Specimen Carp Lakes In Berkshire: The Best Day Ticket Venues

Berkshire is home to the largest town in the UK, and it also boasts some of the biggest carp in the south-east region.

Many sought-after syndicate lakes lie within the boundaries of this beautiful county, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t some fantastic day ticket carp fisheries, too. In this article, we will take a closer look at the following lakes:

• Barton Court Fishery
• Court Farm Fishing Lakes
• Longmoor Lake
• New Farm Fisheries
• Pondwood Fisheries
• Seven Lakes Fishery
• Theale Fisheries
• White Swan Lake

Let’s not delay any further, and get straight into checking out the finest carp fishing lakes in Berkshire.

Barton Court Fishery (Hungerford)

Barton Court Fishery is located in Kintbury, approximately 4 miles from Hungerford.

The lake covers around 4 acres of water and has 2 islands towards the centre.

Located in the North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the lake is surrounded by an abundance of greenery that stretches as far as the eye can see. The lake itself has a very secluded feel to it and the overhanging trees and reed-lined margins provide a safe haven for the carp.

The average size carp is around the low-double figure mark but larger specimens do exist, with the upper-doubles and 20lb+ fish visiting the bank on a regular basis.

There is secure car parking on-site and toilet facilities are available for all anglers.

Day tickets at this picturesque Berkshire fishery are priced at £10 (2 rods) or £15 (3 rods). Night fishing is possible, but must be booked in advance, with a 24 hour ticket costing £25.

Barton Court Fishery At A Glance:

Court Farm Fishing Lakes (Reading)

Court Farm Fishing Lakes is located in Aldermaston, around 10 miles from Reading.

There are 3 lakes on the complex, all of which have carp in excess of 20lb swimming in their depths.

Lake One is a very mature water and has multiple weeping willows running along its margins. While this lake is aimed at pleasure anglers with a focus on smaller fish, there are many carp that have reached double figures and the lake record tipped the scales at over 20lb.

Lake Two boasts the same species that are present in Lake One, albeit slightly larger in size. Specimen tench have been captured in excess of 8lb and the lake record carp crossed the magical 30lb barrier.

Lake Three is the main specimen lake of the complex. At approximately 1 acre in size, it is slightly larger than its sibling lakes and all anglers must be aged 18 or over. The lake has been stocked with over 200 double-figure carp and there is a good head of 20lb+ fish. The lake record is in excess of 36lb.

There is a large car park on-site and there are toilet facilities. A local tackle shop is less than 5 minutes drive from the lake for anglers who forgot any essentials.

Night fishing is not allowed at this wonderful Berkshire fishery but day tickets are valid from 7am until sunset. For Lake One and Lake Two, tickets are priced at £10 per rod and for Lake Three, £12 per rod.

Court Farm Fishing Lakes At A Glance:

Longmoor Lake (Wokingham)

Longmoor Lake is located in Finchampstead, approximately 4 miles from Wokingham.

Dating back more than 100 years, Longmoor Lake is a charming Berkshire estate lake that extends to around 6 acres in size and has 33 pegs. As you would expect with a lake of this age, the islands and margins are bustling with mature features.

The lake record for both common and mirror carp is in excess of 30lb but, due to the lack of recent captures, it is unlikely that these particular fish are still in the lake. The average size is now scraping the double-figure mark, but there are still some larger fish present and a number of them are 20lb+.

Night fishing is restricted to members, but day tickets can be purchased on-site for £10 (2 rods) and are valid from 7am until sunset.

Longmoor Lake At A Glance:

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New Farm Fisheries (Maidenhead)

New Farm Fisheries is located in Hawthorn Hill, around 5 miles from Maidenhead.

There are 3 lakes on the complex, 2 of which are specimen lakes.

Catfish Lake is around 2.5 acres in size and is home to some of the biggest catfish in Berkshire. The lake record is in excess of 100lb and they are growing very quickly.

Carp Lake covers around 3.5 acres of water and is heavily stocked. There are many pegs positioned around the lake (possibly too many for the size of the lake), some of which are doubles, so ideal for a social.

There are some smaller carp in the lake, but the majority are over 10lb with an average size of mid-double figures. There are plenty that have crossed the 20lb barrier and a handful that have exceeded 30lb, up to a lake record of 37lb.

There is a large, secure car park on-site as well as male/female toilets and showers. There is a cafe that serves food at the weekends and there is a first-aid trained bailiff available 24 hours per day.

Day tickets are priced at £10 per day (2 rods) or £15 per day (3 rods). Night fishing is possible and 24 hour tickets are priced at £20 (2 rods) or £30 (3 rods).

