Fisheries.co.uk - Three Island Lake, Stewkley, Bedfordshire

Three Island Lake

Mount Pleasant Farm
Dunton Road
Stewkley
Bedfordshire
LU7 0LU

Telephone only: 01525 240451

Three Island Lake opened for fishing six years ago and offers anglers enjoyable day-ticket fishing or angling breaks away from it all in either a homely, comfortable and clean Bed and Breakfast or their own touring caravan or tent.
To be found on the Bedfordshire/Buckinghamshire border to the west of Leighton Buzzard, Three Island Lake is just 20-minutes drive from the shopping metropolis of Milton Keynes.
Run by husband and wife team David and Dorothy Body, the spring-fed Three Island Lake is part of a 50-acre grassland farm in the middle of open countryside. Look out from the bedroom windows in the B&B and you can see nothing but grass and trees in every direction.
All the accommodation is self-catering - although tea, coffee and everything you could need for a hearty English breakfast is provided for residents in the B&B and basic breakfast foodstuffs. There are also plenty of idyllic pubs, inns and restaurants within easy driving distance.
Indeed, despite its rural location, there is plenty to do for those who don't want to go fishing.
The charming village of Waddesdon, with its ornate facade houses, is a few miles away and there are a host of National Trust properties within easy reach. These include Waddeston Manor, a Renaissance-style chateau which was built by Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild as a venue for his house parties, Claydon House, Stowe Gardens, Buckingham Chantry Chapel, Ascott Gardens and many more attractions a little further afield.
The spacious self-catering B&B suite offers a twin room with its own TV, own bathroom and fully-equipped kitchenette incorporating fridge and cooker. It even has its own front door and lounge.
The Shepherds' Huts are obviously more basic but provide an unusual retreat for individual anglers. The huts come equipped with their own bed space, electricity, sink, cooker and fridge and again are supplied with some basic foodstuffs.
For those with their own touring caravans and tents, Three Island Lake has pitches with electric hook-up for five Camping and Caravan Club members plus acres of space for campers. There is a clean flush toilet on site together with water point. Campers do not need to belong to the Camping and Caravan Club.
Accommodation prices range from £5.00 per night for tents; £8.00 per night for touring caravans which can have electric hook-ups for an additional £2.00 per night; and £60.00 per night per room for B&B accommodation. These prices do not include the cost of fishing. The Shepherds' Huts are charged at £40.00 per night and include two day's fishing.
Although the fishery was only opened at the beginning of 2002, it is now providing excellent sport with the advantage that even when there is the occasional small weekend match there is still plenty of room for pleasure anglers.
Day ticket anglers should note that the fishery is open from 7.00am until dusk and that keepnets are only allowed in matches. First-time visitors should call at the house before starting to fish.

For those looking for peaceful fishing in a tranquil setting, Three Island Lake offers an excellent day-ticket venue for anglers living in the area and a delightful out-of-the-way venue for anglers and their partners looking for a few days away.

The Three Island Lakes project is supported under the England Rural Development Programme by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund.

Ticket costs and Opening Times (Fees payable in the Honesty Box)

Day tickets - One Rod (7.00am until dusk)	£8.00
Day tickets - Two Rods (7.00am until dusk)	£10.00
Afternoon tickets - from 3.00pm summer	£6.00 (one rod)
Afternoon tickets - from 3.00pm summer	£8.00 (two rods)
Afternoon tickets - from 12.00 noon winter	£6.00 (one rod)
Afternoon tickets - from 12.00 noon winter	£8.00 (two rods)
Junior tickets	£5.00 (one rod)
Annual Membership - Adult	£120.00
Annual Membership - Juniors	£75.00

Junior membership is for those in full-time education.
Junior members must be accompanied by a adult when fishing.
Please note that bivvies are not allowed on the bankside and that
juniors should fish one rod only.
First time visitors should call at the house before starting to fish.

Three Island Lake

At two-and-a-half acres in size, Three Island Lake is oval in shape and has 36 pegs on a bankside which is lush with grasses during spring, summer and autumn, providing plenty of cover for anglers from both the fish and each other.

Because the aim is to provide relaxed fishing in an attractive envoronment there are few rules. As with most fisheries these days, anglers should use only barbless hooks and keepnets are permitted only in matches. Anglers are also requested not to use excessive amounts of groundbait.

The fish are growing fast Although there is a car park just a short walk from the lake, disabled anglers can drive behind their pegs when ground conditions are suitable, but are requested to ask for permission on arrival at the fishery.

The water has a clay bottom which slopes gradually from all banks to a maximum depth of between six and seven feet, although the entrance side bank shelves somewhat deeper than the far bank.

Stocked with a mix of coarse fish including Mirror, Common and Ghost Carp which have grown rapidly to double figures, tench to around 3lbs, bream to 2lbs and roach and rudd to about 1lb, the water has the added attraction that it also contains a good head of rainbow trout to 3lbs which can offer exciting sport... although it is requested that all trout are returned to the water after unhooking!

Ideal for a quiet day's fishing - or an angling break Because of the informal and pleasant atmosphere and location, Three Island Lake is becoming an increasingly popular destination for small club matches with winning bags of over 100lbs not being uncommon. Pegs are charged at £8.00 each although there is a minimum fee of £80.00 for matches if numbers are lower than 10.

Popular as both a pole and waggler water, there is no particular need to fish modern carp techniques as yet because the fish are easily caught and managed on standard tackle.

In the heart of Bedfordshire - or is it Bucks? Because of its even depth and contours, no pegs are more productive than others, with aglers standing a good chance of catching wherever they choose to fish. Having said that, the pegs near to where the boats are moored near the entrance are popular pegs and anglers ledgering for the carp do well casting to the islands.

Waggler anglers tend to stick to fairly lightweight tackle unless they are going for the carp, when they should scale up to 6lb or 8lb line and Size 8 or 10 hooks depending upon the bait they are using and how readily the fish are feeding. Those fishing the pole should use the equivalent elastic strength.

Three Island is a delightfully peaceful venue Because of the large head of carp in the water, fishing floating bread or dog biscuits in the margins or where the fish can be seen cruising can be effective, particularly in the summer months. Margin fishing is helped by the lush grasses which prove plenty of cover.

For those fishing on the bottom or mid-water, most popular baits so far have tended to be sweetcorn, luncheon meat and maggots, although it is well worth trying flavoured pellet baits, worms and casters. As one would expect, casters can be a very productive bait for the rudd when fished light just under the surface in summer.

Although keepnets are only allowed in matches, groundbait can be used, although for best effect this should be mixed with samples of hookbait and fed fairly sparsely.

How to get there...

From the west or south, Three Island Lake is approached from the A41 or A4251, the A41 being reached from Junction 9 of the M40 motorway.

Whichever road you choose, on entering Aylesbury follow the signs for the A413 towards Winslow and turn right off the A413 just before Whitchurch. Follow the signs for Cublington and then Stewkley and the entrance to Mount Pleasant Farm is on the right just before you enter Stewkeley.

From the north, leave the M1 motorway at Junction 13 and follow the A4012 to Leighton Buzzard. At Leighton Buzzard you want the A4146 and then the B4012 for Soulbury and Stewkley. When you reach Stewkley, turn left into High Street and right into Dunton Road. Mount Pleasant Farm is clearly signed a short drive down here on the left.

Please note that the property shown on the Multimap image is for the neighbouring premises. Three Island Lake is at Mount Pleasant Farm which is clearly marked.

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