The Main Lake is 35 acres and has 13 swims.
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THE LAKE
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▶︎ Stock Pond
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▶︎ Pole Position
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▶︎ Alcatraz
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▶︎ Baxter's Hole
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▶︎ Bob's Beach
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▶︎ The Treeline
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▶︎ Co's Point
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▶︎ Scottie's Corner
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▶︎ Big Southerly
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▶︎ The Stink
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▶︎ The Alamo
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▶︎ Oblivion
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▶︎ Big Girls
Stock Pond
The first swim you see as you enter the Main Lake, and so called as it is located next to the largest of our stock ponds which hold the babies we are growing into monsters for the future. A comfortable swim which is located next to the club house and facilities.
| Prevailing Wind | Northerlies, NE & NW blow into the corner of the bay. |
|---|---|
| Average Depth | 22 feet with shallower margins. |
Hot Areas
26 RL into the far right corner "The Pipes"
20 RL into the far right corner off the raised area.
18 RL at Oblivion.
9 RL down the right hand margin towards the tall tree.
Description
Although it is one of the corner swims, it commands a lot of water, but is a swim which actually fishes better, at short to medium range. People do fish out as far as 26 RL, but this has the effect of cutting off the bay, which is the best feature of the swim. Bites tend to come through the night anywhere from dinner to breakfast time.
Notable Captures
This swim fishes well most of the year especially in the warmer months, when the fish love getting tight under the overhanging trees, which are also undercut to avoid snags. In recent times this swim has done; Shoulders, Target and Split Pec, just to name a few along with some of our scalies such as Tiger Fish, The Peach, Apple Slices and Equalled.
Pole Position
One of the first swims you see as you enter the Main Lake, and so called because it commands a fair amount of open water. It can be fished as close or as far out as you like. A comfortable swim which is located next to the club house and facilities.
| Prevailing Wind | Easterlies, NE come straight across the lake at you. |
|---|---|
| Average Depth | 23 Feet |
Hot Areas
27 RL straight at 'The Stink'
16 RL at 'The Alamo'
19 RL towards the right of 'Big Southerly'
Description
Although it is one of the open water swims, it has been fished at all ranges from medium to very long. The best way to fish Pole is to go at least as far out as the angler next door in Alcatraz. If you fish short of where Alcatraz is putting in bait, the fish tend to come to that baited area first. Maximum range is 33 RL. Bites tend to come at any time in this swim regularly producing day and night bites..
Notable Captures
In recent times this swim has produced; Tank, Scratches, Shoulders, Lennie's, Digits
Alcatraz
One of the most sought after swims on the Main Lake, named after DF’s favourite swim on Elstow 1. Has a fantastic view right across the lake.
| Prevailing Wind | Easterlies, NE comes straight across the lake at you. Southerly and SW winds make casting at range a lot easier. |
|---|---|
| Average Depth | 22 Feet with shallower margins. |
Hot Areas
27/28 RL left of 'The Stink'. 31-33 RL at Big Southerly is a lovely hard area.
Description
One of the most productive open water swims, it has acres of water, which can be a bit daunting for the less experienced anglers who sometimes fish it. To get the best from the swim you need to be able to fish and bait-up effectively in all weather conditions at 27 wraps. We regularly see people become frustrated when the weather conditions deteriorate and they can’t reach the spot they started fishing at the start of the week.
Notable Captures
In recent time this swim has produces one of our biggest stockies, Lashes, Mammut, Lennie's, The Leney, The Upfront Common among many more
Baxter's Hole
Named after Adam Baxter the Monster Carp Director and Editor. Apparently quite a few Korda anglers spend a bit of time in 'Baxter’s Hole' during the course of a year!
| Prevailing Wind | NE, E, SE |
|---|---|
| Average Depth | 23 feet with shallower margins |
Hot Areas
25-26 towards the red tower 19 RL at 'The Stink' 11 RL down the righthand margin. 14 RL at Big Girls. 14 RL left of Co’s Point.
Description
Designed to be a short to medium range swim only. The longest cast you need to make is 20 RL, and quite often the fish will be well inside this mark. When you plot up in Baxter’s, concentrate on the water in your swim and don’t be distracted by the big blue yonder. When the fish turn up in the swim, they are very catchable. A wider spread of bait to hold them in the area is definitely to your advantage in the warmer months. Don’t spread the lines too wide, and keep to a maximum of two baited spots. The Immaculate Common spends a lot of time between Bob’s Beach and Baxter’s. Bites tend to come at night time in this swim.
