Lakeview Fishery has undergone a major revamp in recent years, and the number of visiting anglers has rocketed as a result.
Located close to the East Midlands town of Melton Mowbray (famed for its pork pies!) the complex is home to 11 waters, with snake lakes making up the lion’s share.
Arguably the most popular of the lot is Serpent, as almost everyone is guaranteed to enjoy a steady stream of bites – just the sort of thing to draw the crowds to any commercial.
F1s, carp, barbel and bream are all present, and with the onset of slightly warmer weather, the tightly packed winter shoals have now dispersed to give you a shot at a memorable day in any of the 25 swims.
Swims for all conditions
The fish are spread quite evenly across the lake when it’s mild but, if there are quite a few anglers on it, head for pegs 2-10. This seems to be the area where the fish feel most comfortable when they are put under a bit of pressure.
Should we encounter another spell of cool weather, pegs 20-25 could be the place to head, as the slightly deeper water proves appealing under such conditions.
Baits to try
The variety of species gives you the option of using an approach that catches everything that swims, or one that is a little more selective.
Maggots, fished in the margins or just a rodlength out, will bring plenty of bites from the off, and the small stamp of fish you’ll often catch at the beginning will soon be replaced by bigger fish once they get wind of the situation.
If you want to get among the carp and F1s at the start, a banded 6mm pellet fished over a light sprinkling of micros tight to the far bank will see you right.
Barbel hotspots
The barbel are quite territorial, and tend to shoal up in specific areas – pegs 23-25 are often home to them. Plenty of reeds have been planted on the nearside margin, and this is where they tend to linger. Red maggots are the ultimate bait for these fish, with two or three pints being needed to hold their attention.
Step up your tackle accordingly, going with 0.17mm mainline to a 0.15mm hooklength and a strong size 16 hook to give you enough muscle to stop them dragging you into the reeds.
The owner says...
Ross Jelfs
“Serpent is located between the café and the tackle shop, with plenty of swims within a short distance of the car park. There is no doubt that this convenience makes it a very popular choice with pleasure anglers.
“One side of the lake sits in the woods and provides shelter from the elements. Whether it’s scorching hot and you want a little shade, or you’re trying to avoid the worst of the driving rain, these swims will give you that protection.
“As for the fishing, it’s quite simply brilliant! Serpent is a real mixed lake, with roach, carp, F1s, bream and barbel all present to keep you guessing whenever the float goes under.”
I fish it...
JAKE HEMMINGS
“You’ll find 3ft-5ft down the middle in most pegs, with 1ft-2ft tight across, and the occasional shallower spot.
“The lake has quite a sharp drop on the far-bank slope and a more gradual drop from the margin to the bottom of the near shelf.
“The fishery was taken over last year, and since then has had a restocking programme consisting of a lot of F1s and small carp. The average F1 is 1lb-2lb, but there are plenty of older residents which run up to 5lb.
“Shallow fishing will soon come into its own, maggots being the best bait. Feed a small pouchful every 15 seconds, using a rig made up of 0.15mm mainline to a 4ins, 0.13mm hooklength and size 16 hook. Elastic is Preston Innovations 11 Hollo, and the best float is a 0.2g dibber.
“A 6ins length of line between that and the pole-tip will help you connect with the lightning-fast bites.”
Venue factfile
Location: Lakeview Fishery, Landyke Lane, Holwell, Melton Mowbray Leics, LE14 4SX
Contact: 07940 275393
Prices: Adults £10, concessions £6. Both can be booked online at www.gocatch.fish
Rules: Fishery pellets
only, no meat, boilies or floating baits, maximum of 1kg of groundbait, barbless hooks only to a maximum of size 12
Facilities: Parking, disabled access, tackle shop, toilets, café
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