| Rather Heath |
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| Catch a tench mission here
This five acre shallow lake under the control of Windermere, Ambleside and District Angling Association, holds a terrific head of tench and provides some really good sport early in the year. Tench averaging 3 lb are the main target species here and the pole or waggler combination fished in conjunction with corn or caster works a treat. It’s possible to catch 12 to 15 tench in a session with individual fish reaching 4 lb. Also stocked are bream, roach, rudd, carp and gudgeon. The bream respond well to a small groundbait feeder cast towards the middle of the lake with a hook bait of caster, red maggot or worm. Don’t over do the groundbait as there is a restriction of 1 kilo of dry mix per angler. For good bags of smaller roach, gudgeon and rudd, waggler fishing in the margins over loosefed maggot is a good method to try. For the bigger carp try surface fishing on warm days or a bottom bait near to over-hanging trees and bushes. |
The right route
Take junction 36 off the M6 and follow the signs for Windermere on the A590, which eventually becomes the A591. Three-quarters-of-a-mile after the roundabout take a left turn into Rather Heath Lane signposted for Crook. The fishery is situated on the right hand side of the road. Factfile
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| Green’s Lane Ponds Lydiate, Liverpool |
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| Winter pole fishing
The ponds are close to the Leeds-Liverpool Canal in Green’s Lane, Lydiate, with a record of providing good fishing. The fishery is just over three-quarters of an acre and is an extension of a very old marl pit where clay was dug out to line the canal when it was first built. It has been open as a day ticket water for three years and is stocked with carp to 20Ib, tench to 41b, bream 5Ib, roach, perch and crucian carp. Many anglers use pole tackle but the rod, reel and runningline can be more effective and cope with the fact that big fish appear in the margins, If you do use pole tackle have the extension ready to slip on quickly! It’s a proven fact that many of the bigger fish at Green Lane Ponds come from the reed-fringed margins where the water is about two feet deep going out to about five feet. Perch can be caught almost every cast with floatfished red maggot but when the tench and bream are being targeted the better baits are caster, corn and bread. |
The right route
From the A59 at Maghull take the A5147 Southport Road through Lydiate. Watch for the Scotch Piper Pub on the left then take next right at the Church into Hall Lane. Bear left at the Y junction (Eager Lane), cross over canal and ponds are signposted 100 yards on right. Factfile
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| LEEDS-LIVERPOOL CANAL PLANK LANE STRETCH, GREATER MANCHESTER. |
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| This mile-and-a-half stretch of the Leeds-Liverpool canal is controlled by Leigh Angling Club and averages four feet deep and is up to 20 metres wide. It is primarily a summer fishery and you will get plenty of bites in the warmer months. Bream average 2-31b, but odd fish can be caught to 61b, and there is a good head of roach and perch, with the odd tench and carp. Pole fishing in the central track with caster presented over worm should do the trick. Noted fish-holding areas are the basins and 201b nets are possible. | THE RIGHT ROUTE
Turn off the M62 at Junction 14 and take the A580 towards St Helens. At the Boothstown roundabout turn right towards Leigh. In the town centre turn down Twist lane, which runs into Firs lane and then continues into Plank lane. Day tickets £1.50 adults, 75p juniors. Season tickets are £9, £3 juniors Contact Leigh Angling Centre, tel 01942 670890 |
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| ULVERSTON CANAL ULVERSTON, CUMBRIA |
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| This 1.25 mile long canal runs from Ulverston to the Irish sea and
has over 100 pegs of top quality fishing. The water averages six feet deep
and is around 25 metres wide. Tench are the main attraction and terrific
sport can be had early in the season with hard-fighting specimens reaching
71b. Laying on close in with caster presented over hemp and corn will tempt
the tench. Strong tackle is recommended for this – No l0 elastic, 41b
mainline and 31b hooklength. The water has been divided into two sections and the lower stretch, below Glaxo bridge, has been stocked with over 4000 roach and fishes well in winter. There is also a large head of bream and these are usually caught from pegs 130 to 150. |
THE RIGHT ROUTE
From Barrow-in Furnace take the A590 to Ulverston. After the canal basin turn right and follow the road to parking at the sea end. Do not park on the towpath. Day tickets £3, £1.50 for concessions. Contact Cooper’s of Ulverston, tel 01229 580261 |