Carp Fishing Lakes In Cambridgeshire: Best Day Ticket Venues

Cambridgeshire has been responsible for inventing IVF, artificial intelligence and the hovercraft, and it may well be the county which the next British record carp comes from.

Many of the syndicate lakes in this historic county have some enormous specimens in their depths, while day ticket carp mecca Holme Fen Fishery has several fish that are more than capable of reaching record size in the coming seasons (whether they will be ratified by the BRFC remains to be seen).

Without further ado and in alphabetical order, let’s take a look at some of the finest day ticket carp lakes that Cambridgeshire has to offer.

East Delph Lakes (Peterborough)

East Delph Lakes is located in Whittlesey, approximately 7 miles from Peterborough.

This is a stunning complex, situated in the beautiful countryside of Peterborough. There are 3 lakes on the complex, 2 of which are available for exclusive bookings.

Back Lake covers around 2 acres of water and has 13 pegs, though an 8 angler limit means that there are always vacant pegs to move into if you wish. Also, unless you are on a social with friends, each bank is restricted to 2 anglers at a time.

Back Lake boasts an abundance of mature trees along its banks and has 4 islands that separate the water nicely between pegs. There is a good stock of carp, with an average size of mid-double figures, many over 20lb, and a handful that have crossed the 30lb barrier. The depth varies between 2ft-7ft, with an average of 6ft.

Front Lake is very slightly smaller than Back Lake, but is also close to 2 acres in size. There are 9 pegs available, but fishing is limited to a maximum of 6 anglers at a time. There is a larger stock of carp in Front Lake with a similar average size to Back Lake, again with a good head of carp over 20lb. These are backed up by a number of originals, one of which is known to have exceeded 30lb in weight.

Long Lake had always been used as the stock pond for the other lakes but in 2020 it was opened to anglers, with the vision of transforming it into a fishery. As with the other lakes on the complex, Long Lake is close to 2 acres in size and boasts 8 small islands. The depth varies from 2ft in the shallows to 5ft in the deeper areas, with an average depth of 3ft-4ft. The beauty of Long Lake is that the exact stock and size of fish remains unknown, though there are many double figure carp, and specimens in excess of 20lb have been spotted.

There is a locked gate and a moat, which secures this fishery extremely well. There is a compost toilet on-site which is cleaned regularly, but there is no running water or electricity. Many of the local takeaways will deliver food to the main gate.

The minimum booking at this tranquil Cambridgeshire fishery is 24 hours and is priced at £20 for Long Lake and £25 for either Front Lake or Back Lake. Exclusive 24 hour bookings for both Front Lake (£150) and Back Lake (£200) are available.

East Delph Lakes At A Glance:

Fenland Fisheries (Huntingdon)

Fenland Fisheries is located in Earith, around 12 miles from Huntingdon.

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

Vermuyden Lake used to cover approximately 2 acres of water but was extended to 3 acres in 2012 when it was combined with the former Coppice Lake, with this area having the shallower water.

The lake is quite heavily stocked, with more than 200 carp swimming in the depths, a large majority of which are over 10lb in weight. There is a good head of 20lb+ fish and several that are in excess of 30lb.

Willow Lake is the biggest lake on the complex and extends to around 7 acres in size. The total stock of carp is around 150, with more than 100 of these being in excess of 20lb in weight. The lake record is an impressive 44lb and there are multiple carp that have crossed the 30lb barrier.

Toilets are available on-site and many local fast food outlets will deliver to the main gate.

Day tickets at this wonderful west Cambridgeshire fishery start from £10. Night fishing is available and 24 hour tickets are priced at £25 (Vermuyden Lake) or £30 (Willow Lake).

Fenland Fisheries At A Glance:

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Float Fish Farm (Peterborough)

Float Fish Farm is located in Farcet, approximately 6 miles from Peterborough.

There are 9 lakes on the complex, with 3 of them being aimed at carp anglers.

Home Lake is approximately 3 acres in size and has 15 pegs. Other species are present in this lake, but it is well-stocked with carp and the average size is low double-figures. There are ghost, common and mirror carp all in excess of 20lb and the lake record is in excess of 25lb.

Sand Lake cover around 2.5 acres of water and has only 5 pegs, giving each angler plenty of room. There is 1 island and beautiful reed-lined margins among the main features, providing plenty of cover for the carp and catfish that inhabit this lake. The catfish have reached weights in the region of 70lb and the lake record carp is over 32lb.

Lapwing Lake is the main specimen carp water of the complex and extends to around 3 acres in size. There are only 6 pegs available, so again, each angler has their own area of water in which to fish. The lake is stocked with approximately 200 carp, all of which are in excess of 15lb. There is a good head of 20lb+ fish (with many in excess of 30lb), up to a lake record of 40lb.

There are toilets on-site with hand washing facilities. There is also a well-stocked bait/tackle shop for any essentials.

