Newland Hall

[stevew1805]

Hi chaps.

 

As some of you may know, I am building a carp angling blog. One of the features of the blog is a review of every venue I fish, together with my angling companion, Lord West, as we slowly fish our way across Southern England. Below is my first review, and I would be very grateful to you if you could let me know any thoughts you may have and if you think it is something of value. You might forgive me for not mentioning bait?

 

It struck me when writing the first review that they will all contain very similar sections: location, venue condition, pricing and so on - I have therefore created a template which I have used to write the review of last weekend's session.

 

The last section, entitled: "The Exploits of Lord West", may be skipped as it is not really part of the review. It is more a character I am trying to develop for a book. You are, of course, free to read it and, should you do so, I would be interested to know if you enjoyed it or if it bored your fishing hats off!

 

Many thanks in advance,

 

S

 

 

Newland Hall – Brook Lake

 

Roxwell

Chelmsford

Essex

CM1 4LH

 

Telephone: 01245 230202

Fax: 01245 231463

Web Site: http://www.newlandhallfishery.co.uk/index.htm

 

 

Pricing

 

These prices cover anglers for two rods. A third rod may be used at the discretion of the Bailiff. An additional charge of £3.00 per session will apply.

 

Monday to Friday day ticket (06.00 - 18.00): £8.00

Sunday to Thursday night ticket (18.00 - 06.00): £8.00

Saturday to Sunday day ticket (06.00 - 18.00): £9.00

Friday & Saturday night ticket (18.00 - 06.00): £9.00

Half weekday session - Monday to Friday (12.00 - 18.00): £5.00

 

Concessions

 

Juniors (16 and under), OAP's and the disabled will qualify for a £2.00 discount per session.. However, there is a minimum charge of £6.00 and proof will be required to qualify for the discount.

 

 

Access

 

 

The Brook Lake requires a walk of around 100 yards from the car park to the waterside, which is approached from the West. The walk could be significantly increased should you decide to fish on the far, Southern bank.

 

 

Water Details and Fish Stock

 

The Brook Lake is pegged for 50. It is heavily stocked with common and mirror carp up to 30lb, roach and tench. There are only one or two carp over 30lbs, several “twenties”, lots of “doubles”, and many more single figure fish. The average stamp of fish is around the 8lb mark, and I would definitely class it as an easy or “runs” water.

 

The lake lies from East to West and is a vague 600 to 800 yards long. In total, I would say it is four to five acres in size. It is a crude, elongated, rectangular shape and is perhaps 120 yards at its widest point. There is an island at the Western end which is approximately 70 yards from each bank. From the island, a bar runs all the way to the Eastern bay and is around 50 yards from the North bank. The bar is only a mild gravel undulation on the bottom and is not more than two or three feet high. Other parts of the bottom are silted with an average depth of around six or seven feet. In Winter there was no sign of weed, which makes the water extremely snag free. The prevailing wind would seem to be from West to East.

 

The island is the only obvious, immediately visual feature, but the margins look, and are, prime spots for fish. The lake is surrounded by old, overhanging trees, brambles, and reeds. A bait quietly and well presented in the margin areas will almost certainly yield fish, just so long as there is minimal waterside disturbance..

 

I get the impression that the carp, if not disturbed, will patrol around the island and then along the gravel bar to the Eastern bay. However, the island acts as a magnet to anglers, some of whom are none too quiet, which can push the fish into the less obvious areas of the lake. I made a good inspection of the water and the only fish I saw rolling were away from the island to the East. This was accompanied by heavy bubbling at first light. There is a very good case to be made against fishing in the most obvious, island swims, and seeking out the quieter areas.

 

The swims vary considerably in size, with several double swims available, but also many singles, some of which are “tight”.

 

As we fished in the cold of February there were not too many other anglers on the bank, but I imagine the Spring and Summer will see the swims full and the noise levels almost intolerable.

 

 

Venue Condition

 

The approach road and car park are heavily pot holed and have been for several years. One pot hole accounted for my companion's oil sump almost ten years ago, and to this day he bears an understandable grudge against it. The car park itself is muddy and very prone to water-logging, as is the path to the lake.

 

The swims are much neglected, and when Lord West and I were there shortly after heavy rain, many were almost completely under water. They urgently need attention, even if just to make them level.

 

There is litter and rubbish all over the venue which, in the warmer months, must surely attract a large number of rats.

 

There are several bailiffs as far as I could see, and these vary from the open and friendly, to the sullen and uncommunicative. The owners do not appear interested in investing in the water, and this shows. On the opposite bank to Lord West and I were a collection of seven teenagers, only one of whom was fishing. The others made a great deal of noise and commotion, but were not moved on or moderated even when the bailiff ventured past them.

