Welcome to the 2012 "Match This" venue guide. Here you will find details on the fisheries participating in the "Match This" qualifier events taking place up and down the country between April 7th - August 12th. You can also view each individual fishery's website from this page if you require any more information.
Sat. 7th April & Sat. 16th June
Although this venue has changed significantly over the past few years, it remains one of the Midlands match anglers favourites, offering the thinking angler to develop new ways of winning.
The three main lakes; Arles, High Pool and Deans Front and Back will see most baits permitted by the fishery scoring at different times of the year. Each lake contains a prolific head of silver fish, but the predominant species are carp and F1's. Pellet and long pole through the cooler months has proven a consistent approach with corn sorting out the better fish. Worm and caster is a great combination as it not only attracts carp, but large mixed nets of skimmer bream, tench and crucians.
The 2011 "Match This" qualifier held on 7th May saw Graham Dack (Middy) win from favoured peg 33 on Dean's with 148-04-00 of carp from down the margins at 11m and short at 6m with pellet fished over a bed of fishery pellet. In fact, it was Dean's that saw most of the action with three 100lb plus weights and two high-nineties.
Sun. 8th April & Sun. 10th June
A new venue for the 2012 "Match This" campaign, Woodland Lakes is located five minutes from the A1 motorway near Thirsk in the vale of York, Woodland Lakes takes in forty acres and three hundred and eighty pegs spread acorss thirteen venues.
All venues hold great stocks of mixed species with carp to 20lbs including commons, mirrors, ghosts and koi as well as good tench, bream, skimmers, orfe, roach, rudd and perch.
Summer fishing is consistent on pole and pellet with meat and corn taking regular match nets to 150lbs. Sport remains consistent, especially for silver fish, through the winter with pole, bomb or waggler tactics producing quality nets of bream, skimmers, roach and rudd.
Sat. 14th April
This very popular West Midlands fishery set in the picturesque Shropshire countryside has a total of twelve lakes ranging from the ten peg Acorn pool to the fifty peg Sycamore.
Boldings is a true all-round mixed fishery boasting a good head of bream, tench, roach, rudd and chub, as well as carp.
The 2011 qualifier event finished very close indeed with just 2lb 4oz separating Maver's Stu Ballard and Steve Openshaw (Fisherman's Tavern). Venue expert and winner on the day, Stuart, weighed in 113-06-00 from peg 23 on Chestnut, with Steve weighing in 111-02-00 from peg 28, also on Chestnut.
Sat. 21st April
White Acres is one of the UK's premier fishing destinations. Boasting picturesque views, White Acres is a five star country park set in one hundred and eighty four acres of rolling Cornish countryside. There are thirteen lakes covering more than thirty six acres offering, what many consider to be, the best variety of coarse fishing in the country. In fact, earlier this year, White Acres was voted Britain's best fishery as part of a huge nation-wide survey of match anglers.
The 2011 "Match This" qualifier was fished across "Twin Oaks" and "Trelawney" lakes, with Stewart Lister (Spro) qualifying for the £50,000 August final with 144-00-00 from peg 5 (Twin Oaks).
Next year, the "Match This" qualifier will coincide with the beginning of the Milo festival and the end of the Dynamite Baits festival. Attendance, therefore, is expected to be high.
Sun. 22nd April
Barston Lakes has been growing in stature every year as a match, carp and pleasure fishing venue. The one hundred and twenty five peg, twenty one acre main Barston Lake already hosts some of the sports major events and has, therefore, been selected one again for the 2012 "Match This" campaign.
Although a commercial fishery, Barston Lake is still relatively new with most traditional methods producing good results. The skimmer fishing on the big lake can be sensational with most averaging over 1lb with a good head of carp also present.
As well as the main lake, there is also a twenty four peg Match Pool, designed specifically for pole anglers.
The 2011 qualifier saw one of the better attendances of the campaign with Preston's Adam Wakelin winning by a comfortable margin over MAP's Andy May on the main lake weighing in 72-02-00 from peg 25.
Sat. 28th April & Sat. 19th May
Viaduct Fishery is one of the prettiest and most natural commercial fisheries in the country. Six well stocked lakes nestle in the beautiful Cary Valley. Constructed in the early eighties, the complex is well matured with great character.
