Blenheim Palace

[David Potter]

Having fished Blenheim Palace for some 30 years for the Tench I have had some amazing catches over the years as everybody did ! But over the past 4-5years it has declined beyond believe in fact on my last visit I failed to even get a bite,also no visible signs of fish whereas the Tench and Bream use to be rolling and fizzing everywhere ! I have heard some rumors of a large fish kill also the lake is infested with Signals although I have never seen one so i'm wondering if anybody knows or can through some light on the demise of this wonderful fishery ?
Dave

 

[Alex Gowney]

Having fished Blenheim Palace for some 30 years for the Tench I have had some amazing catches over the years as everybody did ! But over the past 4-5years it has declined beyond believe in fact on my last visit I failed to even get a bite,also no visible signs of fish whereas the Tench and Bream use to be rolling and fizzing everywhere ! I have heard some rumors of a large fish kill also the lake is infested with Signals although I have never seen one so i'm wondering if anybody knows or can through some light on the demise of this wonderful fishery ?
Dave

I haven't fished it for a few years but I know it had a lot of cormorants there. Sat in the trees like starlings they were. I would not be surprised to know there are crays there, Oxfordshire is one of the worst counties for them.

 

[Rhys Perry]

Probably full of carp.

 

[Nicholas Cole]

Fished it a couple of times over the last 5 years under good conditions and its been utter pants. No evidence of tench rolling or fizzing and just a couple of scabby-looking bream for our efforts

 

[Michael Foster]

Used to fish both parts of the lake a few years ago, the main lake and Bladen lake, on the bank permit. Some big roach and perch as well as the tench. A friend was still catching well on the main lake a couple of years ago with tench to 7lb. I looked down from the bridge at the Bladon end and saw some big shadows moving in the coloured water, couldn't quite make out what they were, either very big bream or carp probably. Not too sure if the Bladon end is still available to fish on the bank permit, might be trout only now.

 

[Lloyd Mcinally]

Bit late on this one, but I've fished it a few times for Perch and not done well. Tenchfishers used to fish it regularly but again sport wasn't good over last few years. Last I heard last year was that they were going to do some studies on water quality etc. to try and get to the bottom of things. Don't know whether they did in the end and if they did what the results were.