craigmarky Posted January 15, 2007 Report Share Posted January 15, 2007 Hi there guys Just wondering if anyone has been fishing Willows Lakes in St Albans. Does anyone know what the water levels are like, how its fishing, what people have been catching, what baits are good at the moment. Any info would be great. thanks craig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigmarky Posted January 16, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 16, 2007 I have managed to find out the swims down by the cause way on the match lake produced loads this last week included a 24lb and 25lb and the farm lake produced a 26lb and 21lb last week Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mwalden Posted March 28, 2008 Report Share Posted March 28, 2008 I have managed to find out the swims down by the cause way on the match lake produced loads this last week included a 24lb and 25lb and the farm lake produced a 26lb and 21lb last week hi ya i am planning to fish the match lake on the bank closest the fields and opposite willow farm, is that a good area? can u help me with baits, or any different areas if possible?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gsd Posted March 29, 2008 Report Share Posted March 29, 2008 Hi sorry to hi-jack your thread but I have not heard of these lakes before is it somewhere near bowmans? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gidneyboy Posted March 29, 2008 Report Share Posted March 29, 2008 Hi sorry to hi-jack your thread but I have not heard of these lakes before is it somewhere near bowmans? They are Bowmans lakes mate, changed their name a couple of years back now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gsd Posted March 31, 2008 Report Share Posted March 31, 2008 Hi sorry to hi-jack your thread but I have not heard of these lakes before is it somewhere near bowmans? They are Bowmans lakes mate, changed their name a couple of years back now. just shows how out of date I am then pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mwalden Posted April 4, 2008 Report Share Posted April 4, 2008 hi ya yeah bowmans lake is now called willow farm!! they have a farm lake, match lake and the deep lake? can u help me out on either the farm lake or deep? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigmarky Posted April 19, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 19, 2008 fished the farm lake quite a fe times an there are some very big and good looking carp in there to the mid 30s unless they have gone bigger. Lot high doubles and twenties and less pressure than the deep lake as people tend to go deep as there are a lot more 30s in there and the farm is a lot bigger too. I had a lot of success fishing down the last swim by the causeway and casting towards the snags on far corne of the island and also walking my lines down into the areas that you can not set up in again not pressured. I mainly fished couple bits of corn and a piece pop up corn in a pva bag. Not sure if that tactic still works as been a while since last thre i been in Austalia the past year and not back until June. Hows the water levels over there these days, anyone heard any catch reports, whats happening down ther eetc? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gidneyboy Posted April 19, 2008 Report Share Posted April 19, 2008 Not one of my favorite waters, but i do fish the deep lake a few times a year, mainly for the cats and a social with 3 or 4 mates who target the deep lake all year round. I have got 4 nights planned on there at the end of the week. The water levels are the best they have been for years on all three lakes. I have not heard any reports on how the farm lake is fishing. The match lake fished it's pants off a few weekends ago apparently with plenty of fish to mid twenties being caught. On the deep lake the stockies have been on the munch for a month or so now with plenty of fish to the low twenties being caught but only from certain areas. The bigger fish are just starting to show now. My mate had a 31lb 7oz common last weekend and i have heard of another one or two high twenties low thirties being caught. The cats have not started to show yet as far as i am aware but hopefully they will wake up for the weekend Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigmarky Posted April 20, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 20, 2008 Thats fantastic to hear about the water levels i remember early summer 2006 there was a pump taking water the farm lake and the match lake got so low that it was two lakes in places (mostly to do with the gravel washing plant that was next door i am lead to believe).Will have to head down when i get back to the UK from here in Australia in June. Please keep us informed everyone how its fishing i would really appreciate it. BTW do they still have a website, whats the address? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gidneyboy Posted April 20, 2008 Report Share Posted April 20, 2008 Don't believe all you were told about where the water was going mate:wink: I know what was really going on and it was a mixture of a couple of things and to be honest i am a little stumped to how they have recovered so well considing what the real reason was. It will be interesting to see what happens when we have another good summer I had better leave it there! As for the web site it has been off line now for 6 months or more so not sure what is happening there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bod7 Posted July 4, 2008 Report Share Posted July 4, 2008 looking to get my first session (24hr) in this weekend for 18 months!!!! used to get a bad vibe from willows with thefts during the night. do you know/heard if this is still happening? hoping to stay local(ish) to welwyn but everywhere I used to go is booked up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigmarky Posted July 9, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 9, 2008 Simple answer really i fished here many times at night over last 4 years and never seen any theft, violence or any the rubish i have heard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
