Nine Oaks Angling Centre - time is precious, use it fishing!

Nine Oaks has 3 Carp lakes, a Main lake of about 1 acre, an ½ acre House pool and a small Novices pool. There are Carp into the mid-20’s but we are not a "big Carp" water; If it is big Carp that you are after then this venue is probably not for you.

However, if you prefer a good day’s fishing catching plenty of Carp around ½lb and over then this place would be hard to better.

If you preference is fishing with heavy "big pit" gear and 10lb+ lines then this venue does not fish well with this approach. Light gear, small float, floating Bread, floating dog biscuits or other baits or fishing on the bottom can produce some spectacular sport.

Luncheon meat, paste, pellets, small boilies, dog biscuits (floating or sinking) and maggots are also good baits.

Other excellent baits include cockles, muscles and prawns (not in preservative), spiced baits including luncheon meat with turmeric or curry powder fished on the bottom or ledger style are tremendous. Late summer, fish with black slugs as bait!

One visiting angler using the top-three sections of his pole and "go-Cat" biscuits bait banded with no float truly had an outstanding day. Regularly loose feeding Go-Cat biscuits close-in he caught Carp all-day, from ½lb up to 14lb, with a total of 109 Carp - fantastic!

Whilst we have Carp into the mid-20’s we don’t claim to be a "big Carp" water. What we have is excellent Carp fishing venue with the average Carp being around 5-6lb. We have all varieties of Carp - Fully scaled Mirrors, Mirrors, Commons, Koi, Koi hybrids, Mirror & Common Ghosties plus Grass Carp. The anglers that do well all use light tackle, not big heavy hooks or heavy line like "anchor rope", a medium weight size 10, 6-8lb main line and the clutch set properly on their reel. Not sure how to set your clutch, ask Bill and he will show you?

Some of our regulars can produce unbelievable days fishing, one who fishes with fresh sausage in the margins, a poor day for him would be 18 Carp caught within 12" of the bank! Another, fishes only surface fishing with bread; his best day was that in 1 circuit of the Main Lake, in the early morning he caught 36 Carp, with most being doubles! This is awesome fishing anywhere. Other anglers use fly-rod, fly line and leader with a bait-banded dog biscuit for some fantastic sport of the surface. Check here for a little more on fly fishing for Carp.

We don’t recommend using heavy weight rods of 2 ¼lb test curve and above, however it is your choice. For the best fishing with the "adrenaline rush" feeling when your rod bends like you never knew it could; use a quality match rod, light tackle and your clutch set and just wait for some spectacular action; That’s good fishing!

In 2006 an article in the fishing magazine "Improve your Coarse Fishing" on surface fishing for Carp, Nine Oaks was chosen as one of the best 6 fisheries in England and Wales. No mean achievement for a "small fishery"? If you like the adrenaline "buzz" of hard fighting fish where even the smaller fish think they are bigger, then Nine Oaks is definitely worth a try?

At Nine Oaks, the best methods are the simple ones. Those anglers that come here with heavy, big pit gear rarely catch many Carp. We say that big Carp don’t become big by being stupid, they become big by being canny.

They know they’re your quarry, what and why you’re there, and so you will have to "out smart" them. Fishing with a light rod (for maximum experience, an adrenaline rush, and fun), a maximum of 8lb bs line, 6lb or thereabouts is best. Early mornings, in the afternoons and evenings surface fish with bread, dog biscuits etc. Soft hookable, floating dog biscuits like Baker’s Beef or Chicken or bait banded dog biscuits like Chum Mixer, size 10 hook with a Fly rod, Fly line and leader, it should be really good.

We think it you will find it the most fun, fully fressed, standing up that you’ve ever had! Try ledger fishing a dog biscuit as a "pop-up" which is an excellent bait and method. Other good baits include sweetcorn, luncheon meat, paste, beef tongue (in tins), fresh or frozen cockles, muscles or prawn in the margins (not those in preservatives) , Worm and Maggots will catch plenty of good Roach and Bream. Most anglers fish the margins, and quite a few regulars stalk the Carp throughout the day.