Carp Fishing Near Me – Best Lakes In The UK
Instead of the usual heavily reviewed well known UK Carp waters, this article is based upon my extensive 25 years of Carp fishing and it is what I consider to be some of the best waters I’ve had the privilege to wet a line.
I’ll briefly cover the whole spectrum of waters, from syndicates to club waters, day ticket and holiday type venues. Also outlining some of the methods and tactics I’ve found to be most productive, as well as the pros and cons of each venue.
The Bowl Syndicate – Staffordshire
Gailey Reservoir or “The Bowl” as it is more commonly known has a current stock of around 350 Carp residing in its 64 acres weighing up to 44lb.
Due to the lake’s size and relatively low stock, it is a challenging venue and not for the novice angler.
Tactics – Heavy baiting with boilie and pellet at range (140 yards plus ) work well throughout the warmer months.
Don’t ignore the margins though, as I’ve caught plenty of fish at 0 to 50 yards range!
Pros
- Good path access around the whole lake
- Bait boats and natural baits allowed between November and March
- Parking and toilet facilities either end of the lake
Cons
- Sailing club operates every weekend
- Fish can spend periods out of casting range
Wellingborough Syndicate Complex – Mill lake – Northamptonshire
The well established Mill Lake is the jewel in the crown of the 3 lakes. The well run syndicate has been operating for 20 years and the Carp stocks are currently reaching their peak!
The Mill stock is very impressive with both Mirrors and Commons pushing over that magical 50lb barrier.
Tactics – Single pop-ups in spring have brought quick success for me in the past. Heavy baiting with boilie in favourable conditions also work. When bites seem to dry up then zigs are a go tactic, especially as the weather cools.
Pros
- Good path access around the whole lake
- Bait boats and natural baits allowed between November and March
- Parking and toilet facilities either end of the lake
Cons
- Sailing club operates every weekend
- Fish can spend periods out of casting range
Bradley’s Lake – Day Ticket- Cotswold Water Park
The well known Bradley’s Lake operates on a day ticket basis which can be obtained from the Tackle Den (local tackle shop). An annual ticket is also available if you intend fishing there on a regular basis.
At 110 acres, the 2000 resident Carp have matured well and many 20 to 30lb of the species are present. A few originals still get caught occasionally, weighing up to 40lb plus.
Tactics – The few sessions I fished at Bradley’s, I found heavy baiting with particle in gaps in the weed produced the most bites. Range fishing seems to be the most productive method.
Pros
- Multi catches are frequent due to large head of Carp
- From past experience, it doesn’t seem to be a busy venue
- Access is from 2 sides of the lake
Cons
- Large sections are out of bounds
- Sailing club operates on Bradley’s
- Fish can be out of range with heavy weed in places
Yateley Complex- Farnham Angling Club – Hampshire
Farnham Angling Club controls 4 of the famous Yateley waters, The Copse, Match, Nursery, and South Lake.
Having spent a few nights on each of the lakes, I can say none of them are a given to catching a Carp.
A thought-out, furtive approach to your angling is what’s needed at Yateley – the Carp stocks have seen it all over the years, from some of the very best anglers in the country.
Tactics – Solid bags tight against snag bushes has produced fish on the South Lake. In general, a stealthy approach will work best as the lakes are very busy most of the time.
Pros
- Easy to buy a ticket from Farnham tackle shop
- A great choice of lakes to angle on
- Secure car parking and toilets
Cons
- Busy banks most of the year
- Pressured Carp stocks
Ringwood Angling Club- Northfield Lake
The long standing Ringwood Angling Club control a wide variety of fisheries. Old gravel pits to peaceful, winding stretches of river means there is definitely something for every type of angler.
I mainly spent my time fishing overnighters on Northfield lake.
With a healthy stock of Carp and huge Catfish to target, it isn’t too hard to nick a bite or 2 just fishing short sessions.
Tactics – Solid bags at range were a great method for both Cats and Carp, producing the lake record Catfish thanks to PVA bags filled with krill boilies.
Pros
- Good path access around the whole lake
- Bait boats and natural baits allowed between November and March
- Parking and toilet facilities either end of the lake
Cons
- Sailing club operates every weekend
- Fish can spend periods out of casting range
Linear Fisheries Oxford- Hardwick and Smiths Lake (Day Ticket)
Hardwick for me was always the quietest of the lakes when I used to travel there regularly – a stunning mature gravel pit with a huge variety of underwater features made for tricky but rewarding fishing.
The fishery operates on a day ticket basis offering 2 rod or 3 rod tickets.
Stock wise, I believe there are around 1000 Carp as well as some specimen Tench to angle for, meaning applying a lot of bait at the right time can give multiple hits of fish.
Tactics – The spit that divides the lake into 2 has always been a hot peg as fish pass through from one lake to the other! Finding the correct depth the fish will feed at is key.
Pros
- Being a well known venue, all lake information is well documented (maps, pegs, etc)
- On site tackle shop is just over the road
- On site bailiffs will give you all the up-to-date information
Cons
- Linear is renowned for being busy, especially on weekends
- Can work out expensive if regular trips are planned
- Gates open and close at set times of the day
Pochard Lake Cotswolds – Holiday Venue
I have been fortunate enough to have fished this lake a couple of times on separate occasions.
To be able to angle you have to book a lodge which overlooks the lake. A small additional fee is also charged to fish.
The lake boasts an impressive stock of Carp which tops the 40lb mark. Having the comfort of the lodge is great but you do have to bivvy up in swims as fishing from the lodges is not permitted.
Tactics – In my experience, heavy baiting before leaving the lines out the water for a day proved successful with multiple bites coming through the hours of darkness. Fishing PVA bags to clear patches in the weed also produced results.
Pros
- Good path access around the whole lake
- Bait boats and natural baits allowed between November and March
- Parking and toilet facilities either end of the lake
Cons
- Sailing club operates every weekend
- Fish can spend periods out of casting range
Willow Park Lake – Hampshire – Day Ticket
I’ve had the pleasure of a number of over night trips to this 22 acre park lake complex.
General coarse lakes will keep the rod bent with a good mix of Carp, Bream, and Tench to angle for.
The 10 acre specimen lake boasts a Carp stock of around 400 weighing up to the mid 30s, and regular action can be had if you’re willing to work at it.
Being a day ticket venue, the fish line shy at times which means a quiet stealthy approach is needed.
Tactics – Baiting with a mix of boilie and chops worked well for me but I know zigs also score well.
Pros
- Onsite tackle shop and shower facilities
- A variety of fishing on offer – not just Carping
- Not far from local amenities
Cons
- Carp don’t go up to big weights by today’s standards
- Can be busy at times
- Noisy banks due to being in an urban area
