If it wasn’t for Leicestershire or Rutland, we wouldn’t have Blu Tack, Walkie Talkies or Gary Lineker. Luckily, those household names aren’t the only good thing to come from the county, as it also boasts a wide variety of day ticket carp fishing lakes.
These neighbouring counties boast some of the most beautiful countryside in the East Midlands. While there might not be as many “big fish” waters in this area of the country, there are still plenty of opportunities to put a bend in the rod, and even go after a personal best.
In alphabetical order, let’s take a look at the best day tickets carp fishing lakes in Leicestershire and Rutland.
5 Ways Lakes Fishery (Leicester)
5 Ways Lakes Fishery is located near Hinckley, approximately 15 miles from Leicester.
This is a 25 acre holiday campsite which includes 2 fishing lakes.
Kestrel Lake is around 3.5 acres in size, has 60 pegs and is the pleasure lake of the complex, though there is a good head of carp in addition to the silver fish. Despite the average-sized carp being only single figures, there are some double-figure fish, with the largest weighing in excess of 20lb.
Mallard Lake is the main carp lake and covers 3 acres of water. The 2 central islands are the main fish holding features, though the reed-lined margins should never be ignored. The average size is low double-figures, with a number of 20lb+ fish. The lake record carp stands in excess of 25lb.
There are toilets and showers on-site, as well as a cafe which will deliver your food order directly to your peg.
This beautiful fishery stands on the border of Leicestershire and Warwickshire and is available for both day and night fishing. A day ticket runs from 7am-7pm and costs £10 for 2 rods. A 24 hour ticket is priced at £25.
5 Ways Lakes Fishery At A Glance:
Name: 5 Ways Lakes Fishery
Location: Hinckley, LE10 3HF
Biggest Carp: 25lb+
Eye Kettleby Lakes (Leicester)
Eye Kettleby Lakes is located near Melton Mowbray, around 15 miles from Leicester.
The fishery has been established for 30 years and is set within 150 acres of a family-run holiday park in the beautiful Leicestershire countryside.
Eye Kettleby Lakes comprises of 9 fishing lakes, which includes 7 coarse and 2 specimen carp lakes. Day ticket fishing is allowed on 8 of the lakes.
Lake Three is one of the original lakes at the fishery, having been excavated in 1982. It covers around 1.5 acres of water and has 38 pegs, with depths that vary between 3ft-9ft. This beautiful mature lake is stocked with mixed coarse fish, but also boasts a good head of carp. The majority of the residents are single figures, but there are a number of double-figure fish, up to a lake record of over 25lb.
Parkland Lake is the newest of the specimen lakes on the complex, having only been excavated in 2006. The lake extends to approximately 4 acres in size and boasts 2 islands, with maximum depths in excess of 35 ft. This is the best lake to fish if you are looking for some peace and quiet as it is located further away from the other lakes on the complex. The average size carp is mid/upper doubles and the lake record is in excess of 26lb.
Lake Two is the other specimen carp lake of the fishery. Having been opened in 1996, this 2 acre lake is fully matured, with overhanging willow trees and reed-lined margins. Despite its unenthusiastic name, Lake Two is home to the largest fish on the complex. The average size carp is mid/upper double figures and there are multiple fish that exceed 20lb in weight. The biggest residents are 2 mirrors who go by the names “Big Chief” and “Shoulders”, with both specimens exceeding 30lb at the right time of year.
Eye Kettleby Lakes has secure car parking and on-site toilet facilities. There is a tea room that serves breakfast and lunch.
Night fishing is not allowed at this picturesque Leicestershire venue, but day tickets are valid from 7:30am until sunset and are priced from £8.
Eye Kettleby Lakes At A Glance:
Name: Eye Kettleby Lakes
Location: Melton Mowbray, LE14 2TN
Biggest Carp: 30lb+
Holly Farm Fishery (Leicester)
Holly Farm Fishery is located near Lutterworth, approximately 10 miles from Leicester.
This family-run business has been established for over 25 years and is one of south Leicestershire’s most well-known fisheries.
Moby Lake is an intimate pond of 0.5 acres with a small, central island. This isn’t your typical specimen lake as it is located in the middle of a holiday park, and is stocked full of mixed coarse fish. However, the lake also has a good head of carp, with many double-figure fish and a number that have exceeded the 20lb barrier. The lake record stands at an impressive 32lb.
In addition to coarse fish and carp, this is probably the only lake in the region where you have the opportunity to catch specimen goldfish!
This fishery is situated on a caravan site, so there are multiple facilities at anglers disposal. Toilets, showers and a small cafe are available, as well as WiFi connectivity throughout the entire site.
Night fishing is not allowed here, but dawn to dusk day tickets are available and start from £5.
Holly Farm Fishery At A Glance:
Name: Holly Farm Fishery
Location: Lutterworth, LE17 5NP
Biggest Carp: 32lb+
Kilthorpe Pools (Stamford)
Kilthorpe Pools is located in Ketton, around 5 miles from Stamford.
There are 2 lakes on this picturesque complex, with each offering a very different challenge to carp anglers.
Each lake covers approximately 1 acre of water, and it is Long Lake that is the more heavily stocked lake on the complex. With roughly 150 carp present, plenty of action is almost guaranteed. The average size is low double-figures, but there are many fish that are upper doubles or even low twenties. The current lake record is just shy of 30lb, but the weights are steadily increasing and it won’t be long before this lake produces a fish that crosses the magical barrier.
