Ideal for pleasure anglers and rarely used for matches, the pool averages between four and six feet deep and has fairly steep sides to the bottom. Because it is shallow it is ideal for pole or waggler fishing although some anglers also use the feeder.

Poplars is stocked with a range of fish including common and mirror carp to 8lbs but averaging about 2lbs, tench to 1lb 8oz, chub to a similar size and roach and rudd to about 12oz.

Although many anglers fish close to the island, which can be reached from most pegs, this water fishes well close in or by the lily pads with fewer fish being taken in open water.

Because of the size of the fish it tends to pay to fish fairly light with sweetcorn, luncheon meat and caster being the most popular baits.

An advantage of Poplars is that it is sheltered from the wind even in winter by the trees behind the far bank.

There are green tench to 7lbs, golden tench to 4lbs, bream to a good 4lbs, crucian carp to 2lbs, chub to 1lb 8oz and some cracking perch which are known to run to 3lb 8oz, the largest specimen being caught in May 2004 by an eight-year-old schoolboy.

Slightly deeper than Poplars at between four and eight feet deep, the banks are steeply shelves around the sides but more contoured round the islands where a two-to-three feet deep shelf runs out about seven to eight feet. The deepest water is to be found in a 'circuit' which runs about 15 feet out from the bank around and between the islands.

However, although most people would expect this to be good for catching fish, particularly in winter, this is not generally the case with the better catches being taken either from the shelves around the islands or within a rod or two out from the bank.

Because Alice Springs is quite a large water with the islands often being out of reach for pole anglers, swimfeeders are popular for those fishing the island swims.

As a general rule, though, Alice Springs is popular with pole and waggler anglers alike with sweetcorn, luncheon meat, pellets, worm and maggots usually being the most favoured baits.

Anglers after the bigger carp tend towards corn and meat using a decent sized bait on a Size 10 hook.

Stocked with nothing smaller than 4oz, Oasis holds a good head of silver fish with plenty of chub, skimmers, barbel to about 1lb and common and mirror carp. Oasis also offers heads of crucian carp and green and golden tench.

Due to the large numbers of silver fish, maggots are probably the most favoured bait followed by luncheon meat, sweetcorn and pellets.

Although two-and-a-half acres in size and with 31 pegs, Rock Pool is again a predominantly carp water with plenty of good match-sized carp to 8lbs which can bump up weights quite considerably.

However, the main stock in Rock are the chub, barbel, tench, bream, roach and rudd plus a large number of crucian carp between six and nine ounces which give a lively scrap when hooked and are a pleasure to catch. Indeed, a lot of matches are won with bags comprising large numbers of crucians, often taken from close in. Typical of this is a recent 70lb winning bag which comprised over 50lbs of crucians. The match record is currently 105lbs.

Like Oasis, Rock Pool is between four and six feet deep with the occasional hole down to about seven feet. Although the islands are out of reach for many of the pegs, it is a popular pole and feeder water in competitions with pleasure anglers also favouring the waggler.

Generally used for matches at weekends or when Meadow and Long Island are booked, Rock Pool is also used for Hampton Springs' Saturday and Sunday evening Open Matches in summer. A notice board with all the forthcoming fixtures is posted at the fishery so anglers wanting to fish this water can plan accordingly.

Again, Rock Pool has a fairly even bottom although the banks on the islands are much steeper than on the other pools.

Again, this is mainly a pole and feeder water with the feeder being used predominantly by those anglers wanting to reach the island swims which are just out of reach of most poles. This makes for interesting matches with the feeder standing as much chance of winning as does the pole.

Again, Meadow is generally between four and six feet deep although there are holes between the two islands at the far end of the lake where about eight feet of water can be found.

When it comes to baits, corn, casters, worm and pellets again all produce the goods, although anglers fishing maggots on the bottom can be plagued by gudgeon which are present in large numbers.

Pleasure anglers favouring the waggler are advised to fish to the islands if they can reach them comfortably or fish within one or two rod lengths of the bank.

Add to this a good head of chub and barbel to 1lb 8oz plus crucian carp to 1lb and there is plenty to go at for pole, waggler and feeder anglers.

Like the other Hampton Springs waters, Long Island is generally between four and six feet in depth but has fairly steeply shelving banks to accommodate keepnets during matches although the pegs which overlook the narrow strip of water between the island and the bank drop straight to the bottom.

However, although it is not particularly uniform as are many match waters these days, there are no particular hot spots and matches can be won from anywhere around the lake.

Again, the usual mix of sweetcorn, luncheon meat, pellets, maggots and worm are generally the most popular baits although bread can be very effective, particularly for the larger carp.

Once more this is a water where you don't have to fish at a distance in order to catch and although casting a feeder to the islands usually produces good result many anglers prefer to fish a couple of rod lengths out or less.

In summer, pleasure anglers can do well fishing a floating bait either close in by the side or out in open water whilst those fishing the bottom are advised to feed little and regularly to bring the fish on and keep them in your swim.

At present the carp are complimented by bream to about 2lbs, crucians to about 1lb, chub to 2lbs and the occasional barbel, some of which run as large as 5lbs. Again there are good stocks of roach in the water although there are no tench.

Because of its size, Folly Lake is a popular swim feeder water although waggler anglers also do well, although unusually fishing the margins does not tend to do well, making it worthwhile getting out into open water or onto the shelves around the two islands if you can reach them.

Whether fishing the pole or waggler it pays to fish at a distance, again feeding regularly with particle and sample baits to keep the fish interested.

As you would expect from a water holding a good head of decent sized carp, floating baits including floating pellets and bread work well in the warmer months

Indeed, although it was only early May when Fisheries.co.uk visited Hampton Springs, a good number of fish were being taken readily off the surface by anglers using floating bread or crust and a bubble float, the fish not being shy of having a good go at both the bait and floats!

Dug at the end of 2005 and allowed to fill over winter, Willow Lake has been seeded and planted and is now being used for few matches.

With a bridge to the far side of the water and several islands along its length, Willow is between four and six feet deep and has a two-foot deep shelf around the islands, which are 14 metres from the banks. The nearside bank has a three-feet deep shelf which runs about two feet out into the water and all the banks will be planted with reeds to provide cover for anglers.

So far the matches have tended to be won fishing the pole with caster, chopped worm, sweetcorn and luncheon meat with most anglers fishing up to the island or close in the margins, although some good bags have been taken by fishing mid water in the channel.

Travelling north on the M6, leave the motorway at Junction 10A taking the M54 towards Shrewsbury. Leave the M54 at Junction 3 and take the A41 north towards Whitchurch. Follow the A41 until you are about five miles north of Whitchurch, near Hampton Heath. You should now start to look for the brown tourist signs which will direct you to the fishery, about a mile off the A41.

If coming from Liverpool or the Wirral, after Chester take the A41 south towards Whitchurch and after about 14 miles look out for the brown tourist signs after Hampton Heath.

Hampton Springs on the NetAnglers can keep up to date with developments at Hampton Springs by visiting the fishery's own website at hamptonsprings.co.uk for details of match results, forthcoming events and much more.

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