The stock is varied with many carp, including specimens to 20lbs, complemented by a healthy stock of silvers including bream, rudd and roach as well as perch and tench.
Viaduct hosted two "Match This" qualifiers as part of the 2011 campaign, and was where the £50,000 winner, Andy Power, qualified from for the Larford final. The first qualifier, held on 2nd April, saw the competition's first ever qualifier, Grant Albutt (Garbolino) earn his place in the big money final. Catching on both the pellet waggler and pole-fished meat short for the last hour, Grant ran away with the match weighing in 170-11-00 - a massive 37lbs ahead of the field.
The second qualifier saw overall winner Andy Power (Preston) win with 158-00-00 from peg 105 on Cary pole fishing meat at various lengths.
Sun. 29th April
Garbolino Lindholme Lakes is spread over ninety acres and consists of over sixty acres of water split across eight lakes and two stock ponds. The fishing at Garbolino Lindholme is second to none with over £50,000 worth of fish stocked into the lakes every year.
Garbolino Lindholme hosted two "Match This" qualifiers earlier this year. The first qualifier saw both Oasis and Bonsai lakes cater for a good turn-out with Oasis producing the better weights and the winner on the day. Steve Rothery weighed in 97-07-00 from peg 14 with tackle very kindly donated by the on-site tackle shop after Steve had all his equipment stolen in the run-up to the event!
The second qualifier, held on 18th June saw Marc Jones (Willis Worms) qualify from Bonsai lake with 147-15-00 from the inform at the time peg 74.
Sat. 5th May
Partridge Lakes fishery is set within fifty acres of Cheshire countryside with fourteen water to choose from, all individually and uniquely landscaped. The established waters are heavily stocked with carp, chub, bream, roach, perch, rubb, tench, ide, golden tench and even barbel! We have high hopes for next year's qualifier at this venue with record weights reported almost on a weekly basis - not to mention it is one of Andy Kinder's preferred venues!
Another new venue for the 2012 Maver "Match This" campaign!
Sat. 12th May & Sat. 7th July
Well established on the Southern match circuit, Stafford Moor is made up of five prolific lakes set within seventy acres of woodland. Providing a full range of sport from specimen carp, huge nets of match carp and excellent nets of silver fish.
Woodpecker, Tanners, Pines, Josephs and the specimen water Beatties provide year-round fishing to a variety of methods and baits, of which pellet and corn are the two favourites.
With two qualifiers hosted earlier in the year, and a further two scheduled for 2012, Stafford Moor is one of the best loved "Match This" venues. The 2011 qualifiers produced two very different finalists in England International Des Shipp and relatively unknown Paul Morris (Summerlands Tackle). Both wins coming from the same area of Tanner's on pegs 1 and 2 respectively.
Sat. 26th May
Situated in the heart of the Nottinghamshire countryside and within easy access for thousands of anglers, the Hallcroft complex consists of three hundred and ninety pegs on five attractive spring-fed lakes. Again, Hallcroft enjoyed two "Match This" qualifiers as part of the 2011 competition, putting Frenzee's Steve Barraclough and Preston Innovations rod Lee Kerry through to the Grand Final at Larford Lakes. Hallcroft plays host to another "Match This" qualifier event in 2012 on Saturday 26th May.
Hallcroft is acclaimed as one of the UK's leading coarse fisheries and should, therefore, provide the setting for another great qualifier round next year.
Sat. 2nd June, Sat. 30th June & Sun. 12th August
Situated in the heart of Worcestershire countryside, comprising of three lakes; the Specimen, the Match and the Arena, plus some of the best barbel and chub fishing on the River Severn. Larford fishery offers two hundred and fifty prime lake pegs and eighty river pegs. It is our belief that one of the main ingredients which sets the fishery apart from most 'commercial' fisheries is the surrounding environment. Larford offers that missing ingredient which standard 'holes in the ground' seem to ignore.
Larford has become a firm favourite with pleasure anglers because there are huge stocks of smaller carp, roach and skimmers, meaning bites will keep coming all day long, and has previously received the coveted 'UK Best Commercial' award from the Angling Times. The fact that every peg is capable of winning the fiercely contested matches means it's popularity with match anglers is first class as the massive attendances at the weekend open matches prove.
