Hi all - I'm looking for recommendations for a still water venue to fish this Saturday. I usually fish Packington but as you may be aware its closed till mid Sept.

I've fished Loynton (was a little dissapointed as it feels a bit 'man - made') and the Lenches Lakes (lovely venue, but fishing very badly at the moment!).

I prefer mid sized waters - (Packington is around 10 acres) with a bit of natural beauty. Not a large ressa or a boat man.

does anyone have any recomendations on a venue within about an hour - hour and a half of Birmingham.

Yours views would be appreciated.

Paul

Worth giving Brockhill trout Fishery in Redditch a try.
Not to far to travel and day ticket options available.
cheers

came up the other day, a number of alternatives were mentioned:

Packington Estate Fishery

__________________
Roy

Worth also considering Elinor and Ravensthorpe, 50 and 100 acres respectively.

Ravensthorpe is more of a boat venue than bank but both are amongst the highest stocked venues in the country, I think, without feeling "Mickey Mouse" and both hold plenty of big fish.

Charlie

__________________
Sonik Sports Team Pitsford Pirates

Brockhill looks a little too small for my tastes - although it is hard to tell from the website !!

Elinor looks good, if a little large (difficult to please aren't I ) - can it be successfully bank fished ???

One of my favourite still water fisheries is John O'Gaunt in Hampshire, just outside Stockbridge - I've never had a bad day there and such wonderful surroundings - just a shame it's so far away !!!!

Any more suggestions??

Paul

After a bit of searching - I'm going to give Blenheim a go !!!!

I'll let you know ho I get on

Thanks for the suggestions

Paul

Just for future consideration, Elinor is excellent off the bank other than in very hot weather, when it's best to take a rowing boat.

You do need boots or waders though as there is a lot of bankside vegetation and you need to get into a foot or two of water.

Great venue and very resonably priced.

Charlie

__________________
Sonik Sports Team Pitsford Pirates

For future reference Ellerdine (Shropshire, north of Telford) probably within reach. Gailey an easy run up to j12 of M6. I tend to share your views about Loynton, even though its on my doorstep. Shame you don't like ressies though as Draycote would be the clear winner!

__________________

Yes - I'm condsidering Ellerdine - their website seems to be down though so I havent managed to look at any pics of the venue.

Yes the website seems to need a bit of tlc and updating! The "lodge" is nothing like as fancy as Loynton - in fact its a portakabin - but thats because the effort and money goes into the lakes and quality, hard fighting stock fish.

There are 4 lakes - can never remember the right names - plenty to go at, but I seem to end up spending most time on the large one on the right as you drive in (Crannymoor??), or the big one next to the smaller lodge pool. The only one I've never had much joy on is the "bottom" one - Meadow(?). The far two bays on Crannymoor, opposite end to the lodge, always seem to hold fish, usually free rising. Dries/emergers can work well, buzzers too, under a bung if you like that kind of thing. I've probably had most consistent success on apps bloodworm patterns though, twitched along. Its a very relaxed place and worth having a cuppa in the tea hut to share a bit of banter with the locals. If the old chap who runs it is lurking in the tea hut though beware - he will pull your leg mercilessly, especially if you've not been there before - tell you its "members only day but not too worry, it won't take you too long to drive back to Birmingham", all that kind of stuff - but its all good natured. I'm not normally that keen on small/medium waters but I make an exception for Ellerdine.

__________________