Clumber Park, Worksop, Notts
Situated within the grounds of a National Trust site, the lake covers over 80 acres and is home to big bream and tench into double figures. Quite heavy baiting is advised to give the fish reason to visit the swim. Groundbait, corn, small pellets and hemp are all great choices.
Contact: www.clumberparkangling.co.uk
THE BEST DISTANCE FEEDER RODS ARE SUITED TO BIG COUNTRY PARK LAKES.
Ulley Country Park, Rotherham, South Yorkshire
Feeder fishing dominates for most of the season here, but roach can often be caught on the long pole in spring. Cup in several balls of groundbait and loose feed casters over the top at 14m. If you are after the bream and skimmers, fish a cage feeder at range, including plenty of chopped worms in your groundbait.
Contact: https://www.rotherham.gov.uk
Rother Valley Country Park, Sheffield, South Yorkshire
A good proportion of the Northern Lake is open to anglers, and the tench fishing there can be phenomenal. Fish in the 3lb-6lb bracket predominate, with corn or worm hook baits over a bed of particles working well. There are also some very big bonus bream, with 10-pounders a possibility.
Contact : 01709 334455
Kingsbury Water Park, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands
There are 11 lakes here, covering a substantial 125 acres between them. Bodymoor Heath gets a lot of attention at this time of year, as the bream start to feed well. Fish in the 4lb-7lb bracket are commonplace, and cage feeder tactics at range over plenty of groundbait and particles will help you find them.
Contact: 01827 872660
Shipley Country Park, Heanor, Derbyshire
Adam’s Pond, Mapperley Reservoir and Osborne’s Pond are all open to day-ticket angling, and all three have a fantastic big-carp pedigree, with specimens over the 25lb mark regularly caught. Bright wafters or boilies alongside PVA bags of crushed freebies and small pellets rarely fail.\
Contact: 01629 533991
Ferry Meadows, Peterborough, Cambs
A favourite venue of Angling Times columnist Steve Ringer. Both Gunwade and Overton Lakes can produce huge bream hauls. Lead around to find a clear spot and then present a cage or Method feeder over the top of a light carpet of loosefeed to tempt fish to 8lb.
Contact: 07702 440892
THE BEST FEEDER FISHING REELS WILL CAST A DISTANCE ON THESE EXPANSES OF WATER.
Furzton Lake, Milton Keynes, Bucks
The venue has experienced an impressive roach revival in recent years, with 30lb netfuls possible under the right conditions. Both the long pole and feeder at approximately 30m can produce bites, with maggots and casters alongside sweet groundbait working well.
Contact: 07759 129800
Buscot Park, Faringdon, Oxfordshire
The picturesque lake located within the grounds of this National Trust venue is a float angler’s paradise. True crucians to over 2lb, bream, tench and stunningly-scaled carp are among the targets, with a sweetcorn over pellet attack picking out the better stamp fish on both the pole and waggler.
Contact: 01367 240932
Billingford Lakes, Dereham, Norfolk
Basil Todd and The Great Lake both have brilliant tench potential, with fish to over 6lb on the cards. Fishing close to reeds or lily pads will help you find them, and in the absence of such features, plumb around carefully and fish at the bottom of the nearside ledge with worms, corn and maggots.
Contact: 01362 788111
Shearwater Lake, Warminster, Wiltshire
Located within the grounds of the idyllic Longleat estate, this water is home to some huge carp that will send the dial on your scales past 30lb! Small quantities of feed alongside pop-up boilie hookbaits could produce a new personal best, while 100lb-plus catches of bream are possible on the feeder.
Contact: gocatch.fish
THE BEST BAIT UP RODS CAN BE USEFUL TOOLS WHEN INTRODUCING BIG BEDS OF BAIT.
Hollingworth Lake, Rochdale, Lancashire
This giant 130-acre reservoir is home to very healthy stocks ofroach, perch and bream. Groundbait feeder tactics work well – pack your mix with dead pinkies and chopped worm to hold the fish once they arrive. Cast regularly in the first hour to build up the carpet and make a little noise to draw the shoals in.
Contact: 01706 373421
Shorne Woods Country Park, Rochester, Kent
Both Long and Steps Lakes are controlled by Thameside Works APS, and day tickets are available via the controllers’ website below. Mixed bags are the name of the game here, where pole or waggler tactics work with soft pellets, corn or maggots to ensure a mixed bag of carp, roach, tench and perch will come to the net.
Contact: www.twaps.co.uk
Poolsbrook Country Park, Chesterfield, Derbyshire
Skimmers and roach are the dominant species, with both long pole and cage feeder tactics producing bites. Cup in a few balls of groundbait at 14m before starting on the feeder at 30m with groundbait, pinkies and a few chopped worms. Ping casters over the pole line to keep it topped up and try it after an hour or two.
Contact: 07919 344154
Mousecroft Pool, Shrewsbury, Shropshire
This small and shallow stillwater, located within an area of community woodland, is home to some very impressive fish, including bream to 7lb. Carp to double figures can also be caught on a Method feeder close to any features, while smaller tench, skimmers and crucians are best targeted in open water with soft pellets on light pole rigs.
Contact: www.shrewsburytownfisheries.co.uk
SITTING IN THE BEST FEEDER FISHNG CHAIRS WILL ENSURE YOU HAVE A COMFORTABLE SESSION.
