Reading - any free/cheap ponds?

[Alan Tyler]

One day a week, I ferry my wife to Reading to teach, and have between one and four hours to fish before the drive back - does anyone know a water I can fish until the rivers open again? An average of two hours fishing for maybe ten of the next thirteen weeks hardly seems worth a club ticket.
All suggestions gratefully received, folks!

 

[Tee-Cee]

Not too sure about this but Dinton Pastures just outside Reading(more the Woodley side) might have something on day ticket................although this maybe too expensive for a few hours.....
White Swan lake is very nice with some huge carp and very,very big tench but not easy but good parking and only a short walk to reach the water..............also if you get bored they have a very good council run cafe(as is the fishery)

Hope this helps but if not for fshing its a great place to walk around for wildlife-during the week!!

 

[Alan Tyler]

Thanks, Tee Cee, I'll have a nose round there.
Sounds a bit sort of "organised" though... what happened to village ponds? I mean, if even Hampstead Heath had a couple of ponds that hardly anyone knew about (until a couple of years ago), why is suburbia so utterly tied up?
Norman Conquest, Acts of Enclosure, I know, I know; such a shame about Wat Tyler (no relation).
And Hereward the Wake, Owen Glyndwr, Ned Ludd, the Levellers...

 

[Tee-Cee]

As you enter the park its straight on for the cafe area and a number of huts which house the 'rangers'(ugh!)BUT immediately after the entrance gates a left turn will take you down a tarmac track to a car park and from this point its only 50yds to White Swan(originally dug for gravel to build the adjacent A329(M)).
It is somewhat manicured in appearance but always very quiet and it has a few decent swims....
The rangers can usually give you the low-down on whats available on dayticket.

Hamstead Heath...my old stamping ground....Whitestone Ponds comes to mind...I used to accompany my father pike fishing on the ponds closest to the village-55+years ago now but i had some great times roaming around the the heath and the local pub was a great place for quality females.....

Anyway,have a look at Dinton...you might be suprised..

 

[bucksflyfisher]

Hampstead Heath was where I learned to fish, knocking gudgeon and roach out of Highgate Ponds and then moving on to some lovely tench from 'The Red Arches' - magical days in the early 60s.