New Farm Fisheries At A Glance:

Pondwood Fisheries (Maidenhead)

Pondwood Fisheries is located in White Waltham, approximately 7 miles from Maidenhead.

With 5 lakes on the complex, there is something for all anglers, including 2 specimen lakes.

While Lake 1 is known for its legendary catfish hauls, it also holds a good head of specimen carp. The average size is mid-double figure and there are a number of 20lb+ fish, up to a lake record of 32lb. The catfish are the predominant species in this lake though, with the lake record currently in excess of 50lb.

Lake 5 is the dedicated carp lake of the complex and all of the fish are in excess of 10lb in weight. The lake record is currently 26lb and there are multiple fish in excess of 20lb, so this lake is likely to produce some fantastic specimens in the near future.

There are 5 car parks on-site, a cafe that serves meals, drinks and snacks on certain days of the week and excellent toilet facilities.

Day tickets are valid from dawn until dusk on Lake 1 and from dawn until 4pm on Lake 5 and are priced at £12. Night fishing is available, with 24 hour tickets valid from 4pm on the day of arrival and cost £25. Additional hours can be paid for on a pro-rata basis.

Pondwood Fisheries At A Glance:

Seven Lakes Fishery (Newbury)

Seven Lakes Fishery is located in Aldermaston, around 10 miles from Newbury.

As the name suggests, there are 7 lakes on the complex, with 2 of those aimed at carp anglers.

Lake 7 is the runs water of the complex. At just over an acre in size, it is stocked with 300+ carp, so there is almost guaranteed action. For its small size, this is quite a deep lake, with average depths of around 10ft and the deepest areas reaching a maximum of 16ft. Although there are carp in excess of 20lb in the lake, the biggest capture so far has been 17lb.

Lake 6 is the largest lake on the complex, covering just over 3 acres of water. Again, this is also quite a deep lake, with maximum depths of 16ft. The lake record is a fish known as “Ollie”, who weighed almost 33lb when captured, and he is well supported by many other carp in excess of 20lb.

There is a food van on-site that serves breakfast, burgers, drinks and snacks. In addition, there is a secure car park and toilet facilities.

Day tickets at this beautiful Berkshire fishery are priced from £11 and the operational hours vary throughout the seasons.

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Theale Fisheries (Reading)

Theale Fisheries is located in Sulhamstead, approximately 6 miles from Reading.

While the Theale Fisheries complex comprises of 3 lakes, only 1 of them is a day ticket water, with the other 2 operating as syndicates.

The day ticket water is called The Island Lake and is just under 2 acres in size. As the name suggests, it has an island which is almost in the centre of the lake.

There are now just 15 pegs on the lake and fishing is restricted to a maximum of 8 anglers at a time, giving each person plenty of water in which to fish and also the opportunity to move pegs. The island is an obvious feature as are the margins, which tend to be particularly productive.

There is a generous stock of approximately 200 carp, most of which are double figures. There are more than 25 different fish that have crossed the 20lb barrier and several that have exceeded 30lb.

There is plenty of car parking available and the entire complex is securely otter fenced.

Day ticket for The Island Lake are valid from 7am-7pm and cost £12. Night tickets are the same price and run from 7pm-7am. All tickets must be booked online in advance.

Theale Fisheries At A Glance:

White Swan Lake (Wokingham)

White Swan Lake is located near Sandford, around 4 miles from Wokingham.

As part of the super-famous Dinton Pastures Country Park, White Swan Lake is steeped in carp fishing history and is well known within Berkshire’s specimen community.

This is a 24 acre former gravel pit that has 90 pegs, some of which are positioned quite closely together, probably due to the matches that used to be held here in the past.

The lake is home to some of the finest looking carp in the country and is continually being stocked with the next generation of stunners. It is also rich in natural food, so the fish are by no means reliant on the different baits presented to them by anglers.

There are multiple 30lb+ carp in this lake, accompanied by a handful of specimens that are established at weights in excess of 40lb. The lake record was in excess of 50lb when captured, though this fish hasn’t been seen for some time now.

Night fishing is only available for syndicate members, but day tickets can be purchased on-site and cost £10 for the use of 2 rods.

White Swan Lake At A Glance:

Conclusion

The abundance of syndicates and day ticket fisheries that are within the boundaries of Berkshire makes it one of the most prolific carp-catching counties in the UK.

Whether you are looking for a low-stocked, big fish water or simply want to spend the day landing double-figure carp, there is something for everyone here.

Have you fished any of the lakes listed here? If you have, please let me know in the comments how you got on.