Spring is around the corner and as a result the nation’s slabs are waking up and going on the feed. If you want to catch a 100lb of bream from a venue near you then you should definitely take a look at these top 10 waters to help get your started.
NORTH
Anglezarke Reservoir, Chorley, Lancs
This vast water is over 190-acres in size and is well known throughout the North West for the excellent bream sport it offers with 100lb-plus bags a realistic target. As the reservoir is still used for drinking water the use of groundbait is prohibited, but micro pellets, maggots and bread mash will still produce in the feeder.
Prices: Day tickets available, £60 a year adults, £35 over 65’s
Contact: Southport and District Angling Association through website
Postcode: PR6 9DQ
Website: www.southportangling.co.uk
Carr Mill Dam, St Helens, Merseyside
This 55-acre water is famous for its large head of bream which many of the country’s top match anglers have fished for over the years. The match record for the venue is 70lb 11oz of bream taken on feeder fished red maggots. Other baits worth trying are maggots and casters.
Prices: £30 a year, St Helens AA
Contact: 01744 735748, St Helens AA
Postcode: WA11 7LZ
Website: www.sthelensaa.co.uk
Potter Pond Fishery, Strensall, Yorks
This 5-acre lake is ancient and as a result the bream grow big – with shoals of fish between 8lb and 11lb available. As we’ve reported in the past, the north bank and spit pegs are the best for the bream, with groundbait feeder tactics with micro pellets working best in the frame. On the hook you want use a mixture – but worms, corn and Ringers wafters will produce the bigger fish.
Prices: Pole/waggler/feeder £5; Specimen carp or pike £10 (up to three rods). Night fishing £20 (book in advance).
Contact: 01347 810617 or 07867 584236
Postcode: YO32 5TW
MIDLANDS
Ferry Meadows, Peterborough, Cambs
Bream and skimmer bags to over 50lb are a reality here. Fish at a 50 yard chuck with a sweet-fishmeal groundbait and chopped worm and caster on the hook to find fish to 8lb. Sweetcorn is often an excellent switch bait at this time of year. You can also catch 20lb bags of skimmers on the pole and maggot.
Prices: £5 a day, £30 a year, Peterborough and District Angling Association
Contact: 07702 440892, PDAA
Postcode: PE2 5UU
Website: www.fishinginpeterborough.co.uk
Kingsbury Water Park, Sutton Coldfield, W Mids
There are at least half a dozen lakes on the water park which are natural in style. One of the best of them has to be Bodymoor Heath. This 47-acre lake is great for bream with specimen feeder tactics the best option for a potential 50lb-plus bag of them. Find an area of gravel and spomb over it with corn, pellets and dead maggots to draw the bream into the area. Fish Method feeders over the top with corn hookbaits to catch.
Prices: £3 a day for Bodymoor Heath, £4.50 car park fee
Contact: 01827 872660
Postcode: B76 0DY
Website: www.countryparks.warwickshire.gov.uk/country-parks/kingsbury-water-park/fishing-at-kingsbury/
Hallcroft Fishery, Retford, N Notts
Both Moat and Bridge Pool are well worth spending a day on targeting their shoals of resident bream. Moat Pool is the larger of the two waters with 190 pegs to choose from and the bream in here run to over 8lb. You can catch them on the feeder although the most fun method to use is the long pole with expanders, maggots and corn fished over micros.
Prices: £6 a day, £5 concessions
Contact: 01777 710448
Postcode: DN22 7RA
Website: www.hallcroft-fishery.co.uk
Meadowlands Fishery, Ryton-upon-Dunsmore, Warks
Besides being an excellent water for carp, Lambsdown Lake also holds an impressive number of skimmers and bream with individual fish to 4lb a possibility. You can catch them on the feeder at distance on dead maggot hookbaits although on the deeper pegs near to the entrance it’s possible to put together 60lb-plus bags of bream on the pole with maggots and expanders fished over pellets or groundbait.
Prices: £8 a day, £5 concessions
Contact: 07858 756474
Postcode: CV8 3EG
SOUTH
Lake John, Waltham Abbey, Essex
You can catch 80lb of bream relatively easily on the Top Lake at the moment. Fish around 5-6m out, feeding fairly heavy with pellets and corn for fish to 3lb. Worms and maggots tend to bring in the bigger bream but expect a few roach to show too.
Prices: £10 a day for one rod
Contact: 07958 938153
Postcode: EN9 2BJ
Website: www.lakejohnfishery.co.uk
Stonnes Fishery, Sheerness, Kent
The bream fishing on the Match Lake can be explosive at this time of year. Fish 6mm krill expander pellets over dampened micro pellets on the pole at 11m and 8m to be in with a chance. Switch to double maggot if you struggle on the pellet.
Prices: £7 a day, £10 for two rods
Contact: 01795 580411
Postcode: ME12 3AA
Viaduct Fishery, Somerton, Somerset
All the lakes hold bream but this time of year is arguably the best for a big net. You can catch easily just fishing the pole to around 10m out with soft pellets. Feed balls of micros regularly to keep bites coming and lay your rig over the top. When you start to catch a string of fish top up your peg after every five bites with a big pot of micro pellets.
Prices: £8 a day, £10 for two rods
Contact: 01458 274022
Postcode: TA11 6LJ
Website: www.viaductfishery.com