen venues, and at this time of year the strip lakes and Horseshoe respond particularly well to feeder tactics.
Contact: 01733 202230 Postcode: PE7 2AD
2 HALLCROFT FISHERIES, RETFORD, NOTTS
Moat and Bridge Pools respond well to the feeder. To catch a mix of species, chuck a cage feeder to the middle and try a mixture of baits, including maggots and corn. For the carp, use more selective baits such pellets or meat. Contact: 01777 719911
Postcode: DN22 7RA
3 LARFORD LAKES, LARFORD NEAR STOURPORT, WORCS
There are 190 pegs at Larford Lakes, and 200lb bags are caught all year round. The Specimen Lake is arguably the most famous water, featuring carp to more than 20lb, alongside quality bream and large shoals of roach.
Contact: 01299 829373 Postcode: DY13 0SQ
4 FERRY MEADOWS COUNTRY PARK, PETERBOROUGH, CAMBS
While Ferry Meadows isn’t producing the monster weights of bream that it did a few years ago, there are still loads of quality bream and silvers to be had. The High Bank did a decent bag of fish recently, and feeder fishing at range currently seems to be the best way to go.
Contact: 07702 440892 Postcode: PE2 5UU
5 GLOUCESTER CANAL, GLOS
On many canals the feeder won’t come into the picture, but on the wide Gloucester Canal big bags of bream can be had. Casting to the far side with a cage or open-ended feeder can find some larger fish, but it can also be worth feeding a line down the middle. Contact: Gloucester Angling Centre, 01452 520074
Price: £4 day tickets on the bank
6 RIVER YARE, NORFOLK
The Yare is one of our premier match rivers, offering excellent sport all year. Quality bream are the main target, and many fish are caught along the far margin. There are also some cracking roach, so be prepared for a surprise. Contact: Andy Sutter, 07990 572729 Price: £5 day tickets on the bank, Great Yarmouth and Norfolk County Angling Association
7 CARR MILL DAM, ST HELENS, MERSEYSIDE
Covering 55 acres with 55 pegs, Carr Mill Dam is the perfect feeder water. Noted most for its exceptional silver fish sport, roach and perch can be caught at under 20 yards. A chuck further out into the lake at 40 yards-plus will bring skimmers and larger bream. Contact: 01744 733772,
St Helens Tackle & Bait
Prices: £40 a year, £25 concessions, St Helens AA
8 PATSHULL PARK FISHERY, WOLVERHAMPTON, W MIDS
Popular with match and predator anglers, Patshull Park is a great venue all year round. In the warmer months 50lb-plus bags of bream averaging 3lb-6lb are common. In current temperatures feeder tactics and maggots are taking double-figure nets of skimmers and perch.
Contact: 01902 700774 Postcode: WV6 7HR
9 NICKOLLS PIT, HYTHE, KENT
There are lots of carp here at 40m – a great distance for the feeder. A small Hybrid with a bright hookbait will put you in contact with carp to over 20lb, plus skimmers averaging 1lb-3lb. Contact: 01303 267053, Den’s Tackle
Postcode: CT21 6JN
10 TAMAR LAKES, BUDE, CORNWALL
Last year’s matches threw up consistent 30lb bags, with both feeder and pole taking roach, skimmers and perch to over 3lb. Contact: 01566 771930 Postcode: EX23 9SB
11 RIVER TRENT, BURTON JOYCE, NOTTINGHAMSHIRE
Some of the country’s best matchmen love the Trent – and for good reason. Silver fish sport can be fantastic. On the 39-peg Road Stretch double-figure bags of roach, chub, bream, dace, bleak and perch are possible on the maggot feeder. The famous Trent barbel can always turn up too. Contact: membership@ ashfieldangling.com
Website: www.ashfieldangling.com
12 SOUTHFIELD RESERVOIR, COWICK, EAST YORKSHIRE
Despite being big, this water is relatively shallow, averaging 3ft-4ft. The dominant species are bream around 2lb-3lb with the odd larger specimen. Most anglers use a dark and sweet fishmeal groundbait laced with pinkies, maggots and chopped worm. Be patient for bites in the cold. Contact: 07946 382882
Website: www.ddaa.co.uk/ southfield-resevoirs/
13 JCB LAKES, ROCESTER, EAST STAFFS
There are two lakes at JCB and the North Lake is right outside the JCB factory. It’s filled with mainly carp and bream, and a Hybrid feeder with micros or groundbait and a wafter hookbait will score well. The South Lake is clear, and contains tench and bream. This is a club water, so check availability. Contact: JCB Angling Club, 07967 721397
Postcode: JCB World Headquarters, ST14 5JP
14 GOLD VALLEY LAKES, ALDERSHOT, HAMPSHIRE
A range of feeder fishing is on offer at Gold Valley, where huge carp can be landed alongside
15 BARSTON LAKES, SOLIHULL, WARKS
The 125-peg, 25-acre Barston Lake is one of the country’s most popular venues – whether it be for big carp or bulging nets of skimmers, Barston has it all. Pegs 1-20 and 110-124 are favourites for the carp in the lake, and skimmers are often found around pegs 81-100. Contact: 01675 444890 Postcode: B92 0LB healthy bags of skimmers and roach. Gold Lake contains some of the biggest carp, while Middle Lake stocks numbers of F1s that can be caught on a maggot feeder. Contact: 01252 336333 or 07786 827333
Postcode: GU11 2PT