danm1

Don't know anything about Holywell Hyde......Willows, only know what I picked up from a mate who fished the BCAC on there - full of fish in the match lake, but average size isn't anything to get excited about........Westmill/Rib Valley - I use the tackle shop there a lot - fantastic service and good people, but I don't know much about the lakes - if you call the tackle shop, I'm sure they'll give you some honest thoughts.

The cheapest way of getting across mate is definitely the Tunnel. Use Tesco Clubcard tokens to pay for it and each token's value is trebled! So you can generally get your return crossing for under £50 in clubcard vouchers. SpeedFerries used to do return crossings for £50, but think they've ceased training. Was also not a great option as if it was a bit rough, they couldn't run the catamaran, and you were stuffed!

I've been there several times. I liked it - wouldn't have said it was particularly hard - least I caught in a week was 11 fish, most 22. The fish generally showed a lot. Last time I went - 3 years back - I was plagued by tench on boilies - strangely a switch to plastic corn started to single out the carp?!!

Have you been? Hope it went well?

I fished it a few times a few years back. Even in the depths of winter, a couple of grains of plastic corn fished method-style made it hard to keep two rods in the water. The fish may have grown since then, but back then they were mainly in the 4-8lb bracket.

I'm guessing the third one was the Nash missing link - I just couldn't see it whatever colour background I changed to.

Not me personally, but I know a couple of people who have. To be fair, they didn't have anything bad to say about it. (They fished the big lake - the match lake I think it's called?)

Has anyone been to this venue? Heard mixed reviews on it from other forums - just wondered what your experiences had been please.

Not really. It's a local club that has been built by people in the area. Why would they want to let folk in from outside the area that "want in" because of what the longer term members have achieved.

Suspected that'd be the case - was always "open" to locals.

Is that just for Associates outside the 12 mile radius from the Cross? Or for locals?

You have got loads of lakes down there sir! Have you had a butchers at the C&DAS ticket - have always been some cracking fish in there. The Southern Leisure Centre (as was) - also in Chi - has some great waters too. Westhampnett (now CEMEX) is a good shout. Plenty of options around the Horsham/Crawley area too - although don't know those personally.

Is there any truth in the local rumour that the place had a confirmed case of KHV?

I thought it closed a while back? That said, I found this elsewhere.....dating back to middle of last year....... "astwoodbank angeling club has taken the vale over and they didn't take all the fish out. its now being run as a sydicate water with only a few spaces left there has been alot over 25lbs out in the last 2 months alone if anyony wants more info then go to astwoodbankac.co.uk and give the head bailiff a ring" http://www.astwoodbankac.co.uk/

Not really mate. I've caught every time (3 weekends only) I've been there. They seem to get caught on all sorts. Probably a bit late now, but well worth keeping an eye out for fish sub-surface - they are very partial to a floater in there (if you can keep the birds at bay).

Talk about bum information!! Lesters died a good few years ago and Plodder is no more either! There are only 6 of the old history fish in there now! (Or at least there were last month when I last spoke about the place with a mate who knows it inside out!) Jerry's, Sandy, Sandy's mate, Red-Cheeks, the Long Common and Baby Plodder. None of them are massive (mid 30's at best?) All cracking fish though - proper history fish. The club mullered it last year - all of the trees have been chopped right back and it's not the place it once was.

Worth having a good look round the North Met before you decide it's for you. Lovely looking venue, some great fish - just worth sussing out if you think it'll suit you.

For the life of me, I cannot imagine how you could possibly get a tangled rig when using a bait-boat! And why would a running rig be more likely to tangle than, presumably, a fixed lead?

Agree with the other posters. Tubing was used in the days were we used Dacron and then the uncoated (very supple) braids - all of which were notorious for tangling (unless you used helicopter style set-ups). With many of the popular rigs these days being based around relatively stiff fluorocarbons or coated-braids, there really isn't any need for tubing to my mind. How often do you stand next to your mate when he's casting and you're both looking intently to see if it tangled! Say no more!

OK - I'll rephrase it....."there are lots of lakes in the area, but there are few I'd personally fish and those have very few carp in".

Lots of lakes, not many carp though. Have you thought of studying something at the uni so you can be together?

Not sure of the official reason I'm afraid. However, my own experience was that it was very unpredictable. Some rigs tied with it gave me no issues - others would "fail" for no apparent reason. I stopped using it over a year ago - other than for mending the holes in my landing net.

No, sorry - but would be interesting to hear what gets shared with you.

Horseshoe isn't expensive - has to be one of the best priced day-ticket venues around at £20 for 24hrs - for the stock of fish in it? I fished it a couple of weeks ago - the same weekend of the CCMoore event. Think the only fish caught came from Winter Bay. I lost one in Summer Bay. The weed is pretty heavy in there - and there were a lot of swims closed because of the weed (and more because of the CCMoore event). Were told it'd been fishing really badly for a few weeks since spawning. When we went we rang the office and they were very helpful with latest info.

Have a look on the BCAC website - first semi was held there the weekend just gone.