Lloyds Meadow
Bag big nets of roach, perch, ide and chub
MOST commercial fisheries have a good head of silverfish in at least one lake, but each of the four pools at Lloyds Meadow is absolutely teeming with them! There are roach, perch, skimmers, ide and chub galore at the Cheshire complex and no matter which of the four waters you set your sights on, you are bound to get plenty of bites. A scenic backdrop is guaranteed, with the owners allowing the stunning countryside the fishery is located within to blossom while also maintaining the greenery to prevent pegs and walkways becoming overgrown.
Although all the waters have a varied stocking policy, each offers a slightly different challenge to keep you on the edge of your seat.
SILVERFISH HAVEN
Kingfisher is the first lake you will set eyes on once entering the complex and it aims to give anglers a range of tactical options. Short pole and casters, waggler to the islands or a small maggot feeder into the open water will all produce big roach, perch and bonus chub.
Walk a little further to the far end of the site and you’ll stumble across Heron. Several pegs have very enticing marginal features, with large reedbeds and sunken tree branches a real magnet for the giant perch that run to over 4lb.
Tucked away to the right-hand side of the complex is the tiny Fox Pool. This is the perfect place for youngsters or newcomers to catch lots of small silvers and the odd carp with minimal effort.
Last but not least is Badger, and this is the pick of the bunch for James Davies.
The commercial fishery enthusiast travels the North West looking for prolific mixed fisheries and reckons few can compete with the consistency of Lloyds Meadow.
“A lot of venues boast they have lots of silverfish and fail to live up to the hype, but that certainly isn’t the case here,” explains James.
“All four lakes produce exceptional sport all year round and the silverfish are getting bigger and bigger as the years roll by.
“Badger is a snake lake, with around 15m from your peg to the island. If you fish with pellets and sweetcorn on this one, then carp to double figures will soon show up. However, if you use maggot and caster hookbaits instead, then the lake’s big ide are likely to be the dominant species.”
small disturbance gives my confidence a huge boost but there’s no time to waste.
I rig up a pair of Drennan Feeder Bombs helicopterstyle and pack them with red maggots. My hooklengths are kept short to enhance the bolt rig effect.
I punch both rigs out to a distance I settled on the previous evening, the lines checked by spool clips.
I feel each feeder down through the water column until they land with a satisfying thump on gravel. Keeping a tight line on the rests, I clip on heavy bobbins and await the action.
Every 20 minutes the feeders will need refilling, but there’s no rest for the wicked – I have some Spombing to do! This acts as the dinner gong, but with the water still cold I need to be careful not to overfeed the fish.
Into the Spomb I pack a Continental-style dark groundbait laced heavily with Sticky Hemp Oil. With plenty of attraction but minimum food value, I trust the falling particles will be irresistible.
In my imagination a shoal of giant roach begins to circle slowly, driven to the bottom by the falling feed. Then dreams turn to reality as a fish takes my bait. At my end the bobbin falls backwards and the adrenaline surges because the power of the fish suggests it’s something a bit special. Striking would rip the hook out of its mouth so I simply lift into the unseen force and slowly begin to gain line with each thump on the rod.
Only when the landing net beckons do I need to give line to the fish, and I’m thankful my tiny 18 size hook has held firm.
I’m grinning like a schoolboy as the broad silver flanks of a plump roach slide over the mesh. Spring’s here, so why not visit a lake near you and join in the fun?