Over the past 40 years ive fished some great venues and some absolute ****holes , My favourite was Wyre lake in the 80s when.it was run as a syndicate by Larry ,worst for me was bayliss pool a rat infested hole ! Most dissapointing was last time i fished redmire 3 years ago a shadow of its former self in more ways than one .
What are yours ?

In reply to Post #1
One of the worst I visited was last year I went to Broadlands and could not believe how close together the swims were. Shocking place did not fish it.
The best is a little spot on the Thames between Reading and Oxford, but won't say exactly where. I do like that part of the country for fishing.

In reply to Post #1
Best would be Willington lake many years ago, before the crowds descended on it, and then the otters ruined it. Worst, probably chesnut pool, utter dump, manky fish, and an owner who admits his rules are nonsense

In reply to Post #1
The best I've ever fished are my three current tickets. Two colne valley waters and one small syndicate nearer to home. They genuinely are completely perfect. I can't fault them in anyway. I'm a very very lucky man. Spoilt in fact.

For shear enjoyment I loved fishing swangy lakes in the 90s. It was a bit of a dump but the fishing was good as so were the regulars. Just fun times.

Worst. Got to be double arches main lake. Even though every man and his dog wants a ticket now it's doing 40s. Most of the swims looked like they were formed from a German air raid. The sand, oh my god the sand. I think it took several years for my gear to return to a normal colour, my Carp porter never fully got over it. The silt was literally deeper than the water in large areas of the lake. The push with a barrow through wet sand uphill was evil. The bailiff was a clown, harmless enough but a complete clown.

In reply to Post #1
The best is my secret little club water...unmolested bliss!

The worst is furnace lakes in horsham. Soulless holes in the ground, full of dull fish, poxy quad bikes everywhere and half the anglers have zero respect for anyone else. and its run by total b*llsh*tters

In reply to Post #4
Not a fan of stubs then 😂😂

In reply to Post #1
I no what you mean about Bayliss. But some stunning fish in there. The ghosties fight like nothing else I've caught.

In reply to Post #8
Would,nt know mate years since i went , druggies, hookers pulling up in taxis, and a car set on fire all in 2 days i spent at the rathole.

In reply to Post #9
All these years carp fishing and I never knew Luton town centre had a lake.

In reply to Post #10

In reply to Post #10
Ha ha

In reply to Post #1
Dunno about the best. Each water offers a different challenge and it's the challenge I enjoy so I have many favourites.

Worst, by far, is Naseby Res. Fished it once on a social. What a circus that place is. A big mud pit literally overflowing with some of the worst looking carp I've seen, many of which are in a right old state. It was proper rammed as well. I guess angling means different things to different people.

I can only imagine how bad Drayton is.

In reply to Post #13
Ha ha, as soon as I saw this thread I though of Bayliss! I fished it once when on holiday with the family. I actually managed my first ever 20lber on a frozen tutti from there - the luckiest cast I've ever made (6" from the island)! Proper dump though.

Best would have to be Horseshoe back in the day of the 10 year membership under the reign of Clive Owden. Mega water, mega stock, mega times. Learnt so much (mainly from the Elstow boys who used to make it look silly easy) and caught some amazing fish in good company.

In reply to Post #14
Best although needed a bit of love, Ron Middleton s Ashmire...beautiful lake worst...a farmers lake in ireland that had no fish in.

My favourite was the 1st season of the syndicate on Farmwood I sometimes had the whole 60 odd acres to myself on a saturday night! Long time ago , 1994 I think.....

Worst is probably Brookside in Cheshire, rat infested, full of bashed up fish, nothing into double figures even though their page said fish to 40+, too many swims, too many parties on the bank.

In reply to Post #16
Farmwood that was exciting times , forgot about brookside that was a ****hole

In reply to Post #17
My best was a little over grown 5 acre lake that I had to my self for two seasons the fish were not massive but were mint and hard to catch my worst was lucks lane in paddock wood the fish were manky it was a popular lake for the local pikey's to visit and skull drag in every unfortunate carp they caught as well as getting drunk and stoned and being noisy.

In reply to Post #18
Worste lake I ever fish is called sandiway on Warrington ticket, over fished by bad bait boat anglers stitching pegs all season and sending rigs into snags 200 yards out .. close second is a syndicate water in staffs called Hilton, next to a motorway, loads birds, weedy and full of roach that destroyed hook baits in minutes.and over run with hoards of rats

In reply to Post #19
Sandiway was a great water 25 years ago

Emerald Pools in the south west is by a long shot the worst lake i have ever fished. They came running to the van for money before we had even got out of the Van. Human exrement piled up next to the cabin. The cabins to far away from the water to fish from safely. The list goes on and on.
To many favorites to choose one tbh

Best lake I ever fished was a small syndicate lake in the Cotswold water park , no monsters but the place was a margin fishers paradise , gin clear water with margin spots galore , it had around 35 old carp including a very special old leather carp , looking back now its the lake that I have enjoyed the most , great times , great members , unfortunately old owner had to sell up and when the new guy came in the syndicate was no more .....

Worst lake I ever fished , gotta be one of the lakes at hordle when I fished there as a kid in the 90's , rats everywhere, overstocked, battered carp , only fished there cos it was a bike ride away ha

In reply to Post #22
Pit 3 Harefield - late 90s for my best venue..
Large classic colne valley pit - loads of pukka carp to go at..
had some great times start of the season - used to get there midnight the day before june 16th and get proper ****ed up...
good bunch of lads and pretty much every angling session turned into a "proper session"...
did a good few years on there and totally loved it...
its where I cut my carping teeth

Fern's gotta be up there for me Andy...
totally unique to have a venue so local with some really cracking carp to go at with only me and you doing nights...
Some proper laughs that one.... (and some good commons caught)
Class A carping....

