Open from 6.00am until dusk in summer and from dawn until dusk in winter, it offers mixed coarse pleasure and competition fishing on the Match Lake and angling for carp to over 30lbs and tench to over 7lbs on Specimen Lake.
There is a car park near the entrance whilst a track which runs around part the two waters enables anglers to park their vehicles behind some of the pegs in dry weather. This, together with the flat grassy banks all around both waters, makes Hollyhurst Lakes suitable for disabled anglers when the weather permits.
Because Match Lake is stuffed with smaller fish it is ideal for those anglers who want to catch a lot of fish but are not worried about what size they are. Those after bigger fish are recommended to try the Specimen Lake where the average size is 10lbs to 15lbs and where nothing under 3lbs was stocked - these latter fish already putting on weight nicely.
In all but calm, dry weather, anglers are recommended to take an umbrella with them when they visit Hollyhurst Lakes because, being sited at the top of a hill overlooking Coventry in the distance, it is usually breezy.
However, this problem is being greatly alleviated following the planting of a large number of conifers, decidious trees and shrubs around both lakes and on the islands.
Match Lake
The first water you come to on entering Hollyhurst Lakes, the one-and-a-half acre Match Lake has 40 pegs and is said to be stuffed with small fish, predominantly common and mirror carp typically between 12oz and 1lb 8oz with bonus fish to 10lbs; plenty of tench between 8oz and 3lb 8oz; and roach and skimmer bream between 8oz and 12oz, although the skimmers don't show very often.
Match Lake has flat grassy banks planted with margin reeds virtually all the way round, making the slabbed pegs easy and comfortable to fish. Of the 40 pegs, eight have been built specifically for disabled anglers.
Out from the sides the banks shelve gradually to the bottom of the lake where an average depth of about five feet will be found, although the bay area near the car park is slightly shallower at only four feet deep, making this part of the water which warms up first in summer.
The main feature of Match Lake is the island which forms an obvious attraction for the fish all year round.
Because of the size of fish, the most popular technique on Match Lake is to fish the pole with a light elastic using soft hooker pellet, maggot or sweetcorn on a Size 16 or 18 hook. Because there are plenty of carp in the water, luncheon meat now produces good results, particularly when fished on a Method Feeder up against one of the islands or close in the margins.
Being fairly shallow, fishing the waggler is also effective, although not as popular as the pole. Whichever technique anglers choose, presenting a bait in the margins or within four to five feet from the sides nearly always produces results.
Early club match results have also proved encouraging with most matches being now won by weights in the mid 30s and the match record standing at 41lbs. Hollyhurst is also hoping to launch a series of open matches and anglers interested in receiving more information should telephone the fishery.
Specimen Lake
Although Specimen Lake is slightly larger than Match Lake at two acres in size, it has only 35 pegs to give anglers more space.
Of these, Pegs 6 to 10 on the road side have been specifically designed for disabled anglers who can leave their cars immediately behind where they are fishing.
As with Match Lake, Specimen has flat and even grassy banks all the way round, making for convenient and easy fishing.
Anglers fishing Specimen Lake should note that they are required to have an unhooking mat, although these can be hired from the fishery at £2.00 each.
The first half of the lake gives anglers about four-and-a-half feet of water but as you go between the two islands and towards the far end of the water the bottom deepens to between five and six feet.
Specimen Lake was stocked with nothing smaller than 3lbs and has a good head of common and mirror carp averaging about 10lbs with the occasional fish to just over 30lbs and a decent number between 15lbs and 20lbs being regularly taken, giving anglers plenty of opportunity to take their first double.
The best fish to come out of Specimen Lake so far weighed just over 30lbs and was taken in 2009 by a lady angler fishing sweetcorn close in.
To provide greater variety and to cater for the growing number of anglers who like fishing for tench, the water was also stocked with a good head of green tench which now average between 2lbs and 4lbs but which have already been caught to 7lb 14oz. There are also roach and skimmers to about 10oz, but these are not usually fished for by anglers targeting Specimen Lake.
As most anglers go after the bigger carp, both modern and traditional carping techniques are most popular with nets of 100lbs of fish not being uncommon.
Luncheon meat, spicy meats and pepperami are always popular baits whilst it is also worth trying plain yellow or coloured sweetcorn. Although fishing marine trout or halibut pellets is not allowed on Match Lake, they are permitted on Specimen Lake.
Floating baits are also popular in warm still weather, particularly in the evenings when floating bread or dog biscuits both account for their fair share of fish, particularly when fished in the margins or close to one of the islands.
Other popular techniques include fishing a cage feeder or pva bag packed with free offerings and fishing the Method feeder with boilies on a hair rig.
Popular pegs include Pegs 8 and 9 and 20 and 21 which are within casting distance of the gap between the islands, where the fish can regularly be seen patrolling but which also enable anglers to fish the open water on either side of the islands.
In October 2010 it is planned to remove as many fish under 10lbs as possible from Specimen Lake and to supplement stocks with the adition of further 20lbs and 30lbs fish.
How to get there...
From Junction 2 of the M6 motorway head north following the signs for Ansty, Shilton and Wolvey on the B4065. Continue straight through Ansty and turn left at the traffic lights in Shilton heading towards Bulkington and Bedworth.
Continue along here until you come to a mini-roundabout near the New Inn where you should turn left, and then left again at the next mini-roundabout into New Street. Go straight over the next two mini-roundabouts at the Bulkington War Memorial Club and The White Lion pub. Turn left into Coventry Road at the next roundabout by the Bulkington Recreation Ground and the entrance to the fishery is clearly marked on the right down this road.
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Hollyhurst Lakes
Opened for angling in 2008, Hollyhurst Lakes is an established two-water venue which has had its existing stock of fish supplemented over the past three years with a large number of common and mirror carp, tench, roach and skimmer bream.
Night fishing is allowed on Specimen Lake for a limited number of anglers at £15.00 for 24 hours, but pegs must be booked in advance.
During 2010, Hollyhurst Lakes is to hold a series of eight Sunday Open Matches on Match Lake, the final one being in late September 2010. Anglers interested in being kept up to date with further details of these or other matches and developments at the venue should contact Ian Whetstone on 07772 911194 (mobile).
