Carp Lake
The first of the Manor Farm Fishing coarse waters, the four-acre Carp Lake was established in 1997 and is stocked with a range of Common, Mirror, Leather, Ghost and Koi Carp which run to just over 30lbs and average around 15lb. Of these, the fishery owners estimate there is a good head of about 20 fish around over the 20lb mark.
The lake record is currently held by a 29lb 0oz Common Carp which was caught earlier in 2004 by Bedford angler Jan Lesinski (right) who was fishing an NRG mainline freezer bait on a Size 6 hook, 10lb line and running lead.
Since then stocks have been supplemented by another Common which weighed 30lbs 8oz when introduced in April 2004 and with several of the high 20s likely to be putting on weight, Jan's record looks likely to tumble before too long.
Because of the size of fish, Carp Lake is proving increasingly popular with specimen carp anglers, although the water is usually fairly quiet mid week when overnight sessions are likely to pay good dividends. Night fishing should be booked in advance and with only 10 anglers allowed on the water overnight at any one time it is recommended that anglers wishing to stay overnight at weekend should book at least a fortnight in advance. Anglers should remember that only two rods should be used.
Carp Lake varies in depth from between five and six feet at the entrance to up to 13 feet along the channel which runs up the centre of the lake from the island to the bay at the far end.
With the shallower water to be found in the entrance bay and along the car park swims to the left, these are popular pegs with anglers. However, they can become quite weedy in summer and anglers are therefore recommended to fish pop-ups.
In the water between the island and the A1 swims there are several gravel beds and although the depths here are generally between five and seven feet deep there are occasional holes where depths drop to nine or 10 feet and which are good for fishing in the colder months.
However, fishing is generally good all around the lake and with the margins generally as productive as anywhere, it usually pays to fish just one or two rod lengths out. In the margins the banks slope quite steeply to the bottom at about two rod lengths out and many anglers recommend fishing on the slope rather than on the bottom itself.
Whether fishing close in or at a distance most anglers prefer to use modern carp techniques, using marker floats and spods to get their groundbait and particles into the right area every time. Although trout pellets should not be used, coarse fish pellets are allowed and these can be purchased in the Bait Hut.
For terminal tackle most anglers use fruit-flavoured boilies in summer and smelly baits in winter to either a running lead or bolt rig with a hook length of about a foot. Source boilies fished over pellets and Tiger Nut boilies are also proving effective. Anglers fishing boilies should use between 10lb and 15lb line strength to a 12lb to 15lb braid hook length.
As soon as the water warms up the fish start to feed on the top, so floaters are good bait and worth a try if you see any surface activity. A minimum line strength of 6lbs is recommended when using floating baits.
Although not classified as an 'easy' water, perseverance pays off on Carp Lake and help and advice is always available in the Bait Hut.
Becks Lake
A four-acre lake with central island, Becks Lake is a mixed coarse and any method trout lake, although most coarse anglers are impressed and often caught out by the fighting prowess of the trout which give a good account of themselves before coming to the net. Anglers are requested not to put trout in keepnets as they will not survive.
And with carp to 25lbs - many in the 10lb to 12lb range, bream to 12.5lb and pike to 21lb which often fall to maggots it pays not to fish too light. The water is also home to a good head of roach, rudd, perch and some tench. In the colder months the fishery adds some 200 rainbow trout weighing about 12oz which provide excellent sport when many of the other coarse fish are not catching.
Somewhat easier to fish than Carp Lake because there is more gravel on the bottom, Much of the water is between eight and nine feet deep, although it goes down to about 14 feet out from the pegs next to Carp Lake and the island. Again, like Carp Lake, the bottom can be found between one and two rod lengths out.
Becks responds well to much the same treatment with modern carp techniques working well for the Commons, Mirrors and Leathers in both open water and in the margins with most anglers using pop-ups.
For anglers who like to float fish the margin shelf is easier to fish but open water, particularly round the weed beds, is good for the roach, perch, bream and trout. When float fishing a line strength of 4lb with a 1lb to 2lb hook length is recommended.
Feeder fishing is also good for the silver fish and smaller carp around the 3lb mark but with a 5lb perch having been caught in Becks a few years ago and with pike ready to take maggots and the bigger carp and bream it pays to step up the line strength in case you hook into one of the bigger fish.
The lake is also popular for night anglers, with some good bags of double figure carp being caught as well as plenty of 8lb plus bream.
Good baits on this lake include worms and red maggots, although the carp are more interested in luncheon meat, boilies and sweetcorn.
Popular pegs include the sand bank gravel swim on the far side and the pegs along the A1 road bank, but with plenty of open water to be found off all the swims there is little to choose between them unless you have a particular favourite.
Unlike Carp Lake, keepnets are allowed on Becks although anglers are requested not to put big fish in them.
Blunham Lake
This nicely matured two-acre lake surrounded by a fringe of reeds has 20 swims including one which has recently been made accessible for wheelchairs.
The lake is about 500m from the main car park, and so a trolley is advisable if you have plenty of tackle, although those with walking difficulties or the elderly can park their cars in the disabled car park within 20m of the lake.