highongt Posted July 9, 2008 Report Share Posted July 9, 2008 The place has alot of fish but it is one hell of a hole in the ground. I went up to it last week to take a friend fishing who had never been befroe so he could get a few runs. It was packed sp people were fishing stupidly close together. Safe to say i went somewhere else (grand union) and we had a few carp anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shanef Posted February 4, 2009 Report Share Posted February 4, 2009 greetings is there any news on willow farm lakes? i am thinking of "hitting" them hard this coming year, especially the deep lake, nee dto get some good un's under me belt would also like some news on the usual rumours thieft, after dark visitors etc, and of course catch reports etc? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gidneyboy Posted February 5, 2009 Report Share Posted February 5, 2009 Spoke to one of the regulars on the deep a week or so ago. The odd mid double stockie getting caught at the moment but not a lot else. Bait wise them fish will eat anything, from what i hear Dynamites squid and octopus catches a good few and in the summer it's well worth fishing with particles. The fish don't really react well to big beds of bait so a little and often approach is the way to go, unless they are really having it. As for the theft side of things, I have not heard of anything like that happening on the deep for nearly 2 years, but i don't fish there a lot so i might not get to hear about everything. The regulars are a fairly tight bunch down there now and keep quite a close eye on things, so most days and nights you will normally find at least one of them on there fishing. It you are going to target the deep then it would be a good idea to get in with the regulars like Rob, Noel (the mad paddy)and Dave the baliff. All nice enough blokes but be prepaired to have your ear chewed off cause them blokes can talk lol. It is easy to spot Rob and dave as they have satellite dishes on a poles outside their bivvy's and in the winter dirty great big gas bottles outside to. In the summer the place is always packed, and you will have to get lucky to get on any of the so called hot swims from the pipe down to premier. I always find if there are lots of lines in the water then the swim to fish is isolation in the far corner, especially if the wind is blowing into that corner. I would fish 1 rod tight to the bush at about 100yards on the back bank. There are also a couple of nice gravel spots to the left (roughly in line with the far end of the island) and out about 20-30 yards that seem to be on a patrol route in the summer that are well worth finding. I have caught numerous fish off these patches and all of them have come between an hour before and an hour after dawn. One of the better ones from the gravel patches i was on about. 28lb 12oz One other thing don't put your rods too close to water as the water level can go up 2 or 3 feet overnight if they are pumping in, and you could well wake up with your alarms under water. Seen it happen more than once Hope it helps mate and good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacknrg Posted March 10, 2009 Report Share Posted March 10, 2009 what tacitics work well at willows i have fished it twice now and blanked i was fishing the smallest lake next to the shop casting to the reeds on the opposite bank with a simple bolt rig,bollie on the hair and a pva bag of pellets what am i doing wrong? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigmarky Posted March 11, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2009 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacknrg Posted March 11, 2009 Report Share Posted March 11, 2009 thanks craig ill give that a try as for hook bait what works well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gidneyboy Posted March 11, 2009 Report Share Posted March 11, 2009 Craig last few times i have walked round willows, the water levels are that high, the match and farm lakes are now one lake. Jack the fish in all them lakes have seen just about everything bait wise and will eat just about anything. If you just want to catch fish then as craig said fish the match lake, you have got to be really unlucky or just rubbish if you consistanly blank on there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pault29 Posted March 11, 2009 Report Share Posted March 11, 2009 Hi Guys, I've fished Willows quite a lot in the past but haven't been for a while now. I used to have some luck on the match lake pulling out a few late teen carp. I'm planning on going this friday till sunday but not sure where is best (especially this time of year). I was thinking the match lake again, up the end near the deep lake? Any thoughts where's best at the mo? Also anyone know how much 3 rods for 24 hours costs there now? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigmarky Posted March 11, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2009 Craig last few times i have walked round willows, the water levels are that high, the match and farm lakes are now one lake. Jack the fish in all them lakes have seen just about everything bait wise and will eat just about anything. If you just want to catch fish then as craig said fish the match lake, you have got to be really unlucky or just rubbish if you consistanly blank on there. 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alvino121 Posted March 11, 2009 Report Share Posted March 11, 2009 I went to Willows last week and fished on the farm lake, i didnt get a single bite! i spoke to a couple of ppl there and they said the farm lake had flooded a week before and not to fish there untill the water levels go down. I noticed that the match and farm lake were one as well. I went the day after and someone was on the match lake with three rods and had not had one bite for 4hrs. I will prob go back nxt week to see how its fishing so will let you know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacknrg Posted March 11, 2009 Report Share Posted March 11, 2009 alvino what rig were you fishing and were on the farm lake were you fishing thanks jack Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacknrg Posted March 12, 2009 Report Share Posted March 12, 2009 hi i went to willows today the match and farm lake are flooded so its just one big lake and most of the swims on the match lake are flooded up to the trees and the dug out swims on the farm lake are flooded. i spoke to a guy on the match lake he was fishing maggot in a feeder and he had had a few roach and perch. jack Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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