Specimen Lake
Have you got the tackle? Boasting Carp up to and over 40lb this technical lake has multiple challenges and features that will challenge you to new limits.
This lake has an excellent stock of upper doubles but these wily old fish are not easy to catch as simply put they may have seen more rigs than you have with large open waters, smooth silt bottom, gravel bars, varying depths of waters, producing islands and margins and with many unique features to angle for these intelligent and wily fish... it is the perfect angling challenge, can You outwit the fish at White Springs? ...
The lake records so far stand at:
Mirror Carp 45.2lb, Common Carp 38.2lb, Grass Carp 32lb.
Lake rules can be found here (opens new window)
The Specimen Lake at White Springs is a 9.5 acre lake with plenty of islands and features. It's ideal for those anglers looking for a challenge however it is not for beginners and you must have the correct tackle to deal with the large carp of up to 45lb that can be found here.
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With fish of this size present, it is essential for fish safety to ensure that your tackle is capable and compliant with our rules. The rules can be found by clicking here, you must have an adequate cradle preferably one that can contain water at depth or very thick high walled mat one again preferably one capable of holding a decent amount of water so the fish is not left dry. To be clear on the Specimen lake you are not allowed flat or even beanie mats.
Fishing these lakes with fish of this size it is vital to be able support the large frames of the fish as placing them on non supporting mats will result in the fish suffering under its own weight if take out of the water. If your mat is not suitable you will be refused entry to fish the specimen lake and invited to fish another lake instead so please check that yours is sufficient with the fishery if you are fishing on the Specimen Lake for the first time, thank you.
A technical and logical approach will score well on the Specimen Lake, with the best approach being little and often, the bailiffs are always on hand with friendly advice and are contactable to help you with any needs.
As the lakes here are fed with natural spring water it provides great oxygen levels in the lake and this helps to support and keep active the very large head of 30+lbs that are present here all throughout the year. As you can imagine this makes winter fishing at White Springs very popular and one of the few lakes anywhere in the UK that actually fishes well in the winter.
The fish come out on a regular basis and some have been named such as Hobnob shown, however as with any lake there are fish that are not seen for many months before coming out again and there are many more still uncaught including a very large and long Koi which we have seen on the surface that is estimated to be around the 30lb mark, it has been brought to the net twice and slipped away both times. The one that got away!
Along with the larger fish like Hobnob there is also a decent head of mid to upper twenty's as well which will suit all anglers as they are fast, powerful and fight well resulting in some real screaming runs.
The lake itself has multiple swims that provide a unique experience on every swim and fishes well all through the year when many other lakes have closed. With so many different fish that can come out at any time of the year its easy to see why this lake is so popular with top anglers and why so many travel from all over to visit us.
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The lakes at White Springs provide an experience for every type of angler, however it must be said that this is not a lake for the faint of heart or inexperienced angler,
There is ample space for all your fishing equipment and the majority of swims are all accessible via gravel paths with gravel purpose built swims and car parking directly next to the swim.
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The pegs at White Springs have been revamped with ample room at every peg.
Most are hard gravel based based, there are single and double peg swims at the specimen lake and we also have dedicated swims for disabled anglers. Some pegs have lake side cabins which can be booked in advance. Most pegs are easily accessible via wheelchair and easy access to car parking usually within a few feet of the swim so there is no need for a barrow.
The range of swims have everything from open water fishing to margins and areas for stalking. Along the lake there are many interesting features to fish including, islands, lily pads, weed beds, silt, gravel bars and lots of overhanging foliage too. The swims, margins and islands have all been extensively de-snagged and provide you with the optimum conditions for fishing.
The lake is set in a very scenic and quiet location with ample facilities all on site, including water, toilet, shower facilities, a launderette and waste disposal facilities, it is a safe and secure site which is locked from 8pm to 8am. It has a tackle shop which is fully equipped for the specimen anglers needs with all top brands and baits. There are plenty of shops pubs and restaurants close by in the village including Tesco and all the local restaurants will deliver fast food right to the car park in White Springs.
Lake depths range from just 2 feet to well over 8 feet. The bottom is mainly black silt broken up with gravel bars, weed patches and lily beds. The margins and open water are often overlooked but are well worth targeting, as some anglers just cast to the islands and many catches are made in the margins and the gravel bars. Bailiffs are happy to point out features as we all know a little local knowledge goes a long way on a lake. Most nutritious baits work well and although there is no magical bait on any one lake a well presented boilie will score well in a little and often approach.
Small PVA bags presentations with boilies and pellets and other methods can also fish well too.There is plenty of room for multiple bivvys at the swims and on some pegs there are well equipped cabins with electric supply, power points, lights and plenty of space to store your tackle.
There are different size cabins and most have kettles, fridges and microwaves and are available upon request. As you can imagine they are very popular especially in the winter and need to be booked in advance.
Please ring in advance and allow yourself plenty of time to plan your trip as the pegs and cabins can often be booked well in advance, sometimes as much as a year in advance, a deposit is required to book any swim/cabin in advance, the lake is also available for holidays, advance bookings, day tickets and is also available to be booked for special occasions such as matches or for charity.
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Also please understand that this is a large complex and only so many hours in the day so sometimes you may have to try a few times to ring through, thanks.
We look forward to seeing you.
Prices for fishing these lakes can be see by clicking here.
Please ring (01792) 885699 for up to date prices.