North Hants fishing

For anyone visiting North Hampshire wanting to fish for spot on, well looked after Carp please continue to read, I will also tell you where to avoid:

Willow Park is a fishery in Ash nr. Aldershot. It is one of the best maintained and strictly governed waters in the area. I fished this water last weekend and had one of the nicest Commons I have seen. Given the time of year I was suprised to also land a 3lb fully scaled crusian carp. The silver fish/skimmers are slightly annoying but it is probably my fault for fishing a shortened section on maggots.

Gold Valley is an over-fished, under maintained water that sells it's fish out. People constantly break rules and I have even seen kids tying a landing net head to a mainline and casting it out. Granted you are guareteed to catch as all of their lakes are massively over stocked but the fish aren't very well cared for and not particularly nice to look at/photograph. I don't know about you but I like to know that fish are cared for and not abused. I have been there twice and never have I been asked for my rod licence or been spot check for lead core etc which they state you cannot use.

Frimley Complex (technically Surrey but hey!) is a great complex. Some of the best looking fish I have EVER seen. I would go along with the Cemex website and say that their pit 3 is stocked with the best Commons in the UK. I fished it a while back and had a few mid-teens commons and they were stunning. It is a well cared for water that has a good and knowledgable crowd down there. Would highly recommend this water if your in the area. This is strictly a ticket water and can't be fished on a day ticket, but a season ticket though, it's well worth the £50 as you also get 17 waters on the ticket.

Tri-Lakes is a great commercial fishery. I have fished there for years and it is great. Awesome features, great fish, well looked after surrounding and a petting zoo for the young at heart!! I would recommend this to all carp and tench anglers looking for a good days fishing.

Basingstoke Canal used to be a good coarse stretch but it now has some nice carp and pike for the winter months. I have personally caught a few mid-teens carp in the flashes up and down the canal anfd they are suprisingly well looked after for a canal that sells day tickets for £4. Obviously my lack of faith in cheap day ticket anglers is unjustified. Beware the crays however as they are running wild there at the moment.

Hope to see some of you soon on one of the waters mentioned above ....