Blythe Waters has undergone a major transformation over the last 12 months, and the sport on offer has benefited greatly from the move.
There are five waters at the West Midlands complex, and arguably the most popular of the lot is Willow Pool.
This is a lake that snakes round in various directions to provide options for pretty much every tactic you can think of, and it can accommodate up to 26 anglers at a time.
So whether you fancy fishing the long pole towards cover, catching silvers in open water or trying to locate a few lumps in the margins, this lake will keep you on your toes.
How to fish it - Venue bailiff, Neil Powell
“Rotating between two or more lines is the key to getting plenty of bites, especially if you want to keep the bigger fish interested.
“I’d start the session fishing the pole with a top kit and two sections, as there are always a few big fish close to the bank early in the session.
“Expect to catch two or three, after which it’s a matter of chasing them out, either fishing in open water or up to any features such as the island.
“Hard 6mm pellets are great hookbaits, while 4mms are the ideal complementary loosefeed. Start feeding them via a catapult to draw fish in, then, once they’ve arrived, cup them in. This will stop the carp becoming over-stimulated, reducing the number of line bites and foul hookers that you might experience.”
Feeder flyers
There are eight to 10 swims that have a short feeder chuck to an island, and presenting a Hybrid or Method against these will help you locate the carp. Extensive work has cut back a lot of foliage, allowing you to pin your rig in the shallowest water where the bigger carp tend to linger. It’s important to ring the changes, rotating between groundbait, micros and a combination of the two on the frame. It’s also important to regularly switch hookbaits – dead maggots, hard pellets and wafters are all worth a try.
Bonus bream
Skimmers are commonplace in most commercials, but few can match the big slabs that are present in Willow. A good head of fish in the 5lb-10lb bracket are stocked, and it’s fair to say they have a hefty appetite!
Put down a good bed of groundbait in open water, lacing it with lots of dead maggots, corn and micro pellets.
Fish double corn over the top – this stand-out hookbait will increase the chances of it being the first thing any big bream spot when they show up.
Perfect breeding ground
The small silverfish are often ignored, but the abundance of roach, rudd and hand-sized skimmers makes it the ideal place to keep newcomers busy. A short pole or whip attack with maggots is the way forward when after a bite every chuck, and it can be worth regularly switching depths to find a better stamp.
If the action slows, there’s a good chance a bonus fish has arrived. If you’ve got the gear to deal with it, slip a grain of corn on to the hook and the next bite could be from a big bream or carp.
Frequently fished
Peg 26 is the shortest walk from the car park, and as a result it gets a lot of attention from pleasure anglers.
The fish know they will get plenty of food if they sit here, and you can often catch close to the bank. Use pellet and corn 5m out to start, and feed a margin line ready for a late surge down the edge. Expect carp to be the main species, but the odd big bream or tench is also a possibility.
Venue factfile
Location: Blythe Waters, Hampton Rd, Knowle, Solihull, B93 0NU
Contact: 07486 522531
Rules: Barbless hooks only, no braided mainline, night fishing or bread
Coaching: www.neilpowellanglingcoaching.co.uk
Tickets: Adults £8 one rod, £12 for two. Concessions £7 and £11. Bookings should be made in advance here