Notable Captures
Immaculate Common, Lippy Common, Terminator, Baby Brutus, The Rudder, Wood Carving
Bob's Beach
Originally named “The Beach” after DF’s favourite swim on Walthamstow No.2. Latterly changed to Bob’s Beach after the late Bob Pallen. It didn’t matter where Bob came out in the draw, he always ended up in The Beach. RIP Bob….
| Prevailing Wind | Easterlies, SE blow straight into the Beach. |
|---|---|
| Average Depth | 23 feet with shallower margins |
Hot Areas
21/22 RL at Stink
18 RL Alamo does the majority or the fish, but they will certainly come in closer and also produced the last capture of the Immaculate Common
14 RL towards the headland off the stock ponds is another good one rod spot.
9 RL down the right hand margin towards the reeds of Alcatraz you will find a raised finger of gravel.
Description
Designed to be a short to medium range swim only. The longest cast you need to make is 25 RL, and quite often the fish will be well inside this mark. A comfortable swim for those who don’t want to fish at long range, as it is off the back of the wind a lot of the time. Produces fish all year round, and has done fish in the winter in recent times. One of the biggest draws of the swim is that the Immaculate Common spends a lot of time between Bob’s Beach and Baxter’s and produced her last in May. Boundaries are 30 RL at Alamo 25 RL at Stink and 25 at Oblivion
Notable Captures
In recent times this swim has produced; The Immaculate Common, Pips, Fred, Two Time, The Vicar, Lennie's, Paw Print, Sasquash and 2 Scale
The Treeline
Originally named because of the snaggy tree line that ran all the way down the left-hand margin. In recent times we have removed the snags to improve the fishing.
| Prevailing Wind | Easterlies, SE blow straight into the Treeline corner and margin. |
|---|---|
| Average Depth | Under tree line is 12 feet, bottom of the shelf is about 15 and out in the bay is 23 feet. |
Hot Areas
Anywhere along the tree line margin and down the gradually sloping shelf.
23 RL towards The Stink.
14 RL Towards Alamo
Description
Designed to be a short to medium range swim only. The longest cast you need to make is 25 RL, and nearly always the fish will be well inside this mark. A comfortable swim for those who don’t want to fish at long range, as it is off the back of the wind a lot of the time. Has the credentials to produce fish all year round, but rarely does the theory get practiced. If fishing along the tree line, a great tactic to use is pushing a baiting poll out, casting over it and placing your rig tight under the branches. There are a few pathways along the track leading right down to the waters edge, perfect for baiting up too. Great for watching the fish at close quarters, and we regularly see huge fish cruising the margins. The big scaley 'Fred' is a Treeline regular and is often seen lurking in the tree line. There’s not many scaley near sixty pounders in Europe, so if you want to target one, this could be the swim for you.
Notable Captures
In recent time this swim has produced Pips, Fred, The Clean Fish, The Rudder, Epicano, Humpy, The Koi, Lennie's
Co's Point
Originally named after DF’s Dutch 'brother' Co, who looked after the lake whilst the sale of Gigantica was going through.
| Prevailing Wind | Southerlies, SE blow straight into Co’s Point. |
|---|---|
| Average Depth | 22 Feet, fairly uniform |
Hot Areas
27/28 RL at “The Tits”.
30 RL to Flat Oak.
18 RL to Flat Oak.
Description
If Carlsberg did swims! Possibly one of the nicest views in carp fishing. Co’s Point is one of the swims which in recent times has responded better to a longer range approach. One of the unfortunate consequences has been anglers struggling to fish it effectively. When you get a head or crosswind blowing at you, fishing beyond 25 RL is out of reach for some. Bites can come at all times of the day in this swim with big hits to be had at the right time of year and one of the go to swims in the winter.
Notable Captures
In recent times this swim has produced Target, Baby Cluster, Buttercorn, Septimus, Scratches, Equalled, Fred, Paw Print, The Cheese, Mad Max, Chinese Common and many more
Scottie's Corner
An often overlooked swim which gives some up close and personal fishing. When the fish come into Scottie's they are there to feed, and are ultimately very catchable.
| Prevailing Wind | Southerlies blow straight into Scottie's Corner |
|---|---|
| Average Depth | 10ft in the corner gradually sloping to 16ft in the entrance to the bay. |
Hot Areas
17-18 RL towards Alcatraz will drop you in the centre of the horseshoe shaped weed bed.
14-15 at the "V" in the headland
10 at the flat oak tree will land you at the bottom of a small shelf
9 half way up the tree line will drop you in front of the hole
8 down your right-hand margin towards the dead tree.
Don't overlook your nearside margin up the left hand side.
Description
This is a short range, intimate swim where you need to be quiet. In the Spring and Summer, there are fish frequently moving in and out of the swim. We removed the snags from the far side of the swim in December 2018 where a lot of fish used to hide. This has resulted in the fish feeding more in the swim, as opposed to hiding up. Don't be afraid to spend time with the lines out of the water; it lets the fish move into the bay with confidence. Sometimes 2 rods can be better than 3 in this corner swim. There is a path behind Co's Point swim which allows you to bait up the weed bed.
Notable Captures
In recent time this swim has produced Pips, Lippy Common, Woods Common, Mr Chow, Baby Brutus among others
Big Southerly
Named after the big southerly winds which blow straight into the swim. You get a fantastic view of what is going on around the lake and it does throw up some big fish quite regularly.
| Prevailing Wind | Southerlies and SW |
|---|---|
| Average Depth | 21ft with shallower margins |
Hot Areas
14 RL towards The Alamo
25.5 - 26.5 RL left of Alcatraz
16 RL towards the right of Alcatraz
6 wraps down the right hand margin
Description
A swim with snags in open water, which almost always hold fish. Has good form year round, and is a consistently productive swim. When the wind switches and starts blowing a strong southerly, it is almost certain that the fish won't be far behind. Long range is not necessary in this swim, and more often than not, the fish will be around 50-60yds especially in the spring and summer.
