UK ROUND-UP
NORTH LEEDS AND LIVERPOOL CANAL, WIGAN, LANCASHIRE
The Top Lock section at Wigan has been producing plenty of action. What’s been out? Plenty of roach, some bream, and pike to 22lb. Tactics to use: Try pole fishing with red maggots for silverfish. Get your lures out for explosive pike action. Contact: Angling Direct, 01942 255993
Postcode: WN2 3AD
CRIMPLE FISHERIES, HARROGATE, YORKSHIRE
This two-acre lake with an island in the middle has been producing good mixed sport.
What’s been out? Decent bags of roach, crucian carp, and commons and mirrors in the 6lb-9lb range. Tactics to use: Floatfishing maggots or bread for silvers. Floating crust is deadly for carp off the top. Contact: 07733 545501
Postcode: HG3 1DF
MIDLANDS RIVER WAVENEY, BECCLES, SUFFOLK
The picturesque Beccles town centre stretch of the Waveney, offering free fishing from the quay to the sailing club, has been producing decent silverfish bags. What’s been out? Match anglers have enjoyed regular 20lb-plus hauls of mainly roach and skimmers. Tactics to use: Try feeder fishing using a dark groundbait. Use worms and/or maggots on the hook. Switch to hemp and tares or caster for a better stamp of redfins.
Contact: Angling Direct,
01502 713379.
Postcode: NR34 9QB.
DECOY LAKES, WHITTLESEY, CAMBRIDGESHIRE
All 11 lakes are producing at this popular long-established match and pleasure complex with 263 pegs. What’s been out? Multiple bags of carp, F1s and silvers. A few barbel to 6lb have been taken on maggot and pole from Cedar Lake.
Tactics to use: Maggot on the pole, Method feeder and yellow and orange Band’ums pellets.
Contact: 01733 202230.
Postcode: PE7 2AD.
MARIO’S LAKE, HEVINGHAM, NORFOLK
The three and-a-half acre specimen lake at the Cobbleacre fishery has been in good form this winter.
What’s been out? A stream of carp to 28lb from the stock of commons, ghosties and mirrors, and hefty catfish of 45lb, 54lb and 56lb. Tactics to use: For carp use boilies and a bloodworm and snail Spod mix. Catfish are taken on Mainline Cell boilies or 20mm-30mm pellets. Contact: 07864 251647
Postcode: NR10 5NL
SOUTH KING’S SEDGEMOOR DRAIN, SOMERSET
The Bridgwater AA stretch of the drain, which can be fished on a £5 day ticket, has been producing consistent sport, as well as the occasional surprise.
What’s been out? Mainly roach and skimmers, with the occasional bigger bream and the odd tench. A recent match on the Parchey to Bradney stretch produced a top individual weight of 27lb. A near-2lb rudd made a surprise appearance in one of the bags.
Tactics to use: Maggot on the whip, or rod and waggler. Use pole or feeder tactics with worms to tempt bigger specimens such as 1lb-plus roach or bream up to 7lb.
Contact: Somerset Angling, 01278 431777
Postcode: TA6 4PL
THROOP FISHERY, CHRISTCHURCH, DORSET
More than five miles of the Dorset
Stour, plus side streams, offer some of the best river fishing in the South. They can be fished on a Ringwood DAA day ticket.
What’s been out? Plenty of silverfish in many areas. Quality chub and pike have been showing on Beat 2, Throop Mill.
Tactics to use: Floatfish maggots for silverfish nets. Use leger tactics for chub with small pellets on the hook. Deadbaits and lures are scoring for pike.
Contact: Christchurch Angling, 01202 480520.
Postcode: BH7 6SH.
UPPER TAMAR LAKE, BUDE, CORNWALL
Anglers have continued to reap the benefits of the ongoing stocking programme, which has substantially boosted big-carp numbers at the vast 80-acre venue on the Devon/Cornwall border. While there is always huge potential for specimen perch (up to 5lb), eel and bream fans are also well catered for, with big fish on the cards. What’s been out? Carp up to and above 20lb, 3lb-plus perch, mixed silverfish bags.
Tactics to use: Standard carp tactics with good-quality boilies. Leger prawns for big perch. For silverfish use a whip with maggots and casters. Catch bream with swimfeeder tactics, using worm or maggots on the hook.
Contact: 01288 321262
Postcode: EX23 9SB