Specimen Carp Lakes In Devon: The Best Day Ticket Venues

It is claimed that what we know as the Cornish pasty originated in Devon. Now, I don’t know if that is true or not, but what I can say for sure is that there are some fantastic day ticket carp lakes in this beautiful county.

One thing that Devon can claim is that it is home to the longest road network in the country, with a number of those roads leading us to lakes where we can tempt some of the finest carp in the United Kingdom.

Carp Lakes Near Me In Devon

There are a lot of amazing carp venues in Devon, so let’s take a look at some of them in alphabetical order.

Colebrook Fishery (Cullompton)

Colebrook Fishery is located in Colebrook, approximately 2 miles from Cullompton.

This wonderful lake has undergone some big changes in recent years. Up until 2017, it was only 1 acre in size and was a runs water for small carp.

The original lake was then dug out to accommodate 8 pegs and has tripled in size to around 3 acres. The runs water tag has long been forgotten as this is now a challenging venue for even the most experienced carp angler.

The new area of the lake obviously isn’t as mature as the original part, but it is all growing nicely and there are plenty of features to fish to from all pegs.

The endless hours of hard work that the owner has put into this lake are now paying dividends as the majority of the carp are now upper-doubles, the average size is over 20lb and the lake record is in excess of 36lb.

There is a kitchen area which is equipped with a toaster, kettle and microwave. There is also an on-site toilet and shower block available for use by overnight anglers.

Day tickets at this east Devon fishery must be pre-booked and start from £15, with a 24 hour ticket costing £25.

Colebrook Fishery At A Glance:

Coombe Water Fishery (Salcombe)

Coombe Water Fishery is located in Kingsbridge, approximately 7 miles from Salcombe.

There are 3 small ponds on the Coombe Water Fishery complex and each of them holds mixed species of fish.

You might say that these ponds are predominantly aimed at match anglers, but there is a good head of carp in each of them and the lake record is 24lb. I certainly wouldn’t turn down a carp of that size, would you?!

Due to the fact that matches are held on these lakes, maggots can be very productive when fishing for carp, which are often tempted from the margins.

A day ticket at this south Devon fishery costs £8 and there is the potential for night fishing to be arranged with the owners.

Coombe Water Fishery At A Glance:

Creedy Lakes (Crediton)

Creedy Lakes is located in Sandford, around 1 mile from Crediton.

There are 2 lakes on this amazing complex, which is set in 14 acres of unspoilt woodland.

The top lake is used as a stock pond where fishing is not permitted. Next to the car park is the main lake – a 4.5 acre, spring-fed estate lake.

Boasting a clay bottom, the main lake is triangular in shape and has a central island as well as 2 additional islands towards the corners. Depths vary from 2.5ft-13ft with an average of around 5ft-6ft.

There are 23 pegs (including 2 double pegs) with the favourites being beside the boathouse and the pegs at the far end of the right-hand bank.

Boilies tend to do well on this venue, especially pop-ups and wafters. Shellfish, Krill, Cell and Pineapple are the go-to flavours for success.

The majority of the carp in the main lake are commons. These are backed up by a number of mirrors and some upper-double figure koi carp. The average size is mid/upper double figures, supported by a large number of fish that exceed 20lb and the lake record carp which tipped the scales at over 30lb.

The car park is secure and there are toilets on-site with handwashing facilities.

Night fishing is not permitted at this mid Devon complex, but day tickets are valid from 05:30-23:00 and are priced from £12.

Creedy Lakes At A Glance:

Digger Lakes (Cullompton)

Digger Lakes is located in Willand, approximately 3 miles from Cullompton.

Snails Lake and Persey’s Pool make up the Digger Lakes complex and both have an enviable amount of carp in their depths.

Snails Lake is the bigger of the duo at around 5 acres in size. There are 17 pegs in total, but a maximum of 13 are booked at one time to allow movement between pegs, and to decrease angler pressure on the lake.

There are over 200 carp in Snails Lake and almost 50% of them are in excess of 20lb. The lake record tipped the scales at over 34lb and there are multiple other fish that exceed the 30lb barrier.

Persey’s Pool is a more recent addition to the Digger Lakes complex, having only been dug in 2011. There are 10 double pegs on this 4 acre lake, but a maximum of 9 are booked at any time, again, allowing freedom of movement between pegs.

With approximately 140 carp in this lake, there is a slightly smaller ratio of fish-per-acre in comparison to Snails Lake, but that has been purposely done to benefit the growth of the fish. The lake record is currently in the high 20’s, but it won’t be long before the magical 30lb barrier is crossed.