The 2011 qualifiers at Larford Lakes produced the best attendances of the campaign and, arguably, some of the best fishing. Daiwa's Paul "Tommy" Hiller and Maver's own Andy Kinder qualified for the big money final. Paul qualified with 110-07-00 from peg 54 on the notorious Match Lake whilst Andy Kinder qualified on the later of the two qualifiers with a massive 190-05-00 from peg 40, again, on the Match Lake.
Larford will host three "Match This" qualifiers during the 2012 event and is sure to, once again, set the benchmark.
Sat. 9th June & Sat. 23rd June
The Oaks Lakes originally opened with Willow Lake back in 1994, followed by Oaks and Firs Lakes in 1996. Due to the popularity of the venue, the complex was extended further adding Alders, Poplars, Maple and Cedar Lakes. In 2010, The Oaks then opened three more brand new lakes in the form of Ash, Beech and Sycamore Lakes.
The Oaks held two "Match This" qualifiers for the 2011 campaign, both fished on Cedar Lake. First to qualify was Garbolino's Andy Geldart with 121-00-00 from peg 8 on 24th April fishing 6mm cubes of meat over to the far bank. The second qualifier round held on 24th July saw another Garbolino-backed angler qualify in Marc Rodger who fished meat down the edge and at 14m to weigh in 93-07-00 from peg 1.
Sat. 14th July
We are delighted to announce that we have successfully confirmed a "Match This" qualifier event at Gold Valley Lakes for the 2012 competition! Possibly Britain's most famous coarse fishery and home to England International Will Raison. Carp are the mainstay here, but expect to catch plenty of roach, bream and tench plus some enormous eels from any one of the six lakes on site.
Given the venues historic match weights, including a venue record of 308lbs 13oz, we are confident that Gold Valley Lakes will prove a worthy addition to the 2012 "Match This" calendar.
Sun. 15th July
Monk Lakes is a one hundred and twenty acre fishery just off the A229 south of Maidstone, Kent. The site currently comprises of two pleasure lakes, a stretch on the River Beult, four match lakes and a specimen lake totalling forty five acres of water.
A brand new venue for "Match This" 2012, Monk Lakes has only recently gained recognition from match and pleasure anglers since the turn of the year after producing 100lb plus hauls of tench, bream, carp, roach and F1's.
Sat. 21st July
Located in the heart of the Warwickshire countryside, this popular fishery has a total of eighteen pools and over six hundred pegs. It is regarded by many as one of the leading fisheries in the UK and a member of Preimer Fisheries. The lakes are stocked with fourteen different species, including chub, barbel, vast stocks of common, ghost, mirror and koi carp.
The 2011 "Match This" qualifier saw Ringer Baits-backed angler Mark Griffiths qualify the for Larford Lakes final. Mark weighed 117-12-00 from peg 5 on Crater Lake and also went on to win the prestigious Maver British Pole Championships on the back of this performance.
Sat. 28th July
Tunnel Barn Farm fishery has been a favourite amongst match anglers since 1990. Located in the picturesque village of Shrewley in the heart of rural Warwickshire, the fishery is made up of eight unique pools and two and a half miles of the Grand Union canal. Pole is by far the best tactic here for the thousands of F1 carp and silver fish present.
It was Maver's own Jamie Hughes who qualified from the 2011 "Match This" qualifier with a winning weight of 184-01-00 from peg 1 on the New Pool, beating second best man, Paul Newell, by nearly 25lbs. Jamie went on to finish third overall on the "Match This" Grand Final on 20th August.
Sat. 4th August
Wold View Fisheries near Claxby in Lincolnshire is the fifth brand new venue chosen for the 2012 "'Match This" competition. Situated just off the A46 the complex is home to six lakes - Gold Lake, Silver Lake, Bronze Lake, Ultimate Lake, Island Pond and the Canal Lake - totalling approximately one hundred and sixty pegs, all offering superb fishing. The complex is regarded as one of the best in the country and every one of the thirty eight acres is immaculately maintained.