Home to the Forest of Dean and parts of The Cotswolds, Gloucestershire has some areas of outstanding natural beauty that go hand-in-hand with some picturesque carp fishing venues.
There are in excess of 150 lakes in the Cotswold Water Park alone, so the opportunity to tempt some carp should never be too far away.
We have found some of the best day ticket lakes in the region and listed them in alphabetical order. Let’s take a look.
Bagwood Carp Lake (Bristol)
Bagwood Carp Lake is located in Almondsbury, approximately 10 miles from the city centre of Bristol.
Located at the Woodlands Golf and Country Club, Bagwood Carp Lake is only 5 minutes drive from the motorway, so it is easily accessible for anglers visiting from further afield.
The lake is around 4 acres in size and it is split into 2 sections that are connected by concrete pipes. Although the golf course side of the lake tends to deliver the best results, the fish do move between the different sections of the lake, so fishing close to the entrance/exit of the concrete pipes on either side can be a hotspot. The lake holds around 250 carp and a large number of them are in excess of 20lb in weight. The lake record stands at 35lb.
There are toilets and hand washing facilities available in the club house.
Night fishing isn’t allowed at this south Gloucestershire venue, but day tickets are available for £16 and are valid from 7am-7pm.
Bagwood Carp Lake At A Glance:
Name: Bagwood Carp Lake
Location: Bristol, BS32 4JZ
Biggest Carp: 35lb+
Bitterwell Lake (Bristol)
Bitterwell Lake is located in Coalpit Heath, around 9 miles from the city centre of Bristol.
Arguably the most famous lake in the Bristol area, Bitterwell Lake has been around for a long time.
This is a mixed coarse fishing lake that covers approximately 2 acres of water. Although there are other species to target, there is also a good head of carp.
The lake record is in excess of 20lb and there are some other specimen carp present. The fishery launched a new feeding programme in 2020, which should see the fish gain even more weight.
Toilets are available on-site and drinks and snacks are available to purchase.
Day tickets are priced at £8 or £10 for 1 or 2 rods and there are concessions for juniors and seniors. Night fishing is possible at this iconic Bristol fishery, but must be booked in advance.
Bitterwell Lake At A Glance:
Name: Bitterwell Lake
Location: Bristol, BS36 2UF
Biggest Carp: 20lb+
Boyd Valley Lake (Bristol)
Boyd Valley Lake is located in Bitton, approximately 9 miles from the city centre of Bristol.
At just under 2 acres in size, this isn’t the biggest lake in the region, but it is in one of the most peaceful settings.
There are 3 small islands situated in the middle of the lake which are separated by small channels. The islands and margins are known hotspots for carp.
This is a mixed coarse fishery, so although there are some smaller fish in the lake, there are some larger-sized carp and the lake record is in excess of 26lb.
Day tickets at this south Gloucestershire venue cost £7 per 12 hour period. Night fishing can be arranged in advance with the owners.
Boyd Valley Lake At A Glance:
Name: Boyd Valley Lake
Location: Bristol, BS30 6NY
Biggest Carp: 26lb+
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Burley Fields Lake (Cheltenham)
Burley Fields Lake is located in Shurdington, around 3 miles from Cheltenham.
The Burley Fields complex consists of 2 lakes, each of around 1 acre in size and are joined together by a small channel.
The lakes are on the site of a farm and host a lot of matches throughout the year. There are lots of silver fish present in the lakes, but there is also a good head of carp. The average size is mid-double figure.
The lake record currently stands at 34lb and there are a number of fish that exceed the 20lb barrier.
The fish in this lake are used to a “little and often” feeding pattern due to the matches that take place, so replicating this can often yield good results.
Day tickets at this idyllic venue start from £6 for anglers fishing with 1 rod. Fishing with 2 rods will cost £12 and a 24 hour ticket is priced at £20.
Burley Fields Lake At A Glance:
Name: Burley Fields Lake
Location: Cheltenham, GL51 4XT
Biggest Carp: 34lb+
Elton Carp And Catfish Lakes (Gloucester)
Elton Carp And Catfish Lakes is located on Elton Farm in Newnham, approximately 12 miles from Gloucester.
There are 2 lakes on the Elton complex and, as the name suggests, both of them contain carp and wels catfish.
The Barn Lake is the original lake of the complex and is around 1 acre in size with 2 islands. Mature trees line the banks and there is a good head of mirrors, commons and koi carp. More recently, wels catfish have been introduced to the lake.
The Horseshoe Lake is a more recent addition, having only been opened in 2007. It was originally a match lake, but the carp have grown rapidly so the decision was taken to introduce wels catfish and for this to become a 2nd specimen lake.
The lake record is currently 27lb and there is a reward on offer for the first angler who catches a carp in excess of the magical 30lb barrier.
