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. Its linear shape with a large rectangular pool at the entrance end and a basin near the car park 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 2-4lbs and up to 13lbs; tench averaging 1-3lbs 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.
Most popular methods for Furnace Pool are pole or rod-fished waggler with fish usually being caught at varying depths throughout the summer when many of the bigger catches come from the margins. In winter, as can be expected, the fish tend to stay on the bottom 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. 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.
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.
Average sizes for the fish in Mucky meadow are: Roach up to 3lbs; tench around 3lbs with some over 5lbs; bream 3lbs to 13lbs; Common Carp 4lbs; Mirror Carp 5lbs; Ghost Carp 3lbs; Crucian Carp 1lb. The biggest Mirror Carp are around 20lbs, the biggest Commons about 18lbs and the biggest Ghost Carp around 24lbs. In addition, Mucky Meadow also holds Golden Orfe, Perch and Rudd.
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 smaller 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 up to 18lbs. Having said that, the average size of the carp tends to be slightly smaller than in Furnace Pool.
As with the fish sizes and types, the techniques for fishing Willow Pool are also much the same as Furnace Pool.
Mill Pool
Like Willow Pool, Mill Pool is a one-acre fishery 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 surrounded by trees, most anglers tend not to see this water when they drive into the fishery and as a result it can quite 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 Ghost Carp again run to 18lbs. The water is also renowned for good catches of roach 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 fairly 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.
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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 and comprises four pools on a 27-acre woodland site in the heart of the Wyre Forest, 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.
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.
Paul started fishing using pellet and paste but found that his old favourite the white maggot was the most effective. Although he was catching regularly throughout the match it was after a very heavy shower and short lived thunderstorm that the fish went crazy, particularly during the last hour.