Fishing at The Hamptons Wetlands Fishery
Whether you’re a club member or a local youngster invited for free angling tuition, it is vital you know a little about the inhabitants of the wetland’s ponds before you fish, also, always be aware of the fishery rules and know that all fish are to be returned unharmed, safely to the water as soon as possible.
Below are a few snippets of information and tips about each species of fish you are likely to encounter.
Carp
There are three different types of Carp:
Common Carp, showing regular scaled pattern
These three are actually just variations of the same species, but over the centuries they have been bred selectively to make them easier to prepare for the table, hence we arrive at the Leather Carp having no scales to remove. A very successful exercise, however, they couldn’t do anything about the flavour of the fish and to this day the Carp is said to have a horrible muddy flavour.
Mirror Carp, with large occasional scales
We have a mixture of these Carp in our fishery, most of them range from 1lb to 3lb but one or two individuals go to around 7lb or 8lb. Carp can and do grow to way beyond 50lb but if its large Carp you want then you will have to pay to fish one of many large Carp fisheries up and down the country.
Leather carp, with no scales
As far as catching them goes, our modest little Carp share one thing in common with their giant cousins, their appetite. You can catch Carp on a variety of baits, for example, Maggots, Bread, Cheese, Sweetcorn and earthworms all catch carp whether presented on the bottom or nearer the surface. If the going is slow, you could try a tin of pork luncheon meat. Cut it into half inch cubes, put it in a small plastic bag with a teaspoon each of Turmeric and Garam Masala, shake well to cover and fish a single cube on a size 10 hook alongside one or two free offerings. They love it! Carp are a plucky fish and even the smaller ones will give a good account of themselves.
Tench
Tench
We have Tench in the fishery, the largest of which is, at present, around 2lb. Tench are another fish which fight well when caught and even a 2lb fish will put a decent bend in your rod. They can grow to over 10lb but I doubt if ours will ever exceed 5lb or 6lb. Tench have very tiny scales and feel slimy to touch but they are a pretty fish, olive green with rounded fins and orange eyes.
They live and feed on the bottom so that is where you should present a bait when fishing for them. Like the Carp, they can be caught on a variety of baits. They often show their presence by ‘fizzing’, emitting clouds of tiny bubbles when feeding. So if you see these bubbles, cast your bait around 6 feet beyond them and slowly draw your baited hook back into that area. Tench can have liking for sweet flavours, so a visit to the kitchen larder might be good before a session. I’ve heard bread dipped in a solution of ‘Angel Delight’ works well.
Rudd
Rudd
We have two types of Rudd in the fishery, the common silver Rudd and an ornamental golden variety. Both are traditionally surface feeders but you will catch them at any depth.
Golden Rudd
For the best fun with this species fish with fairly light tackle and a through action rod with a single or double maggot on a size 16 or 18 hook. Rudd will also take bread flake, sweetcorn and worms.
Crucian Carp
Crucian Carp
This is a lovely hard fighting little native Carp, quite unlike its bigger and more abundant relatives. We know they are in the main lake because we put them in there. They are between 6oz and 10oz at the moment but may grow as large as 4lb. Fairly light tackle is required for this species as it is a very shy feeder and bites can be very delicate. Best locations are close to the reeds and right next to lily pads. Fish a small hook with bread flake, pinkies (a small maggot) or a combination of both. Similar to a brown Goldfish, they have no barbules and are deep bodied. Simply a joy to catch.
Perch
Perch
When we stocked the main lake we included around 30 to 40 6” Perch.
These fish are small predators and eat baby fish including their own kind, so it is hoped they will help to provide a natural balance to fish numbers, along with the Herons, Cormorants and other fish-eating birds. If you want to fish for Perch, you could try an enticing bunch of small redworms, or brandlings wobbled close in to the platforms (Perch seem to favour the cover of man-made structures). You could also try Maggots or even Mealworms. No large Perch have been caught yet, but then few people purposefully fish for them. Perch, being predatory, have a very large mouth so the maximum size 10 hook will be perfect.
(Please note: No spinning or lure fishing allowed)
Finally…
Occasionally, a fishing session can throw up a little surprise and there are a few little surprises in the main lake. If you are surprised, please let us know.
There’s one more thing to remember before you fish. Make sure you check this website for any news, catch reports and tips that may help make your day more productive. There will frequently be members of the Bailiff Team walking around the fishery, so you can always ask them for advice and help and they may even take a picture for you so you can appear on this site’s ‘Rogues Gallery’ with your best catch.
Good Luck!