Map of 11 UK Carp Lakes You HAVE to Fish

With the news that night fishing is permitted again, Angling Direct thought it would be a good time to showcase the best carp lakes in the UK; the venues that tick all the amenity boxes, those with the biggest carp, or just a notorious venue steeped in history.

Bluebell Lakes

Based just outside Peterborough, the Bluebell Lakes complex boasts 5 specimen coarse and carp lakes, and is a favourite amongst experienced carp anglers. With carp to just shy of 60lb, you can see the attraction, for anglers of all abilities.

Nearest AD Store: Peterborough

Kingfisher is probably the most notorious of the Bluebell Lakes’ thanks in part to its former inhabitant, Benson, who weighed in at a whopping 64lb.

Not only does the Bluebell complex offer some of the best fishing the country has to offer, its facilities are clean and contemporary; boasting male and female toilets, showers, an on-site tackle shop, a café and a burger van.

Prices vary slightly between lakes and tickets are available as day, evening, and night tickets for the coarse lakes and at intervals of 12 hours on the carp lakes. If you are planning a holiday, weekly tickets are also available.

Most anglers don’t need much encouragement to visit Bluebell, however, if you fancy a trip and need the low-down on approach, Angling Direct’s very own Kev Hewitt - manager at AD Swindon – had a session to remember back in 2018.

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Linear Fisheries

Located to the west of Oxford, Linear Fisheries has made quite a name for itself. A quick look at a satellite image on Google Maps will highlight just how vast this complex is, with a whopping 9 day ticket lakes and 3 syndicate waters, there is something for everyone.

Nearest AD Store: Reading, Swindon, Milton Keynes all roughly equidistance

Brasenose 1 - affectionately known as B1 – is the most reputable lake on the complex, the water holds at least 50 different mirrors in excess of thirty pounds. The biggest of these has been caught at over 44lb and is the lake record. The large head of carp this water contains continues to produce some stunning results with at least 45% of its estimated 1,900 stock believed to weigh in excess of twenty pounds and a majority of the remainder now being upper doubles, Brasenose One continues to provide great sport for the visiting angler.

Facilities include an on-site tackle and bait shop, toilets, a shower block, and 5 custom build swims adapted for disabled anglers. Day tickets and 24hr tickets are available for all carp lakes aside from Hunt’s Corner which has limited swims and is a bit harder to get a ticket for. An interesting extra available at Linear is pike matches, something not every fishery can offer.

There is also plenty to offer young anglers, when accompanied by an adult under 16s fish for free.

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Farlows Lake

Nearest AD Store: On-site Located just a few miles from Heathrow, one of the worlds busiest airports, is the sanctuary of Farlows Lake, the venues is also the only one on this list with a shiny new Angling Direct store on-site. AD Farlows is a fully stocked bait and tackle shop, no different from any other AD store, meaning if your leave home and realise you have forgotten something, chances are we will have it on-site anyway, giving you the peace of mind to crack on with your session.

Another cool feature of the Farlows complex is the bathymetric maps of all lakes, charting depths and plateaus, available for download here.  

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Horseshoe, Carp Society

Located north of Swindon, Horseshoe Lake – which as its name suggests is a horseshoe shape…roughly – has grown into one of the nations favourite fisheries, its famous winter and summer bays have become the backdrop for some cracking sessions in the past.

Nearest AD Store: Swindon

With 75 swims, including 21 doubles the lake covers 62 acres and is home to 800-1000 specially selected carp, up to 38lb. Facilities include toilets, showers, a tackle and bait shop on-site and a lodge with full catering facilities. Be sure to check out the Carp Society’s other lakes at Farriers.

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Berner’s Hall Fishery

Located between Harlow and Chelmsford, Berner’s Hall Fishery has made a reputation as The Home of Thirties, with The Res – the largest lake on the complex – being home to 85+ carp over the magical 30lb mark.

Nearest AD Store: Chelmsford

Facilities include toilets and 4 carp parks dotted around the complex for easy unloading.  Holding in excess of 85 carp over the magical 30lb mark, and over 10 of these topping 40lb+ at the right time of the year, your certainly fishing for some of the biggest day ticket carp in Essex. A very healthy average weight of around 23lb means you will be pushed to find a better chance of catching your first 20 in the Essex area. Some of the fish have been averaging in excess of 5lb per year meaning in the years to come we could be seeing our first 50 for the complex.

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Sandhurst, Yateley

Located in Yateley, south east of Reading, The Yateley complex is world renowned for it’s famous carp and the well know anglers – including the best story teller in carp fishing, Terry Hearn - that have trodden the banks in pursuit of the fish that reside in these picturesque lakes.  Nearest AD Store: Reading, Guildford, Slough

The lake is 14 acres in size and is relatively shallow with depths ranging from 2 to 10ft with an average depth of 5ft. There is one island from which fishing is permitted, and numerous gravel bars and features that can be easily located from a choice of 31 swims. Very few day ticket waters give you the chance of a 40lb + carp but the Sandhurst venue record currently stands at 45lb with at least 10 other fish breaking the magical 40lb barrier.

Facilities include car parks, toilets and a BBQ area.

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Norton Disney

Located just outside Lincoln, Norton Disney is an Embryo Angling venue, Embryo is backed by Korda man Danny Fairbrass. Norton Disney has 5 waters to go at, the most notorious being Turner’s Lake as it is home to the only 40lb+ carp on the complex.

Nearest AD Store: Lincoln

With an initial stocking of over 800 carp, Turner’s lake offers a lovely balance between getting a few bites and having the chance of a very big fish. It is very much a case of bait becoming the feature on this lake, so don’t be afraid to really feed them. They have been fed plenty of Embryo’s house pellet over the last year, so they really do respond well to that. This can be purchased from the lodge if you don’t have your own pellet.

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Elphicks Fisheries

Located east of Royal Tunbridge Wells, Elphicks boasts 7 waters to fish, the most reputable being the North Lake. North lake is a 19 swim, 6-acre specimen carp water open to adult only day ticket & session fisherman. A maximum of 10 anglers can fish at any one time. Carp to 50lb+.

Nearest AD Store: Ashford

Facilities include; Toilets, an on-site tackle shop, showers, a full catering lodge, net dips, and disabled access.

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Thorpe Lea

Thorpe Lea is located west of London and is stocked with 2000 plus carp to 37lb 7oz, with 53 different 30’s out alone last year. The lake features 3 islands that are regularly fished to. Nearest AD Store: Guildford, Slough

If you are after big hits on the fishery, the pegs that reach the gravel bar across the middle of the lake are your best bet. Pegs behind the islands produce lots of fish too but you are much more likely to have some of the bigger ones rather than the quantity, so don’t be put off fishing behind an island.

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Makins Fishery

With 600 swims across 18 lakes, the Makins Fishery is vast. Whether you are specimen carp angler looking to smash a personal best, a match angler looking for a bumper haul or a pleasure rod who merely enjoys a relaxed days fishing, Makins know they can cater for you.  Nearest AD Store:  Birmingham, Willenhall, Halesowen, Redditch, Leicester

Facilities include a café, bait and tackle shop, toilets, and luxury fishing lodges.

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Wyreside Lakes

Located outside Lancaster, Wyreside has 6 waters to offer, the most reputable being Wyre Lake, one of the premier carp waters in the North West with the current record weight standing at 39lbs. The lake is available to season ticket holders but day and night permits can be purchased during the week. Nearest AD Store:  Preston

Elsewhere, a superb stocking of coarse and pike across the other waters, and for walkers and those who appreciate nature, the River Wyre meanders through the property alongside the beautiful bluebell laden Fox’s wood.

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