Commonwood Fishery is renowned for its stocks of giant carp, but several lakes on-site are just as prolific for those who prefer to work with a float rod or pole and seatbox.
Located close to the Welsh town of Wrexham, there are four waters that are ideal for lighter tackle and, of these, Glyndwr is arguably the pick of the bunch.
Visitors have 19 swims to choose from, and the wide mix of species present can make it impossible for anglers to guess what has taken the bait when the float goes under or the tip goes round.
Car parks dotted around the lake make walks to each swim short, with toilets and a reception area just a stone’s throw away. There are also two swims suitable for wheelchair users, both of them easily accessible via the paths that have been installed.
How to fish it
It’s important to decide whether you want to catch everything that swims, or be selective and try to pick out the bigger fish.
If you fancy a crack at the former, maggots and casters are hard to beat. Whether you are fishing the pole or waggler, it will pay to spread your shot out so that fish at all depths can easily intercept the hookbait. Use 4lb mainline to a 3lb hooklength and a size 18 hook and you’ll fool roach, perch, skimmers and the odd bonus fish.
More durable baits such as 6mm and 8mm pellets are a winner for the carp, and you can expect to catch fish into low doubles on these.
The fish have well and truly woken up from their winter lethargy, and your tackle needs to be tough enough to deal with their surging runs. Use 6lb or 8lb mainline when working with the feeder, combining it with a 0.18mm hooklength and a size 12 or 14 hook.
Feeder hotspots
The hotspot of the island is a short feeder chuck from pegs 2, 3, 17 and 18. Sporting plenty of overhanging shrubbery, it’s obvious why this is a magnet to the fish. Start by chucking a Method or Hybrid feeder loaded with dampened micros, groundbait, or a combination of both, a couple of metres short into the deeper water, and work your way tighter to the island as the day progresses.
Follow the wind
Pegs 6 and 7 are as far from the island as you can get, but if the wind is hacking into that corner, they can be the best on the lake. Any breeze will drag natural food with it, giving fish of all species a reason to congregate there. Fish down the margins towards the corner, using pellets and corn to get a response from carp and big skimmers.
Silverfish sport
Roach and skimmer hauls in the 20lb-30lb bracket are on the cards, and those who instil a little finesse into their approach will reap the biggest rewards.
Pole fishing into the open water will score, and a line at 11m is a good starting point. Feed swims to your left and right at that distance, rotating between the two to keep the float going under regularly.
Introduce a ball of groundbait including a few dead maggots and casters at the start. Loosefeed over the top with a catapult, holding back the feed a little if you miss bites or start to foul-hook fish.
If that happens, resort to feeding just small nuggets of groundbait, topping up whenever the action slows.
Personal-best potential
Roach, bream and carp will provide the bulk of the action, but a big perch or two could also come your way. Fish in the 2lb-3lb bracket are present, and the margins are the prime place to find them. It’s important to be cautious when feeding, as piling freebies in will inevitably attract carp that will unsettle any perch in the area.
Use one or two worms on a size 12 hook, feeding just a small portion of chopped worm at the start before trickling maggots in. This will attract silvers, which spark the predatory instincts of the perch.
Family affair
This is the ideal place to bring a newcomer, and pegs 15 and 18 are bigger than the rest to provide space for two anglers. There’s plenty of room for chairs or seatboxes, with ample fishing space out in front of the pegs. Under-10s who fish with a paying adult can do so for free.
Venue factfile
Location: Commonwood Fishery, Buck Road Wrexham, LL13 9TF
Contact: Call 07872 900282
Prices: Adults £10, concessions £7.50
Rules: Barbless hooks only, keepnets only in matches, under-12s must be supervised by an adult
Facilities: Parking, disabled swims and access, tackle shop, café, toilets