Both of the lakes at this east Devon fishery have numerous features including gravel bars, silt patches, lily pads and overhanging trees, as well as multiple islands.

The complex has toilets with handwashing facilities and there is also a vending machine which dispenses the Digger Lakes Fishery pellet at £2 per kilo.

Tickets are priced at £11 for 2 rods and £14 for 3 rods, per 12 hour period.

Digger Lakes At A Glance:

Four Ponds Fishery (Tiverton)

Four Ponds Fishery is located in Shillingford, around 10 miles from Tiverton.

There are 10 lakes in total on the Four Ponds Fishery complex which comprises of 7 stock ponds and 3 fishing lakes.

Kingfisher Lake is the original water that was dug in 1970. Nowadays it is a runs water that holds a large carp stock to upper-double figures. It wasn’t until 2005 that the specimen lake was excavated and this is where most of the real action happens.

At 3 acres in size and holding a stock of only 60 carp, the specimen lake is the perfect environment for maximum growth of the beautiful leney-strain mirrors that call this place home.

Around two-thirds of the stock in the specimen lake exceed 20lb in weight, with several fish being caught above the 30lb barrier. The lake record is over 34lb.

The average lake depth at this north-east Devon fishery is around 5ft, though there are some holes that go as deep as 9ft in places. Other features to fish include plateaus and gravel bars as well as a small island.

The complex has toilets and handwashing facilities. Carp cradles and landing nets are supplied by the fishery.

Day tickets start at £15 and a 24 hour ticket will set you back £25.

Four Ponds Fishery At A Glance:

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Furzebray Carp Lakes (Barnstaple)

Furzebray Carp Lakes is located in South Molton, approximately 12 miles from Barnstaple.

From March 2021, Furzebray Carp Lakes will no longer be a day-ticket venue, but will instead be available for exclusive lake bookings only.

The Furzebray complex consists of 3 lakes; Island Lake, Willow Pool and Copse Lake.

Copse Lake is the smallest of the 3 at only 1.5 acres. There are 8 pegs on this lake, limited to 4 anglers at a time and there are 5 islands separating the water in which approximately 50 carp take shelter. More than half of the stock is over 20lb in weight and the lake record stands at over 34lb.

At 2 acres, Willow Pool is slightly bigger than Copse Lake. With 150 carp resident in this lake, it boasts an impressive amount of fish per acre of water. There are 6 pegs in total and the lake has underwater bars, reeds and 2 islands to fish to. Depths vary from 1.5ft-12ft and the lake record tipped the scales at over 34lb.

Sounds impressive so far, right? It gets better…..

The Island Lake is the biggest lake on the complex and is also home to the biggest fish on the complex.

3 acres in size, 8 pegs and 100 fish to target, this is the premium lake on the Furzebray complex. While all of the pegs are productive on any given day, favourites seem to be The Lifebuoy, The Point and The Inlet.

The average depth on The Island Lake tends to be in the region of 4ft-5ft, though the shallower pegs have depths as little as 18″ and the deeper water dropping down as much as 12ft.

Only a handful of fish in this lake are below 20lb, with thirty over 30lb and a giant lake record in excess of 47lb! Boilies tend to account for the majority of the fish caught, with the exclusive Furzebray boilies among the favoured choices.

Day tickets at this north Devon fishery start from £15 but all 24hr+ sessions must be booked in advance with a deposit paid at the time of booking.

Furzebray Carp Lakes At A Glance:

Goodiford Mill Fishery (Cullompton)

Goodiford Mill Fishery is located in Kentisbeare, around 4 miles from Cullompton.

Boasting 7 luxury lodges and 3 fishing lakes, Goodiford Mill Fishery is ideal for a family getaway, a solo carp angler or anything in between.

The match lake and silvers lake mainly target pleasure anglers and although I am led to believe that there are some large carp in both of those lakes, the specimen lake is the venue of interest here.

At 1.5 acres, it isn’t the largest lake you will come across in east Devon, but it doesn’t experience the pressure of many of the other lakes in the region while still offering the chance of banking a carp in excess of 30lb.

Day tickets start from £10 with a 24 hour ticket costing £25. Anglers are limited to fishing with 2 rods.

Goodiford Mill Fishery At A Glance:

Hacche Moor Fishery (South Molton)

Hacche Moor Fishery is located in Wester Wood, approximately 2 miles from South Molton.

