Orchard Lake (Arden Lakes)

Arden Lakes, Ingon Lane, Stratford-upon-Avon CV37 0QF, UK

Carp and Coarse

Rules

Lake

Intermediate and Advanced

5 swims

1.5 acres

Stock: Bream, Carp, Crucian, Perch and Roach

Information

Regarded as Arden Lakes specimen carp water, Orchard Lake is one of the original lakes at the fishery. The lake is surrounded by mature trees and woodland so has many sheltered pegs for anglers from both the sun in the summer and the wind and rain in the winter, providing good sport throughout the year. Dating back to the 1940s the lake was used as an irrigation reservoir for Snitterfield Fruit Farm but for the last 10 years has been solely used for angling. Orchard Lake is the biggest of our waters at just over one and a half acres in size and has gently sloping margins which continue to run down to an average of about twelve feet deep in the centre of the lake.

A typical old-established carp pool, it contains a mixture of fish with many double figure carp and a few over 20lbs. In addition to the bigger fish, Orchard Lake holds a good head of smaller carp in the 8lbs to 12lbs range. There are also many silverfish but we are gradually transferring these to the other lakes to improve the lake for the larger carp, but there remain good stocks of bream up to about 3lbs, large roach and perch to 2lbs, and some crucian carp, although these can prove hard to catch. This mixture of species makes Orchard Lake a favourite to fish throughout the year with the silverfish being targeted in the colder winter months as the surrounding trees and bushes help shelter the anglers from the worst of the British weather.

Whilst many anglers fish the deeper open water on a baitrunner, it often pays to fish much closer in with a waggler, particularly next to features such as the weed beds where the fish often patrol. The most productive baits tend to be luncheon meat, sweetcorn and pellets. Carp anglers are welcome to use boilies as both hook baits and loose feed here and on all of our lakes.

Rules

These rules are to help maintain the health and welfare of our fish:

Day ticket Anglers

1. Anglers will use their own landing nets, large enough for the size of fish in the lake
2. No keepnets
3. On Orchard Lake use an unhooking mat
4. Two rods maximum per angler
5. Barbless hooks only
6. No surface fishing, floating baits, floating freebies or bubble floats
7. No bread to be used as bait or thrown into the lakes
8. No barbeques
9. Gates close at 7:30 pm in the summer, 5.30 pm in the winter
10. Take all litter home with you

Additional Club Match Rules

1. We provide landing nets and keepnets and will count the number issued and returned
2. Dry nets on bank before and after use, 60lbs net limit
3. Carp over 3lbs in one net, smaller carp and silvers in the second net
4. Use our weighing sling
5. Bread can be used as a sinking hook bait only in the winter
6. Put unused bait in the lake – our fish are always hungry

Anglers are responsible for their own safety, all accidents must be reported before leaving the fishery