Tetford Country Cottages – Lincolnshire
Set in the heart of the rolling Lincolnshire Wolds, a designated area of natural beauty, Tetford Country Cottages provides a peaceful retreat for anglers, their families or friends in a variety of 10 self-catering cottages which sleep from two to six people and are equipped with spacious lounge/kitchen and bathroom. There are also two Bed and Breakfast lodges with twin bedrooms rooms and en-suite shower/WC.
For photographs of the accommodation and prices, please Click here.And at the heart of everything is a delightfully interesting and natural looking lake where anglers can hide away for a day’s tranquil angling which is free to self-catering residents, discounted for B&B visitors and available on a day-ticket basis at £5.00 a day (£3.00 for under 16s) to everyone else.
The current owners, Ivan and Jane Reed, took over the venue in December and since then have been busy refurbishing half the cottages and carrying out repairs and renewals to transform Tetford into a haven for both anglers and visitors who want to roam the Wolds.
Ivan and Jane are also devoting as much attention to improving the fishing. Since the beginning of 2004 they have improved pegs, demolished a scruffy timber bridge across to one of the islands cleared and cleared and tidied much of the bankside.
During winter they pruned a lot of the trees and bushes around the lake, cleared the many brambles which were getting a hold and removed numerous snags from the swims.
And their work has not been in vain. The lake is now an attractive and tidy fishery which has a magical quality. Indeed, if you are not fishing it is a delight just to walk round the lake and enjoy the abundance of wildlife and solitude which it offers.
Tetford is available for either fortnightly, weekly, weekend or mid-week bookings and can accommodate up to 42 residents. The on-site cafe with patio which overlooks the lake serves full English breakfasts, hot and cold drinks, snacks and lunches.
Wheel chair access is available to some of the pegs along a path which leads from the car park directly to one peg and then short distance over grass to a second peg.
Horncastle, the nearest town, is crammed full of antique shops and has been rated England’s antique shop town of the year. Sited midway between Lincoln and the coastal town of Skegness, Tetford is also an ideal base to explore the rural villages of the area and has two local pubs within walking distance.
When it comes to the angling, the irregular shaped two-and-a-half acre lake is a little gem with several islands and a host of nooks, crannies, inlets and channels offering a wide variety of angling from open water fishing to stalking carp in the reeds amongst overhanging trees and bushes.
Day-ticket fishing is from dawn until dusk whilst those staying in the cottages can fish round the clock if they want.
Although keepnets are allowed they should not be used after dusk and fish over 3lbs should be returned to the water after capture. Anglers are also requested not to use fixed leads or fixed feeder rigs and should use unhooking mats for the larger fish. Whilst groundbait is allowed, this should be used in moderation.
Because of its tranquil setting, Tetford is an idea place to get away from it all, whether on your own or with family or friends. Being only shallow, the lake is ideal for both adults and youngsters, novices and experts, and with carp to 30lbs and good tench, bream, roach, rudd and perch there’s something to suit all tastes and abilities.
The accommodation, whilst fairly simple, is clean and functional and near to the lake whilst there is ample car parking near the cottages for residents and near the lake for day-ticket anglers.
Good local tackle shops and the rivers Witham and Bain within are within 15 minutes’ drive.
Tetford Lake
At two-and-a-half acres in size with plenty of bankside vegetation, Tetford Country Cottage’s lake is well stocked with carp to approximately 30lbs, bream which go to 7lbs, tench to 6lbs, perch to 3lbs, as well as roach and rudd. Because of its variety it is an ideal water for both pleasure and specimen anglers, young and old, experiences and inexperienced.
Unlike many fisheries these days, Tetford’s lake is a very irregular shaped pool with a mass of inlets, crannies and islands.This means anglers can choose to fish open bankside pegs or searching out their own hideaway – stalking carp under the branches of overhanging trees or fishing next to beds of reeds, dropping in on channels between the islands or fishing quiet bays.
Being between only three and four feet deep throughout, the lake is easy to fish with pole or waggler either near in or at a distance and the many features and bankside vegetation offer plenty of cover and ideal spots for stalking the carp with floating baits. Many anglers using two rods float fish with one and put out a ledgered bait with the second, although when the fish are on the feed most anglers are kept busy enough with just one rod.
But with carp known to run to well over 20lbs – some regulars say there are fish in there at just over 30lbs – it pays not to fish too light if your swim is near to reeds or other bolt holes for the fish.
Most anglers do best just keeping things simple. Maggots, casters, sweetcorn and luncheon meat do well for all species whilst those after the carp also use flavoured boilies. Pellets are also becoming more popular on the water and work well for both the silver fish and the carp. Other useful baits are worms and bread, bread being good either float fished as flake pinched on the hook or as floating crust on the surface near the features.
Most anglers fishing for the carp use a minimum of 6lb line with a size 10 or 8 hook. Those going for the silver fish and tench naturally fish lighter, using 2lb or 3lb breaking strain line or slightly heavier in case they get into one of the carp.
Another reason for not fishing too light are the tench, which run to 6lbs, and the bream which go to 5lbs. The tench especially give a good account of themselves and both can make a quick dash for cover leaving anglers with fine tackle nursing a broken line and injured pride!
Tetford also holds a good head of decent sized perch with the lake record being set in June 2004 at dead on 3lbs, a nice fish by any standards.
Tetford also holds a large number of roach and rudd which range from a few ounces to 1lb 8oz in weight and which are well worth catching. Most popular baits for these tend to be maggots, caster, bread and pellets.
The end result is that Tetford certainly holds something for everyone. It is ideal for individuals, groups or anglers with their wives or families.
There may be no bright lights, discos or funfairs until you get to Skegness, but if you are looking for a relaxing break where you can enjoy a mix of fishing with touring, walking or simply enjoying a relaxing lunch on the patio overlooking the lake or down one of the two local pubs, Ivan and Jane will do their best to ensure you enjoy your holiday.
How to get there…
Tetford is six-and-a-half miles north east of Horncastle, which is on the A158 Lincoln to Skegness road.
From Horncastle travel east on the A158, enter Tetford through Salmonby, turn right after the Cross Keys Inn into South Road then first left into East Road. Pass the old saw mill on the left and continue around the bend. The entrance is 150 yards on the left just past Manor Farm house.From Louth travel south on the A16 then via Ruckland. As you enter Tetford take the first left by the grass triangle into North Road, bear right at the church into East Road and pass the White Hart pub on your right. The entrance to Tetford Country Cottages is 100 yards on the right just before Manor Farm house.
From Spilsby travel north on the A16 and then west on the A158 towards Horncastle. Enter Tetford through Greetham, then Salmonby and turn right after the Cross Keys Inn into South Road. Take the first left into East Road, pass the old saw mill on your left and continue round the bend. The entrance to Tetford Country Cottages is 150 yards on the left just past Manor Farm house.
Address
Tetford Country Cottages
Manor Farm
East Road
Tetford
Horncastle
Lincolnshire
LN9 6QQTel: 01507 533276
E-mail: info@tetfordcountrycottages.co.uk
Tetford Country Cottages – Lincolnshire
(3 posts) (3 voices)-
Posted 2 years ago #
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I have not fished Tetford for about 10 years or so, the days I use to fish it there was no holiday homes it was just day tickets, always had good days there. How does it fish this time of year being so shallow?
Posted 2 years ago #
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