Mark Wintle's Commercial Fisheries Series

I live in east cornwall and have started fishing again after a break of nearly twenty years. most of the waters down here are commercial fisheries and though the fishing is ok, I totally agree with marks view on such fisheries. I have found one or two places that are not fished too hard and have caught carp to 19lb. unfortunately other species are pretty rare to find at any reasonable size. I guess I was spoiled as a kid having grown up in bridgwater somerset where the variety of club waters is immense. ponds, drains, rivers, every species of fish was there for the catching (except catfish, although this may have changed by now). there are one or two venues that perfectly match marks description namely white acres near newquay and milemead near tavistock. I havent fished white acres so cannot comment but milemead I have fished a few times. As a commercial venue it ticks all the boxes of marks descriptions. Its a very well run place, lovely setting, onsite shop, toilets, and a very amenableold boycalled harry who is a pleasure to chat with. My only problem with it is the fishing. shooting rats in a barrel is the only way to describe it really, exactly as mark described, boredom sets in quite quickly once you have banked your tenth carp. although there are some very good examples of other species in both the main lakes. They have recently closed the trout lake (not paying its way I guess) and turned it into a 'specimin lake' purely for the carp angler. At a tenner for 12 hours it isnt cheap with the biggest fish at just over twenty, for me personally not entirely worth it. However my 12 yr old daughter has just started coming with me and so I took her to milemead and she had an absolute blinder of a day, maybe this is where these venues have their place. I still fish milemead but a lot less frequently. Milemead is, I think, is a very well organised and fun place and to coin a phrase 'does exactly what it says on the tin'. Oh for good tench fishing in cornwall, a species that still excites me when I see that olive green flank surface at the net.

by the way, congratulations to Bev, 66lb catfish and into the record books, well done and tight lines