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With an island halfway down its length, depths that vary from four feet near the Club House to 14 feet in the far right end bay where there are reed beds and where the water is generally more protected by trees.

Although Barston Lake has been fished on and off since it was created more than 25 years ago, little is known of the original resident stocks of fish, although it had a reputation amongst locals for holding some big carp which are believed to run to more than 30lbs and decent heads of bream, roach to over 1lb, rudd and tench to about 5lbs.

However, these fish have been supplemented with more than 14,000 Common and Mirror Carp , some 3,500 roach and perch and more than 750 Common and Mirror Carp up to 20lbs were introduced from British Waterways' Naseby Reservoir.

These fish are now showing regularly and are stacking on the weight because Barston Lake is such a large water with plenty of natural food. In addition to the 29lbs 12oz fish which was caught in mid-May 2005, several other 20s have already been caught.

As a result, Barston is quickly attracting a regular and growing following amongst specialist carp anglers from throughout the Midlands who can bivvy up near their pegs and fish for virtually as long as they wish.

Best results for the carp seem to be had by night anglers fishing two or three rods using boilies and modern carp fishing techniques along the left hand bank.

However, this bank is most popular simply because you can drive your car to near the pegs. If you are prepared to walk along the right hand bank there are plenty of areas where you can bivvy up which are much quieter but where the fishing is equally good. If you are planning to stay overnight or for a longer period, it may well pay you to try this bank particularly if you want to enjoy a bit more solitude!

The main lake is also developing a growing reputation as a match water with anglers enjoying increasing success using the pole with pellets or sweetcorn on the left hand bank opposite the island or using the waggler with pellets, sweetcorn or worms in the top half of the lake.

With the unknown natural head of fish in the water and the stocking programme carried out over the past year or so, Barston Lake is bound to thrown up a few surprises and will certainly be a water to watch.

In colder weather it is advisable to fish maggots, caster and worms for the rudd and silver fish and when it warms up to use pellets and sweetcorn to target the carp. The pool fishes well from all pegs all year round, but fishing to the features - up against the island, near to the lily pads or close in by the side has tended to provide best results so far.

Matches catches are improving steadily all the time and are now typically being won with weights of between 40lb and 60lbs, and it is anticipated these will improve further following a stocking of crucians, skimmers, roach and rudd.

Although only narrow, the size of the River Blythe belies its reputation as a fishery as there are a wide variety of fish available, many of them running to decent sizes. These include good sized pike into double figures, chub to over 4lbs, trout to at least 3lbs, perch over 2lbs plus good stocks of roach over 1lb as well as dace, carp and eels.

Whilst it often pays to move up or down the river once you have taken several fish from a swim, many anglers are content to stay in one peg for hours at a time waiting for the fish to come to them rather than try to follow the fish.

Whatever your preference, the Blythe is ideal for fishing the pole, trotting a waggler downstream, holding the float on the bottom or mid-water in the backwaters or legering either in the quicker water or in the deeper pools which can be found along its length.

As for bait, virtually anything goes with traditional baits like maggots, worms, and bread being popular favourites as are paste baits, luncheon meat, sweetcorn and plain or flavoured coarse fish pellets.

Although almost entirely surrounded by trees and heavily weeded at the end nearest the road, this water is best fished on light tackle.

Known to hold a good head of rudd plus Golden Orfe to 5lbs and carp and crucian carp to 2lbs 8oz, its full potential is unknown and it would not be surprising to find it also holds tench and other species.

An obvious pole or waggler water, the few anglers who have fished Ford Pool say that maggots, casters and bread are good baits with sweetcorn effective for the carp.

They also recommend you find the pegs which are weed free, loose feed with hook samples and use a 16s or 18s hook either on the bottom or mid-water to find the fish.

However, as with any rarely fished water, anglers should be prepared to experiment and it is suggested that baiting up a peg before tackling up and then feeding little and often could well pay dividends with the potential for a few surprises.

After about two miles you will need to be in the right hand lane to turn right across the dual carriageway at Blooms of Bressington Garden Centre and come back up the dual carriageway to the Profile Cars car dealership. Turn left just before Profile Cars into Bradnocks Marsh Lane. Immediately under the railway bridge turn right into Marsh House Farm Lane and continue down this narrow road. As you cross the new bridge over the River Blythe you are entering West Midland Golf Club with the Pleasure Pool on your left hand side. The Club House overlooks the main lake whilst the river runs upstream to the right of the lake. The Match Lake is at the top left hand side of the lake.

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