EASTER HOTSPOTS for guaranteed action
VENUES around the UK have re-opened their gates to anglers, the weather is brighter, and the fish are hungry.
In this week’s Where to Fish Special we highlight some fantastic places to visit for an action-packed Easter…
LINDHOLME LAKES, DONCASTER, YORKSHIRE
With 450 pegs spread across 10 prolific waters there is always somewhere you can settle in at this Yorkshire complex. If we had to pick one, then Willows Lake would have to be a good place to start. It holds large carp, plenty of F1s and silvers.
Contact: 01427 875555 Postcode: DN9 1LF
RISBY PARK FISHING PONDS, BEVERLEY, EAST YORKSHIRE
You can be certain of an enjoyable day’s fishing on any of the four lakes at Risby Park. For a chance of a good bag of silvers with the odd bonus carp thrown in, head to Folly Lake and fish maggots over micros.
Contact: 07834 275278 Postcode: HU17 8RY
FIELDS FARM FISHERIES, SANDBACH, CHESHIRE
Whether you’re after fish big or small you’ll be catered for on one of the five spring-fed pools at Fields Farm. Far Hope Pool is the pick of the bunch for pleasure anglers, where a simple pellet, corn or maggot approach will take carp, F1s, bream, crucians, chub and tench.
Contact: 01270 753074 Postcode: CW11 4TE
MERE LANE FISHERY, TARLETON, LANCASHIRE
The canal-shaped Silvers Lake is the perfect place for youngsters to learn how to fish without the risk of getting snapped off by big carp. It has 16 pegs and a high stock of crucians, rudd, tench and bream. A simple float set-up on pole or rod and line is all you need. Contact: 01704 821269 Postcode: PR4 6JU
HALL LANE FISHERY, WIGAN, LANCASHIRE
Three well stocked snake lakes at this venue are perfectly suited to the match or pleasure angler looking to bag up on the pole. Each holds a variety of species, with carp, chub, roach, bream, perch and tench all present. Keep it simple and fish tight to the far bank or island features for best results. Contact: 07766 141388 Postcode: WN8 7BD
WYRESIDE LAKES, LANCASTER, LANCASHIRE
River Lake is a 1.5-acre mixed coarse runs water with a great stock of fish. The bream and tench in this lake go to nearly double figures and are accompanied by masses of roach, and perch to nearly 3lb. Try a small groundbait feeder with a worm hookbait.
Contact: 01524 792093 Postcode: LA2 9DG
ASTON PARK FISHERIES, SHEFFIELD, S YORKS
Pole fishing rules on the canalised Bills and Butts Lakes with the far bank within 13m. Fishing pellets short and tight across is what catches most fish, with good bags of carp, F1s and ide possible.
Contact: 07743 845737 Postcode: S26 5PQ
HACKETT LAKES, NOTTINGHAM, NOTTS
Both waters here offer a chance of plenty of bites on either float or feeder. Carp will fall to a simple flatbed Method approach, while roach, perch, chub and tench can be caught just off the marginal shelf on the waggler. Contact: 07798 702053 Postcode: NG12 2PW
WESTWOOD LAKES, BOSTON, LINCS
The unusual 20-peg
Hawk Lake allows anglers to fish outwards from the island and is perfectly suited to younger anglers or beginners. Stocks include carp, barbel, tench, roach, chub, ide and F1s, all running to around the 3lb mark. Fish over a little-and-often helping of micros, with either hard pellets, corn or casters, for the best results.
Contact: 01205 724162 Postcode: PE21 7JA
FLOAT FISH FARM, PETERBOROUGH, CAMBS
If you fancy a few bites this weekend, Float Fish Farm is a great place to visit. There’s
everything you could want, from big carp and catfish right the way through to mixed nets made up of a wide range of species. Kingfisher Pool is a great place to take the kids – ideal for floatfishing. For an early-season tench, visit the intimate Tench Pit – dedicated to the species! Contact: 07365 904040 Postcode: PE7 3DZ
BAIN VALLEY FISHERIES, TATTERSHALL THORPE, LINCOLNSHIRE
You’ll find a good mix of large, open-water lakes at Bain Valley. Lake Stirling is eight acres and home to all sorts, from big carp through to tench, bream and perch. Spitfire and Hurricane lakes are smaller, mature waters of around two acres, containing roach, rudd, ide and crucians alongside good carp and tench. Due to the size of the lakes here, feeder fishing scores well. Contact: 01526 342275 Postcode: LN4 4PQ
BADEN HALL FISHERIES, ECCLESHALL, STAFFORDSHIRE
Although it’s perhaps best known for its big carp, Baden Hall is also home to a handful of great pleasure and match waters. Mallards, Canals and Doughnut are all ideal for the pole angler, with the far margin within reach. There are also inviting margins and deep-water areas to try, and fishing a couple of lines in different parts of the peg should keep bites coming. Book a peg before arriving.
