Peacock Waters
Enjoy 40lb mixed bags at historic venue
DEEP stillwaters can be a daunting prospect – but you definitely need to take the plunge and give Peacock Waters a visit.
Many anglers worry that their rigs and tackle won’t be able to deal with deep waters, but you won’t need anything out of the ordinary at this Lincolnshire gem, with a hefty bag of silverfish your reward.
The lake is more than 100 years old and has an unusual shape, twisting and weaving its way around with lots of little bays complemented by plenty of open water.
There’s also the option to fish off the island. A wooden bridge has been erected to offer access.
Depths drop off to beyond 20ft in parts, with 12ft-15ft on the pole line in most swims.
Carp to 30lb are present, but it is the silverfish that have proved to be the biggest draw in recent weeks, with 40lb hauls of roach, bream, chub and perch a very distinct possibility.
Located on the outskirts of the village of Timberland, it’s well protected from the often-windy conditions of the Lincolnshire Fens thanks to an abundance of well-kept trees around the lake.
The swims are constructed to ensure a comfortable day on the bank, with all pegs only a short walk from the car park.
Dave Eastwood moved from Lancashire to the area a couple of years ago and, having always been fascinated by more natural, silverfish-centred venues, he couldn’t help but have a bash at Peacock Waters. “It’s nothing like your average commercial and it really is a unique lake,” Dave told Angling Times.
“The fish are all in stunning condition, with roach to over 1lb, bream to 5lb and chub to 4lb all present in impressive numbers.
“The deep water keeps you on your toes because it makes you think carefully about what you need to do to get the fish feeding confidently.”
Fishing on the bottom works well, but the fish will often be lingering off the deck when you first arrive.
Set out your stall at around 12m and have two rigs ready. The first will be a 1.5g float with an olivette and a couple of small dropper shot below to get the hookbait down to the deck quickly.
If this doesn’t score, switch to a slimmer, carbon-stemmed 4x18 pattern with a strung-out shotting pattern. This will help slow the fall of the hookbait and gives those fish sat in midwater the chance to engulf it.
Feed two hard balls of groundbait to start with, to create a carpet on the deck, but if that doesn’t work, introduce a couple of softly squeezed balls. These will break up at half-depth and any fish off the bottom will follow the cloud down to your hookbait.
If you fancy a challenge, where you’ll feel proud as Punch if you crack the code, Peacock Waters is definitely the venue for you.