craigmarky

New carp added to the small lake and to the large carp lake. from the website today

Was chating to a guy i used to go to school with he did a 24 hour sesion sat night sunday and had two around 13lb

Thanks for the info, been a very busy week this week so didnt make it over. Will definately be over for a walk about tommorow though and possibly a sesion next week on weds or thurs.

Anything to report since you been there.Might pop over to say hi tommorow if weather aint as bad.

Have a look on there website usualy quite a bit info on there and lot tips and helpful stuff from fellow anglers to be had on there forum.

And they wouldnt be the only carp water in the country to be day ticket for bigger harder to catch fish. Look at the Blue bell complex

Well thats because it is not a commercial water. The main carp lake is not an easy runs commercial water i think i said that above. Its a serious water where if you catch its very very likely that you will catch at minium a high double figure carp with a good chance it will be 20lb plus. Please also bear in mind that the majority of the carp were only placed into the lake in May this year. They are attempting to make this lake into a big fish water. When you talk to the guys in the shop they are very clear and honest that its not a commercial runs water, they certainly dont pretend it to be. Also the stock was just over 100 transfered into the lake with a pre existing unknown number of originals from its days as a trout lake.

Ok so just a bit of an update on this place Westmill Lakes or Ribb valley fisheries in ware. I now live almost directly opposite these lakes and i cyle up there once a week and i am about to start fishing again after a few months layed off with illness. Basically the larget lake Ribb Lake (used to be the trut lake). Had all the trout removed and the big carp that were present were left in here and at the same time all the carp fro Millenium Lake were transfered to Rib Lake along with those in the small Lake Westmill lake. Thus making Rib lake a purpose Carp fishery. The stock does include carp to mid 30s. There were just over 100 carp all double figure and 20s transfered into the lake from the other two lakes plus the original unknow carp stock which includes the 30s. Also present are tench, pike and mixxed silver fish. There are also still a small number of carp being caught regular in Westmill Lake. At the same time the rules have been simplified. Boilles are now allowed (they were not b4). The Millenium lake is now the trout lake although you can fish this in summer for course (whats left) and carp may be transfered to Ribb. The small lake westmill is a mixxed course pleasure fishery (some carp) lots of good qulity tench. The onsite tackle shop is where you go to get tickets and you must pre book night fishing which is £20 for 3 rods for 24 hours. The shop is well stocked with bait, terminal tackle, rods, reels, clothing, lugage and bivies on display. Also present is a cafe (hot and cold food, licensed bar) and there are nice comfy lodges and toilets and showers near each lake (which have recently seen refurbishment). There is a full list of rules and prices on the website simply google rib valley fishing or angling and you will get it and there is a link on the westmill farm home page too. As i say i live opposite the lakes and last week i visited 4 times between sunday and thursday. Now i will be honest the lake is not easy. It is most certainly not a runs water. On the Sunday there were a lot of Anglers present but in the hour plus i was there no one caught, i spoke to one guy who had been there since 9am that day and he said he had not seen anything. I walked the lake an additional two times that week and i must say during the week there were hardly any anglers present and those that were present were mostly match anglers. So not much presure. Now i have not seen any of the carp head and tailing and jumping but i did i did see some good sighns of movement. Most of the anglers i have observed are doing similar or the same thing casting at and around the first island.

Ok so just a bit of an update on this place Westmill Lakes or Ribb valley fisheries in ware. I now live almost directly opposite these lakes and i cyle up there once a week and i am about to start fishing again after a few months layed off with illness. Basically the larget lake Ribb Lake (used to be the trut lake). Had all the trout removed and the big carp that were present were left in here and at the same time all the carp fro Millenium Lake were transfered to Ribb Lake along with those in the small Lake Westmill lake. Thus making Ribb lake a purpose Carp fishery i believe the stock to include carp to mid 30s. At the same time the rules have been simplified. Boilles are now allowed (they were not b4). The Millenium lake is now the trout lake although you can fish this in summer for course (whats left) and carp may be transfered to Ribb. The small lake westmill is a mixxed course pleasure fishery (some carp) lots of good qulity tench. The onsite tackle shop is where you go to get tickets and you must pre book night fishing which is £20 for 3 rods for 24 hours. The shop is well stocked with bait, terminal tackle, rods, reels, clothing, lugage and bivies on display. Also present is a cafe (hot and cold food, licensed bar) and there are nice comfy lodges and toilets and showers near each lake (which have recently seen refurbishment). There is a full list of rules and prices on the website simply google ribb valley fishing or angling and you will get it and there is a link on the westmill farm home page to.

Anyone fished here recently. Sadly for me after getting back into my fishing early in year i have then suffered a load my health, family issues and dramas that stoped me fishing from about April until now so i am just about to get back out there

Any recent info

Thanks for that wayne you helped me decide to never fish it or never recomend it to anyone not great advertising they wont thank you if they know you. Plenty of other places where they are upto 30s and good looking in Herts and you can acctual not struggle to blank at most times of year. I would accept blanking in 3 nigts and four days if i were fishing for 30s-50s in big lakes but certainly not this small place for thi size. Give it a miss i think, thanks for the tip

Well i think your probably right about the flooding i would imagine that would havea lot weed, grass, leaves, tree cliping etc moving around on the bottom. Dont know if anyone was trying it but i think zigs might be startying to come into play to

