Main Lake
A former hand-dug clay pit which was abandoned over 100 years ago, Main Lake is irregularly shaped with an equally irregularly contoured bottom, ranging between just four feet at its shallowest to a large dramatic square hole mid-way between Pegs 8 and 25 which steps down to 20 feet.
Because the lake was de-silted several years ago much is known about the bottom and fishery owner Chris Musgrave has a large number of photographs which show the water when it was emptied and de-silted to restore it to its original contours. It took two days to drain the water from the lake and once emptied some 10,000 tons of silt were removed.
Today it holds 35 timbered pegs and has a couple of beds of lilies and plenty of bankside vegetation which make it a very attractive lake to fish.
Looking down the length of the lake from the tackle shop, much of the right hand and top end bank is fringed with trees and bushes which give anglers plenty of pegs where they can hide away from each other whilst fishing plenty of open water in front of them.
Also down the right hand bank are two large bays where about seven feet of water can be found and where anglers can fish either open water or up against along the margins. Because this side of the lake has plenty of bankside cover many of the pegs are most suited to fishing rod and reel.
The left hand bank is more open and more suited to fishing the pole. Whilst about six feet of water can be found off the top left hand corner, these pegs can find the deeper water which can be particularly good in winter.
Mid-way along the left hand bank off Peg 8 anglers can find the 20-feet-deep hole whilst between Pegs 4 and 8 there is another, shallower hole where about 10 feet of water can be found.
Although Main Lake does hold some nice mirror and common carp to 25lbs and was restocked in 2005 with about a ton of smaller carp to 5lbs, because night fishing is not allowed it is not really a water for specimen carp anglers.
In addition to the mirrors and commons, Main Lake also holds a good head of crucian carp to 3lbs, tench to 6lbs, roach to 1lbs 8oz, rudd to 2lbs, perch to 3lbs, bream to about 5lbs and even some eels - which are rarely fished for - but which run to over 4lbs.
When it comes to catching the fish, as with most waters almost anything goes. Popular with both match and pleasure anglers it is usually fished with pole or waggler, although this going into the deeper parts of the lake tend to opt for either the swimfeeder or sliding float, although the bottom of the deep pit can be reached when fishing a long pole.
Fishing both open water and in the margins is good for the carp with a lot of fish being taken up in the water, particularly during warmer weather when surface fishing with bread is a killer technique.
Because all the Saltfleetby Fisheries lakes are fed with pellets these make a good bait everywhere whilst those targeting the tench should also try sweetcorn, worms or paste baits when the water warms up.
Anglers who aren't fussy about which species they catch often fish between six and 18 inches deep with pellet on the hook and loose feeding little and often.
Fishing the waggler or pole on the bottom with maggots, worm or bread punch are good techniques for the roach and rudd whilst maggots and worm on the bottom are good for perch.
As is to be expected, the 20-foot and 10-feet deep holes are good spots for winter fishing with good catches of bream, roach and rudd regularly being taken.
One tip for anglers fishing Main Lake for the first time is that, whichever peg you choose, it pays to spend some time plumbing the depth and getting a feel for the bottom. Because it is an old clay working, this will help you to identify the features in your swim and make the most of your day's fishing at this interesting lake.
Silver Pond
The smallest of the Saltfleetby Fisheries waters at just under an acre, the reed-lined Silver Pond holds 14 well spaced pegs and is an out-and-out pleasure water, being easy to fish at between three and four feet deep throughout once you are three metres out. This makes it a particularly good water for those new to the sport or anglers trying out new techniques or baits.
As its name implies, Silver Pond holds predominantly silver fish. Although there are carp to 6lbs in the water, with a fair number to about 1lb, the majority of fish are rudd which run to an impressive 3lbs with plenty over 2lbs; roach to about 1lb; bream to about 3lbs and perch to 1lb.
Although most anglers prefer to fish Main Lake or Island Pond, Silver Pond should not be dismissed as the fish in here tend to be fairly easy to catch and can give an excellent day's fishing.
Because it is only shallow and as the fish are not huge anglers should use only light tackle, say 2lb main line to a 16 or 18s hook. Pole anglers don't need anything heavier than a six to eight elastic.
Best baits are maggots, pellets and sweetcorn and because the water is only shallow there is no need for ledger or swimfeeder tackle with a pole or waggler being all that is needed.
Fishing the margins is very productive because the reeds provide cover for both anglers and fish. The best technique is to fish over a bed of hemp for the roach and rudd, although liquidised bread is also a great fish attractor.
Fishing to the centre of the pond also produces good results, particularly for the carp, although it is obviously harder work than fishing the margins.
