FISHERY OF THE WEEK
Cross Drove, Norfolk
IF YOU fancy having a crack at a truly unique venue, Cross Drove Fishery is sure to be right up your street.
Located on the outskirts of Thetford, in Norfolk, the complex is completely different from all other commercials in pretty much every way.
Its design is one of a kind, with many of the 70 pegs spread across a series of arms that are linked by bridges.
Each swim offers a totally different challenge, some having large beds of lilies to place a rig close to while others are tucked away in an intimate bay that looks perfect for extracting a big fish or two.
Stocking delights
The stocking policy is also an eye-opener. Plenty of places hold double-figure carp but few have them in such sparkling condition as Cross Drove, with mirrors and commons to well over 20lb that look as though they’ve never seen a hook in their life.
F1s also play a part, and they grow bigger here than in most other fisheries in the land. Specimens between 4lb and 6lb are common, and they’ve been recorded into double figures!
Bream, tench and roach will show up but it’s the giant catfish to over 60lb that steal the show. They’ve bred well, and it’s not unusual to bank smaller samples up to 5lb when using match-style tactics.
Surprises galore
Many top anglers have sampled the delights of Cross Drove over the years, not least London matchman Chris Vandervleit.
He regularly makes the 150mile round trip to wet a line and
reckons it is well worth the effort.
“You just never know what you are going to experience, as every day is completely different at the venue,” he tells Angling Times.
“Some days it’s all about fishing down the margins for big carp, on others you can be getting a big skimmer every drop-in, and there are sessions when shallow fishing on the long pole is deadly.
“It really keeps you on your toes. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve seen huge plumes of bubbles or giant swirls appear. On most venues these would be from carp, but at Cross Drove they are a sign that the catfish are chasing their prey!”
Two-line attack
Although rod and line will produce, the best catches are often recorded on the pole.
Set up to fish down the margins, aiming to find around 2ft of water. Feed three big balls of groundbait here and do this by hand to make a little commotion that will draw the fish in.
Don’t scale down your tackle either. A 0.22mm mainline to a 0.20mm hooklength and a size 14 hook is what’s needed.
The other line worth attacking is close to any nearby lily beds. Cup in worms and casters here to catch everything that swims. Make sure you stay a few feet away from the pads themselves, otherwise any hooked fish will dart under them in an instant!