Day tickets are available for Home Lake and also on Sand Lake (subject to availability) and are priced at £10. Night fishing is also available on Home Lake and Sand Lake, with 24 hour tickets priced at £20 and £25 respectively. Lapwing Lake must be booked for a minimum of 24 hours and is priced at £30.

Float Fish Farm At A Glance:

Holme Fen Fishery (Huntingdon)

Holme Fen Fishery is located in Colne, around 12 miles from Huntingdon.

Cambridgeshire has many big fish carp waters and Holme Fen Fishery is one of the most in-demand.

Poachers Pool is the smaller of the 2 lakes on the complex, covering around 4 acres of water. The stock level is around 100 carp and the majority of them are in excess of 20lb, with at least twenty of them being in excess of 30lb. The lake record is in the region of 40lb. This lake is available for exclusive booking for periods of 48, 96 or 144 hours.

The Meadows extends to 26 acres and has depths that vary between 3ft and 40ft. Many anglers who don’t want to travel to the continent to catch a behemoth of a carp visit here in the hope of tempting one of the larger residents. With five known carp in excess of 60lb and approximately thirty that are in excess of 50lb, this lake is capable of throwing up a few surprises.

With a stock of around 200 carp, the lake isn’t what you would class as heavily stocked, but knowing that any bite on here could result in banking Captain Jack or one of his buddies at 60lb+, it is easy to see why this Cambridgeshire fishery has become one of the most sought after venues in the UK.

There are toilets at the main entrance and others that are strategically positioned around The Meadows. Takeaway deliveries to the main car park are possible, but must be collected before 8pm.

Pegs on The Meadows must be booked for a minimum of 48 hours and are priced from £140. Bookings for 96 hours and 120 hours are also possible.

Holme Fen Fishery At A Glance:

Railway Lakes (Peterborough)

Railway Lakes is located in Whittlesey, approximately 8 miles from Peterborough.

There are two lakes on the complex, one of which is aimed at pleasure anglers.

The main lake covers approximately 2 acres of water and has depths that fluctuate between 3ft and 35ft. There is a good head of carp, with an average size of mid-double figures. Many fish have crossed the 20lb barrier and the lake record is in excess of 30lb.

Day tickets start from £8 for 2 rods (£9 if you wish to use 3 rods) and 24 hour tickets are priced at £20 and allow the use of 3 rods.

Railway Lakes At A Glance:

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Sibson Fisheries (Peterborough)

Sibson Fisheries is located in Sibson, around 11 miles from Peterborough.

The lake extends to around 7 acres in size and has 3 islands running down the middle. The margins are known to be productive and are lined with reeds and trees.

The average size carp is low/mid double figure, with a good head of fish that have exceeded 20lb in weight. The lake record tipped the scales at over 30lb.

There are toilets near the main car park and hand washing facilities are also available.

Day tickets are valid for 12 hours and are priced at £15. For anglers wishing to fish for longer, 24 hour sessions cost £20. All tickets include the use of up to 3 rods.

Sibson Fisheries At A Glance:

Stretham Lake (Ely)

Stretham Lake is located in Stretham, approximately 6 miles from Ely.

This mature lake covers approximately 2 acres of water and is surrounded by trees. The margins are reed-lined and the lily pads throughout the lake provide plenty of cover for the carp.

The depth ranges from 3ft in the shallows to as much as 14ft at the deep end.

There is a good head of carp and the average size is low/mid double figure. Some surprises lurk in the depths and the lake record was captured in excess of 40lb. Many of the other originals have also grown on to impressive sizes.

Snacks, drinks and toilet facilities can be found at the Lazy Otter pub, just a short distance from the lake.

Day tickets are priced at £10 for the use of 2 rods. Night fishing at this wonderful Cambridgeshire fishery is allowed, but must be arranged in advance.

Stretham Lake At A Glance:

Willowcroft Fisheries (Wisbech)

Willowcroft Fisheries is located in Wisbech St Mary, around 5 miles from Wisbech.

The fishery has many lakes aimed at pleasure/match anglers, but also has a couple of specimen lakes that are of interest.

Cafe Lake is the runs water of the complex and while it does have its fair share of smaller fish, it is also home to carp of over 40lb and catfish in excess of 70lb.

Six Islands is the main lake and, as you can probably guess, has 6 islands throughout its 8 acres of water! The lake has catfish to over 86lb and a lake record carp that tipped the scales at 48lb. This water experiences quite a lot of angling pressure, so changing things up and doing something a little bit different can sometimes nick a bite when the going gets tough.

There are toilets and showers on-site and also taps to refill your water bottles.

Day tickets are available for Cafe Lake and are priced at £19.50. An additional £8 is charged to extend the day ticket to a 24 hour session. Six Islands lake is charged at £35 for 24 hours (non-members) or £25 (members).

Willowcroft Fisheries At A Glance:

Conclusion

Cambridgeshire has always been a popular carp fishing destination, both for locals and anglers visiting from further afield.

The rise in the number of venues in the region with carp of a potential record breaking size will only increase that popularity, so I recommend visiting sooner rather than later if you haven’t already.

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