 

It is very, very clear that this venue has been neglected for several years. Bad behaviour is tolerated by the authorities, some fish have clearly been mistreated in the past, and no attempt has been made to keep the place clear of litter, or in good fishing condition. This is all a great shame as the lake and surroundings could be very pretty given a chance and a little work. Sorry Newland Hall owners – but you are not managing this venue very well, or even at all; and the proof is in evidence everywhere.

 

 

Session Details

 

Lord West and I fished the lake in late February at a time when the weather had become relatively mild after a very cold snap. The prior week or two had seen freezing conditions, but at the time of our visit the temperature was over ten degrees centigrade during the day and no lower than five at night. The nights were calm with virtually no wind, and the days saw a slight breeze which put a modest ripple onto the water.

 

We selected a double swim on the North bank as The Noble Lord and I are social angling companions. Owing to the time of year, we did not pre-bait the swims in front, preferring instead to fish with small PVA bags in order to gauge the feeding behaviour of the fish. We did however lightly bait the margins to our left and right. Unfortunately for me, another pair of anglers appeared further along my margin and, prior even to inspecting the lake, threw in large quantities of boilies, which proved a bad move as Lord West was highly successful in his margin whilst mine proved almost dead. This would seem to have been a bad case of over feeding in Winter and putting the fish off as a result.

 

Lord West and I fished two days and one night from a Friday. The Noble Lord, being the better angler, bagged the greater number of fish, but between us we managed twenty carp from 3lbs to 17.5lbs. In total, we must have fooled some 80lbs of fish – all gently cared for and returned safely.

 

We used identical tactics and bait. A simple, semi-fixed bolt rig was employed with a short, braided hook length. The line behind the lead was sleeved in green tubing for a distance of two feet. We also used flying back leads, and tethered back leads to try and ensure as much of our fifteen pound monofilament mainline remained as tight to the bottom as possible. This proved successful, but when such back leading was not used we experienced several line bites and I fear we may have spooked some fish from our frontal swims.

 

During the day, the fish seemed to feed in spells of perhaps two hours each, and then “went off”. These spells did not seem to be sparked by any change in weather or conditions so far as I could tell. After dark, the Noble Lord had almost non-stop action with his margin rod from evening until around mid-night; although most of the fish were of the smaller size. In the end we ceased using the margin rod in order to get some much needed sleep.

 

It may seem counter-intuitive, but we did well to keep away from the island and its noisy, bank side inhabitants. We took some fine fish from the gravel bar in front by the use of back leads, and small PVA bags. The margin was fruitful when not over-baited, and our haul was most satisfying given the time of year.

 

 

Summary

 

The Brook Lake must be regarded as an easy lake to fish, and even a novice should catch. It does hold some nice fish, although many bear the scars of amateur or ignorant anglers, and very poor water management.

 

The venue could be a picture given a little time and treasure. However, the water is neglected, badly managed, strewn with litter, unnecessarily water-logged, and, as a result of the litter, infested with rats.

 

In Summer I imagine the water will be extremely busy with all kinds of anglers; from the serious, to the plain stupid. In Winter however, it is much quieter; there are fewer rats and intellectually challenged teenagers, and with a little care some splendid Common or Mirror carp may be taken.

 

Newland Hall Brook Lake has great potential, but I fear this will never be realised until such times as the owners take it seriously and invest. Sadly, I do not think this is going to happen any time soon.

 

 

The Exploits of Lord West

 

The Noble Lord is a kindly fellow, steeped in angling experience and piscatorial lore. Some people keep their experience to themselves, but Lord West is never happier than when he is passing on samples of his vast store of angling knowledge to those less expert than he. He spent much of the first day of our trip holding forth and impressing upon me the crucial importance of water craft. At dawn on the second morning, I was awoken from my slumber by a quiet scratching on my bivvie door. I climbed slowly into the chilly air to find a silhouetted Noble Lord looking keen and alarmingly fresh. His hat was pulled down to its customary jaunt, and he was holding his old telescope.

 

“I'm going to look for fish Old Chap.” he told me as he rubbed his hands together and breathed through frosty breath.

“Are you coming?”

“Err, right ho” I said with more enthusiasm than I felt. I rubbed my eyes and felt for my spectacles as I made a vain attempt to nudge myself awake.

 

The Lord made a slow and quietly stepping way to our left; his long, angular legs bending and creaking as he went. I followed slowly in his train blinking and thinking of coffee.

