Furzebray Lakes, Devon

Prolific big-fish venue with the chance of an English 40! Set in peaceful and tranquil surroundings.

Furzebray Lakes, Key Details


Day ticket, syndicate or holiday booking: Day ticket, but soon to be exclusive lake booking only in 2021
Realistic catch rate: 1-2 fish over a couple of sessions
How much: Island Lake £35 for 24hr, Willow Lake £25 for 24hr, Copse Lake £25 for 24hr
Best swim(s): Varies
How do I get a ticket: All fishing must be pre booked.
Skill level to catch: Intermediate- advanced
How busy is it: Very busy at times.
Location: South Molton in Devon
Can you drive to the swims: No
Best method: Varies depending on time of year
On site facilities: On site toilets and shower
Best bait: Boilies, pellet and particles
Nearest tackle shop: On site Tackle shop
Ideal fishing range: Varies
Max realistic size: All 3 Lakes offer carp up to 30lb plus. Island Lake offers fish up to 47lb plus

Furzebray Lakes, Devon

Cracking lakes in a fantastic location with some of the best fishing to be had in the South west of England. Offering angler’s a very good chance of catching a 30, or even a 40lb plus fish.

Furzebray carp lakes are set in a fantastic location and offers the angler a very good chance of catching a personal best Carp.

Three immaculate lakes offering anglers top-quality fishing in the heart of Devon, surrounded by woodlands and the countryside.

Leon Sprague

What are the lakes like?

The main lake is called the Island lake and has a stock of around 100 carp which most are over 20lb.

The Island lakes boast an incredible 30 plus fish over 30lb and an amazing 7 fish over the magical 40lb barrier.

Willow Lake has 150 fish up to 36lb plus and the Copse lake has 50 carp up to 36lb plus. All the fish from this venue are stunning and immaculate. I have only fished on Island lake.

I found the swims are set up really well, offer enough space and water so you don’t feel like you’re fishing on top of one another.

The Island Lake offers plenty of features to fish to, from far-margin fishing, fishing to an island and back of bars etc.

The on-site facilities are very clean and tidy, you will not be disappointed.

This venue also boasts its own tackle shop, offering a very good range of products to the angler who may have forgotten something or needs more bait etc.

Amazing Drone Youtube footage by Sky High Media – Chris Cooke

Take time finding your spots to fish, watch the water, don’t ignore the margins as you shouldn’t expect lots of runs and action can be slow. All tactics work on the right day but these fish are pressured fish and don’t give themselves up easily.

How busy it is it?

The lakes are busy at the weekends throughout the year and often quieter mid-week. It’s best to phone up and book up in advance to secure a place. Even when the lake is really busy, each swim commands its own piece of water. You don’t feel like you’re penned in, ever.

 

Furzebray Lakes, devon

What are the best tactics to use?

Try not to have a preconceived idea of your swim before you have got to the lake. Have a good walk around when you first arrive at the venue. Try and locate the fish, chat to anglers who are already fishing, because they can often tell you what has been caught or where the fish have been showing on their session.

Take your time finding your spots. Furzebray lakes offer a lot of features to fish to. On my trips, I tend to start off fishing 3 different spots, varying each spot to a slightly different approach. The fish in Island Lake certainly like a good amount of bait when the conditions are right.

I will always fish one rod in open water, fished over a lot of bait, one rod in the margins or far margins and my 3rd rod either up to the island or roving around on PVA bags etc. 

Use a good quality freezer bait. I have done well on my trips using CC Moore Pacific Tuna matched with Pacific Tuna pellets.

Rig wise, I hardly ever stray away from a simple blow back rig, Ronnie rig or stiff hinged rig. I always make sure I use a Strong size 4 hook and a 20lb hook link material. There really is no need to over complicate rigs on here, the simpler the better.

Furzebray Lakes Rules


Are there swim boundaries: Fishing from designated swims only.
Are mats provided?: All landing nets sling's and unhooking mats are provided by the fishery.
Are bait boats allowed?: No
Are boats allowed?: No use of the Boat to unless a member of the management is present or given permission, life jackets to be worn
Bait rules: Fresh Boilies only, no shelf life bait to be used. No nuts of any kind
Hook pattern rules: Barbless Hooks only and no hooks bigger than size 4.
Fish care rules: No sacking of fish, except while photography equipment is being set up. All anglers must carry and use a carp medi kit.
Leader rules: The use of lead core is banned other leaders are fine
Rig rules: No fixed leads, no braided mainline or line under 15lbs to be used.
Can I use spods/spombs?: Yes
How many rods?: 3 rod limits on Island Lake and Willow and 2 rods only on Copse.
Are dogs allowed?: No
Can I wade?: No wading to rescue fish unless there is another angler present on the bank if not contact the management.
Age restrictions: Under age of 16 to be accompanied by an adult.

Furzebray Lakes, Verdict

I personally love this venue. It was designed by a carp angler for the carp angler.

All 3 lakes are stocked with stunning fish in superb surroundings.

All the swims are really well kept and you still feel like you’re fishing on an unspoilt lake.

There are some serious fish to go for on this complex, each bite giving you a massive buzz as it could be the one you’re truly after.

Leon Sprague

Leon is a respected big-carp angler. He tends to target specimens around the Devonshire area but loves a trip or two abroad also. Furzebray and Blackthorn are two of his regular venues.

Leon Sprague | 21st April 2020

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