There are 2 lakes on the Hacche Moor complex – Top Lake and Bottom Lake.

Bottom Lake is the bigger of the 2, covering just under 3 acres of water. Although there are 9 pegs on the lake, fishing is restricted to 5 anglers at a time. Known as “The Inlet’, peg 4 is always a popular choice. As the name suggests, there is an inlet pipe which is located in the margins, and the island is only 15 wraps away.

Over 150 carp reside in the Bottom Lake, the average size of which is in the region of mid-double figures. There are also multiple fish that have crossed the 20lb barrier and a handful that have exceeded 30lb in weight.

Top Lake is slightly smaller than its sibling, extending to roughly 2 acres in size. There are 8 pegs in total, though bookings are restricted to 5 anglers at a time. Fishing in pegs 1, 2, 7 or 8 gives good access to the island and also enjoys some of the shallower areas of water.

There are roughly 60 carp in the Top Lake, the majority of which are over 20lb in weight. Many of them are close to the 30lb barrier and the lake record is in excess of 35lb.

Carp cradles and nets are supplied by the fishery and are located next to the on-site toilets. There is a summer house located next to Bottom Lake which offers the perfect setting for those social BBQs. The fishery is fully protected by a perimeter otter fence.

The minimum booking at Hacche Moor Fishery is for 24 hours, with tickets priced at £25 for Bottom Lake and £30 for Top Lake. Lake exclusives are available from £125 and all fishing must be booked in advance.

Hacche Moor Fishery At A Glance:

Lakeside View Carp Fisheries (Cullompton)

Lakeside View Carp Fisheries is located in Kentisbeare, around 3 miles from Cullompton.

The Lakeside View complex consists of 3 lakes; Oak Lake, Birch Lake and Willow Lake. (Fishing on Willow Lake is for the exclusive use of anyone staying in one of the holiday cottages).

Birch Lake is the smaller of the day ticket waters, covering approximately 3 acres with 9 well-spaced pegs. From the stock of 90 carp, the majority of them are over 20lb with 4 known fish over the 30lb barrier.

The main lake on the complex is Oak Lake, which offers 14 pegs over 10 acres of water. With the majority of the 300 carp in this lake being over 25lb and more than 100 of them exceeding 30lb, there is a chance of having a red-letter day at this venue. With that being said, Oak Lake is a difficult water to fish and you will need to get your tactics right if you are to succeed here.

Depths vary between 4ft-10ft at this east Devon fishery, which is fast becoming one of the premier carp waters in the area, despite only being in operation since 2013.

There is an on-site tackle shop that sells bait and essential terminal tackle. There are toilets and showers and a kitchen area with a kettle, toaster and a microwave. Food orders are taken each day and you can have breakfast or dinner delivered to your peg. Each peg is supplied with a carp cradle, landing net and weigh sling.

Day tickets are available between Monday-Thursday on Birch Lake and are priced at £15, while a minimum of 24 hours must be booked at all times on Oak Lake which is priced at £30. All fishing must be booked in advance.

Lakeside View Carp Fisheries At A Glance:

Luccombes Fishery (Exeter)

Luccombes Fishery is located in Exminster, approximately 6 miles from Exeter.

Th Luccombes Fishery consists of 5 lakes, one of which is a specimen lake called Ash Pond and is approximately 1 acre in size. There are 6 well-positioned pegs, all of which are big enough to accommodate a bivvy.

There is a good stock of carp in Ash Pond and, although some smaller fish do exist, the average size is mid/upper double, up to a lake record of 25lb.

The depth in Ash Pond fluctuates, with the shallower areas averaging around 3ft and deeper areas reaching 8ft.

Day tickets at this mid Devon fishery start from £8 (2 rods) and a 24 hour ticket is priced at £14 (2 rods). A small charge applies for anglers wishing to use a 3rd rod.

Luccombes Fishery At A Glance:

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Milemead Fisheries (Tavistock)

Milemead Fisheries is located near Gulworthy, around 2 miles from Tavistock.

A total of 5 lakes are present on this complex, though only 2 of them will be of interest here.

The first lake that we will take a look at is the Cat N’ Carp Lake. As the name suggests, it is stocked with both catfish and carp, with the former reaching 36lb and the latter to weights just shy of 27lb.

The Cat N’ Carp Lake is around 2 acres in size, has 12 well-positioned pegs with a total stock of 300 carp and 30+ catfish.

