Kettles Farm Fishery showing why its the perfect place for beginners and families
Kettles Farm Fishery near Rattlesden is a small but delightful day ticket lake which is particularly suited to beginners, pleasure anglers and family groups, although local small match groups fish there too.
Local veteran match angler Ian Andrews made a visit last Thursday and enjoyed a stunning period of fishing in just a 4 ½ hour session from peg 12, the closest to the car park (Ian is a bit of a Peter Pan, he looks a good 15 years younger than he is but I first fished matches with him well over 30 years ago).
He started his fishing session slowly with two carp in the first couple of hours, then landed 10lb of roach, around 8oz each, followed by a further 20 carp up to 7lb.
Ian reported: “They were lovely looking fish with many perfectly scaled Mirrors”.
He fished Straight ledgar combined with meat or bread for the carp, and pole fished dead maggots at six metres for the roach and added: “The carp were coming every four minutes at the end”.
The day ticket is just £7, and it is a good idea to call (01449 737873) before you go as there are matches some weekends that book the lake.
The water is stocked with carp up to double figures plus hybrids, roach and rudd and there are comfortable level grassy banks to fish from.
The Nunn family from Tackle Up (three generations plus close friends) have hired the lake for family get-togethers and fishing days on several occasions and Emma from Tackle Up is glowing in her praise.
“It is just amazing, our favourite venue,” she said. “We send all newcomers there and every single person comes back totally in love with the place.
“The lake is full of fish and the owners, Carol and Will, have a great set-up where you can rent one of their glamping pods for throughout the day or a night.
They have built a five-star toilet block too with tea-making facilities and brilliant showers if you are glamping.”
Kettles has a website for their glamping pods and a Facebook page for the fishery where you can also check closure days for matches.
Bury St Edmunds Angling Association
Bury St Edmunds Angling Club have experienced a significant rise in membership this year over the previous year despite, and maybe partly because of, the Covid virus!
Memberships are still available for the remaining four months of the club’s year at the reduced rate of half price, via club treasurer Steve Bull – contact him on 07831 494001.
The club have venues at Water Lane Reservoir and Middle Reservoir near Little Welnetham. Also, they have lakes in scenic locations at Barrow and Badwell Ash and a stretch of the river Little Ouse at Redmere.
Full details can be found on their website – Google ‘Bury St Edmunds Angling Association’.
Their water at Middle Reservoir contains carp over 20lbs and is popular with specimen anglers within the club.
In the summer it is probably reasonable to describe it as a “runs” water but once the colder nights arrive and carp slow down and feed less it is much more of a challenge. But many carp anglers like that challenge.
Two of the Bury St Edmunds Angling Association’s new members for 2020 – Justin and Andy French – enjoyed some good returns during November at the reservoir.
In the early part of the month, Justin banked two common carp with both in beautiful condition, weighing 14lbs and 16lbs.
Last week during two days there, with his brother Andy, he banked a 13lb common and another tipping the scales at an impressive 22lb 8oz.
But for brother Andy there was an even bigger personal result with his first fish since joining the club only a month ago a common weighing in at 21lb 12oz. What a wonderful start to his carp fishing adventures!
Andy managed a classic pose with his monster carp, but Justin said: “When my 22lb fish arrived Andy had already gone home and I was alone at the reservoir so there was no classic pose picture with the big fish for me! I was gutted!”
No reports yet of pike catches at Middle Reservoir but there has been a report from another new member, Rodger Welham, of a session he had at Redmere a couple of weeks ago.
Using a spinner, Rodger landed three small pike with the best fish turning the scales to just over 3lbs. Any pike catch reports and photos from Middle Reservoir or the river at Redmere very welcome. Email to me at chrisboughton@outlook.com
