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Fishing near me | Venues where you can avoid the carp

Head to one of these gems if you fancy bagging up on roach and bream without fear of carp and F1s spoiling the show

by Tony Grigorjevs |

Published on26th October 2025 at 9.37am

Carp are brilliant fish to catch. Powerful, hard-fighting, and the reason most commercial fisheries are as popular as they are. But even the most devoted anglers sometimes crave a change of pace. There are days when you want steady bites, a variety of species, and that simple pleasure of watching the float dip or the quivertip rattle.

If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone. More and more anglers are rediscovering the fun of silverfish, species that reward finesse and a lighter touch. So, if you’re looking for where to fish without carp, this guide highlights some of the best venues across the UK, where it is possible to avoid the carp and enjoy a day’s sport and a net full of variety.

Packington Somers, Solihull, West Midlands

The carp in Geary’s push out beyond pole range once the temperatures drop, leaving big skimmers to feed uninterrupted. Maggots or small worm segments over groundbait will score, and the addition of small ‘top-up’ nuggets is the key to restarting your swim if and when bites dry up.
Contact: 01676 523833 Web: www.packingtonestate.co.uk

THE BEST FISHING POLES ARE CAPABLE OF CATCHING A VARIETY OF FISH.

Springvale Fisheries, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire

All the lakes are packed with mixed silvers, and you’ll catch both shallow and, on the deck, just 7m out. Expect to encounter ide, chub, crucians, tench and skimmers if you loosefeed maggots little and often from the word go. Use a light and slimline carbon-stemmed float to help you spot every indication.

Contact: 07720 581292 Web: www.springvalefishinglakes.co.uk

White Springs Fishery, Swansea

Silverfish hauls over 40lb are possible on the Pleasure Lake, with big roach, skimmers and ide all present. Set your stall out with two lines, feeding a couple of balls of groundbait laced with a few freebies at 13m. Feed maggots or casters at 6m little and often and attack this area in the final two hours of the session.
Contact: 01792 885699 Web: www.whitespringsfishery.co.uk

The Oaks, Sessay, North Yorkshire

Firs, Oaks and Willows are the places to head to for prolific roach and skimmer sport. Feed a 13m line with groundbait and maggots and loosefeed casters on a short pole zone for quality redfins. Bonus perch to over 2lb are also on the cards, and including a pinch of chopped worms in your groundbait will enhance your chances of attracting these.
Contact: 01845 501321 Web: www.theoakslakes.co.uk

TARGETTING SILVERS MID MATCH CAN BE VERY PRODUCTIVE FIND OUT HOW IN THIS ARTICLE.

Dents Farm, Downham Market, Norfolk

Farm Shop Lake is a stunning place to spend the day, and you’ll get plenty of bites if you work with a light pole rig at 11m. Small rudd can be caught every drop-in on maggots or pinkies fished shallow, while those searching for the quality crucians, skimmers and tench present here should fish a 4mm expander pellet over a few micros. Loosefeed cautiously, otherwise the shoals will dig up the silt if you go overboard, reducing underwater visibility.
Contact: 07979 954354 Web: www.dentsfarmhilgay.co.uk

Lawn Farm Fishery, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire

Depths go beyond 10ft in Willow Lake, and that makes a groundbait approach effective for the skimmers. Bags of over 30lb can be had by rotating two or three lines at 13m. There’s also a good head of chub to 3lb, and loosefeeding a few maggots can stir a response.
Contact: 01954 718269 Web: www.lawnfishery.co.uk

Woodland Waters, Ancaster, Lincolnshire

The big carp gravitate towards the island in autumn, leaving the open water areas for the bream and skimmers to occupy. Aim to fish 40m-50m out on the feeder, setting up both a conventional cage and a Hybrid before trying to work out which is working more effectively. Get it right and a 2lb-5lb bream could come to the net each chuck.

Contact: 01400 230888 Web: www.woodlandwaters.co.uk

CHECK OUT THIS WHERE TO FISH GUIDE FOR WHERE TO CATCH BIG BAGS OF BREAM.

Manor Farm Leisure, Evesham, Worcestershire

Bottom Pool is reserved solely for pleasure fishing, and you can expect to catch skimmers from start to finish on a range of tactics. Long pole, waggler and cage feeder will all serve you well, with micro pellets and fishmeal groundbait reliable loosefeed items that will tempt fish from 1lb-3lb.

Contact: 01386 870039 Web: www.manorfarmleisure.co.uk

Chester Lakes, Chester, Cheshire

Eccleston Lake has depths to over 9ft and there are two ways to go about getting bites. Fishing at 11m-13m, either put down two balls of groundbait with a few loose offerings in at the start and target the skimmers on the deck, or use a shallow rig set 1ft-2ft deep and loosefeed casters to get the roach competing in the upper layers.
Contact: 01244 661745 Web: www.chesterlakes.co.uk

Whitmore Fisheries, Preston, Lancashire

Both Donut and East Lake are home to big shoals of roach that can be caught on short pole tactics. Set up three rigs to cover the depths, and be prepared to keep rotating between them to stay in touch with the bigger specimens. Maggots and casters will both work well, and regular feeding is the key to keep them competing.
Contact: 01253 836224 Web: www.whitmorefisheries.co.uk

Bitterwell Lake, Bristol

Waggler fishing enthusiasts are in for a treat at this popular fishery, where you can expect to put together nets weighing over 30lb with little fuss. Try loosefeeding maggots over a line 20m from the bank – regular recasting is important. This will keep the hookbait on the move, enticing roach, skimmers and even bonus tench to show an interest.
Contact: 07717 131438 Web: www.bitterwelllake.co.uk

TIE UP THESE TWO GREAT POLE FISHING RIGS FOR COMMERCIAL SILVERFISH IN THIS ARTICLE.

Thorney Lakes, Langport, Somerset

The skimmers here average 1lb-3lb, and you can catch plenty of them byfishing a 4mm expander over small nuggets of fishmeal groundbait. Tench and crucians are also present, and you can boost your chances by shotting the rig so that only a fraction of the float bristle remains on show.
Contact: 01458 250811 Web: www.thorneylakes.co.uk

Larford Lakes, Stourport-on-Severn, Worcestershire

The Specimen Lake may be famed for its enormous carp, but it is also a fantastic silverfish water that’s capable of 50lb-plus netfuls. The lake is quite deep in parts and, in order to combat the underwater tow and nail the hookbait to the deck, you’ll need a 1g-1.5g float when fishing at 13m. Feed a couple of balls of groundbait to start and use worm or maggot over the top.

Contact: 01299 829373 Web: www.larfordlakes.co.uk

Izaak Walton Fishery, Stafford, Staffordshire

Head for the swims away from the island on Bottom Pool and you’ll be able to fish for roach and skimmers with few interruptions from the carp. Casters are the best bait for the resident roach, while worm over groundbait is a better option if you want to focus more on the skimmers.

Contact: 07932 740121

USE ONE OF THE BEST FLOAT RODS FOR SILVERFISH ON ANY OF THESE VENUES.

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