With a central island, Carp Lake has a four feet deep shelf along the far side from the entrance which extends about 14 feet into the lake before the banks drop off to a flat and even bottom between six and seven feet deep before rising steeply against the island.

The near bank has sides which drop at about 45 degrees to the bottom, which is slightly deeper than the nearside bank at between seven and eight feet deep.

Carp Pool was stocked in 2007 with common and mirror carp which are now known to run to 23lbs whilst the average size of fish is between 8lbs and 14lbs. These are all nice clean fish, many of which have never been caught before because the water is known only to a few locals and a small number of regular anglers who stay at New Farm for a week's fishing.

Another nice things about Carp Lake is that it is not 'peggy' with all pegs produce equally well.

Whilst some of the anglers who have fished Carp Lake use modern carping techniques, this is not necessary. Many of those who know the lake fish either the float or ledger with luncheon meat or sweetcorn.

Decent sized chunks of meat between a quarter and half an inch square work well and tend to pick out some of the bigger fish whilst two or three kernels of sweetcorn can be equally effective.

As with most fisheries these days, fishing the margins is a favourite, either on the four feet deep ledge off the far bank or down the slope on the near bank, whilst fishing towards the island with a ledger also produces good results. However, in the past couple of years most of the biggest fish have come from swims in open water.

Whichever technique you choose it pays to feed the swim gradually with a handful of free offerings at the start of a session and then a few samples of hook bait throughout the session.

Other baits worth having with you include expander pellets fished over a bed of feeder pellets, maggots, worm and bread, althougbh anglers should note that floating baits are not allowed.

The biggest fish are the bream and tench, both of which run to a respectable 5lbs in weight. There are also good heads of golden tench and golden orfe to about 3lbs, chub to 2lbs and very pretty crucian carp to 1lb 8oz.

Middle Lake is deepest around the island where between seven and eight feet of water can be found. Along the entrance bank there is a four feet deep shelf and another which runs virtually the full length of the long far bank as you approach the lake from the car park. Much of the open water at the entrance end gives seven feet of water with the lake shallowing gradually to about five feet at the far end.

Middle Lake appeals mainly to pleasure anglers out for a relaxing day's fishing or a few hours by the waterside where they don't know what they are likely to catch next - and without the threat of being broken by a big carp.

Because of its depths, Middle Lake is an ideal water for both pole and waggler anglers with the most popular technique again being to fish either on the shelves in the margins or out towards the islands where some anglers prefer to fish a cage feeder packed with free offerings.

Because of the size of the fish anglers do not need to fish heavy tackle and in most cases a 2lb to 3lb main line with Size 16 or 14 hook will suffice. As there is plenty of open water and no snags even the bigger fish can be played out safely without fear of losing them.

Good all round baits on Middle Pool tend to be sweetcorn, maggots and worm although small cubes of luncheon meat also work well for all species.

When fishing Middle Pool it pays to bait up the swim with a couple of handfulls of groundbait mixed with hook samples and then feed free offerings little and often throughout the session.

It also pays to adjust your depth until you find there the fish are feeding.

Mark's Pool is easy to fish because much of it is fairly shallow with five feet of water at the pointed entrance end and between four and five feet of water all the way down the left hand bank as you approach the pool and just six feet down the right hand side. The deepest water is about eight feet deep just off the far end of the island.

The oldest of the New Farm Fishery waters, Mark's Pool was originally a field drainage pit which was filled in many years ago before being re-dug and enlarged by Mark about 15 years ago to give him somewhere of his own to fish.

Although fairly small, it is an attractive and intimate water with plenty of decent fish to catch including mirror and common carp to 11lbs with an average stamp of between 4lbs and 5lbs. Because these fish have rarely, if ever been caught they give a good account of themselves when hooked and are in pristine condition.

In addition to the commons and mirrors, Mark's Pool holds some beautiful crucian carp between 2lbs and 3lbs and a good head of tench to 4lbs-plus.

Being fairly shallow, Mark's Pool is an ideal pole or waggler water with most anglers fishing close into the sides or in the deeper water at the far end of the pool. Once again fishing to the island is also a good tactic whilst those who find it a bit of a struggle to fish a float in eight feet of water can again opt to use a small swim feeder packed with goodies.

Because Mark's Pool holds only carp and tench it tends to fish best in the warmer months when the most popular baits are sweetcorn, maggots, soft hooker pellets and small pieces of luncheon meat.

Again, because there are no monster fish in the water, anglers can fish on the lighter side with 4lb to 5lb line and Size 14s or 12s hooks for the carp and 3lb to 4lb line and Size 14s or 16s hooks or even 18s for the crucians and tench.

Visit New Farm Cheshire on the Net New Farm has a well designed and comprehensive website with information and photographs on all aspects of the venue including the bed and breakfast accommodation, camping and caravan site, the fishing, testimonials from people who have stayed there and details of prices. The site can be found at www.newfarmcheshire.co.uk.

How to get there... New Farm is situated south east of the historical city of Chester and the border with North Wales just 15 miles from the M6 motorway. From the M6, leave the motorway at Junction 16 and take the A500 towards Chester and then the A51 towards Nantwich. After travelling through Burford, Barbridge and Calveley turn right off the A51 onto Long Lane (watch out for New Farm's sign located close to the junction). New Farm can be found two miles down this quiet country road on the right hand side. Drivers are advised to watch their speed on the A51 as there are speed cameras along this stretch of road. Go back to Fisheries homepage