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Is anyone, or has anyone been, a member of Swindon Isis?

S

Steve Lewis

Senior Member
(God I wish one of them would change their name...)


I was intending to join in 2020, but then a certain little virus happened so I didn't. I know their stretch of the BA from when it was on the Amalgamated ticket (although I've no idea if barbel are still present at all, still tons of chub and very decent perch, along with the best chance of a big pike) and note that in the last few years they've got lower Sutton Benger back all the way down to Kellaways, but I'm more intrigued about their main lake at South Cerney, particularly the tench.

Anyone got any experience and/or info?
 
Steve Lewis said:
(God I wish one of them would change their name...)


I was intending to join in 2020, but then a certain little virus happened so I didn't. I know their stretch of the BA from when it was on the Amalgamated ticket (although I've no idea if barbel are still present at all, still tons of chub and very decent perch, along with the best chance of a big pike) and note that in the last few years they've got lower Sutton Benger back all the way down to Kellaways, but I'm more intrigued about their main lake at South Cerney, particularly the tench.

Anyone got any experience and/or info?
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Perhaps ask at your local tackle shop, or email the club secretary. ;)
 
Chris

My local tackle shop doesn't have any info about it at all other than being aware the club exists (I asked them back at the beginning of 2020), and the next nearest tackle shop is a 30 minute drive away. And, best will in the world, the club secretary will no doubt (and understandably) have a biased opinion. I'm after some real-world unbiased knowledge.
 
Yep they had the the weir stretch just above Chippenham AA...Caught my first barbel there. I used to live in South Cerney and fished their lake which was just a couple of 100 yds from home. Broadway Lane, the lake had an spit of land that formed an island. It was a nice quiet venue, but not the most prolific. Lakes change hand, and a lot of carp syndicates take over, would be intruiged as to who controls it. Baitworks would know.
 
I live in the middle of the Cotswold Water Park and know a fair bit about most of the fisheries as well as running one of my own.

As a very broad generalisation the CWP pits are renowned for quantities of tench, rather than quality. For example my lake has never produced fish over 8lb. When I first moved here (1990) I was seriously tench fishing and the nearest place I fished was around Reading.

Having said that, there are certain waters that produce the odd big tench (eg Ham pool, which is across the road from the Isis pit). There are also one or two that do produce big fish regularly. Some are syndicates and/or closed access waters, the most public is probably Horseshoe (carp society run). I won’t name the others (that I’m aware of !) -to protect the people who know where they are….

Ive never fished the Isis pit even though I’ve joined the club a few times to fish the river. By reputation it produces numbers of average sized tench. It is known to hold (maybe did hold) some very decent crucians.

Talk to the guys in the Tackle Den if you haven’t done so already.
 
I rang a chap I know Baitworks Steve, still Isis although a bit carpy now, but still good for Tench. If its Tench you want he has given me some detail on a good venue worth checking out perhaps?
 
Tackle Den yep, Dave Savage used to be the tackle shop in Cirencester, happy memories, used to pay quid a week saving for new gear.
My best venue was Bradley's big pit, but now posh Waterside real estate. Tench to 9 lbs on the old swing tip, with crust for bail lol.
Didn't like Ham, Wicks pool was immense for Tench, did 20 or approx 5lb in a morning session once!
What the hack did I move?
 
Thanks for the replies all.

I'm desperate to get some tinca action (I've not caught ANY, despite several attempts at likely venues [I spent much of one summer hammering various venues on the Somerset levels with no luck], since coming back to fishing in 2016), so at this stage I have no problem with quantity over size. Good to hear that the Isis pit is still producing tench.

I have also been considering the South Cerney ticket, but the price along with numerous reports I've read online about there being quite a lot of ASB specifically on their waters have put me off.

I would say South Cerney is about the maximum limit of my fishing commute (I live in Midsomer Norton, so the South Cerney complex is about just over an hour when there's no traffic), but interested to hear of any other waters which might produce.

I think I will still join Swindon Isis this year as it's a really tasty stretch of the BA, and I'm going to give river piking a really good go this coming winter as the levels has been incredibly difficult.
 
Neil Smart said:
Horcott Fairford dt Lake any good?
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Funnily enough I've looked at that one, but I'm told the "open access"/day ticket lake (with the tench) is hammered and constantly busy.


Tim Marks said:
If you live down there; whatabout Cheddar reservoir ?
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Yep, still a lot of very decent tench in there and, probably, the best chance of a big 'un within a sensible distance. The only problem (and I'll acknowledge straight away that it's a problem with me rather than the venue) with it is the constant stream of members of the public. I fished it a lot in the 90s for tench in the summer and pike and perch in the winter, and I've been up there when it's been blowing a gale, chucking it down with rain and temperatures just hovering above zero, and it was still busy with hikers and dog walkers. I've never liked fishing with an audience (I think you have to be some sort of masochist to enjoy urban angling) and I got fed up with people just stood behind me for ages watching. Not my bag at all and takes the enjoyment and relaxation out of it for me. Again, I stress that's my problem and not the venue.
 
Yes.
Member this past Season.

To look for Tench. After speaking to the carpers there it seems there are very few carp....and very few tench.
One chap had been there 3 days for nowt.
Another had 1 carp in 3 sessions. More importantly, both on boilies neither had heard of any tench being caught.

