Want to head to a match fishing venue that is guaranteed to give you a 100lb plus bag of fish, that’s near you? Then check out the top 20 venues that you can visit to achieve this goal!
FIND A BIG-WEIGHT WATER NEAR YOU
Alders Farm Fishery, Milton Keynes, Bucks
Before closing due to the extreme hot weather this fishery was in fine form, with 200lb bags caught in matches. Ash Lake was the water to be on, with anglers catching carp on the waggler, Method feeder and down the side on the pole. The fishery re-opened on July 30.
Contact: 01525 261713
Postcode: MK17 9AH
Angel Of The North Fishing Lakes, Chester-Le-Street, County Durham
Last month a remarkable match on Bowes Lake resulted in all 21 participants catching over 100lb. Feed a lot of fishery micros and fish a banded fishery pellet over the top for carp to double figures.
Contact: 0191 4100449
Postcode: DH3 1RF
Blundells Fishery, Warrington, Cheshire
You will often need more than 100lb to frame here in an open match. On Pine Lake weights have been close to 200lb, with double-figure carp getting caught on pellets shallow, down the side or mugged off the top.
Contact: 0161 7752124
Postcode: WA3 6EJ
Decoy Lakes, Peterborough, Cambs
This mega complex has 274 pegs over 11 lakes, all of which are capable of throwing up a 100lb bag. Lou’s Lake is a great water for the pleasure angler, and fishing the top-2 plus two on the pole with pellets will see you bag up in no time. The lake is stocked with carp to 20lb, crucians, roach, rudd and bream.
Contact: 01733 202230
Postcode: PE7 2AD
FLE Fishery, Southampton, Hampshire
The Canals and Top Lake are absolutely stuffed solid with carp. The smaller fish are found in the canals, where the pole or whip with fishery pellets, corn or maggots can produce instant bites. On the Top Lake the feeder to the island is worth a try, or the pellet waggler in open water.
Contact: 07595 024363
Postcode: SO51 9BN
Forest Lane Fisheries, York, Yorkshire
There are three lakes here open to pleasurer anglers, all of which are capable of a bumper bag. Don Lake holds the bigger carp and barbel – to catch them, fish maggots down the edge on the pole or the feeder to the island.
Contact: 01347 833390
Postcode: YO61 1TT
Gold Valley Lakes, Aldershot, Hampshire
The Middle Lake is the place to be at Gold Valley at the moment, with matches throwing up multiple bags over 100lb. The Method feeder and pellet waggler are both good tactics to catch the stocks of carp and F1s. For the silver fish, try pole fished maggots over groundbait.
Contact: 01252 336333
Postcode: GU11 2PT
Goodiford Mill Fishery, Cullompton, Devon
The Match Lake here is an incredible bag up water for carp averaging 3lb-5lb. Stocked alongside the carp are a good head of roach, bream, tench, crucians and very big perch to
3lb-plus. The pole down the margins and feeder to the island are both deadly tactics.
Contact: 01884 266065
Postcode: EX15 2AS
Hallcroft Fishery, Retford, Nottinghamshire
Moat Pool was twice home to the Fish O’Mania final, and with its stocks of carp to over 20lb, bream, tench and roach it’s easy to see why. Pole or waggler fished shallow with pellet or meat is a great tactic to put a big bag together.
Contact: 01777 719911
Postcode: DN22 7RA
Heronbrook Fisheries, Eccleshall, Staffordshire
A fantastic day’s fish and a ton-up bag is possible from any of the five lakes here, and on pretty much any method you fancy. Biggest recent match weights have come from Meadow, where 250lb hauls have been landed. Soft pellets are a favourite on here for carp, bream, F1s and tench.
Contact: 07879 441282
Postcode: ST21 6LX
Janson Fishery, Nottingham, Notts
Open matches on the Match Pool have been won with over 300lb in the past month and pleasure bags of over 100lb are possible on all the other lakes too. Carp dominate catches at this time of year and paste is a great way to target them. The new Aubrey’s Lake is awesome for silverfish.
Contact: 07555 892127
Postcode: NG13 9FA
Lindholme Lakes, Epworth, Lincolnshire
Loco Lake is one of the larger waters at the popular Lindholme complex and is in phenomenal form, with 200lb bags of carp caught in recent matches. Being one of the deeper waters, 6ft-10ft in places, shallow tactics have been dominating. This is certainly a water where you should bring a pellet waggler!
Contact: 01427 875555
Postcode: DN9 1LF
Meadowlands, Coventry, West midlands
Fish dead maggots down the margins on either Warren or Lambsdown and you can expect to run into plenty of big carp. Evening matches have seen bags of over 160lb taken – these big fish are great fun on the pole.
Contact: 07858 756474
Postcode: CV8 3EG
Monk Lakes, Marden, Kent
The four match lakes here are absolutely phenomenal, and favourites of Guru-backed ace Pemb Writing. Weights have gone over 500lb last month, with the margins being a real hotspot for the hungry carp which fall to expanders and paste.
Contact: 01622 833 332
Postcode: TN12 9BS
Monkhall Fishery, Bridgnorth, Shropshire
Hawk, Buzzard and Swallow Pools have all produced 100lb-plus bags this past week, with some exceeding 200lb. Pellets fished shallow on the pole or waggler score well on all the lakes for F1s and larger carp. If after silvers, casters shallow on Owl Pool can be great fun.
Contact: 01746 785481
Postcode: WV16 6XF
Springvale Lakes, Newark, Nottinghamshire
For a 100lb-plus bag of silver fish this is a ‘must visit’ venue. Last month a 161lb bag of ide and mixed silvers was taken on casters fished shallow on the pole.
Contact: 07720 581292
Postcode: NG22 0BT
Todber Manor Fisheries, Sturminster Newton, Dorset
A favourite water of match ace Des Shipp, and for good reason if recent results are anything to go by. In a match last month he smashed the 300lb barrier by fishing the Method feeder to the island on Hillview Lake.
Contact: 01258 820384
Postcode: DT10 1JB
Viaduct Fishery, Somerton, Somerset
Each day of last month’s festival at this venue saw each of the top 12 anglers bag over 100lb. For pleasure anglers Cary is the place to do this, with slapping or mugging on the pole being great tactics for double-figure carp. Good weights of silvers can be had too on pole fished maggots.
Contact: 01458 274022
Postcode: TA11 6LJ
Wold Farm Fisheries, Wellingborough, Northamptonshire
This fishery is always throwing up spectacular weights of silvers and this last week has been no different. Islands Lake has been providing spectacular sport for younger anglers, one of whom took a 75-fish mixed bag weighing approximately 150lb, including some nice barbel. Tactics couldn’t be simpler, with pole fished corn resulting in a bite a chuck.
Contact: 07974 000230
Postcode: NN29 7XA
Woodland View Fishery, Worcester, Worcestershire
Large open matches held on Deans, Barley and Hay lakes have resulted in all the top five anglers weighing in nets of 100lb-plus. These catches are made up of mainly carp and bream, taken on the 4m pole line.
Contact: 01905 620872
Postcode: WR9 0AU