 

“Ah ha” he said quietly as he alighted upon a tall and old oak which was leaning precariously over the misty lake. In one silent bound his lean figure ascended to the first branch. He cut a keen and surprisingly nimble outline in the gloom as he hauled himself up to a likely perch. Once there, he remained perfectly and majestically still as he covered the lake with his eye piece.

 

Before long I saw his crunched body tense and I followed his gaze to a patch of reeds perhaps forty yards further along the margin.

“Fish” he whispered quietly. “Big fish”.

 

Without a sound he descended from his arboured lair and took my arm.

“One hundred and fifty, The Wonder, bread, net” he said simply, and I knew from long experience that The Noble Lord had told me how old the tree was and instructed me to retrieve some items of tackle from our camp.

 

“The Wonder” is his favourite carp rod. Made by the late and very great Richard Walker, it is eleven feet in length, made of polished split cane and built very much along the lines of the Mark IV. Its full title is “Walker's Wonder”, and it was tackled up to a centre pin reel (from Messrs Knot and Crabtree of Traversham), eight pound breaking strength, and set ready to freeline a bait. The Noble Lord shuns the hair rig method and is happy with a razor sharp and sturdy forged “Model Perfect” number four.

 

I retrieved these items, together with my own landing net (the NL's is somewhat small, rather old, and patterned with holes), and crept back to the old oak. Lord West was not there, but as I looked along the bank, I caught a glimpse of his hat as it disappeared amongst the reeds just where he had been gazing so intently shortly before.

 

“Quietly now” he said as I approached and handed him the rod and bread. I crouched down as low as I could and knelt beside him. About one rod length from where we were hiding I could make out some movement amongst the submerged greenery. The NL expertly slipped a chunk of crust onto his hook such that the bread would float crumb down and hook up. He made a gentle, under-arm cast and the bait landed with the softest of plops right beside the moving reeds.

 

“There are two, perhaps three doubles here my lad”, he whispered as he very slowly tweaked the line. I was awake now and, with increasing tension, I watched the line laying on the surface. “Gently, gently” from his Lordship, but only slow breathing from me.

 

I gazed on in a kind of glorious torture as a fish rose slowly to the surface and tapped the crust with his nose. But there was no take; not yet. The NL was like a pillar of marble as he crouched, motionless and silent.

 

And then came the explosion from the water. One fish had seen the other poking at the bread and this seemed to have spurred him on to steal the offering from his submerged friend. The NL's strike was like lightening as the fish took the bait; the rod bent over almost to the double and a furious fight broke out as the fish tried to head for the reeds. But the Wonder took the strain and soon The Noble Lord had him out in open water. “Now I've got you”. The fight lasted perhaps seven or eight minutes, but quite soon the fish had almost played itself out and showed good signs of being beaten. “Shall I try and net him now?” I asked. “Not yet my boy. We have quite enough snags already”. I waited a little longer but soon came the summons for the net. I slowly sunk the mesh into the water and Lord West expertly drew the fish over it. I raised the net and for the first time that day I could clearly hear His Lordship's voice. “Well done that man”, he said, “Splendid job. Now let's have a look”. I moved slightly to one side so as to improve the display. “Yes, very nice. A Common. Fourteen pounds twelve ounces”. Over the years, his Lordship has learned to judge the weight of a fish by eye only, and he doesn't even own a set of scales. I sometimes weigh fish on my set, but I have yet to see his judgement proved wrong.

 

“Let's unhook him in the net”. He reached down and, with a wristy swish, he slipped the hook out of the top lip. “Put him back lad” he said. “Lad”, and me at forty four. I reached out and offered the fish to the water, sinking the net to ease his way. Very soon the carp was free, but just as he sipped the net, my footing gave way and I plunged helplessly after the fish into the freezing lake.

 

Several splutters and coughs later, the Noble Lord pulled me back onto terra firma. If I had been sleepy before, I was awake now; and not as warm as I prefer.

 

“Come on lad. Let's get you dry” said His Lordship. “But remember this. You must never forget the margins”.

 

And I never have.

[salokcinnodrog]

I've stickied this for other Venue reviews, lets hope that Steve isn't the only one writing them.

 

If you any problems with a venue then please try to make Constructive criticism instead of just putting the place down.

Remember the rules of Carp.com (click here if you need a reminder), and also the laws of libel and slander, so no just putting a place down because you didn't like it or didn't catch

 

I have split this down to 2 threads to try to keep this to Reviews; Not because I want to as I'm sure Steve is very happy to read comments and enlarge his head size , so please any comments about this thread to here:

https://forum.carp.com/carp-forum/viewtopic.php?p=421408#421408

[dave1973]

Hello, i was wondering how your blog was going? Your review on Newland Hall, The Exploits of Lord West is very good. And i'm hoping you've written more.