Described in a 'Match Fishing' article as "Red Hot Furnace Mill" and reputedly one of Matt Hayes' favourite day-ticket coarse fisheries, Furnace Mill is set in some of the most attractive countryside in the Midlands. Comprising four pools on a 27-acre woodland site in the heart of the Wyre Forest, Furnace Mill is about eight miles from Bewdley and 10 miles from Kidderminster. The mill itself was an old corn mill, whilst the furnace from which it takes its name was used to make canon balls during the English Civil war. On-site facilities include a car park and toilets plus a fishing lodge where anglers should purchase their day tickets before starting to fish. The fishing lodge sells a range of hot and cold drinks and confectionery whilst at weekends and Bank Holidays, breakfasts and hot sandwiches are also available. Hot food can also be arranged by special appointment. In addition, the fishing lodge is now also stocking an increasing range of baits and tackle including pellets, paste, maggots, casters, hemp, worms, meat, macaroni, catmeat, corn and flavourings. Anglers should note that they can only use pellets, paste and boilies which have been bought at the fishery. Most of the pegs are accessible for disabled anglers and there is only one part of the fishery which is not accessible for wheelchairs. In addition to welcoming individual pleasure anglers, club contest bookings and regular open matches, Furnace Mill also stages Corporate Days which are tailored to individual company needs. The catering for these events can range from providing breakfasts, snacks or barbecues to organising events in fully equipped marquees. The Furnace Mill match record currently stands at 255lb 12oz having been set by local angler Paul Cook from Stourport whilst fishing Peg 72 on Willow Pool at the end of July 2008. Paul, who held the previous Furnace Mill record which he set at 214lb 13oz from a peg on Mucky Meadow, fished the margins with pellet to catch throughout the match. Indeed, he was so successful that he had to ask fishery owner Ed Brown for a third keepnet. Paul fished exactly on depth on the slope to take his catch. Because of the large numbers of fish caught at Furnace Mill, anglers are requested to use only one rod at a time. Although the fishery has few bait bans with the exception that groundbait or artificial baits should not be used, anglers are asked to use only pellets, paste and boilies which are purchased at the fishery to prevent potential dietry problems. These are sold in 1kg bags in the fishing lodge at a price which equates to prices charged at local tackle shops. Whatever the reason for your visit to Furnace Mill, it is always worth having a chat with Ed Brown, himself a very experienced angler, who will give help and up-to-the-minute advice to ensure you have a rewarding day. Ticket costs 2011 Adults OAPs/Juniors Day Tickets All day £6.50 £5.50 Half-day Tickets Four hours before close £4.50 £4.50 Opening Times 2011 April 1 to September 30 October 1 to March 31 Monday - Saturday 8.00am - 7.30pm 8.00am - dusk Sunday 7.00am - 7.30pm 8.00am - dusk Prices are for one rod. Closing times vary slightly in summer but are marked at the entrance. Anglers should pack up when the siren is sounded

Furnace Pool One-and-a-half acres in size, Furnace Pool is the largest water at Furnace Mill with 30 pegs and an average depth of about six feet. Linear in shape with a large rectangular pool at the entrance end and a basin near the car park, Furnace Pool offers a variety of outlooks with one end of the pool being out of sight from the other. With roach to just under 3lbs; bream averaging between two and four pounds but running up to 13lbs; tench averaging 1lb to 3lbs and crucian carp up to 4lbs. The water also holds a good head of common, mirror and ghost carp averaging one-and-a-half to 4lbs with the largest mirrors and commons now running to 20lbs. Furnace Pool also holds decent numbers of barbel and ide. The most popular methods for fishing Furnace Pool are pole or rod-fished waggler with the fish usually being caught at varying depths throughout the summer when many of the bigger catches fall to anglers fishing close into the margins where the bankside vegetation provides plenty of cover. In winter, as can be expected, the fish tend to stay on the bottom in the deeper water, although they are caught higher up on bright, sunnier days. Although pellets and paste, which can be purchased at the fishery, are good all year round, other baits vary according to the time of year. In summer, casters, luncheon meat, sweetcorn, red maggots and floating bread, dog biscuits and pellets are usually the most successful whilst winter favourites include maggots, worm and either bread punch or flake. As with most waters, nearly all baits are usually most effective when fished over a bed of feeder pellets or hemp, the latter being especially productive when fished with luncheon meat on the hook. Mucky Meadow Mucky Meadow - so named because the pool is on the site of a former marshy meadow adjacent to the stream which runs along the Furnace Mill site - is nowadays better known for its head of chub which provide exciting year-round sport for anglers, as well as its good stocks of common and mirror carp. The chub are normally taken on shallow fished maggot on the waggler, quite often just below the surface in summer, and range in size from just over 1lb to about 4lbs. Covering one-and-a-quarter acres, Mucky Meadow holds 24 pegs and ranges in depth from about eight feet at the outlet end to four feet at the inlet. Overall, the average depth is about six feet. The average sizes for the fish in Mucky Meadow are: roach up to 3lbs 6oz with plenty of fish between 12oz and 2lbs; tench around 3lbs