Commercial Carp 2007-09

During my fishing I have visited many commercial carp fisheries and have had some good success. I believe commercial carp fisheries and day ticket carp fisheries do not have to be linked and a day ticket water can hold some great carp (Twynersh). Twynersh fishery is by far my favourite day ticket fishery holding some huge English strain specimen carp in all seven pits.

Whitevane was another great day ticket fishery offering excellent carp fishing with comfort. I managed a 23lb common carp called the parrot from there pictured below left. My girlfriend used to go fishing with me regularly before she was pregnant and used to be really handy for making tea. I did go on a five day trip with my brother and BLANKED. It was unreal as the guys in the swim by the hut had loads of fish but we were obviously in the wrong area. However my brother did manage a large 7lb tench and a small 4lb common from the snags. The scenery at Whitevane is amazing and is one of the reason I loved fishing there. You feel like you’re in France. It’s a shame that it has now changed to a member’s water but maybe it’s for the best??

I do however get very angry with some day ticket venues that are run poorly. People are fishing for carp that don’t even know how to hold the fish correctly. I understand that people have to learn but they should be taught and advised not catching double figure fish in an overstocked puddle. Frant lakes for example is a poor fishing venue. The lakes are stocked full of fish and you just can’t blank. All the fish I caught there had distorted mouths from bad rigs and marks from bad handling. Kids were running around the venue screaming it was packed out and was just awful. This type of fishing should not exist and it’s no achievement to catch a carp from such a venue.

Furnace lakes in Horsham was another venue that is relatively easy to fish. Carp fisherman sitting around puddles with 30 + 30lb Carp in them with all the kit thinking that they are truly fishing. The fish are not English strains and there are loads of them. However, Furnace lakes is an excellent run venue and can be great fun as the carp are healthy and put up some good fights. I enjoyed my few sessions there and believe it has its place in fishing so I don’t really knock it not like Frant Lakes. At the bottom of the page is a 26lb common carp caught at furnace on the specimen lake on plastic imitation sweetcorn. The fish was in great condition and put up a good fight. Caught at 6am in the freezing cold winter of 2008. I played the fish with no shoes or socks on and couldn’t feel my feet.

Gabriel’s fishery in Edenbrigde was another venue that I completed a few overnight sessions. I think it’s far too expensive for what's on offer and the rule about catching an 18lb Carp in Oak Lake before you can fish Admiral is ridiculous. Imagine Terry Hearn being told that!!! (Not that he would fish such a venue). I lost a good fish on my first session and caught a 27lb mirror carp (above right) on my second session with a smaller 10lb common. The lake is small and shallow stocked with fish to 30lb.

I have also fished Beaver farm fishery many times and enjoyed tench sessions on the small pond at the back of the complex. I have had 20lb carp from Majors lake and also some Sturgeon from both daughters and Majors averaging 7lb. I used to fish Beaver Farm regularly and it helped me to develop my fishing skills. I also fished Tuscany Lake losing a big catfish on a tigernut. My bite alarm didn’t sound but my brother could see the line ripping off my bait runner. He struck into the fish but it frayed the braid and the fish was lost. (Unbelievably powerful).

I am now on a waiting list for CEMEX angling lakes such as Car Park Lake, fox pool, Horton church lake and Chertsey venue. It may be a few years before I can fish them but I may get the chance to hold some amazing true English carp.