Island Pond
Much bigger than Silver Pond with an island at the far end and 26 pegs, Island Pond is another open but reed-lined water which is crammed with match weight fish and where bags of over 100lbs are not uncommon in warmer weather.
Available for both pleasure fishing a club matches, Island holds a good head of match sized commons and mirror carp which average between 1lb and 2lbs but which run to about 6lbs; a good head of bream averaging 3lbs and running to 6lbs; crucian carp to about 1lb; roach and rudd to a similar size and some impressive tench. Although most of these weigh between 1lb and 3lbs there are a good number to 7lbs and one was caught in 2004 which tipped the scales at nearly 9lbs.
As with Silver Pool, Island has gently sloping banks which run to a maximum depth of about four feet just three metres out, making it another easy water to fish but with the added attraction of the ability to reach the island from Peg 5 around to Peg 17 at the far end.
When fishing to the island it pays to set the float between 12 and 18 inches deep and to fish as close to it as you can get.
When going for the carp, tench or bream, luncheon meat or sweet flavoured meats or catfood are popular summer baits with pellets and sweetcorn also being popular.
As on Main Lake, floating baits can be particularly effective for the carp with floating bread or dog biscuits being the most popular.
When going for the crucians, most anglers tend to fish the margins with light tackle and small baits such as maggots, casters, sweetcorn or small pieces of luncheon meat. In summer in particular this technique regularly produces nets of between 60lbs and 80lbs of fish for pleasure anglers.
Once the water warms up it also regularly produces 100lbs bags of carp and silver fish to anglers fishing up in the water with pellet or maggot and spraying loosefeed to attract the fish and then keep them in the swim.
Another popular summer technique is to fish up in the water near to the aerator with pellet, maggot or sweetcorn.
 Saltfleetby on the Net
Saltfleetby Fisheries is developing its own website which carries information on the latest news, match bookings and match results from the fishery. It also has a growing photo gallery of recently caught fish from the venue plus information on the campsite tariff and the facility to book a stay at the fishery. To visit the website, please click here. |
How to get there...
Saltfleetby Fisheries can be found on the B1200 Louth to Saltfleetby St Clement road just north of Meblethorpe.
For most parts of the country it is best reached from the M1, leaving the motorway at Junction 21a near Leicester and following the signs for the A46 Newark. Once on the A46 stay on this road until you approach Newark and then follow the signs for Lincoln, still on the A46.
As you approach Lincoln you need to go round the Ring Road (still A46) and pick up the A158 signed Skegness and heading for Louth. At Wragby the A158 heads right to Skegness whilst the A157 takes you to Louth. Go onto the A157 and follow it all the way to Louth before heading south on the Ring Road (A16) until you reach a roundabout where the A157 goes off to Mablethorpe. Take this road and at the next roundabout the B1200 for Saltfleetby. Follow this road and you will find the fishery on the left immediately next to the Post Office.
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Saltfleetby Fisheries
Developed on a 15-acre site around a 130-year-old former clay pit, Saltfleetby Fisheries in the village of Saltfleetby St Peter now offers day-ticket angling on three lakes, a new on-site cafe and tackle shop which was opened at the beginning of 2007, facilities for touring caravans and camping, plus the hire of a large modern static caravan (pictured below right) and a smaller tourer.
These days the venue is open every day from dawn until dusk - but this wasn't always the case. Until the early 1950s, when Main Lake was the only water on the fishery, it was known as Vickers Pond and owned by a religious family who did not allow fishing on a Sunday.
The more recently constructed Silver and Island Ponds by contrast are more open. Silver, as its name implies, holds a good head of silver fish, whilst Island Pond is developing a growing reputation as a good pleasure/match venue.Both are ideally suited to fishing either the pole or waggler.
For 2007, Saltfleetby opened a new Sacandanavian-style log-cabin cafe and tackle shop where day tickets can be purchased, and sells a growing range of terminal tackle for pole and rods, dry and tinned baits and groundbaits as well as a limited number of rods and reels. It also serves hot and cold sandwiches and drinks which can be delivered to anglers' pegs.
Able to sleep up to six people, it has a bed settee in the lounge whilst the master bedroom has an en-suite bathroom. It is equipped with colour TV with Freeview plus a DVD player, a fully-equipped kitchen with full cooker and microwave and has a verandah which overlooks Main Lake.
For those with their own touring caravans or who like to camp, Saltfleetby Fisheries also has its own spacious caravan site, although no children are allowed on the caravan site to keep noise and disturbance to other visitors and local residents to a minimum.