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Stockton Reservoir
off Stockton Road Stockton near Rugby Warwickshire CV47 8LD Tel: 01926 812249 for match bookings and general enquiries Opened as a commercial day-ticket fishery in 1997, Stockton Reservoir is an attractive seven acre lake set in pleasant countryside between the villages of Stockton and Long Itchington to the south of Rugby and Coventry.
Fishing along the left bank as you enter the reservoir from the car park is from a modern wooden walkway with purpose built seating platforms which jut out into the water and give ample room for tackle. The walkway is similar to that installed at nearby Clattercote Reservoir. Fishing from the right hand bank is more natural with many of the pegs being sheltered from nearby anglers by shrubs and other vegetation which give a completely different feel from the walkway pegs.
The fishery is very popular during the summer months with pleasure anglers and, as would be expected, with club matches which tend to be confined mostly to the weekends. Despite its popularity there are plenty of pegs and a vacant swims can nearly always be found.
The fishery has a walkway all around the water, being made up of a timber walkway in similar style to Clattercote Reservoir down one bank and a more traditional pathway around the remainder. This walkway gives easy access to all 66 purpose-built timber fishing platforms that are all large enough to accomodate those anglers who bring everything they could ever possibly need plus the kitchen sink! Each platform has special fixtures for banksticks and umbrellas.
The lake has four reed-fringed islands and these can be reached with waggler or small feeder from the adjacent pegs. However, many anglers prefer the open water swims as they acheive excellent results and give the fish less of a chance to make for the weeds and roots.
The bottom is flat with an average depth of five feet and a maximum of just over seven feet which makes it an ideal venue for float fishing with either the pole or waggler on the rod. Having said that, many anglers choose to fish a method feeder which is particularly effective when going for the larger carp off the fringes of the islands.
All parts of the fishery produce fish but regulars tend to favour certain pegs which frequently throw up big weights. Along the timber walkway, pegs 2, 3, 4, 24 and 25 are the most popular and are best fished on the pole or waggler at about 10 metres or with a feeder at up to 20 metres. Paste over pellets can get the carp boiling by feeding the pellets little and often.
It is also worth noting that the chub often cruise in the surface layers and bonus fish can be caught by fishing a maggot set about a foot below a small waggler whilst spraying a few maggots around the float. In common with most other day-ticket fisheries, Stockton is a strictly barbless hooks venue and, because of the large stock of carp, anglers are advised to use at least 5lbs line if fishing close to the reeds which can be quite dense in some places.
Disabled anglers can park their vehicles on the bank directly behind the three disabled platforms by prior arrangement with the manager of the Blue Lias public house which is next to the entrance of the fishery. Please telephone 01827 252066 for all fishery information.
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