Within easy driving distance of beautiful beaches, Ginger Hill comprises a total of 30 acres of pastureland of which about 10 acres is woodland.
Eleven of the spacious and private caravan/tenting pitches have electric hook ups with a choice of hard standing or grass pitches. The pitches are only a short walk from Middle Pool and Large Pool. In addition, there are ladies and gents toilets and hot showers on site.
Visitors to Ginger Hill also have the opportunity to camp at the neighbouring Oakvale Caravan Park at Spittal, about four miles from Ginger Hill, which is run by the same family.
All three pools at Ginger Hill are available on day ticket whilst there is no charge for the fishing for guests who book for a minimum of a week - giving them the opportunity to catch their own dinner.
Large Pool (Trout)
Despite being just over an acre in size, Large Pool is surprisingly deep having been purposely built on a former marshy area in 2002. With sides which slope at about 45 degrees, between 16 and 18 feet can be found in the centre, making it ideal for trout. Unlike most trout fisheries these days, anglers can fish whichever method they want, from wet and dry fly to spinning and float fishing coarse techniques.
In developing the pool, owners Richard and Julie Mathias have strived to make the water as natural looking as possible, and because of this there are no hard standing pegs or fishing platforms. Instead, anglers are left to fish where they want from the grassy banks which in parts are suitable for disabled anglers in summer.
Large Pool was stocked with a mix of rainbow and brown trout just over two years ago with about two thirds of the fish being triploid rainbows and the balance brown trout. These rainbows are now coming to the net at 5lbs-plus whilst the brownies are only slightly smaller.
Stocks were supplemented at the beginning of 2009 with a further 60 rainbows and 20 brownies, all around the 3lb mark. The biggest fish to come to the net so far in 2009 has been a 4lb 8oz rainbow.
Although the water has not been heavily fished, about 60 per cent of those who have tried it so far have fly fished it. Because there is a large variety of aquatic life in the pool almost anything goes although traditional wet flies fished on a dry fly line work well. These include Mallard and Claret; Black and Peacock; and Black Tennell. On sunny days it may pay to fish deeper using leaded patterns.
Because of the aquatic life there are often good rises throughout the day and when these happen most dry fly patterns work well with Hares Ears and buzzers normally doing the trick.
However, coarse fishing with a float in the margins or up to a couple of rod lengths out or fishing ledger tackle in the centre of the pool have all given good results with worm and maggots being the preferred baits.
Spinning with a small silver or brightly coloured spinner or spoon have also taken a number of fish, although this technique is really only feasible when the water is quiet and you can move from swim to swim without disturbing other anglers.
Middle Pool (Coarse)
At about half an acre in size, Middle Pool is almost circular in shape with few features and banks which again drop at about 45 degrees to the bottom where a maximum of between six and seven feet of water can be found, making it an ideal venue for both pole and waggler fishing.
Once again Small Pool has no defined pegs with anglers being able to fish where they want from the grass banks.
The water was stocked early in 2008 with common carp around the 3lbs mark and, although they have not been fished for very much as yet, they are coming out at between 4lbs and 5lbs, having been regularly fed since they were introduced.
Although the fish may not yet be particularly large they have impressed the anglers who have caught them because they are a broad-back strain from a German monastery which makes them not only impressive to look at but also capable of putting up a good account of themselves. As a result it pays not to fish too light - although heavy carping tackle is not yet required!
Middle Pool is ideal for both pole and waggler anglers and because it has not been fished much as yet it pays to experiment a little with baits, although the fish which have been caught have fallen fairly readily to maggots, worm, yellow sweetcorn, luncheon meat and bread.
Because the fish are still not used to anglers, heavy groundbaiting or the feeding up of swims is not necessary so the secret is to feed little and often to attract fish into your swim and then keep them there.
Small Pool (Coarse)
Whilst the kidney-shaped Small Pool may be less than half an acre in size, its bankside cover, small tree-lined bay and smattering of water plants will appeal to those who like more intimate, natural looking waters where they can nestle down behind bankside vegetation and sink into their surroundings.
In common with the other two Ginger Hill Fishery waters, Small Pool has banks which drop at 45 degrees to the bottom, although it is slightly shallower than Middle Pool with a maximum depth of about five feet.
Again stocked with common carp which were introduced a couple of years ago at around 3lbs, the fish in Small Pool have been fed regularly and are now between 4lbs and 5lbs in weight.
Despite being a pretty little water, Small Pool has been little fished. However, because of its size and depth it is an ideal whip, pole and waggler water with no marked out pegs but enough space on its grassy banks to accommodate between six and eight anglers with ease.
Those who have fished Small Pool so far have caught on float fished maggots, worm and casters, although sweetcorn and luncheon meat can be expected to be readily taken, especially when fished over a bed of hook samples and a few 4mm coarse fish pellets.
Sturdy carp tackle is again not required with Size 12 to 16 hooks and 4lb to 6lb line expected to be enough to deal with most eventualities.
Feeding little and often is again thought to be the best way to build up a swim and get the fish going.
How to get there...
Ginger Hill Fishery can be found to the north east of Haverfordwest in Wales.
Travelling from England, make your way onto the M4 motorway and head west towards Swansea. At the very end of the motorway follow the A48 and then the A40 until you pick up the signs of Haverfordwest. Just as you enter the town there is a roundabout where you can go straight on for Haverfordwest or turn right onto the B4329 for Crundale and Scolton. Take this right turn and shortly after you pass through Crundale you will see the entrance to Ginger Hill Fishery on the left marked by stone pillars topped with rearing horses.
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Ginger Hill Fishery
With a trout pool and two coarse pools, a modern fully furnished self-catering three-bedroomed cottage and a Camping and Caravanning Club Certified Site, Ginger Hill Fishery near Haverfordwest in Pembrokeshire makes an ideal base for combining a family holiday in rural Wales with a spot of fishing.
The self-catering accommodation - The Clove - is a modern three-bedroomed cottage with central heating which sleeps up to six people and has a fully-fitted kitchen and spacious lounge downstairs. Upstairs there is a double bedroom and twin bedded room together with a smaller third bedroom with bunk beds, plus a modern bathroom with bath, shower, toilet and washbasin.
Meanwhile, large clearings in the 10 acres of woodland (right) give those with tents a wide choice of spots to pitch their tents and ensure that you are never too close to anyone else.
When it comes to the fishing there is a variety on offer ranging from fishing for good sized brown and rainbow trout in Large Pool to fishing for 3lbs to 5lbs carp in both Middle Pool and the attractive kidney shaped Small Pool (left).