Day tickets at this mid Gloucestershire venue are priced at £8 or £10 for 2 or 3 rods and a 24 hour ticket costs £18 or £20 for 2 or 3 rods. Night fishing must be booked in advance.
Elton Carp And Catfish Lakes At A Glance:
Name: Elton Carp And Catfish Lakes
Location: Gloucester, GL14 1JU
Biggest Carp: 27lb+
Horcott Lakes (Cirencester)
Horcott Lakes is located in Fairford, around 10 miles from Cirencester.
The Horcott complex has 4 lakes in total, consisting of 2 pleasure lakes, a 10 acre syndicate lake and the main day ticket lake.
At 20+ acres in size and boasting gin-clear water, Horcott’s main lake is a sight to behold. Like many of the other Cotswold gravel pits, there are multiple bars, holes and other features to find which can be fished to with great effect.
If you want to learn more, our in-depth review of Horcott Lake should answer any questions that you may have.
The average size in the lake is now mid/upper double with a good head of fish in excess of 20lb. The lake record is in excess of 40lb.
The depth is relatively consistent throughout and averages between 5-6ft. The lake is quite weedy which becomes even more predominant during the summer months.
A day ticket at this south Gloucestershire venue starts from £10 for 2 rods or £15 if you wish to use 3 rods. A 24 hour ticket costs £15 for 2 rods or £20 for anglers using 3 rods.
Horcott Lakes At A Glance:
Name: Horcott Lakes
Location: Cirencester, GL7 4BX
Biggest Carp: 38lb+
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Whelford Pools Fishery (Cirencester)
Whelford Pools Fishery is located in Fairford, approximately 11 miles from Cirencester.
There are 3 lakes on the Whelford Pools complex, all of which are aimed at carp anglers.
Barley Pool is around 1 acre in size and is available for exclusive hire. It has 4 pegs, a central island and comes with the use of a log cabin.
A maximum of 3 people can fish per booking and this lake is regularly used by carp anglers who want the best of both worlds when needing to choose between a weekend away with their partner or a weekend away fishing!
The stock level in Barley Pool is around 75 carp, the majority of which are mid-double figures. The depth varies slightly between 3-5ft.
The carp in Barley Pool reach 28lb and it costs £90 per 24 hour period.
Willow Pool is a stunning lake of 4.5 acres with a small island. The water is gin-clear and it has a predominantly gravel bottom. There are 10 pegs available.
The depth varies from 5ft in the shallower areas to a maximum of 16ft in the deeper areas. There are several gravel bars, lily pads and reed beds which are good target areas for the fish.
While there are some smaller carp in Willow Pool, the biggest in the lake is in excess of 25lb and they are growing fast.
Top Lake is roughly 3 acres in size and currently holds the biggest carp on the complex. The lake consists of 2 main areas that are connected by a narrow channel.
There are approximately 250 carp in Top Lake and although there are some smaller ones, the lake record is currently a beautiful fully-scaled mirror that weighed in excess of 31lb.
The depth varies between 3ft to a maximum of 9ft and, in addition to the gravel bars, channels and islands, the margins are also known to be particularly productive.
There is a well-stocked tackle shop on-site, which also provides a range of snacks and drinks. There are toilets and showers and a selection of local takeaways will deliver to the main gate.
Day tickets at this peaceful venue start at £12 and are valid from 7:30am-5:30pm. A 24 hour ticket costs £24. All anglers are limited to fishing with 2 rods.
Whelford Pools Fishery At A Glance:
Name: Whelford Pools Fishery
Location: Cirencester, GL7 4DT
Biggest Carp: 31lb+
Windmill Fishery (Bristol)
Windmill Fishery is located in Westerleigh, around 8 miles from the city centre of Bristol.
There are 4 lakes on the Windmill complex, with 3 of them being aimed at pleasure anglers.
The Carp Lake has 18 pegs and is stocked with some beautiful fish that originated from VS Fisheries. If you want to know more, our in-depth review of Windmill Fishery Carp Lake should answer any questions that you may have.
There are a lot of smaller carp in the lake, but there are a number of fish that have crossed the 20lb barrier and it is claimed that the lake record is in excess of 30lb.
Day tickets at this south Gloucestershire venue are £10 and a 24 hour ticket costs £20. There are discounts if you become a member.
Windmill Fishery At A Glance:
Name: Windmill Fishery
Location: Bristol, BS36 2FE
Biggest Carp: 30lb+
Conclusion
Whether you are a seasoned carp angler looking to break your long-standing personal best, or just starting out and looking to cut your teeth at a runs water, Gloucestershire has something for everyone.
I do a lot of fishing in the Gloucestershire area and some of my favourite fisheries in the country are here.
Have you ever fished any of the lakes listed here? If you have, I’d love to hear from you in the comments.
