Details
Borwickfishing has nine waters for fishing with parking available at each water. There are flush toilets on site and a hot food van at busy times. Tickets are available on site.
Fingal Fishpond
Fingal Fishpond is perhaps the most popular water at borwickfishing. The first water to be separated from the main lake in 2003, it is the longest established of the new waters. Many fish from the main lake, Roach, Perch, Carp, Pike, etc, were trapped and during construction of the bund. A large black and white Koi and a Red Eared Terrapin were among its first residents!! The first stocking consisted of around 100 Carp between 5lb and 14lb introduced in March 2004. More than 4000 6” – 8” Carp followed in April 2004. Bailiff, Jimmy White, provided day-long protection from the attention of cormorants over the winters of 2004-05 and 2005-06 to ensure a high survival. These fish have now reached more than 3lb-4lb each with odd ones up to 6lb and form the bulk of catches with dozens being landed in a session, to give weights approaching 100lb.
Nearest Carp-bagging pool to the entrance and toilet block, Fingal Fishpond has car parking at both the North and South ends. Two acres in area, there are 40 pegs with some suitable for the ambulant disabled.
Little Brooker
Little Brooker was the last water to be separated from the main lake in 2003. It was created to separate a duck feeding area for the public, away from the more natural parts of the site. To provide some extra interest, brightly coloured ornamental fish were stocked in 2004 and these proved obliging for angling too. The first stocking consisted of around 50 Silver Ghost Carp, 200 Koi, 100 Golden Tench, 200 Goldfish and 500 Golden Orfe between 6” and 8”. Little Brooker suffered badly from the attention of cormorants over the winters of 2004-05 and 2005-06 after British Waterways abandoned the site and it was assumed all these fish were eaten. Under the new management replacements were ordered in 2006 but a change of policy by the Environment Agency meant these fish were not allowed in and at the last moment they were stocked instead in Burn and The Last Blast. Fortunately it now appears that more fish survived than originally thought and good catches are again being made.
Nearest to the entrance and toilet block, Little Brooker has adjacent car parking. Half an acre in area, there are 15 pegs with some suitable for the ambulant disabled.
Harryss Hole
Harryss Hole is one of the smaller pools on site and yet one of the most mysterious. Stocked by British Waterways in April 2004, it had 4”-6” Carp, Crucians and Bronze Goldfish and a few ornamentals introduced. It was used as a test site for the first fish refuge to protect from Cormorant predation and was the only pool to have this luxury when British Waterways abandoned the site to Cormorants later in 2004. It was thought that the fish had still been eaten but in 2006, a pleasant surprise was in store when a local youngster spotted a decent carp in the crystal clear waters and had a go. His initiative was rewarded with a double figure Carp and subsequent attempts revealed plenty of fish around 2lb plus a handful of bigger fish. Most were identified as Crucians with a sprinkling of Perch and Mirrors. However it now seems likely that many may be Bronze Goldfish (or Gibel Carp) and F1 Hybrid Carp. Not the easiest but maybe the most interesting pool.
Harryss Hole is less than an acre and has 20 purpose made pegs and car-parking adjacent to the pool.
Griffish
Griffish is largest of the Carp-bagging pools at borwickfishing and promises to the most popular match fishery. Originally stocked with 6500 6”-8” Ghost Carp by British Waterways in April 2004, it was later abandoned to the ravages of Cormorants and it seems likely that very few fish survived that winter. After British Waterways had left the scene, Environment Agency contradictory policies delayed restocking until April 2006 when the water was stocked with a further 6000 6”-8” Mirror Carp. The fish were slow to show but suddenly turned on in July and by the end of August anglers were catching well over 100 hard fighting half pound fish, like little puddings, in a hectic session, fish which reached 2lb+ by 2007 and were giving match weights of 129lb. The pool has the deepest water with depths over 20 feet and was separated from the main lake in later 2003 when many of the bigger fish in the main lake were shoaled up in the area. Both Carp and Pike over 25lb have been caught and bailiff, Jimmy White, has seen fish he assesses as even bigger.
Four acres in area, Griffish has 60 pegs and plenty of parking at the waters edge at the North end of the pool.
Gatenby
Gatenby is the tiniest water at borwickfishing. It was formed when stone was being extracted to create the bund separating Dewhirst Deeps from the main lake in 2003, and the workings flooded. A similar excavation on the other side of the track flooded so much it became part of Griffish and the remains of the causeway can still be seen at low water levels. Fish from the main lake, Roach, Perch, Carp, Pike, etc, were able to enter the pool during construction, but it is not believed that many are still left. The first stocking consisted of around 200 Crucian Carp, 120 Golden Rudd, 100 Golden Tench and a dozen Ghost Carp, all between 4” and 8” introduced in March 2004. It was believed that most of these fell victim to the attention of cormorants over the winter of 2004-05 and in 2005 and 2006 more Rudd and Crucians were stocked and a fish refuge installed. It seems some of the original stocking did survive, though, and superbly conditioned Golden Rudd up to 8oz now form the bulk of catches with a “fish a chuck” to slow sinking baits. Less than a quarter of an acre in area, there are no marked pegs but room for up to 6 anglers - ideal for beginners or juniors.
