Estate Lake Fishing - Tench and Carp in Norfolk

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Estate Lake News Norfolk holidays Dates & prices : ... weekend estate lake breaks with tution from John Bailey

'Thankyou for the pleasure of your company on…that magical estate…many thanks for a great adventure and I hope I'll see you again.' John Gilman, High Peak

'I would like to thank both yourself and John for one of the most enjoyable and relaxing weekends I have spent for a long time, the mix of people, the location, and the tuition was second to none. The whole experience along with Johns traditional fishing methods have converted my approach to fishing for ever. This was an experience I certainly intend to repeat soon. I fulfilled my objectives 120%' Andy Griffiths

Dear Angling Traveller,

There's an estate carp lake in Norfok. Awesomely beautiful. Big, big fish - certainly over forty pounds. Almost under your rod tip. You hardly dare breathe! This is a stunningly beautiful, crystal-clear estate lake where you will see shoals of tench way above seven pounds in weight gliding at your very feet and Pike fishing in winter. That doesn't always mean it's easy: these fish have hardly ever been tackled before and we might have to use natural baits like lobworm or maggot until they get used to recognising corn, say, as food. If you dream to fish for unmarked tench in a beautiful place with traditional methods, this would be the weekend for you.

The rebirth of Norfolk's River Wensum : John has access to one or two short lengths that are almost as they were thirty years ago in its heyday. Shoals of roach - as yet not as massive as they were but growing all the time.

Discover For Yourself Why Angling Travel Is So Special

Norfolk is still so unspoilt and peaceful Stalking in crystal-clear water Country accommodation in a cosy inn Serene private lakes Secret river locations

Plenty of chub to six pounds. All in a lovely, unspoiled setting.

and Pike fishing

Or take a boat with him up an almost unknown pike river just a mile from the sea. It's a lost, lonely land, a haven for ornithologists and pike men too! You can expect fish into double figures, hope for a twenty and keep your fingers crossed for a thirty. You'll be fishing for pike that have rarely, if ever, been touched. Almost like reliving the Broadland experience of the 1960s.

Tench were John Bailey's favourite fish for years; he was brought up on them as a lad here in Norfolk, cycling from one estate lake to another. There was one particular lake that was always much more magical than the rest. And then it closed its doors on virtually all anglers. A day granted there was like gold dust and locals talked of it in hushed tones. By a remarkable set of coincidences, we have managed to secure a couple of weekend breaks on the lake in this coming summer.

This weekend tench fishing holiday will be quite an experience. We're not talking about barren, impersonal, ocean-like gravel pit fishing here. This is a stunningly beautiful, crystal-clear estate lake where you will see shoals of tench way above seven pounds in weight gliding at your very feet. Mind you, that doesn't always mean that it's going to be easy: remember these fish have hardly ever been tackled before and we might have to use natural baits like lobworm or maggot until they get used to recognising corn, say, as food.

Norfolk estates are the essence of English countryside - and each is a quiet haven of hidden lakes and wide grasslands with carefully placed 400 year-old oak trees. All within easy reach of London.

Make no mistake if you dream to fish for unmarked tench in a beautiful place with traditional methods then there is absolutely no doubt that this would be exactly the weekend for you.

Over the past year, John has been re-examining his Norfolk roots in a way that he would not have thought possible a decade ago. He has found a maze of pools, lakes, streams, rivers and some of the most unexpected fishing, he feels, in the U.K. What's the appeal? Going back to the haunts of his childhood, seeing how waters have changed and developed, meeting old friends, reliving old memories. The fishing has proved spectacular. John treats it with huge respect and fishes these places incredibly lightly. Even so, within a year, his secret venues have turned up both pike and carp to over thirty pounds, barbel to more than fifteen along with big tench, roach, chub and even mullet and sea bass. Want to join him one weekend this in July, September or November?

You'll stay in any one of the enchanting, characterful little hotels or inns. John meets you at breakfast time - or if we're tench fishing - at dawn, each day. A plan is made. Your own input and agenda is vital and in addition John will suggest places that he knows are very much on the boil. You might start at one of his little marshland pools fishing for carp near forty pounds, barely ever fished for. Or one of his hidden pike lakes, deep in Norfolk estates, a lost, lonely land, where thirties and fish of forty pounds, are on the cards and upper doubles and twenties proliferate, a haven for ornithologists and pike men too! Fish for pike that have rarely, if ever, been touched. You might drift further south and take a boat out up the River Wensum for big roach. You might happen upon one of the mill pools John has access to and land a very big barbel. If time, tide and weather are all favourable then you might walk the lonely, north coastline with a light rod, spinner and a pair of binoculars, searching the prolific shoals of bass. An eight or nine pounder is spectacular - but at four and five pounds average they fight like little tigers on light gear. And if the weather suits, they're catchable on a fly.

These are expeditions that demand flexibility: you might have your bait next to a thirty-five pound mirror carp in a crystal clear lake one second or a four pound mullet the next. Perhaps you'll do some float fishing, perhaps some Czech nymphing for a shoal of enormous dace.

What is certain is that you will enjoy absorbing, unexpected sport on some of the most stunningly beautiful, unanticipated waters you're ever likely to come across. You'll adore the insight John gives you and the excitement of wondering what will be coming next