Accessibility and comfort are a big part of modern-day fishing on commercial venues. With the mountains of kit many of us take, and fishing being a sport that is open to everyone, having venues where we can drive to our spot and fish practically out the car door is essential for disabled anglers and others. Here we have assembled a list of waters where you can do just that – don’t bother with the barrow on the next trip, just pop open the boot!
Bluebell Lakes, Peterborough, Northants
There are several lakes on this amazing complex where you can fish ‘out of the car’. Up to 75 per cent of the swims provide parking behind the peg on Sandmartin and Bluebell, with around 50 per cent on Kingfisher, Swan and Mallard. Day tickets start at £15, 24-hour sessions from £32.50. Prices vary depending on the lake.
Contact: 01832 226042
Postcode: PE8 5HP
Todber Manor, Sturminster Newton, Dorset
Most swims on the eight-acre Big Hayes specimen lake have their own parking bay, with 18 easily accessible gravel swims in total. The lake offers around 800 carp to 41lb and over 40 different thirties, plus catfish to 50lb. Day tickets start at £10.
Contact: 01258 820384
Postcode: DT10 1JB
Partridge Lakes, Warrington, Cheshire
There is parking very close to the pegs on Tweed Lake, located at the top end of this commercial match fishing complex. The doughnut shaped water is home to F1s, carp, roach, rudd and bream. Similarly good access for disabled anglers can be found on Ribbon Lake as well as Spey and Marsh Canals, with productive pegs just metres from the main car parks. Day tickets can be purchased for £11 for most lakes and £12 for Holbar.
Contact: 01925 767505
Postcode: WA3 4AQ
Marchamley Pools, Hodnet, Shropshire
Nearly all the pools offer access to pegs directly from the car. The Match Pool is stuffed with carp and some bonus barbel, while those in search of larger specimens will find plenty of chunks in the Top Carp Pool and House Pool. Match Pool day tickets cost £5 for one rod, for carp or catfish it’s £8 for two rods and £10 for three, while 24-hour tickets start from £20.
Contact: 07949 125843
Postcode: SY4 5LE
Hallcroft Fishery, Retford, Nottinghamshire
All but one of the six main lakes here provide parking behind every peg, and the fishing is prolific too. The 190-peg Moat is the largest on-site and has twice been home to the Fish O’Mania final, with 300lb-plus weights possible on the right day. For some quieter and more sheltered fishing for a large variety of species, try River Ponds.
Single rod day tickets cost £7, concessions are £6 and juniors pay £5.50.
Contact: 01777 719911
Postcode: DN22 7RA
Aston Park Fisheries, Sheffield, Yorkshire
Parking behind or very close to the pegs is available on Stable, Split and Eliysia’s Lake, the latter being specifically designed for coaching and beginners, with excellent access for the disabled angler. You won’t have to wait long for bites on these waters, as all of them hold prolific stocks of carp, F1s, ide, roach and bream – a pole angler’s dream venue! Adult single rod day tickets cost £8 and it’s £7 for concessions.
Contact: 07743 845737
Postcode: S26 5EP
Tunnel Barn Farm, Warwick, West Midlands
You’ll find great access to pegs directly from your vehicle on New Pool, High Pool and Bottom pool. On this phenomenal match complex big weights of carp are possible. On High Pool you will find hundreds of ravenous F1s alongside good heads of bream, tench and carp. Night fishing is available on Bottom Pool, where the carp reach 30lb. Big barbel and perch can also be found here.
Day tickets are £10, with half-day permits available for £8 from 3pm. Over-60s and under-16s pay £8, and a 24-hour night ticket on the Bottom Pool costs £25.
Contact: 01926 842188
Postcode: CV35 7AN
Manor Farm Lakes, Biggleswade, Bedfordshire
The mature two-acre Blunham Lake can be fished practically from the car boot along one bank. The lake is ideally suited to those less able to walk, and holds an awesome stock of fish, including roach, rudd, perch, tench, bream and carp. This is a great spot for pleasure anglers and beginners to the sport. Day tickets on Blunham Lake cost £16.
Contact: 01767 601138
Postcode: SG18 9BB
Farlows Lake, Iver, Buckinghamshire
This near 50-acre historic complex has been designed and adapted through the years with the modern-day carp angler in mind. Everything has been done to make a stay here as comfortable as possible, with parking behind or very near the majority of swims. Add that to the café, toilets, showers and a large tackle shop, and you are looking at a complex where you could stay for weeks without needing to visit the outside world! The carp are massive too, with perhaps more thirties present per acre than on almost any other venue in the country. A single rod day ticket costs £13 and it’s £17 to fish with two or three rods. A 24-hour ticket will set you back £30.
Contact: 01753 630302
Postcode: SL0 9LL
Cudmore Fisheries, Whitmore, Staffordshire
You can park behind all pegs on the Arena and Suez Canal. The Arena is a unique lake with a central island 30m out from the bank. Some truly massive weights can be put together on the near shelf in spring and summer, with the resident carp responding well to a variety of methods. Day tickets cost £11.
Contact: 01782680919
Postcode: ST5 5HW
Manor Farm Leisure, Evesham, Worcestershire
You can park behind your peg in 95 per cent of the swims on this six-lake complex. Carp are the main targets, with big weights possible, but there are also plenty of silvers to go after. If you fancy something a little more unusual, head to Ash Pool, where golden tench and orfe can be found.
Day tickets can be purchased on the bank for £10, concessions £9 and juniors £5.
Contact: 01386 870039
Postcode: WR11 8NS
Marston Fields, Birmingham, Warwickshire
This match fishing complex is a great venue for those looking to really bag up, with five lakes and parking behind your peg on 95 per cent of the swims. Pack your pole and plan to fish pellets or corn and you can be certain of plenty of bites all day long. Day tickets are £10 for adults and concessions are £8.
Contact: 07861 391916
Postcode: B76 0BY
McCallums bank end Fishery, Doncaster, S Yorkshire
Stretching to over 20 acres, McCallums Fishery provides visitors with the choice of three lakes. Those fishing on either the East End or West End lakes can park directly behind their peg for comfortable fishing all year round. East End Lake is a five-acre mature gravel pit and is the one to head to if you’re looking for a new personal best, with 30lb carp and 10lb bream backed up by good numbers of tench, roach, rudd and perch.
West End Lake is the smallest of the three on-site waters and can provide bite-a-chuck action thanks to its impressive stocks of carp and F1s. Adult day tickets cost £7 for one rod, with concessions starting at £6.
Contact: 01302 770224
