Bluebell Lakes

I used to fish Bluebell a lot in the mid to late nineties, at the time for me I was my favorite venue. I stopped going regularly about seven or eight years ago when the ticket prices started to increase on the back of it producing some HUGE carp. I'd rairly target the carp and was enjoying the venue as a great 'mixed' coarse fishery, but after one bream session worked out a £1 an hour to fish I felt it had become too much for my requirements.

I click onto the website occasionally as the venue still holds a place inmy heart. Its clear to me that its now one of the best 'managed' fisheries in the country. For that reason I guess I can understand the £30day ticket charges for the lakes that hold the largest carp (60lbs +). It's in line with other top carp fisheries.

What I don'tunderstand though is the priceing structure for the stretch of the river Nene at the fishery. 50% of my sessions in the past have been on the river or backwater (willow creek) and it was always a 'reasonable' price for a general days fishing. I look now though, Hereand am totally baffeled.

£5 a day seems quite reasonable, but where do they get the £14 (dusk to 7am) and thus £19 twenty-four hour ticket price from????????????????

As nice as the river there is, how can that be justified? especially when you consider most of the stretches in the area are club waters at a price of less than £50 a season.

Looks like I've already had my last session there.

Invitation from myself and yoggy to come and fish our chub hotspots on the nene this winter.If you want,i/we can take you to a day ticket stretch where the odd barbel or two could quite easily make an appearance as well.

Ican understand the charges for the speci carp fishing there but like you say the river and creek prices do seem a bit too much mate.

The only folk i know of to fish the river over night are again carp lads....there are some big uns to be had from their stretch.Having said that,i know of some bloomin big bream hauls to come out of the nene there as well.

Its a good stretch of river,but no better than surrounding ones........

I cant get my head round 7am-dusk =£5, but dusk-7am = £14???????????

How can that be justified?

No better than the surrounding stretches......agreed mate.

I got your reply and in a way i can understand your reasons for liking the place etc..... we all have soft spots for some venues,despite what has gone on there.

Sometimesmark,we all have to move on and find those other hidden gems.....try "Barnwell Country Park",down the road at oundle.It has specimen carp,tench,bream,pike,chub,roach etc..... amongst others and it`s day ticket.Lots of wildlife on offer as well,including kingfishers which have regulary perched upon my rods.

One of my good friends has had a 24lbs common from one of the lakes....ilanded and weighed it for him.My own father has had two different9lbs tench from the same lake,in the same session,within 30 mins of each other on float tactics...lift method.

Lots of good stalking opportunities for big chub to 6lbs on the backbrook as well and last winter,while lure fishing for pike....i had a bloody zander follow my plug right to the bank.I had to look twice at this thing in front of me.....i couldn`t believe what i saw.I estimated it to be around the 7lbsarea.