It has not been Bowmans or run by the same persons for a number of years. There were some issues with KHV again many years ago and yes they have have had issues with water levels which has also been down to being next to the gravel washing works and out of the control of those that run the venue. Also the situation regarding water levels has been much improved the last year. No i dont have my eyes closed everytime i have been there i have never seen or heard of a theft, seen what you call a pikey, never seen prostitutes, not seen the bins overflowing or seen the water full of dead fish and to the best of my knowledge no one has come on here claiming to have been robed and or reported it to the police in recent times. I must now ask for your evidence that it was responsible for introducing khv to the colne valley? That alligation is exactly what i am talking about. It is a dangerous and damaging one which is the kind of thing you or this forum could indeed be sued for without proof/evidence. I welcome that people have an opion and some like or dislike a venue but all i am asking is when making alegations people have proof or its bassed on a first hand experience not the gossip and stories that have been doing the mill from back in the days the venue was Bowmans. That was years ago and i simply giving the other side of the story for people to make a balanced decision which is i have never experienced any of thoseallegations. It is possible that things can change or improve. No where and nothing in life is perfect but should not always be str8 away writen off. Its not the only place that has had or does have problems many do. Its a commercial fishery for those without the money for memberships, syndicates or more expensive day or night tickets. I know two summer ago the water level was very very bad but i also know that was the same story at other lakes in Herts.

Number one i fished this plce numerous time over a five year period as have lots of friends of mine and quite a few guys on here none of us have ever been there when any sort of theft has ever occured or ever come on here with a specific example of that, a hooker, a pikey. Also i never seen rubish bins over filled when i been but i have seen guys walking the banks looking for rubbish as for the sore on one of the fish that can occur on many day ticket fisheries and even on syndis. Come back with a specific example you can prove of what you all allege goes on!!! Sooner of latter as a result of unproven things people keep writing which are stories they heard from a bloke that heard from a bloke that happened once x ammount of years ago and people have chatted about since someone is going to sue one of these forums or a member for damages to a business. If somone goes to a venue and has a specific example they are willing to back that fine. Or pictures of something they saw again fine. What i dont think is fair is people to just write "what a dump", "dont go there you get your gear nicked" etc etc Dont want you to think i am picking a fight or deliberately singleing you out it happens in a lot of disscussions. People are welcome to there opions but i just think that the way we put them across needs to be accurate, balance and proveable when we might be posting someting which can damage a person business. I am in no one connected to any of the people at this fishery its a general comment. I enjoy this forum and i think people need to be careful not to get it in trouble.

Bayford Lake (near hertford, pre booking only at all times to stop being to crowded. Barbless hooks only and no nuts. Its mainly singles and doubles a few 20s i told a 30 and def lots cats, quite small). Holwell Hyde (welwyn Garden City, day fishing just turn up, nights have to be pre booked. Can be good runs water a bit bigger than a bit bigger than above. Simlar size fish though i'd say few more high doubles and 20s. I am fishing it tommorow. Pixxes mere (winkwell. Never fished it myself beautiful lake 4 or 5 known 30s in there. Got own website with rules etc on. Banjo Lake (stansted Abbotts, run by lea valley heavily stocked mostly low doubles i believe they go to mid/high 30s used to be a lot of big fish but suffered a bad kill few years ago now well on way to recovery. Has a website to) Three lakes/Westmill Lakes (near ware theres two course/carp lakes one more specimen carp than the other. No boillies or nuts again has own website. Nights must be booked i believe)

I'm Surprised that you only had two out because the weather really looked great for it but then the floods may have had a massive effect. Look forward to seeing the pics

Hi mate welcome to the forum. Catch 22 has a website which i believe has a map and some details of depths and swims and rules and prices etc. Good looking place i am thinking about it too.

Wishing you luck for today mate.

Hey there dude glad you having a few. Have a great night hope you get a few more tonight. Dont forget a few pics for us dude cheers. Good luck

Good luck paul keep us informed mate i plan a few sesions soon. If u got a few pics of what the waters look like at the moment.

Sounds quite worrying

Personally i am similar to you i use two rigs mainly one for bottom baits and one for pop ups. Both have been refined slightly over the years through changing hook patern or hooklink, addition or tube and shrink tube but there basically simple rigs that work and i confident on. I tend to just refine my rigs not change them completly. By that i mean increse length hair the length of hooklink if i struggling hook pulls or missed takes.

Are they really one lake, cause that would require huge ammounts of water from what i can remeber of the place. OMG thats amazing i can remember last time i were there boyt two years ago that the match and farm were having very much the opposite problem. I think that may ruin the farm lake which is a shame that was probably my favourite lake.

You are fishing the hardest of all three of the lakes on the complex. The deep lake the smallest holds the lowest stock level and the biggest fish. Blanking on there in winter and spring is not unusal. Personaly from experience fishing there at this time of year i would recomend the Farm lake which is the medium size one with the island at the back of the complex. This lake also holds quite a few 20 and the od 30 and i have witnessed guys fishing it at this time of year take 5 20s in 48 and dozens of doubles to high teens i once did 12 hours on there in March fishing from the last swim next to the boat jetty towards the snags on the edge of the island using small bags of pva with plastice corn hookbaits. Also dont be shy of droping a rod close the margins esp near the inlet pipe in the area where you arent allowed to set up. Its out of bounds to set up but not to fish. Another tactic near this island is to spod particularly late spring/early summer and v late summer/early Autumn. If you go on the big lake th Match lake it used to have a huge stock of carp mostly singles and low doubles there are twenties in there though. No real features in most of this lake and very open i found fish into the wind being a good idea except in very cold winds. Spoding very heavy in spring summer again can be a blinder.