Wigan area

[maritimesbob]

I'm going up the Wigan area next week for a few days and will be staying (camping) near Wigan. The wife is from the area so she wants to visit family, I fancy a bit of fishing so we've reached a deal!!

Comtemplating a place near Wigan called Charity farm, which has four or five fishing ponds/small lakes supposedly well stocked with the usual variety of coarse fish. Plus there is a camping and caravan site within.

Just wondered if anyone has fished here, or can recommend a cheap and cheerful camping site with fishing close by? Would prefer to be close to Wigan area.

Was not sure where to post this, feel free (mods) to move if in the wrong forum.

Thanks.

 

[greenie62]

Hi Bob,
Sounds like you've picked the best place - Fishing and Camping/Caravanning on the same site!

I've never fished there myself - it's even further out of Wigan than me - but handy for Wrightington Orthopaedic Hospital (where they pioneered the Hip 'Op!).
I've asked around and the consensus is that it's a well-run fishery with plenty of skimmers, F1s and Tench with a few decent carp. The smaller pools give a nice feeling of 'manageability' so that you don't feel lost or overwhelmed by it.
There are quite a few Day Ticket pools around that area - not far away (20 mins) are the Birkacre Lodges at Yarrow Country Park - known to hold decent bream and tench - £3/day.

I don't know of any more camp/caravan sites in the area - not the sort of thing I look for really!

Charity Farm is fairly handy from the M6 - near Standish (blessed with a Lidl AND an Aldi) - and about 8miles from central Wigan.
If you have any further questions about the area, tackle shops, etc - just send me a PM.
Tight Lines!

 

[Tee-Cee]

God forbid Greenie, but what's the chance of him popping up for a bit of easy fishing and whacking out a 4lb crucian or two..............Doesn't bear thinking about..

I made a recommendation once (just the once!) and the chap concerned hiocked out a near 2lb roach after an hour.....I smiled weakly...........................................

 

[maritimesbob]

I forgot about yarrow park. Does it fish ok this time of year?

£3 a ticket is very cheap, the tickets are purchased from the reception/information hut?

Please recommend a tackle shop that is close to Charity Farm. I know Wigan quite well.


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[greenie62]

I forgot about yarrow park. Does it fish ok this time of year?
£3 a ticket is very cheap, the tickets are purchased from the reception/information hut?
Please recommend a tackle shop that is close to Charity Farm. I know Wigan quite well.

Hi Bob,
Yarrow has been producing bream, skimmers and tench this last week to corn - not enormous or many - but it seems to vary from day to day. It's a Wigan&DAA water with Tickets from cafe/hut. It is not a commercially stocked water.
Nearest tackle shop is at Coppull: Contact Us - Wigan | Coppull Anglers a couple of miles E of Charity Farm.
Tight Lines!

---------- Post added at 11:35 ---------- Previous post was at 11:25 ----------

God forbid Greenie, but what's the chance of him popping up for a bit of easy fishing and whacking out a 4lb crucian or two..............Doesn't bear thinking about..

I made a recommendation once (just the once!) and the chap concerned hiocked out a near 2lb roach after an hour.....I smiled weakly...........................................

Hi Tee-Cee,
If he did I would be delighted for him - even though it be a TruCru! I'm one of those guys who gets a buzz from putting someone on a swim and sees him catch from it!
Fishing by proxy - maybe - but still fishing! :w
Tight Lines :thumbs:

 

[maritimesbob]

Thanks for the info.

Any idea if Charity farm is a busy fishing spot, ie are the pegs full most days?

I'd be there during the week, although given it's the holiday week I am hoping it won't be too busy. I quite enjoy a bit of peace without having someone else fishing 10 ft away!

Anyway, decided to camp there and we'll see how the fishing looks on a day by day. Can always try around the area such as Yarrow if Charity farm is packed.

 

[greenie62]

...Any idea if Charity farm is a busy fishing spot, ie are the pegs full most days?

I'd be there during the week, although given it's the holiday week I am hoping it won't be too busy. I quite enjoy a bit of peace without having someone else fishing 10 ft away!..

It rarely gets packed from what I gather - unless a group has booked on for a match outing. Having separate small pools means you could end up with one to yourself! Downside to that is - there's nobody to get hints from/copy bait/tactics/etc! It is also possible that so much chatter (such as this!) on t'Interweb may attract attention to the fishery!

One snag with Yarrow Park is that it is a public open space and attracts a lot of dog-walkers, strollers, etc and 'cos it's school holidays there'll also be kids too - "caught owt mister?, wot's this for?, gizza go?, dja get sharks in 'ere then?" - darlings all! mg:
Tight Lines!