Yeah mate fern is up there , great little lake , some crazy sessions and some nice old carp , and lots of fire 🔥🤣

Best = Bin el Ouidane
Worst = Swangey lakes in Norfolk

In reply to Post #25
Best wraysbury and yateley
Worst monk lakes or frant

Best - Great Linford Lakes when I joined during the first release of debentures ( and Jennetts in Bideford where I learnt to catch carp in the early eighties )

Worst- Great Linford Lakes when I sold up 4/5 years ago , ruined by greed , mismanagement and a complete dis regard for members. ( and even worse now so i'm told)

In reply to Post #26
We fished Pads last year and I was really disappointed. In my mind it was idyllic, picturesque and quiet. The reality was it was noisy, next to a housing estate and firing range!

My best is easily Aveley. Loved it there and kicking myself for giving up my ticket.
Worst is difficult, I've fished some awful day ticket puddles!

In reply to Post #29
Awesome, I can't wait!!

Coincidentally, one of the lakes on our radar was Redmire, but I think it's best left in our minds as a Mecca!

In reply to Post #30
Worse... Todber Manor about 12 years ago, on a stag weekend for a mate. Fishery was my idea of hell.

Best... Have to split : UK, Roach Pit early Nineties. Major fun, though we thought we were Ringwoods answer to The Looney Rota. France..one of the pits in the Alpes, public water with everything and more.

Worst a stretch of the Medway unless you like bag heads pikeys and skanky hookers gurning on a dingy.
Best I'll keep to myself

In reply to Post #32
Lol

I have to say one of the worst fisheries that did not live up to my expectations ,was Orchid in Oxford,i had heard so much about this place and how good it was ,I found it vastly overrated ,a typical day ticket ,with a very noisy road next to it ....never again what a waste of fuel ,better lakes down here now....


Best fishery,possibly Beechmere ,Shillamill top lake,Myplace,Tredidon manor....lower Tamar pre Ms Stacy....lots of em..!!!...nice and quiet...too many to list....

In reply to Post #34
Beechmere was a joy to fish , just a hell of a drive for me.

In reply to Post #34
Have to agree about Orchid, don't see what all the fuss is about, just like a smaller version of Linear but with bait boats and a resident swim hogging tramp

In reply to Post #36
Hasn't he lived in that swim 8 years or something like that.

In reply to Post #37
Tap him up for some info then

In reply to Post #37
Seriously?

In reply to Post #37
Mental

In reply to Post #37
And let me guess he's a really good angler having had most of the stock 😂😂

In reply to Post #41
Took my Uncle one year....except Dianna ,the Big Common found dead in the reeds...I heard..

In reply to Post #35
I love Beechmere,booked up and going soon again....

can`t wait ......35 mins from Home....

In reply to Post #43
Lucky sod !

In reply to Post #44
Mate I knew way back,went to school with owner,.....I'd love to fish Woldale,as many historical lakes as I can...i don't care for size,just to be sitting by a place,that has historical value...👍

1 hour 12 Orchid Pete.

BIVVY TRAMP

In reply to Post #46
Ffs all thats bad about carp fishing is in that !

In reply to Post #46
Thank god for subtitles!

In reply to Post #48
Bit tough to understand the chubbly gunty chavil the givel.

In reply to Post #49
I live near liverpool but cant stand that scousers voice never mind the tramps !

In reply to Post #50
Just goes to show the owner of the lake only cares about cash, not the people fishing,his fish or his lake.
Who else would allow this bloke to live in the same swim for almost the past decade.

In reply to Post #46
Blimey he's upped his game since I was last there, new hairdo and all

In reply to Post #53
True

In reply to Post #47
Its a great video, it has stopped me ever making the mistake of going there

In reply to Post #51
The guy that knows what Pete has been through in life and what he still goes through when moves back to his own neighbourhood.He goes on holidays with his wife and his sister its the life he chooses to live what the **** has it got to do with any of us

In reply to Post #56
I'm inclined to agree. I watched the bit of the video, god I must have been bored but I did! The chap Pete, May well have an interesting back story. Who are we to judge, especially when we know f all about him.

In reply to Post #56
Do you know something , you are so right .

In reply to Post #46
Good job that celebrity guy didn't fancy that peg. 😆

In reply to Post #59
Best - Temple - Old bury hill (members only) brilliant venue no muppets, left alone, cracking carp, no nuisance fish (some crays though) decent weights and not overpriced , also very well thought out facilities, swims and car park

Worst - some hovel in Essex ,

Turned up to a sea of empty lager boxes some being used as a seat for float bashes and the Argos boys fishing in lines and barbed rigs for crucians that were bullied to the bank, Blue bivvies and radios them smell of skunk lingering in the air was enough to give snoop dogg a migraine then I spotted the cherry on the cake......bailiff driving about in a golf cart white vest hat and jeans cowboy style hat dog in the back in some sort of man made basket/bucket r pack of Stella angling from the dash on the golf cart and one in his hand, told us about the stocks and how there was big carp and cats and a few spots available we had a walk around as the lake with the most Jeremy Kyle contestants was the one nearest to the car park but no the whole lake was full to the brim with pissed up dope smoking Argos boys

Venue itself was a bit tatty , two iron lungs per lake that looked as if they had been cleaned yearly by way of hand grenade, swims were like the radio one mosh pit at Glastonbury office,shop couldn't get a cuppa or a Mars bar very very basic

Best: Either Harthill fishery or Roman Lakes-when it was good.

Worse: Roman Lakes - nowadays or Brookside in Warrington.