Commercial Carp 2007-09

During my fishing I have visited many comercial carp fisheries and have had some good sucess. 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 left. My girlfriend used to go fishing with me regulary 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 Whitvane is amazing and is one of the reason I loved fishing there. You feel like your in France. Its a shame that it has now changed to a members water but maybe its for the best??Whitevane picture below.

I do however get very angry with some day ticket venues that are run poorly. People are fishing for carp that dont 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 cant 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 exsist and its no acheivement to catch a carp from such a venue.

Furnace lakes in Horsham was another venue that is relitivley easy to fish. Carp fisherman sitting around puddles with 30 + 30lb ders in them with all the kit thinking that they are truely 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 dont really knock it not like Frant Lakes. Right is a 26lb common carp caught at furnce on the specimen lake on plastic immatation 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 couldnt feel my feet.

Gabriels fishery in Edenbridge was another venue that I completed a few overnight sessons. I think its far to expensive for whats on offer and the rule about catching an 18lb der 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 (left) 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 compex. I have had 20lb carp from Majors lake and also some Stergeon from both daughters and Majors averging 7lb (right). I used to fish Beaver Farm regulary and it helped me to develop my fishing skills . I also fished Tuskany lake losing a big catfish on a tigernut. My bite alarm didnt sound but my brother could see the line ripping off my baitrunner. He struck into the fish but it freyed the braid and the fish was lost. (unbelieveably 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.