 

[maritimesbob]

Lol had that Sunday down here in Cornwall.

I picked the most isolated and sheltered spot on the "silvers" lake, within an hour a large family on holiday in Cornwall headed toward me like I was an ice cream van. I was gulping "please no, don't come here, nothing to see!". I was wrong

Then another group wanted to see what "I was upto"!!!

I was grateful when the rain came and the bundles of joy dissapeared!!!

 

[slaphead]

Have a look at Widows Flash Fishery too.

Was there today and and there were some decent carp topping.

 

[greenie62]

Have a look at Widows Flash Fishery too.
Was there today and and there were some decent carp topping.

Widdows Flash is a bit too 'commercial' for my liking in that it is a 'circular canal layout' - but has some nice touches - very good peg accessibility particularly if disabled - parking close to peg - toilets - food van - well bailiffed - but the crowning glory is the antics of the poultry on the moat's island. The chucks scratting round the edge of the island cause seeds to drop into the water - the carp have got wise to this and stalk the chucks around the edge of the island, competing for the odd seeds going their way almost launching themselves onto the island - reminiscent of Orcas after the Penguins around the Antarctic shelf ice!

 

[maritimesbob]

Fished Charity farm this morning. Dead, no one seems to be catching. Lots of carp topping.

Yesterday I arrived late from Cornwall, thank god I did. It was heaving with chav fisheman, casting in floats like they were beachcasting, loud and shouting to each other. The top smaller ponds they were packed like Sardines, it looked awful.

The lower bigger pond was quiet so I fished that this morning. Nothing but a small roach. Plenty small bites, nothing to hit.

Not impressed with the place, too unnatural for my liking. I suppose being part of a campsite doesn't help. Thought £7 was a bit steep considering I am also staying on the site.

Going to check out the mill over at Coppull tomorrow. Looks very nice.

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[greenie62]

Hope it's better at Coppull tomorrow - you might have found a gem there! Forecast is "Scorchio" - 15C, Bright sun til 2pm, hazy thereafter, wind SSW 4-6mph, temp 9C Overnight - might need to unzip the sleeping bags!
Shame about your resident fishery - wondered where they all went when banned off other waters! mg:
Tight Lines!

 

[jon atkinson]

Fished Charity farm this morning. Dead, no one seems to be catching. Lots of carp topping.

Yesterday I arrived late from Cornwall, thank god I did. It was heaving with chav fisheman, casting in floats like they were beachcasting, loud and shouting to each other. The top smaller ponds they were packed like Sardines, it looked awful.

The lower bigger pond was quiet so I fished that this morning. Nothing but a small roach. Plenty small bites, nothing to hit.

Not impressed with the place, too unnatural for my liking. I suppose being part of a campsite doesn't help. Thought £7 was a bit steep considering I am also staying on the site.

Going to check out the mill over at Coppull tomorrow. Looks very nice.

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Only fished there once, last summer - like you I opted for the largest pond for more 'elbow room' but got nothing but small stuff although I did see a couple of carp coming out. Not sure that I'd race back though - however, Wigan&DAA have very reasonable day tickets on most of their still waters.

Of the day ticket waters in that area, I'd recommend a look at Bluestone in Mawdesley - less than 10 minutes away, similar pricing to Charity Farm (typical of day tickets in the north west TBH) but this is essentially 2 ponds literally in a back garden! Sounds weird but definitely worth a go - very well run.

 

[maritimesbob]

Small tench this morning, two skimmers and a roach for ten hours on their pond 4 today.

Ditching Charity, not overly impressed and too many kids about for my liking. It is a campsite, to be expected.

Going Wrightington fishery tomorrow, had a peek this evening. Looks fantastic. Can't wait, but boy it's bloody cold camping in Lancs early April!

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[maritimesbob]

Decided to fish Wrightington fisheries on my last day in the northwest.

Happy with my choice, it wiped the misery of Charity farm.

Got their about 7am, paid my £6 and opted for the shallow end of the largest pond, Rivington view.

With my trusty waggler rod, 4lb mainline and stubby waggler, I had a fun time on corn and bread.

Topped the day with a mint condition 6lb mirror, several smaller mirrors, two cracking commons, a dozen good size bream, two small 1lb tench, and several roach.

I pretty much stayed dawn to dusk and float fished exclusively. The water was about three feet deep, fished three and a half.

The biggest mirror was a cracking fight on my light gear, about ten mins of toil before she was in the net.

Lovely fishery that seems to be fishing well, can't praise the quality of the fish. All were mint condition. Paul has done a superb job of the facilities.

I will be back again when I am next ooop north!

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