Re: Hi from London/ Sussex
Hi.
I live roughly halfway between London & Brighton so maybe I can help.
Where you go depends on what type of fishing you like.
If you want catch & release, then Hazel Copse or Frensham are your best bets.
Hazel Copse is about 5 miles West of Horsham. It has 2 lakes totalling only about 3 acres & although not the prettiest fishery, there are plenty of trout in there with the odd big one for good measure.
It's £20 c & r all day & you're allowed to keep one fish.
Many of the regulars often get well into double figures, so it's often not much of a challenge. It's ideal for beginners though, as casting is really unobscured.
Water is always coloured as the soil is really rich in clay.
All you need here is a floater & black buzzers & an intermediate with something like a cat's whisker on the end.
Frensham also allows c & r. It's out near Guildford. There are several small lakes with one longer-skinny tree-backed one which is maybe 2 acres. This is a really pretty fishery. There is usually a significant hatch here from April onwards and dry flies work a treat.
I saw a description of Frensham as a place that looked like someone had gone potty in their garden! This rings true to me, but not in a bad way.
C & r is £28 for the day.
If you want to keep your catch, then there is Chalk Springs in Arundel.
This is also quite an attractive fishery, with gin clear water. It does get really busy from April onwards. Your best bet is to go on a clear weekday & don't forget your polaroids & a wide-brimmed cap.
The lakes are stocked with loads of top-quality brown trout along with rainbows & the odd blue.
I've fished here maybe 20 times over the years, and recently the ratio of rainbows/brown/blue trout seems to be about 50/40/10.
The lakes are spring fed, so they won't freeze & also the temperature is very stable in Summer.
Blackwool Farm near Petworth is a decent place to visit if you want the chance of a trophy fish.
The lakes are always coloured, so it's pot luck, but the big fish lake holds plenty of fish in the 6-10lb range & a few monsters.
It does cost though and at £60 for a 4 fish limit, you could end up bagging-up with 4 x 3lb fish.
The place is badly affected by a build-up of warm weather.
If you fail at the big fish lake, then the prettier standard lake is teeming with 2-4lb trout.
Duncton Mill is just down the road from Blackwool Farm. This is probably the most beautiful fishery I've seen in the area.
It's members only from April-October though.
When I went there in the end of October 2009 I was shocked at the poor quality of the fishing.
Several regulars were complaining that they often blanked with no signs of fish showing all day.
I felt lucky to take a brown & rainbow that day - the only interest I saw from the fish & most people blanked.
Things may have changed though. Again, sustained warm weather wrecks the fishing here.
As I say - absolutely stunning looking place though.
There are quite a few other fisheries within reach if you're prepared to travel a little further, but I hope this helps.
Any other questions, just give me a shout.
Last edited by steve collyer; 31-12-2011 at 05:30 PM.
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