At 3 acres in size, the Specimen Carp Lake is slightly bigger than the Cat N’ Carp Lake. It only has 10 pegs, which are all situated along one side of the lake (this obviously makes the far margin a real hotspot!)

From its total stock of 175 carp, the Specimen Lake currently holds:

• 5 x carp over 30lb
• 12 x carp over 25lb
• 50 x carp over 20lb

While there are also a few smaller fish present, the majority of the remaining carp are mid/upper double-figure in size.

Boilies do well on both of the waters mentioned here, with squid, krill, cell and manilla all accounting for decent fish. Maggots should never be ignored either.

There is a well-stocked tackle shop on-site that carries a range of equipment, terminal tackle and bait. Hot/cold drinks and snacks are also available. The complex also has a toilet and shower block.

Day tickets are available at this west Devon venue and prices start from £10. All fishing on the Specimen Carp Lake must be pre-booked.

Milemead Fisheries At A Glance:

Oaktree Fishery (South Molton)

Oaktree Fishery is located in Bottreaux Mill, approximately 7 miles from South Molton.

There are 3 lakes on the complex; Oaktree Lake, Otters Lake and Stags Lake. With Oaktree Lake and Otters Lake accommodating pleasure anglers, it is Stags Lake that is home to the specimen fish.

Around 2 acres in size, Stags Lake certainly isn’t the biggest lake in Devon, but with carp almost crossing the 40lb barrier and wels catfish in excess of 70lb, you will be hard pushed to find a lake that small with stock of that size.

Depths at this mid Devon fishery are around 4ft on average, though there are some slightly shallower and deeper holes, some of which drop off to around 18ft.

There is a small tackle shop on-site that also stocks certain bait products. Drinks and snacks can be purchased and there are toilets and shower facilities.

Anglers wishing to fish Oaktree or Otters Lake can do so for £10 per day. Stags Lake is £15 per day or £20 per 24 hours, with the use of a 3rd rod costing an additional £5.

Oaktree Fishery At A Glance:

Stafford Moor Fishery (Winkleigh)

Stafford Moor Fishery is located in Dolton, around 4 miles from Winkleigh.

A total of 7 lakes are available to anglers on this mid Devon complex, though only 2 will really be of interest to those in pursuit of carp.

Beatties Lake is around 8 acres in size and has a great stock of fish, including:

• Lake record in excess of 35lb
• Forty fish over 20lb
• 400+ double-figure carp

There are 13 pegs on Beatties Lake, 11 of which are bookable, leaving 2 pegs in the backwater area for hunters who like to roam around and do some stalking. The pegs in the main area of the lake are well spaced and the positioning of the 3 islands helps to divide the fishable water for each angler.

Lodge Lake is the original lake of the complex and has been in operation since 1973. Also around 8 acres in size, Lodge Lake is home to more than 600 carp up to a lake record of 32lb.

Depths vary from around 13ft at the dam end to only 2ft or 3ft in the shallower areas, which are obvious hotspots for the warmer months.

The on-site tackle shop is extensive and stocks a multitude of products from all of the major brands. Drinks and snacks are available and tea/coffee is complimentary (on the condition that you make a donation to Devon Air Ambulance). Toilets and shower facilities are also available.

12 hour sessions are priced at £15 and 24 hour sessions cost £28 for both of the above lakes.

Stafford Moor Fishery At A Glance:

Upham Farm Fishery (Exeter)

Upham Farm Fishery is located in Farringdon, approximately 9 miles from Exeter.

There are a total of 7 lakes on the Upham Farm Fishery complex. With 6 of them being aimed at pleasure anglers, that only leaves the specimen pond for those in search of the larger carp.

The specimen pond is known as Lake 7 and is just over an acre in size. There is an island in the middle which, along with the margins, is one of the main hotspots.

The average size in the specimen lake tends to be mid/upper double with a lake record in excess of 32lb.

There is a secure car park and toilet facilities on-site.

Day tickets at this south Devon fishery start at £11 and 24 hour tickets are available for £20. These charges are based on anglers using 2 rods and there is a small, additional charge for anglers wishing to use a 3rd rod.

Upham Farm Fishery At A Glance:

Conclusion

Devon is a very popular carp fishing destination, both with local anglers and people holidaying in the region.

From rod-bending runs waters to the chance of banking a life-changing 50lb+ fish, Devon has opportunities for carp anglers of all abilities.

Have you ever fished in Devon? If so, which lakes are your favourites? Let me know in the comments how you got on.