Notable Captures
In recent times this swim has produced The Immaculate Common, Wood's Common, Mr Chow, Two Time, The Clean Fish, Buzz's Half Lin, The Teacher, Parker, The Elusive, Mad Max, The Cheese, Paw Print, Chop Dorsal and The Tank.
The Stink
One of the best big fish swims on the lake, with a track record for throwing up the real bigguns. This is a swim that is sometimes overlooked in the draw, but is one of the most productive swims, especially in the spring.
| Prevailing Wind | Southerly, Westerly and SW |
|---|---|
| Average Depth | 23 Feet |
Hot Areas
28-30 RL to the gap to the right of Baxter's
25-28 RL to the big tree left of Beach.
13 RL to the corner of Treeline.
Description
The weed growth can be significant, but does change during the season and as a result so the productive areas will also change. It is definitely worth casting a lead around the swim to see if there are other clear areas. This is a swim that fishes well with the wind in its face because of the prevailing south westerly and westerly winds but it will also produce bites when the wind is off your back, especially late in the season. This swim comes alive at night even when it is seemingly devoid of fish during in the day; you'll be amazed at how many fish show after dark and at very close range.
Notable Captures
Every one of the 70 and 80lb fish have been caught from The Stink; and most of the 60's as well. There are so many notable captures, we can't list them all! It's safe to say, The Stink is an awesome swim!
The Alamo
Named after DF’s favourite swim on Mercers Park. A large double swim which can easily accommodate two anglers but can also be fished by one angler if that is the way that the draw works out. We encourage only friends to double-up in this swim as your bivvies are fairly close together when the rods are out.
| Prevailing Wind | Southerlies, Westerlies and SW |
|---|---|
| Average Depth | 24 Feet |
Hot Areas
25 - 28 wraps towards big square tree left of Beach.
28-30 RL at the "W" in between Bob's Beach and Baxter's.
15 wraps at the clubhouse
Description
Over the years, this swim has produced fish at almost every distance from 40 yards out to 150 yards. It commands the centre of the lake and as a result, really suits long-distance anglers. The fish will amass here when the wind is blowing hard in your face and as the season progresses, the fish will move further out and spots do appear straight in front of the swim starting at around 24 wraps going right out to 30 wraps. A swim which also has great winter form for the long range angler.
Notable Captures
The swim has produced most of the larger residents over the years, but in recent times Classico, Fight Club, Heart Tailed Common, The Clean Fish, Shoulders, Baby Cluster, The Weld, Parker, Two Scales
Oblivion
Named after the terminology DF uses when fishing at extreme range ‘Oblivion’! In fact, it is no longer necessary to fish Oblivion at extreme range. Most bites tend to come between 20 and 28 wraps. This swim usually has patches of weed, so casting around a pronged lead prior to committing to a spot is essential.
| Prevailing Wind | Westerly, SW and NW |
|---|---|
| Average Depth | 22 Feet |
Hot Areas
25-28 wraps big tree left of Beach.
27-28 wraps at Alcatraz.
15 wraps at Baxter's
9 wraps down the right hand margin at Big Southerly.
Description
Large beds of potamogeton can spring up between this swim and The Alamo, and also between this swim and Big Girls. When this occurs you will need to dump the lead and play the fish pretty hard to steer them away from these beds of weed. If the fish do get behind these weed beds you will need to call a bailiff to go out in a boat and hopefully free it; but play them hard and you should have no problems. Large clear areas remain between 20 and 30 wraps with the area around 27 -29 wraps being the most consistently fished and therefore, the most productive. As with most of the open water swims, this swim should be fished with all 3 rods close together with probably 6-8ft between each hookbait. The short range spot at 6 wraps has done some big fish the last few years, so is always worth priming with bait and then dropping onto during the week.
Notable Captures
This swim has done virtually every big fish in the lake over the years, but in recent times, Apple Slices, The Clean Fish, Fred, 2 C's, Shoulders, The Leather, Paw Print, Solid, Mad Max and Long Spot
Big Girls
So called as historically the 'big girls' often frequent this swim, especially around spawning time.
| Prevailing Wind | Westerly and North Westerly |
|---|---|
| Average Depth | 18 Feet |
Hot Areas
26.5 wraps at Pole Position
21 wraps to stock pond outlet pipe
15 at overhanging tree halfway up the tree line
11 RL at the reeds to your left
Description
A really easy swim to fish, when fishing the tree line with a path along the far bank to bait up from. 3/4 of the way up the bank, the outlet pipe from the stock pond injects plenty of oxygenated water into the lake and is always worth a rod. This spot and the 26.5 RL spot towards Stock Pond can be baited by walking round to the spit and using a catapult or bait scoop.
Notable Captures
This swim is a consistent producer of bites. In the spring and around spawning time some of the really big fish can be seen in the area. In recent times this swim has produced Spotty Leather, Shoulders, Pollpits, Pixles