For pole fishing, snake lakes offer the ultimate experience. Relatively narrow across, they are best compared to canals, and designed so a pole can easily reach the far bank, where the fish are often lurking.
Most venues now have their own snake lake on site, as they are incredibly popular with pleasure and match anglers. With something to fish to in every peg, even the worst swims are capable of producing a few bites.
Here then are ten brilliant snake lakes to give a go...
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CUDMORE FISHERIES, NEWCASTLE-UNDER-LYME
Using pellets or maggots in the shallowest water you can find tight to the far bank on Moors, Panama and Suez will get bites from the bigger carp and F1s.
Contact: 01782 680919
OAKS LAKES, SESSAY, NORTH YORKSHIRE
Get on Maple Lake for plenty of small carp, fishing across or in the margins with pellets and corn. The adjacent Alders Lake is home to some big ide as well.
Contact: 01845 501321
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MEADOW FARM COTTAGES, NORWICH, NORFOLK
This two-lake complex has been a hit with locals, Canal Lake being known for 100lb nets of ide across to the far bank.
PARTRIDGE LAKES, CULCHETH, CHESHIRE
Spey and Marsh Canals sit back- to-back and are packed with F1s and some big carp as well as lots of silverfish. Pellets are the key bait and feed.
Contact: 01925 767505
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IVY HOUSE LAKES, GRITTENHAM, WILTSHIRE
Behind the tackle shop and café are two small canal lakes, Moorhen and Kingfisher. It’s all long pole fishing to far-bank reeds with pellets and corn.
Contact: 07725 732624
WESTWOOD LAKES, WYBERTON, LINCOLNSHIRE
Falcon Lake holds the Fish O’ Final and is the stand-out water on this Fenland complex. F1s and carp are the main species, but barbel live on a few pegs too. Fish across on casters or pellets, saving the margins with maggots for late in the day.
Contact: 01205 724162
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TUNNEL BARN FARM, SHREWLEY, WARKS
Canal Pool is a popular draw at Tunnel, where pellets or casters across and shallow down the middle will catch F1s. The bigger carp turn up in the edge late on.
Contact: 01926 842188
PUDDLEDOCK FARM, UPMINSTER, ESSEX
One of the oldest snake lakes in the country, the 100-peg Snake Lake is still producing the goods. Long pole and pellet, paste short and even a Method feeder cast down the peg will get the better of the lake’s wily carp.
Contact: 07788 716837
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MOORLANDS FARM, HARTLEBURY, WORCS
The newly redeveloped Island Pool is slowly establishing itself, and sport continues to get better and better for carp, F1s and a surprising number of big silverfish, including skimmers.
Contact: 01299 250427
FLE FISHERY, ROMSEY, HAMPSHIRE
The Canal Lakes are in form, with match weights of carp from 200lb to 300lb! On a pleasure session the margins or fishing close-in will give you the best chance of catching the biggest fish on the complex.
Contact: 07881 526866
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