Contact: 01785 850313 Postcode: ST21 6LG
WOLD FARM FISHERIES, WELLINGBOROUGH, NORTHANTS
The awesome Wold Farm Fisheries offers some of the best silverfish sport around, with huge bags of roach, bream, crucians and barbel on offer. Moat, Oaks and Islands Lakes are all well worth trying, and fishing chopped worm and caster will lead to a real mixed bag. There are also some good carp in these lakes, and pellets are a good bait to single them out. Book on before arriving.
Contact: 07974 000230 Postcode: NN29 7XA
SHEARSBY VALLEY LAKES, SHEARSBY, LEICESTERSHIRE
Great fishing for a range of species can be enjoyed at this attractive fishery. Tornado and Hurricane are the premier match lakes and are filled with carp to double figures and F1s. For the pleasure angler, Sunset is a good choice, and simply feeding maggots by hand and fishing the pole will bring bites from many species, with lots of big silvers. Book a swim before arriving. Contact: 0116 2478 164 Postcode: LE17 6PX
TIMBERLAND LAKES, HARLOW, ESSEX
As the name suggests, Baggers Lake is the place to head for if you want bites all day from a
variety of species. Fish the pole with either corn or maggots over micros and it won’t take long for the float to go under.
Contact: 01279 454528 Postcode: CM19 5UA
FLAXLANDS FISHERY, WOOTTON BASSETT, WILTS
This two-lake venue is stuffed with carp of all sizes, shapes and colours. They love their food, too, which makes them relatively easy to catch. A small Method with micros, a mesh bag of fishery pellets, or a straight lead with a bright hookbait will all get the tip going round.
Contact: 07707 789272 Postcode: SN4 8DY UPHAM FARM, EXETER, DEVON
All seven ponds at this venue are crammed with hungry carp. At this time of year, a surface offering of either bread or dog biscuits should get some action! Contact: 07971 827552 Postcode: EX5 2JA
GREENRIDGE FARM FISHERY, AMPFIELD, HAMPSHIRE
The match canals are a fantastic safe environment to teach someone how to fish and are very generously stocked, making catching something an almost certainty. Small carp are the dominant species and they fall regularly to pole fished maggots or a small feeder to the far bank. Contact: 07881 526866 Postcode: SO51 9BN
BURY HILL FISHERIES, DORKING, SURREY
The big bream in the famous Old Lake are starting to show really well, with 100lb bags being taken from the Long Bank. Feeder or floatfished maggots will get plenty of bites from fish averaging 3lb-6lb.
Contact: 01306 883621 Postcode: RH4 3JU
TODBER MANOR FISHERIES, STURMINSTER NEWTON, DORSET
The big carp are feeding hard across Big Hayes and Wadmill Lakes, with multiple fish over 20lb possible in short day sessions. Boilies and pellets are getting most of the bites. Contact: 01258 820384 Postcode: DT10 1JB
MONK LAKES, MARDEN, KENT
The two stunning pleasure fishing lakes, Bridges and Puma, are both great spots to hone your angling skills. Fishing to one of the many features will bring bites from carp, barbel and tench. Try the open water for the bream. Contact: 01622 833332 Postcode: TN12 9BS
SWANBOROUGH FISHING LAKES, LEWES, EAST SUSSEX
The 2.5-acre Tench Lake is a superb water for those who want to catch lots of silvers including bream, roach, rudd and, of course, tench. Floatfishing is the best method but beware – there are some very big carp present too.
Contact: 07495 677201 Postcode: BN7 3SL
AMALWHIDDEN FARM COARSE FISHERY, ST IVES, CORNWALL
If you want to stay clear of carp and focus on silvers then Fir Tree Pond is the place for you. It holds a superb stock of roach, perch, bream, tench and crucians, all of which can be caught on a simple pole and maggot approach. Contact: 01736 796961 Postcode: TR26 3AR