Improve Your Coarse Fishing (UK)
Warwick Wold Waters
Surrey
WHEN a fishery is located in the middle of the British countryside, it is easy to see how a stunning and peaceful backdrop is created. The abundance of trees and greenery are easy on the eye, the silence that many anglers crave is only broken by the plop of a feeder and the diverse mix of wildlife adds an extra element of excitement as you wait for the next bite.
When a venue is situated next to one of the busiest motorways in the land, however, you could be forgiven for thinking that all those plus points would disappear.
But the team at Warwick Wold Waters have somehow managed the impossible. They have created an element of tranquillity within metres of the M25.
Located within a stone’s throw of junction seven where it meets the M23 in Surrey, the five lakes have become a popular haunt since they opened more than a decade ago.
Fabulous fishing and comfortable surroundings can be achieved anywhere with the right owners in charge, but creating an aesthetically pleasing backdrop in such an urban zone is a different challenge altogether.
But when Philip Brown made his dream of owning a fishery come true in 2006, he was determined to create the rural idyll that is so important to many. Take a glance at the fishery now and it’s fair to say he certainly achieved that. There are dozens of mature trees towering above the lakes and other shrubbery adds a welcome dash of colour.
Guru’s Pete Upperton is among the growing crowds that have given the complex a thumbs up on all fronts.
“While the fishing itself is important, you also want to be sat in a nice environment and to feel cut off from the chores of everyday life,” said Pete.
“Being sat next to the M25 doesn’t sound like the sort of place where you’d be able to zone out but, somehow, Warwick Wold still enables you to slip into your own little world.”
An early starter
The complex closes every winter to give the site a rest and opens up again in March. All being well with the pandemic, that is the plan this year too.
Such a rest has numerous benefits. The banks don’t get churned to liquid mud during the thick of a wet winter and the fish are well and truly ready for a feast!
“Carp are the dominant species in and depending on where you set your stall out, you could be catching fish from 2lb right through to 20lb- plus,” said Pete.
“There’s also a good head of silverfish, with bream, tench, barbel, chub and roach spread across the complex. The rest it gets each season means it produces big weights before a lot of other venues.”
Prolific action is possible from any lake but when pushed, Pete admitted he does have a favourite.
“I love Ozzie’s Lake. It is so consistent and although most of the fish are under 5lb, they fight like mad!
“There is an island in front of almost every peg and this is located around 20m away and both the pole and feeder will play a part in keeping the bites coming.”
At first glance, the pool looks impressive. Sturdy pegs have been built, with many of them structured to comfortably accommodate two anglers. The stone pathway around the lakes and down to each platform means your tackle stays clean, with the car park only a short walk from a lot of pegs. Work is also underway to create more roads to provide even more convenience. Add to this a tackle shop, café and toilets and it’s obvious that Warwick Wold is the real deal.
“Despite being next to the M25, Warwick Wold still enables you to slip into your own little world”
Line rotation
When IYCF met up with Pete at the complex prior to the national lockdown, he selected a swim close to the car park on Ozzie’s.
With a gentle ripple pushing from left to right, he had free reign with regards to how he wanted to fish and opted to keep it simple with three pole lines and a feeder chuck to the point of the island.
“I’ll pencil in a pair of lines around 13m out to the left and right, another at 5m and then try a maggot feeder towards the cover,” he stated.
“I’d expect the long pole lines to kick in first, with the feeder area a spot to try for a time if bites dry up.
“Trickling in a few grains of corn every now and then on the short pole line will build up a carpet of feed and I’d expect a few carp to come and have a nosey in the last couple of hours of the session,” predicted Pete.
Impaling a grain of corn on to the hook, he shipped out and fed just a dozen kernels over each spot.
As with most commercials, the session can go one of two ways. You’ll either catch consistently over one of the 13m lines and the other will be almost dormant or it would be a case of chasing the fish from left to right, catching a couple before you need to rotate again.
Despite the chilly temperatures the fish certainly seemed active, with carp frequently crashing on the surface. The location of these showing fish gave Pete plenty of confidence, with many of them within striking range of his swim.
Occasionally lifting and dropping the hookbait, it took 15 minutes for the first bite, with the tiny speck of pole float just about dipping.
Several feet of white Daiwa Hydrolastic was soon zipping out of the pole tip as the culprit showed its disapproval at being fooled.
It certainly had no intention of giving up easily, ploughing around at pace for several minutes before Pete finally got the upper hand and scooped it into the landing net at the second attempt.
The battle had given off vibes that a particularly big fish had found the bait but at around 3lb, it was of an average stamp for the water.
“This is what I’ve come to expect here – the fish don’t give up without a fight!”
By topping up with a pinch of corn each time he shipped out, Pete managed to get a greedy shoal to settle over his right- hand line. If bites dried up, a quick look to the left produced an occasional bite but it was clear which was the hotspot on the day.
The pole was so prolific that there was no need to pick up the feeder, with plenty of carp to 5lb getting their heads down for a munch.
Having remained disciplined with the feeding of his 5m line, he eventually placed a rig over the top, three hours after he first started priming it.
Around half a tin of corn had been fed during that time and whether it was going to produce would quickly be revealed.
The rig settled and there was a brief pause before the float fired under and a smirk ran across Pete’s face.
“I reckon it could be solid there now. It’s rare they are alone and having fed that area for quite a long time, the fish should be confident and showing very little caution.”
That prediction was bang on the money and in the final 90 minutes of the session he went on to bag another 15 carp that, with the rest, made sure he had at least 100lb between the keepnets.
Pete’s haul was achieved in chilly conditions when the fishery had been open to the public before the latest post Christmas lockdown.
With the temperatures set to be warmer when the doors reopen from the winter shutdown, all being well on Friday, March 12, just imagine how good the sport is going to be this spring!