Hallcroft
IN THE heart of the Nottinghamshire countryside and within easy access for thousands of anglers, the Hallcroft complex consists of 390 pegs on five attractive spring-fed lakes, plus a stretch of the River Idle.
The emphasis is placed firmly on convenience, parking is available behind almost every peg plus there’s an on-site bar and tackle shop. With year round mixed sport also available this a ‘must-try’ fishery.
The lakes are uniform in depths with a range of two feet in the margins to seven feet at full depth. There is a sloping ledge in all the lakes at around 4-6m, this is a prime place to target. After this slope the lakebeds have a flat bottom providing a good base for a pole or feeder attack. Aerators can be found on all the lakes and are good areas to try in the winter months.
The main feeding approach relies on feeding regularly with either small pole pots or catapults. In summer ‘up-in-the-water’ is worth a try as long as you regularly loosefeed.
One of the main aspects of the fishery is that the two largest lakes, Moat and Bridge, are very fair in terms of what each peg can produce due to being horseshoe shaped. Favoured swims alter day to day and are changed by wind direction and underwater tow. Careful plumbing on the shelves and margins are essential because the depth can alter quickly.
Moat is the largest pool on site and has 190 swims with a balance of 60% carp and 40% silver fish, with most carp now averaging 8lb and going up to 20lb, so carp poles are vital. Elastic wise white and black Hydrolastic are good choices, with 5lb line straight through to meat, pellets and corn for bigger fish.
Bridge Pool is the second largest pool with a balance of 60% carp and 40% silver fish. The shelf is six metres out and this is where you must start the attack, alternating between here and 11 metres out.
The 48 pegs on Reed Pool are less match fished than you’ll find on the other lakes. Although the carp average over 5lb some have hit 23lb. Catmeat fished just over the marginal shelf is the key bait here.
Finally, for the novice and those wanting to rebuild confidence after poor sessions, try the margins of the stock ponds located by the river, stuffed to the gunnels with carp and silver fish in the 8oz-1lb range. These are excellent winter waters with Scopex flavoured maggot working especially well.
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