TheLakes
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Named after local
angler Ernie Archer, this out-and-out silver fish water was
completed in 2003 and fishes well throughout the year.
Although it does hold a small number of carp, it is stocked with
nothing bigger than 4lbs and is an ideal pole venue, having a
central island and a maximum depth of seven feet by the road and
just three-and-a-half feet in the channel on the far side of the
island.
The biggest fish in Archers tend to be the bream, which run
anything between 12oz and 3lbs, and the crucian carp which run
to about 2lbs in weight. Other fish include roach from 12oz to
1lb 8oz, tench to a similar size and a good head of perch in the
4oz to 8oz range.
Whichever technique you choose to fish on Archers, the secret is
to keep things light. As a result, most anglers who do well on
the water opt to use a size 16 or 18 hook and nothing stronger
than 2lb line.
Being predominantly a silver fish water the most popular baits
are maggots and casters followed by sweetcorn and pellets. If
using luncheon meat it pays to cut it finely into eighth-inch
cubes.
Because there are few features to fish to and no corner pegs,
anglers stand an even chance of catching whichever peg they
choose, making Archers an ideal match venue. As one would
expect, fishing the margins and close up to the island can
produce best results.
:The Orchard:
Regarded as Arden
Fisheries' big carp water, The Orchard was the original lake at
the venue. Dating back to the 1940s when it was used as an
irrigation reservoir for the fruit farm, it is now well
established with some cracking pegs and swims and some lovely
old 'warhorse' fish which have been in the lake for many years
and now run to over 30lbs.
The Orchard is the biggest of the Arden waters at just over
three acres in size and has gently sloping banks which run to
about 16 feet deep along the centre of the lake, although it is
much shallower around the edges and at both ends where about
five feet of water can generally be found.
A typical old carp pool, it is virtually surrounded by trees and
bushes whilst the 20 platform pegs give anglers a solid base
from which to fish.
In addition to the bigger fish, The Orchard holds a good head of
double figure commons and mirrors as well as plenty in the 5lbs
to 10lbs range. Biggest to come out in 2006 was a 26lbs 3oz
common carp taken from Peg 20 in the right hand corner by the
entrance.
There are good stocks of bream which run to about 4lbs, roach
and perch to 2lbs 8ozs, plus a few tench to about 4lbs and some
crucians, although the latter are rarely caught.
Although many anglers who fish for carp normally tend to use two
rods or a rod and a pole, this can be dangerous on The Orchard
as the fish have a habit of bolting once they take a bait. As a
result, they can have a second rod in the water before an angler
realises he has a bite. In 2006 alone anglers reported the loss
of 12 poles and 13 rods, most of which were never recovered.
The most popular pegs tend to be at the corners, particularly
Kamakazi Corner at the far end of the lake from the car park
where the trees overhang the water giving plenty of cover for
both anglers and fish. Unfortunately this means that many
inexperienced anglers loose four to five times the number of
fish they land.
However, for alert and more experienced anglers these pegs can
give some cracking results, especially when hooked fish are
turned away from the lilies and trees and played in open water
before being brought to the net.
Whilst many anglers ledger fish the deeper open water on a
baitrunner, it often pays to fish much closer in with a waggler
or pole, particularly next to features, weeds or under
overhanging branches where the fish tend to hold up or patrol
near the edges.
Again the secret is not to overfeed but to introduce a small
amount of groundbait, feeder pellets or hook samples when
starting to fish and then top up with a few free offering at
intervals during the sesion.
Although The Orchard is a popular carp venue, it is also popular
with match anglers - and with the match record currently
standing at an impressive 212lbs it is easy to see why. This was
set in summer 2006 with a mainly carp bag taken from the left
hand corner peg as you approach the lake from the car park.
Once again the most productive baits tend to be luncheon meat,
sweetcorn, pellets and paste but anglers should remember that
boilies are not allowed.
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Fox's Pool is more open and slightly smaller than The Bowl at
about an acre-and-a-half in size. Being only five feet deep
throughout with an even bottom it is easy to fish and with The
Orchard is the most popular water at Arden Fisheries.