with some over 5lbs; bream 3lbs to an impressive 13lbs; common carp to about 4lbs; mirror carp to 5lbs; ghost carp to about 3lbs; and crucian carp to about 1lb. The biggest roach to have come out of Mucky Meadow was taken by John Knight, fishing for Willow Creek in the 2009/2010 Winter League match which was held on Easter Sunday. Fishing Peg 43 with Furnace Mill's 4mm expander pellets he landed a specimen which weighed in at 3lbs 6oz. A truly pristine fish. The biggest mirror carp are around 20lbs whilst the biggest commons weigh about 18lbs and the biggest ghost carp around 24lbs. In addition, Mucky Meadow also holds some nice golden orfe, perch, rudd, barbel and ide. Whilst most anglers use the pole or waggler, most methods tend to work well on Mucky Meadow and a lot of the carp are caught in the margins in summer. In winter, a small swim feeder or light lead are most effective. Best year-round baits are caster, maggots, sweetcorn, luncheon meat and chopped worms for the bream. Willow Pool This one-acre pool with 20 pegs is, with Mill Pool, the smallest of the four Furnace Mill fisheries. Despite this, it is slightly deeper than the others with an average depth of seven feet falling to nine feet in the centre. Whilst the stocking sizes, species and densities are much the same as for Furnace Pool, there are some larger carp in here with commons, mirrors and ghosties running to 25lbs. Having said that, the average size of the carp tends to be slightly smaller than in Furnace Pool. Willow is a very mixed and productive pool holding roach, rudd, bream, perch, tench, barbel, orfe, ide and chub as well as the carp but despite this is fished less than Mucky Meadow or Purnace Pool as it is further away from the car park. When fishing the right hand bank pegs 55 to 67, a lot of fish are caught very tight to the margins where there is a steep drop to a marginal shelf where the fish regularly patrol, particularly in the summer months when the water is warmer. The left hand bank pegs 68 to 74 have margins which slope straight down to the bottomof the pool. A lot of fish feed up and down this slope, so twitching the hook bait back against the slope works well. Also, this side of the pool is slightly deeper, so fishing up in the water works well as the fish come up to compete for the loose feed which should be introduced regularly to keep them going. Willow Pool holds the Furnace Mill fishery match record with a 255lb 12oz catch taken by regular open angler Paul Cook. Mill Pool Like Willow Pool, Mill Pool is a one-acre water with 20 pegs. Although it averages about five feet for much of its length, the bottom goes to seven feet at the inlet end. Secluded and partially surrounded by trees, many anglers fail to see this water when they drive into the fishery and as a result it can often be a place for those who like to be on their own. The narrower sections of the pool around pegs 75 to 78 and the shallower pegs 86 to 94 are particularly good in summer and on milder winter days. Whilst the fish densities, species and sizes are the same as for Willow Pool there are quite a lot of golden orfe which provide good sport in winter whilst the common, mirror and ghost carp again run to 18lbs. Mill Pool is also renowned for good catches of roach and crucian carp to just under 3lbs and perch to 4lbs in autumn and winter. The majority of the carp in Mill Pool average between half-a-pound and two-and-a-half pounds, which is slightly smaller than the other pools, but they none-the-less provide consistent sport. Additional Information about Furnace Mill Corporate Days: Furnace Mill caters for a range of Corporate Hospitality days where events can include everything from fishing matches and packed lunches to breakfasts followed by a fishing match and finishing off either with an organised trip to a local country pub or a barbecue on site. Indeed, owners Ed and Jane Brown pride themselves on being able to organise virtually any corporate function for up to 80 or more guests including arranging for events in marquees. Young Anglers: For those looking to take up the sport or improve their knowledge and technique, qualified Professional Anglers Association coach Paul Evans gives both one-to-one and group lessons at reasonable rates. Anyone interested in booking Paul should contact the fishery. Furnace Mill on the Net Furnace Mill was one of the first fisheries in the UK to develop its own website. To be found at www.furnacemill.net, it includes further details of the lakes together with latest news from the fishery, details of rules and other relevant information. How to get there... From Kidderminster: Take the A456 from Kidderminster to Leominster. At Callow Hill turn right onto the A4117 to Cleobury Mortimer. At Far Forest take the third road on the right after 'The Plough' public house and follow the signs for Furnace Mill. After crossing over the small stone bridge at the bottom of the valley there is a sharp right hand bend and Furnace Mill is signed to the left. Take this small road and the entrance to the fishery is a short distance on the left. From Bridgnorth: Coming from Bridgnorth, take the B4363 signed for Cleobury Mortimer. After about nine miles you reach Kinlet where you will see the Eagle and Serpant pub. Turn left by the pub towards Bewdley. After a mile you come to a T-junction where you should turn left and after about 400 yards there is a left hand bend where you turn right. Follow this road through the forest and after about two-and-a-half miles it brings you down the valley where there is a very sharp left hand bend. Take the road to the right and the entrance to the fishery is a short distance on the left. Sat Nav users should enter: DY14 8NR. Go back to Fisheries homepage