With only 20 or so fish swimming in the depths, the Specimen Lake is a completely different story. The average weight is around 25lb and there are at least 2 different 40lb+ fish here. The lake record carp tipped the scales at 44lb.
The fish know their territory very well and you will need to explore your peg with a lead and/or marker float in order to find the best features. As a heads-up, the majority of the lake has a clay bottom and the depths vary between 3ft-8ft.
Day tickets are available on Long Lake and are priced at £15, with 24 hour sessions costing £30. The Specimen Lake must be booked for a minimum of 24 hours and costs £50. The complex accepts exclusive bookings.
Kilthorpe Pools At A Glance:
Name: Kilthorpe Pools
Location: Stamford, PE9 3RL
Biggest Carp: 44lb+
Old Hall Farm Fishery (Leicester)
Old Hall Farm Fishery is located in Groby, around 6 miles from Leicester.
The complex consists of 3 lakes, all of which are stocked with mixed species of fish.
Buzzard Lake, Pheasant Lake and Kingfisher Lake all have carp in excess of 20lb, with the average sizes being low/mid double figures.
The complex record is 27lb, with most of the larger carp being tempted from either the islands or margins. A small amount of bait in a PVA bag, paired with a snowman rig is known to be extremely effective.
Day tickets at this picturesque fishery start at just £5, with 24 hour tickets costing £15.
Old Hall Farm Fishery At A Glance:
Name: Old Hall Farm Fishery
Location: Groby, LE6 0EA
Biggest Carp: 27lb+
Spring Grange Fisheries (Leicester)
Spring Grange Fisheries is located in Beeby, approximately 8 miles from Leicester.
There are 2 lakes of roughly 1 acre each, set within 5 acres of beautiful Leicestershire countryside.
The coarse lake is the original lake of the complex, having been in operation since 1978. This lake is predominantly stocked with silver fish, though there is also a good head of carp. Most of the carp are single figures, but there are a few double-figure fish, with the biggest being in the region of 15lb.
The carp lake was a later addition to the fishery, opening in 1991. There are 18 pegs and depths vary between 2ft-8ft, with an average of around 4ft. The island tends to be a hotspot and many anglers always target this area for the carp, but the margins also yield good results and shouldn’t be ignored. The average size carp is low double figures, with a number of 20lb+ fish and a lake record of over 30lb.
There is secure car parking on-site and toilets facilities are available. At weekends, hot food and drinks can be purchased.
Night fishing is available but must be booked in advance. Day tickets are available on the bank and are priced from £8.
Spring Grange Fisheries At A Glance:
Name: Spring Grange Fisheries
Location: Beeby, LE7 3BH
Biggest Carp: 30lb+
Recommended: What braid do you use for spodding? Could one of these options save you some money?
Temple Farm Fishery (Leicester)
Temple Farm Fishery is located near Hinckley, around 15 miles from Leicester.
Temple Farm is a family-run working farm, located in Leicestershire, near the border with Warwickshire. It is spread over 48 acres of picturesque countryside and is home to a 1.5 acre fishing lake.
Dave’s Pool is a mature, spring-fed water that reaches maximum depths of 12ft. While this is a mixed coarse lake, it is also well-stocked with carp. The main fish-holding features are the island and reed-lined margins.
The average size carp is low double figures, with a handful of fish that have crossed the 20lb barrier. The lake record is in excess of 32lb.
The fishery has ample car parking for anglers and there are on-site toilet facilities.
Night fishing is not allowed, but day tickets are valid from 7am-9pm and are priced at £7.50.
Temple Farm Fishery At A Glance:
Name: Temple Farm Fishery
Location: Hinckley, LE10 3HY
Biggest Carp: 32lb+
Whetstone Gorse Fishery (Leicester)
Whetstone Gorse Fishery is located in Countesthorpe, approximately 8 miles from Leicester.
There are 2 lakes on the complex that have matured nicely since they opened at the turn of the century.
As the name suggests, Carp and Mixed Fish Lake has a healthy stock of both carp and mixed coarse fish. The average size carp is around 10lb, with a handful of fish in the mid/upper double figure bracket.
Surprisingly, it is Mixed Fish Lake that holds the bigger carp of the complex. While the average size is similar to those in the neighbouring lake, there are a number of specimens here that have exceeded 20lb in weight, with the lake record weighing 28lb when it was captured in 2019.
Whetstone Gorse Fishing Lakes has secure car parking and there are toilet facilities on-site.
Like many of the lakes in this area, night fishing is not allowed. Day tickets are valid from 6am until sunset and are priced at £8.
Name: Whetstone Gorse Fishing Lakes
Location: Countesthorpe, LE8 6LX
Biggest Carp: 28lb+
Conclusion
If you are looking for an abundance of options for targeting big carp on day tickets waters, then Leicestershire or Rutland might not be your first choices. However, there are still plenty of waters with fish that are big enough to beat many anglers personal best catches.
I will certainly make more of an effort to try my luck in these beautiful counties and see if I can tempt one of the larger residents.
Have you ever fished any of the lakes mentioned? If so, please let me know how you got on in the comments.