Stocked predominantly with mirror and common carp in the 2lbs to
3lbs range, it holds a good head of fish to about 15lbs and
regularly produces doubles.
Fox's appeals mainly to anglers who want to catch a lot of fish
rather than wait for one big one and is a popular match venue
where the current record stands at 120lbs and where weights of
70lbs regularly win matches with back-up weights of between
50lbs and 60lbs needed to get into the money.
Although Fox's is right next to the car park and has a wide and
even grass bank all the way round, it is about 10 feet below the
car park level so disabled anglers may need assistance getting
down the access slope or steps which lead to the water.
Although many anglers fish Fox's using a pole, most matches are
won by anglers fishing a carp rod about three feet out from the
bank using a waggler.
Once again magots, sweetcorn, pellets, luncheon meat and paste
are the most popular baits, but anglers should not use too much
groundbait. The recommended technique is to bait the swim with a
little groundbait, pellets or free offerings and hook samples
and then feed a few free offerings at intervals throughout your
session. Overfeeding tends to put the fish off and could prove
counter productive.
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The Bowl is about
one-and-three-quarters of an acre in size and is the least
fished of all the Arden Fisheries waters - yet it holds some
decent sized fish, not least of which are perch which run to
3lbs 8oz and mirror and common carp to 20lbs.
With steep walkways which lead to a fairly even flat bank
running all the way round the water, The Bowl is up to 18 feet
deep in the centre although it is shallower around the entrance
side of the pool near to Fox's where a 10 feet deep shelf runs
about 20 feet out into the water. On the opposite side from the
entrances the banks shelve steeply down to a bowl shaped bottom
from which the water gets its name.
In addition to the perch, commons and mirror carp there are a
good head of bream which run to between 3lbs and 4lbs, plenty of
skimmer bream and roach to well over 1lb.
Although there are plenty of small perch which have bred in the
water, the average size of the more mature fish is generally
between 1lb and 2lbs whilst the average for the carp tends to be
between 6lbs and 8lbs. The water also holds some nice crucian
carp, although these have tended not to show up very often over
the past few years.
Whilst some anglers prefer to fish The Bowl with ledger tackle
in the deep water, most anglers opt to fish either pole or
waggler in the margins taking fish which hold up close to the
bank. However, fishing the pole carries its risks as all the
fish in The Bowl have been in there many years and are hard
fighting. As a result many an angler has had his pole snapped
when hooking into one of the bigger carp.
Many anglers tend to fish The Bowl with between 4lb and 6lb line
and size 14 hooks, but whatever line strength you use you should
play the fish patiently as they don't easily give up. You may
think you are into an 8lb carp - only to find out that it weighs
only 3lbs once on the bank!
Most popular baits tend to be maggot, sweetcorn, pellet, paste
and luncheon meat whilst those after the perch tend to stick to
maggots and worm.
:The Oak:
We opened our new two-acre Oak Pool to anglers on Sunday, June 1. Named after the 1,000-year-old oak tree which stands near the water, the pool has been four-and-a-half years in the making and has been developed as an out-and-out pleasure and club match carp and tench water.
Dug at the end of 2004 and filled with water from the venue's own borehole, the lake was allowed to settle and establish its own ecology for three years before being stocked 18 months ago with a good head of common and mirror carp to 12lbs 8oz, a good number of small grass carp and thousands of green and golden tench to about 12oz.
These fish have not only grown on nicely but have already spawned and straight away gave anglers good nets of fish.
Fishing the pool is from 30 slabbed pegs set about 10 feet apart with a central island being the main feature of the water. Depths range from just three-and-a-half feet along the bank where the bullrushes have taken hold to a maximum depth of seven to eight feet just out from the car park bank. This bank also has the benefit of a four feet deep shelf which runs about three feet out from the side.
Anglers who have tried the water so far have had good results from both pole and waggler with fishing either in the margins, in open water or against the island all being equally productive.
Most popular baits so far have been plain and flavoured luncheon meat; maggots; hooker pellets; sweetcorn and bread, although anglers should note that in common with the other Arden Fisheries waters fishing floating baits is not allowed and there is a maximum hook size of Size 10.
:Stock pool:
This pool is not available for fishing but will be used for
stocking and breeding only.
