Previous years had seen us do over 250 miles to cover 6 venues - this year (all planned into the sat nav) saw us do just over 70 miles and covering 19 venues!
There were a few criteria we wanted a lot of them to meet - namely some sort of food outlet (for the colder months) and a loo (for our female members).
First up Baxters Garden Farm
Just down the road from our start point the most difficult thing was actually finding the entrance to this venue - after accosting a few local passers by (including a very attractive young lady) we found it - it was being fished and upon questioning this turned out to be more of a carp venue than a general fishery.
Next up - Friezeland Pools
Still not got the hang of the Sat Nav yet so we missed the turning for this one (despite the warning fart.wav) but after a little negotiation and much 'get out and walk' commentary we found the entrance. There were two lakes here - a pleasure lake and a match lake - the pleasure lake was packed and everyone was catching - we picked on the nearest bloke to the car park and proceeded to interrogate him - he had been fishing it over the winter and even when iced over he had been catching reasonable bags - encouraging! However the match lake was not occupied (the one on the left) and appears to be a little harder - but it does have a Loo!
Maynes Lakes
Another missed entrance - another ignored Fart.wav - but I now had the Sat Nav sorted and it was the start of a beautiful relationship!
Maynes looked interesting - a few lakes on offer and a local matchman to chat to - that was catching fish!
Next up - Lychgate Lane Fishery - whilst the name might not be familiar - each and everyone of you will have rubber necked this one whilst going North on the M69. A decent sized water that seemed to be up for sale - with a nice (but rotting) Gazebo (and Loo!)
Moving on - Temple Farm Wolvey (just before you get to Makins) - this venue is only bookable in the winter so may not feature - a nice one lake venue with an island - popular on the day with plenty of people fishing.
The next venue was a drive through as Wayne refused to stop - I think it was because caravaners were allowed (posh pikeys!) - apologies for blurred pics - I was desperately trying to snag photos with the camera smashing me in the nose - it does have loos!
Weston Lawns - a false hope! - with Stomachs rumbling we spotted the cafe at this venue straight away - unfortunately it does not open until later in the year - a nice 3 lake venue (complete with resident terriers and dead animal bones everywhere - lake 3 is the likely candidate, the one on the left - but beware the telephone line snagger!)
There should have been another lake a few hundred yards down the lane from this one but the gates were padlocked and no signs were up for fishing.
Hollyhurst Lakes - if they ever find out that water runs down hill - they are f*cked - at the top of a the proverbial grassy knoll are two brand spanking new lakes, a match and specimen lake - clothing for the day appeared to be dayglo orange or red (it had a loo!)- it was also cold!
Parkers next - a single lake - oddly shaped, heavily matched out on the day with plenty of Daiwa Duffers on display - people were catching on mixed methods - including the pellet wag - no mean feat on a cold day (it had a loo!)
Hopsford Hall was next - It looked pretty but judging by the number of bivvy boys this turned out to be a carp water
We were now getting HUNGRY - fortunately 5 Ways lakes had an open cafe, so with lunches ordered we wandered down to the lakes - 2 nice long and not overly narrow lakes, the bigger of the two being the 60 peg match lake - it even had a set of spectator seats! (and a loo)
Mill Farm Fishery - another drive through venue when we realised we had visited this one a previous year
Kilworth Sticks Lakes - a venue recommended strongly by one of the Daiwa boys - a multi lake complex (with Loo!)
We were now on the return stretch!
Peatling Match lakes - another venue that was padlocked up for the winter, however we had been round it on a year or two before (a multi lake complex with quite large lakes) - we have also had a mission over the road at the Peatling Pools.
Whetstone Gorse Match lakes - apparently Graham knows where the hot pegs are in these lakes!
Fortways Farm - situated at the back of Stoney Cove and guarded by several Dobermans (that turned out to be friendly) - an unusual lake (with a loo)
Last but not least - Watery Gate Farm - landscaped by Capability Brown - two lakes with a stretch of river (and a loo!). The entrance to this was blocked by an open ford so we had to walk a little to get there. As we were leaving quite a large number of young carpers were turning up for a night session, however we did speak to a few match lads that been fishing it that day for mixed bags.
All in all a very productive day - dont worry if your suggested venue was not on the list we did this year - it does not mean it wont get picked, some of them either one of us had been to before or it was an outlier on the map.
Alco
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