Mallard Pool
Mallard
Pool was opened in 1994.
At about 2 acres and having 48 pegs, it is the largest of the pools at Spring
Lea.
It gently slopes to a maximum depth of
8 feet, but anglers should not ignore
the margins, as some of the best carp
are often caught close in, near the rushes.
As
its name suggests the pool is horseshoe
shaped, bordered on one side my mature
trees, providing good shelter on windy
days.
Smaller than Mallard, the 26 pegs have
been cut amongst the reeds and rushes
which surround the pool.
Depths gently slope to a maximum of around
6 feet.
Mallard
is the pool used the most often for matches and there are usually open matches
on Saturdays and Sundays. It is available though, for pleasure fishing most
evenings and weekdays.
Mallard pool contains common, mirror, leather, ghost, grass and crucian carp.
There are many double figure carp and several have exceeded 20lb. There are
also good tench to over 3lb as well as roach, rudd, bream, perch and orfe.
The pool was extensively restocked in 2000 and new fish are regularly added.
The record match weight is 182 lb (peg 11) for a 5 hour match caught in June
2004. See the Match Fishing page for more details.
Pleasure bags regularly exceeded 100lb.
On all 5 pools, both pole and rod catch well. Corn, meat bread and maggots
are always popular, but most baits are usually successful at various times.
Kingfisher
Pool was the first pool created at Spring
Lea, in 1991.
It is a very interesting shape, with a
large main section and a much smaller
secluded one, connected by a long tree
lined channel, providing anglers with
many varied and attractive pegs.
A small bridge leads to the larger of
the two islands in the pool.
The
Orfe Pool was opened in 1996.
It was designed with match fishing in
mind, being a quite a regular oblong shape.
It has a distinctive shelf, falling from
about 4 feet deep at 9 metres to 8 feet
deep in the middle.
The
smaller of the two sections of the pool
and the channel are surrounded by mature
trees.
The small section has only room for about
7 or 8 anglers and the pegs have been
cut between the gaps between the trees,
making it a great spot for those who prefer
a more secluded place to fish. The swims
have lots of places for the carp to hide
- beneath the overhanging trees or amongst
the reeds and rushes. But beware, fish
too close to them and it is very difficult
to stop the carp before it gets in the
rushes and snaps you!
Kingfisher holds common and mirrors to
double figures. There are also good stocks
of crucians, tench, roach, orfe, bream
and perch.
Kingfisher is mainly used for pleasure
anglers, but does have occasional matches.
A new fifth pool was opened in the summer of 2003. Named Trevors Pool, in memory of Trevor Potter, who created Spring Lea in 1991.
It has has a central island running its full length. It has a width of about 13 metres from the bank to the island.
Trevors Pool is stocked with crucian and small carp and good numbers of silver fish - roach, rudd, bream and tench.
