Fishing along the Earlswood Lakes

There are three reservoirs at Earlswood all between 20 acres and 27 acres in extent. Windmill Pool and Engine Pool are both operational canal feeder reservoirs and Terry's Pool is no longer used as a water supply reservoir. Windmill Pool and Engine Pool therefore usually have falling water levels from April until October which means that the pegs along the dam may not be useable in the summer and early autumn.

Engine Pool is stocked with a big head of carp which are mostly in the 5lbs to 9lbs range although plenty of doubles have been weighed in in matches. There are 80 large timber platforms which are useable when water levels are within three feet of top level. These are all fitted with rod rest and umbrella holders. When water levels fall below three feet from top level then anglers have to follow onto the natural bank. The margins become very shallow at this time and anglers who bring their own platforms will have an advantage.

In spring and summer if water levels are high, pole fishing is the most successful method using paste on the hook and feeding pellets. Please note that using a method feeder in conjunction with a pole is not allowed at Earlswood. When water levels fall or in winter then feeder fishing is the most successful technique. Method feeder with dead red maggot as bait is the top scoring technique. Bagging waggler or straight bomb with meat or corn are good on occasions and always worth a try.

In 2004 there has been an increase in the use of boilies as a means of selecting the larger carp. The carp are growing at between 2lbs and 3lbs per year and as the proportion of doubles increases, the number of specialist anglers visiting the fishery has increased. The most popular pegs are 5 to 25 on the Wood Lane bank and pegs 60 to 81 on the council houses bank. The dam wall can be very productive during the winter.

In addition to the carp there are large shoals of bream up to 5lbs in weight. These are caught regularly by anglers using method feeder.

Windmill Pool is famous for its bream fishing and these run to about 4lbs or so in weight. In addition there are huge shoals of roach and skimmers that can be caught using the pole. Bream anglers use open end feeders packed with crumb with red maggot, caster or worm on the hook. Cage feeders are best avoided because there is often a strong undertow and cage feeders tend to release the feed too early which then scatters the bait over a wide area. Open end feeders carry the bait down to the bottom into your swim. The best pegs are along “the tins” between pegs 30 and 45. The dam can be good for bream if water levels allow. In winter, pike anglers catch fish up to 18lbs or so using dead baits with the dam being the best area for pike.

Terry's Pool is a natural unmanaged fishery containing bream, roach, tench, pike and some specimen carp. Fishing is restricted to season permits only and fishing is only allowed from the bank adjoining Engine Pool, the rest of the lake being a nature reserve. The traditional close season is maintained on Terry's Pool. There are some big carp which are occasionally caught and fish up to 25lbs have been reported.

Please call the bailiff on 07710 175067 for fishery information. Earlswood Lakes, Earlswood, Solihull, Warwickshire.