Fished twice on maggot feeder. No bites.

Not rejoining.

When I fished Horcott tench lake early close season was the only one there. Had quite a few tench to 7lb. Much bigger,?

BUT be aware, it's a long long walk so take a trolly.
 
Thanks Graham. Interesting, I'll take another look at Horcott when it starts to warm up.

I'm still probably going to be joining Swindon Isis anyway for Sutton Benger - it'll be lovely to wet a line in there again after so long. Between that and Seagry as my favourite part of the BA in terms of surroundings and vibe.
 
Steve Lewis said:
Thanks Graham. Interesting, I'll take another look at Horcott when it starts to warm up.

I'm still probably going to be joining Swindon Isis anyway for Sutton Benger - it'll be lovely to wet a line in there again after so long. Between that and Seagry as my favourite part of the BA in terms of surroundings and vibe.
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Yes I was intending to fish it as well but never managed it. Don't forget the roach too.

If you fancy a meet up re Horcott for an overnighter Apr/May let me know
 
Graham Elliott said:
Yes I was intending to fish it as well but never managed it. Don't forget the roach too.

If you fancy a meet up re Horcott for an overnighter Apr/May let me know
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I haven't forgotten the roach! They're on the backburner for now, not because I have a low opinion of them (far from it), I just want to concentrate on tench, perch and pike this year, with a few barbel(/chub) trips. I'm planning a proper roach campaign on the BA for winter 2023/24, with a summer 23 rudd campaign.

I'll keep Horcott with you in mind. I've not previously been all that interested in overnight fishing (I like a proper bed and toilet too much😁), but reading around various lake rules online today, not just on the South Cerney/Ashton Keynes complex, it would appear that "day" fishing without a night ticket is very restrictive these days - 7am to 7pm seems to be the standard, and in the middle of summer that's basically half a day, which is a bit rubbish. I have zero overnight gear (I don't even have a large umbrella, let alone bed chair and bivvy), so I'll need to have a long think.
 
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Might give Bradley's a go again for the Tench, for old times sake, used to be excellent, the best thing was theTench did the rounds along the shelf and would arrive 8am ish every morning. Some big Tench back then and not far off record weight. Mostly swing tipped crust lol. Martin Bowler did a session there for big Roach, and caught well...big roach, all that carp scoff is producing big fish.
Bradley's is part of Watermark a prestigious lakeside housing, the scene of a rather famous real life murder mystery.. oohh.
 
Neil Smart said:
Might give Bradley's a go again for the Tench, for old times sake, used to be excellent, the best thing was theTench did the rounds along the shelf and would arrive 8am ish every morning. Some big Tench back then and not far off record weight. Mostly swing tipped crust lol. Martin Bowler did a session there for big Roach, and caught well...big roach, all that carp scoff is producing big fish.
Bradley's is part of Watermark a prestigious lakeside housing, the scene of a rather famous real life murder mystery.. oohh.
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In case you aren’t aware Watermark have recently (2021) further reduced the bank available for fishing on Bradley’s. It’s now probably only about 20% of the total. They also restricted it to ‘24 hour day‘ ticket only (as in no season tickets) which has scared off some of the long stay carpers because it has got expensive.

From what I hear there are still some decent tench to target, but it isn’t as prolific as it was a few years back.
 
Neil Smart said:
Might give Bradley's a go again for the Tench, for old times sake, used to be excellent, the best thing was theTench did the rounds along the shelf and would arrive 8am ish every morning. Some big Tench back then and not far off record weight. Mostly swing tipped crust lol. Martin Bowler did a session there for big Roach, and caught well...big roach, all that carp scoff is producing big fish.
Bradley's is part of Watermark a prestigious lakeside housing, the scene of a rather famous real life murder mystery.. oohh.
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Loved fishing Bradley's for Tench in the late 80s - the windward side of the headland always produced, yes agree swingtip was definitely the way to go but always used sweetcorn. Brilliant fishing. Also caught loads of perch on Mepps spinners retrieved as fast as possible.

Is the headland out of bounds now?

There was an inlet pipe on the way round to the headland and a schoal of big roach were always hanging around there.
 
Not sure regarding the permitted fishing Darren on Bradley's haven't been back since you fished there, we sold up and moved from Cerney. Probably Tim Marks on here would be a better one to ask, but apparently my old swims are still available.

Back then there was very little carp in Bradley's, although there was talk of some very big fish that got the attention of some well known carpers. The Tench however were bigger than average and even my crude methods got near what was the UK record at the time, not that I would know how to claim or even wanted to.
I guess Bradley's had been stocked with Carp over the years, and of course that attracts anglers and feed, and I am sure other species have benefited, roach in particular.
Gravel pits are good in respect that even in the sunnier of days you could catch, why this is so I don't know.
Did you fish Wick? get it right and it was very good, one session fishing caster over hemp on the waggler was a hauling session, never experienced anything like it, and probably never will. 100lb catches of Tench were common, so grateful I managed some of the magic.
Of course everything was a bit different back then carp were not the main target, and I guess most of the lakes now are syndicated, but what a fantastic resource the Water Park is and a gift from the M4 construction.☺
 
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