On restless nights this is often the subject that I eventually manage to drift off to whilst thinking (fantasising) about.
Many years ago it was Linda Lusardi!
Despite my love of the river it would have to be a lake dug from scratch but in an already scenic and mature location, ideally wooded and small enough to be manageable but big enough to hold a few surprises and easily gain its own natural balance... Six or seven acres perhaps.
The depths, from shallow spawning grounds to deep winter retreats, would be well planned and purpose built rustic wooden stages that had been created prior to flooding (ideally from a feeder stream) with robust materials such as lengths of old telegraph poles for legs that were sympathetic to their surroundings would abound just above the lake surface at various interesting and well spread distances that had been heavily planted either side with reeds.
Planting of lily beds in the margins and shallows would complement the already matured bankside and an unobtrusive bark covered path would wind it's way in an un-uniformed manner through the bushes around the lake.
My lodge, based on a two storey, glass fronted log cabin design with open fire, would of course overlook it on a green rolling hillside.
Stock wise it would have all the traditional stillwater favourites... Roach, rudd, perch, tench and crucians along with a handful of mirrors and commons just so I could watch the V's cutting through the surface from my veranda whilst relaxing with a beer on a warm summers evening, I feel as though I would be cheating myself if I didn't chuck a few silver bream and gudgeon in too just for good measure.
I really need to win the lottery!
Edited to add: Sorry, I forgot the overgrown classic boathouse complete with wooden punt all tied up and ready to go
