Developed over a period of 10 years on part of a former vegetable farm and opened for fishing last year, Catchmore Park Fishing at Marston near Sutton Coldfield offers angling for carp to over 20lbs and tench at an informal and relaxed 50 acre venue. Ideal for pleasure anglers and their families as well as small club matches, four of the five pools have a central island and are fringed with young willows. With vehicle access around all the pools and parking behind the pegs, Catchmore Park has now reopened. Click on the link for full details and photographs.

A little known but delightful pool hidden from the main A44 Worcester to Leominster road as you enter the market town of Bromyard, Rosefern Pool was for many years run as a syndicate water but opened for day ticket angling early in 2019 and has already attracted a small but faithful local following. Stocked with more than a dozen species including carp reputed to run to 20lbs, it is an easy water to fish with natural grass pegs and few facilities except for a hard standing car park. It is ideal for parents with younger anglers as the roach and roach/rudd hybrids can give you virtually a fish a cast.

The number of annual rod licence applications in England and Wales surged by more than 120,000 in 2020, up 15 per cent on the previous year, with a big increase in the number of women and families heading to the waterside, according to a report in the Guardian. It also reported that retailers which specialise in selling fishing tackle are struggling to keep up with demand because thousands of people have taken up angling as a pandemic pastime and a physically distanced way to enjoy the outdoors.Follow this link for the full story.

A change in people's attitude to work-life balance following the Covid-19 pandemic led to an increased demand for fisheries between April and June 2020 with lifestyle and semi-commercial venues particularly appealing to purchasers, according to fishery sales specialists Fenn Wright. Describing 2020 as one of the most extraordinary years in the company's 252 year history, Fenn Wright added: "With heavy restrictions on foreign travel and people wanting to be active outside, the domestic leisure and holiday market became a very attractive proposition. Specifically, we received a lot of interest in semi-commercial or lifestyle properties deriving an income, together with residential properties with water for private use." Follow this link for the full story.

The owners of Bedfordshire's Three Island Lake have decided temporarily to close the venue until further notice to enable maintenance work to be carried out. We will update their page once work has been completed.

Warwickshire Country Parks have gone cashless and simplified its day ticket prices which means anglers fishing Kingsbury Water Park now need to visit the nearest Pay and Display machine located in the staff and disabled car park near the main entrance. Anglers should select the correct tariff for the lake they wish to fish and pay a single fee by card. The fee now incorporates the cost of car parking. Anglers should keep the fishing ticket with them so it can be checked by rangers on the bankside. It is no longer necessary to purchase a separate car parking ticket. Annual permits remain the same.

Prices are now £7.50 for adults on all pools with the exception of Pine Pool, £6.50 for concessions and £9.50 for Pine Pool (no concessions).