Blunham is stocked with a mixture of smaller coarse fish including roach to 1lb, perch to 2lb, rudd to 1lb, tench to 6lb, bream to 4lb and carp now reaching 18lb. Early in 2004 a large stock of smaller carp to about eight inches were added which should prove some excellent sport for the pleasure and match angler throughout the year.
This lake fishes well as the water begins to warm up, and is a good starter lake for juniors and newcommers to the sport. During the summer evenings the lake produces a lot of small tench, which have bred on in the lake on their own. Perch are also prolific during the summer months.
Good baits are red maggots, worms and caster fished lightly with a waggler float over a bed of hemp. Fishing around the margins is usually successful.
The banks on Blunham tend to drop straight down to seven or eight feet and then the bottom gradually shelves to a maximum of 10 to 11 feet in the centre of the lake, making it a relatively easy water for pole and waggler anglers although some do use swimfeeders to reach the centre of the water.
Once the fish start to get their heads down it is a good idea to keep feeding particles and other offerings to keep them in your swim and it usually pays to introduce about half a dozen balls of groundbait before you tackle up to attract the fish.
A nice feature of Blunham for anglers who like to review what they have caught at the end of a session is that you are allowed to use keepnets on the water.
The Trout Lake
Opened in 1992, the Trout Lake was the first water to be opened at Manor Farm Fishing and is now established as one of the top put-and-take fisheries in the country covering some five acres with depths ranging from six feet in the shallows on the south bank to 12 feet in the northeast corner.
The lake has an abundance of natural fly life, especially damsels and pond olives. Dry fly fishing is usually good during the Spring and Summer, with Daddy Long Legs continuing this trend into the Autumn. Fry imitations such as Cats Whiskers and other lures are good from October to April.
The lake is stocked weekly from March to October, and as required throughout the winter months. Ninety per cent of the fish are stocked at 2lb and 10 per cent between five and 10lbs. Double figure fish are added fortnightly depending on the water temperature.
Records for the lake include a 17lb Rainbow caught in February 2003 (left) and a 3lb 8oz Brown Trout caught in September 2000.
The trout lake is open seven days a week from 6am to dusk, closing only on Christmas Day. Occasionally group bookings or corporate events book the whole lake for the day, it is therefore advisable to ring in advance if you are travelling any distance. Juniors and ladies are welcome at Manor Farm with shared tickets available. A one-fish beginner's ticket is another option for those learning the art of fly fishing.
Flies, leader material, floatant, sinker etc are all available from the Bair Hut, as well as equipment to hire for only £5.00, refreshments and Environment Agency rod licences. A toilet and lodge are situated adjacent to the Trout Lake.
Manor Farm also runs its own Manor Farm Fly Fishers Club, a small, friendly club which meets at the fishery every second Tuesday in the month at 8.00pm. The club aims to encourage new anglers to the sport, whatever their age. The club organises speakers, demonstrations on fly tying, as well as 'fun' competitions at Manor Farm and other venues. For further information on membership of the club please contact Tony Moore on 01438 840980.
Due to the hot weather, The Trout Lake is closed for fly fishing bduring July and August when it is available for coarse fishing.
The lake is listed as a Troutmaster water and Manor Farm Leisure are members of the Association Of Stillwater Game Fishery Managers.
The River Ivel
Manor Farm Fishing's quarter-mile stretch of the river Ivel, made famous by local angler Dick Walker whose wife still lives in nearby Biggleswade, varies between a fairly fast flowing weir stretch and deeper, slower swims.
The river is good for barbel which were introduced by the Environment Agency a couple of years ago and which now average about 5lbs but have been caught to 11lbs, the Manor Farm stretch also holds pike to 20lbs, a lot of smaller Jack Pike, chub to 4lbs, roach and perch to 2lbs and 3lbs and a small number of carp.
Available between June 16 and March 14, the stretch is also a good water for big bream with both leger and float techniques working well. Although the river is little fished, those anglers who do fish it tend to leger luncheon meat whilst float anglers stalk the banks trotting with worms. Other baits including maggots, casters, sweetcorn in summer and bread also work well.
Because the banks are fairly steep and there are no purpose-built pegs, young anglers are discouraged from fishing the river alone.
How to get there...
Manor Farm Fishing
Just 40 miles north of London off the main A1 between Biggleswade and Sandy, Manor Farm Fishing is an excellent example of how a purpose built fishery can mature nicely over a period of as little as 10 or so years into a varied and natural looking venue where variety is the spice of life.
The angling varies from out-and-out pleasure angling for roach, perch, bream and carp to specimen hunting for big carp and pike to fly-only trout fishing.
There is a small on-site 'Bait Hut' tackle shop which is open from 8.00am to 7.30pm at weekends and Bank Holidays and from 10.00am to 7.30pm on weekdays. In addition to selling a range of terminal tackle, accessories, baits and groundbaits, the Bait Hut also has a range of hot and cold drinks and confectionery.
All tickets should be purchased from the Bait Hut before fishing, although anglers who arrive before the Bait Hut is open should start fishing but come back to purchase their tickets to avoid a £5.00 bank surcharge.
Anglers can keep in touch with day-to-day developments at Manor Farm Leisure by visiting www.manorfarmfishing.co.uk.