Dewhurst Deeps
With the shortest bund dividing Dewhurst Deeps from Jimmy’s Lake, it has the longest length of existing bank, making it the most natural of the satellite pools. The first stocking consisted of more than 4000 6” – 8” Carp in April 2004, and an 80lb plus catch of fish featured in Angling Times in its first year. However it suffered badly from the attention of cormorants over the winter of 2004-05. in 2005 a further 3800 6”-8” Carp were added. Bailiff, Jimmy White, re-sited his cabin to provide day-long protection over the winter of 2005-06 to ensure a high survival.. These fish have now reached more than 3lb each with odd ones up to 5lb and form the bulk of catches with up to 100 being landed in a session, to give weights around the magic “ton”. Recently Rudd and Ide which must have survived from the original British Waterways stocking have been showing, promising winter sport.
Most sheltered of the Carp-bagging pools, Dewhurst Deeps has vehicle access and car parking along the entire Western side. Two acres in area, there are 37 pegs with some suitable for the ambulant disabled.
Burn
Burn is one of only two pools on site which were not separated from the main lake. It is an entirely new water created to obtain fill to build the causeway to separate Dewhirst Deeps from Jimmy’s Lake. Fed entirely by spring water from under the adjoining meadow, it had no natural fish population. The first fish were introduced in April 2004 and the aim was to have just river fish in the clear waters.1000 Ide, 1200 Barbel, 500 Chub and 500 Dace between 4” and 10” were stocked. The fish suffered badly from cormorants over the winter of 2004-05 and in 2005 100 Rudd and 100 Crucian Carp were added. In 2006, a change of policy at the Environment Agency meant that fish destined for other pools had to be stocked in Burn. In all 1200 6”-8” Ide, 600 5”-8” Golden Orfe, 220 6”-8” Ghost and Golden Carp, 100 6”-9” Golden Tench and 15 Chub over 10” were stocked and these form the bulk of catches though anything can turn up. Expect the unexpected as more fish than anticipated survived from the original stockings.
Half an acre in area, Burn has adjacent car parking and15 pegs with some suitable for the ambulant disabled.
The Last Blast
The Last Blast is the last water to be created at borwickfishing. It is an entirely new water dug out, and finally blasted, to obtain stone to form causeways and tracks. Since it has never been part of the main lake and is fed by the same spring water as Burn, it has no natural fish population. The first stocking consisted of some 17 Wels Catfish into double figures and around 100 1lb Grass Carp introduced in March 2004, together with 300 Crucian Carp and 500 Golden Rudd between 6” and 8”. Many of the Grass Carp were damaged by cormorants during the winter, but more were ordered together with Wels Catfish for stocking in 2006. A 20lb Wels Catfish and a 16lb Grass Carp were caught in 2007, both fish showing exceptional growth rates.
In 2006 29 10” Wels, 110 6”-10” Grass carp and 62lb of 10”+ Grass Carp, 500 6”-8” Ide, 1220 6”-8” Ghost and Golden Carp, 100 6”-9” Golden Tench and 200 Goldfish were stocked. These fish provide excellent sport for match and pleasure anglers alike.
Half an acre in area, The Last Blast has adjacent car parking and 17 pegs with some suitable for the ambulant disabled.
Jimmy’s Lake
Jimmy’s Lake is the original lake minus a few bays and as such is the longest established water at borwickfishing. Its original population is not fully known, but is believed to have consisted of Pike, Perch, Roach, Bream, Eels, Carp and Tench. However heavy predation by Cormorants meant that there were very few silver fish, though the fish in there had grown big. The Tench were the dominant species running to over 10lb. Pike and Carp both ran well over 20lb, even approaching 30lb.
In 2004, 100 Carp between 6lb and 14lb were destined for the main lake but a last minute change of policy meant these had to be stocked in Fingal Fishpond. Subsequently about half have been transferred to the main lake by rod and line and some of these increased by 5lb following stocking. In 2006, 30 Carp from 8lb to 16lb were stocked plus a 30lb Mirror, soon to be nicknamed Moonscale because of the shape of a big scale on its left shoulder. She has since been caught almost a dozen times peaking briefly at 31lb 4oz before spawning, then dipping to 24lb after shedding more than 7lb of spawn and rapidly regaining 30lb status again to reach 32lb 10oz in May 2007.