Hi, Has anybody fished this place lately. Ive not been for a few months.

I'd like some info on this place please, especially fishing the specimen lake.
How's the place fishing - are there any regulars here or anyone who's been in the last few months?
Thanks in advance

Not fished it for a long while, but have spent a few days there. basically you can fish anywhere to catch fish, but my favoutite swim is to the right of the bush at the bottom of the lake, (there's a deep hole there) the 'dam' wall is always good, both at the left and right hand sides, and the right of the 'dam' has a lovely swim between a couple of trees where 'ive had most of my fish.

TBH i don't really recommend it. it's a small lake that's typically very cloudy with limited stalking tactics, and the probablilty that you'll get a few 3-4 pound fish fishing blind. that said, i have heard that there are some lovely fish in there now, up to 20lb. my best was the only fish i actually saw before catching it, and it was about 11lb. enjoy if you go, but remember it's not gin clear.

cHEERS
A|lex

Cheers Alex.
Is that on the right/left as in stood at the water facing the bush & dam or from the water looking toward the land at these features?

I'll give the specimen lake a go as a one-off & see what happens.
Apparently the place is picking up a bit now the water temps. dropped.

Hi Steve, if you're standing on the dam facing the farm the bush i mentioned is the last one on the left hand bank, and the swim between the trees is the first one on the right hand side. it's a lovely swim, try an intermediate with an olive damsel, you usually see the fish slash at the fly...

cheers
Alex

Ok.
Ta muchly

Had a day there back in the hot weather, the fish in the lower (specimen) lake were really struggling and congregating around the aereator. Did hook and lose one really big rainbow from the dam on a tiny buzzer, ran me all over that end of the lake. Saw one very big, very sick rainbow which the owner said he would have out (via an airgun asap!).

Not a good day to visit but promised I would return, still haven't been back, so would be keen to hear of any up to date info!

I went there today & fished the lower lake.

A couple of things I didn't like were the rather un-aesthetic cctv cameras on display.
I even noticed a personal infra-red detector on one of the trees at the bottom of the lake.
Being a big fish lake, maybe some c & r naughtiness is going on, or maybe just blatant stealing?
Perhaps there's gold at the bottom of the lake? Not the most welcoming site at a trout fishery set in otherwise beautiful countryside...
Also, the rather large shiny green aerator in the centre of the lake is less than quaint.

Those perhaps minor gripes aside, here's how I found the place.

On arrival I was met by a large group of ducks, geese, moorhens & pheasants on the road leading up to the farm. Very nice.
The entrance is by electronic gate & there are notices saying that the gate will lock automatically 20 minutes after the fishing time ends.
The parking & the lodge are fine. Plenty of room to relax, with tea & coffee-making facilities.
I spoke to the bailif and he said that the lake had recently been re-stocked with 2 16lb fish in addition to some big 'uns that were already in there.
Throughout my visit I was the only angler at the lake.

I set-up then trundled down the bark-chip path towards the big fish lake.
On my way down I could see a few signs of some very big fish moving. The kind of large, deep swirls that 2lb'ers simply can't make.
A few fish actually jumped & I could clearly see they were 6-8lb.

When I actually got to the lake side I could see a few fish in the margins. These were smaller - perhaps 3 to 4lb. Water clarity is rather poor & I could see some patches of weed/bottom around 20 feet away from the bank in the shallower areas.
I could also make out rather large shadows slowly moving just below the surface.

After a few casts getting snagged on pond weed, I decided that the best option was to use a floater with a heavily leaded nymph but with a rather shorter than usual leade, to avoid the weed problem.

The lake isn't particularly deep & within a few minutes I had my first fish, from the far (dam) end. This was a 5lb 8oz fish, taken on a GRHE, using a figure-of-eight retrieve.
I took the next fish, near the infra-red detector(!) also on a GRHE - a 4lb'er which absolutely smashed into the fly.
As it was only about 10:00, I decided to look for any fish I could see in the few areas with good visibility.
I spotted a group of fish, with 1 blatant giant, just to the side of the aerator.
By now I'd changed to a leaded seal's fur damsel nymph. 2nd cast & wallop! Another 4lb'er.
After having a rather leisurely lunch I trotted back down to the same place & I could still see the large fish basking in a similar position to before.
2nd or 3rd cast & bang! My 4th fish & another 4lb'er.
It was only 13:00 & I'd had my limit. Didn't manage to hook a monster, but I did have a good time all the same.
The silver marks on the fish are freeze burns because I try to get the cold as soon as possible after capture.

Steve
Not been there for some time now,it sounds as though the lodge is somewhat better now than it was-little more than a tatty shed!.Will be off there with my club in November.Last time we had quite a few decent fish out,a very big brown and a nice blue came out,with lots of fish in the 5-6lb bracket.However one or two of the lads were not overjoyed at catching fish of 3lb at £50 a ticket.

Tend to agree with you there Steve. The cameras and sensors were "in your face" but I guess a good deterrent. I assume the sensors trigger the main heavy duty panaramic camera on top of the telegraph pole! The ones at Avington are far less obtrusive!

A sign of the times I guess.