Norfolk Fishing Network 2004 - 2024 - Lincolnshire Fisheries

Fishery Name: Old Mill Lakes - Willow Lake

Address: The Old Mill Cottage, Usselby, Market Rasen, Lincolnshire, LN8 3YJ

Grid Reference: TF 09667 93926 Car Park Grid Ref: TF 10069 93597

Sat Nav: LN8 3YJ

Phone Numbers: 07767 363545

Email Address: [email protected]

Description: Old Mill Lakes is set in a rural location overlooking the Lincolnshire Wolds with stunning views. The 50 acre site was purchased back in 2006 by Chris Marler and Jo Thompsen from the local farmer with the intention of creating Lincolnshire's finest carp fishery. Originally the site of a small mill lake and house, much work has so far gone into realising this aim. Initially only Willow existed on site and this was first stocked by Humberside Fisheries in the winter of 2006/07. A total of 88 fish were stocked with 40 of these between 6lb and 9lb and 48 of these between 9lb and 13lb with one common stocked at 16lb (Peach Common). These were backed up by a further 200 fish from the same suppliers farm that were generally between 1lb and 6lb. In the winter of 2007/08 the stock ponds were stocked with ~1000 fingerlings after spawning some of fish Chris had purchased the year previous.

Fish Species: Barbel Bitterling Bleak Bream Common Bream Silver Bullhead Carp Common Carp Crucian Carp F1 Carp Carp Ghost Carp Grass Carp Leather Carp Koi Carp Mirror Catfish Wels Chub Crayfish Dace Eel Goldfish Goldfish Brown Grayling Gudgeon Minnow Orfe/Ide Blue Orfe/Ide Golden Orfe/Ide Silver Perch Pike Pumpkin seed Roach Rudd Rudd Golden Ruffe Schelly Stickle back Stone Loach Sturgeon Tench Tench Golden Walleye Zander

Rules: Please see below the list of angling rules and general guidelines that we have at Old Mill Lakes. Although it is a long list most of these shouldn't need to be said and are common sense, centered around etiquette towards your fellow anglers or ensuring that fish care is taken seriously. Please ensure that you acquaint yourself with them as ignorance will not be taken as an excuse. Birch Memberships are given along with a set of rules. Please note that any rules handed out for Birch or via that Members Facebook page take precedent over the rules posted here. The management accepts no responsibility for injury, death, loss, damage or theft to persons, cars or equipment whilst on the complex and reserves the right to close all or parts of said complex at any time. Damage to the complex will result in prosecution. Any subject not covered by these rules is at the discretion of the management. If you are in any doubt, then ask. Any problems or occurrences are to be reported to the management. To book yourself on at Old Mill, please call us on 07767 363545. Please be aware payment is required in advance to confirm your booking and this is taken over the phone by card payment. You are welcome to call for availability on the day you plan to fish and pay on the bank. No refunds given, if cancellation occurs at least 7 days prior to your session commencing, then you can re-schedule it for another time. Please note that sessions can only be re-scheduled once and must be within the calendar year. Please ensure that your slings and nets are easily accessible for dis-infection when booking in. No exceptions to this at all (even if you say its brand new and never been used!). Please ensure that your nets and slings are not soaking wet when brought onto site as they will need to be air dried sufficiently prior to dipping, there really is no excuse for turning up at a fishery with soaking wet nets and slings! Fish are not to be sacked or retained (in all forms!) for any longer than 10 to 15 minutes. This is strictly to allow the fish a quick break and yourself time to sort camera and weighing equipment and or photographer. Retention of fish for any longer than this could result in you being asked to leave. When retaining the fish this must be done away from the peg margins in open water via a secure cord, we do not want fish retained in slings where the straps are looped over poles supporting the pegs. Fish to be lifted out of the water by collapsing the net down and placing into a safety weigh-sling; no lifting of fish using landing nets. All fish are to be returned to the water safely and as quickly as possible. Again, this is to be done via the use of a safety weigh-sling. Any abuse of the fish will result in the angler being banned. Please see the you-tube video below for a practical demonstration on how we expect our fish to be handled. Fishing is from recognisable swims or pegs only. Your rods must be setup in the same peg as your bivvy/brolly. Rods must not be left unattended. This is strictly enforced on Birch where we do not expect you to be in the next peg when angling to snags or channels between islands etc. Do not ever pull for a break, if you get into difficulty please contact us. Angling Guidelines Strictly only frozen boilies and carp pellet to be brought onto site. We do not allow anglers to bring any other bait onto site. No readymade boilies, nuts, particles or maggots. No plastic, cork balls, imitation, foam or artificial hook-baits of any type to be used. We do permit the use of pop-ups (except cork-ball pop-ups), wafters, hard-hookers etc as hookbaits. Please do not bring any unhooking mats onto the site. Unhooking mats are provided on all lakes, please ensure these are used at all times. Large landing nets only (36 inch minimum for Willow and Oak, 42 inch minimum for Birch). All anglers must be in possession of their own safety sling. This is per angler; sharing of nets, slings and unhooking mats is not permitted. Please ensure that your slings and nets are easily accessible for dis-infection when booking in. No exceptions to this at all (even if you say its brand new and never been used!). Please ensure that your nets and slings are not soaking wet when brought onto site as they will need to be air dried sufficiently prior to dipping, there really is no excuse for turning up at a fishery with soaking wet nets and slings! Fish are not to be sacked or retained (in all forms!) for any longer than 10 to 15 minutes. This is strictly to allow the fish a quick break and yourself time to sort camera and weighing equipment and or photographer. Retention of fish for any longer than this could result in you being asked to leave. When retaining the fish this must be done away from the peg margins in open water via a secure cord, we do not want fish retained in slings where the straps are looped over poles supporting the pegs. Fish to be lifted out of the water by collapsing the net down and placing into a safety weigh-sling; no lifting of fish using landing nets. All fish are to be returned to the water safely and as quickly as possible. Again, this is to be done via the use of a safety weigh-sling. Any abuse of the fish will result in the angler being banned. Please see the you-tube video below for a practical demonstration on how we expect our fish to be handled. Fishing is from recognisable swims or pegs only. Your rods must be setup in the same peg as your bivvy/brolly. Rods must not be left unattended. This is strictly enforced on Birch where we do not expect you to be in the next peg when angling to snags or channels between islands etc. Do not ever pull for a break, if you get into difficulty please contact us. A minimum of 15lb and 0.35mm diameter line (minimum 0.40mm diameter on Birch) to be used at all times. Braided mainline is not permitted (with the exception of marker and spod/spomb rods). We are a rig tubing only venue and expect everyone to use rub tubing no naked mainlines at the lead. This means that all leaders, braid and leadcore are banned (that includes the particular brand leader you may use be it korda, fox, nash etc!). Naked chods and zigs are also banned. A maximum lead-size of 3.5 ounces to be used. No fixed leads (semi-fixed is fine but lead must be able to free itself from the rig in event of line parting). Safety rigs only. Helicopter lead arrangements are not permitted. Both barbless and micro-barbed hooks are permitted. No back-leads of any description permitted. This includes flying back-leads. Bait-boats are only permitted on Willow and Oak. The use of bait-boats on Birch is forbidden. Spod/spomb floats must be used when using a spomb. These prevent the spod/spomb from sinking in the event of a crack-off. Minimum 2lb test curve rods to be used. No sea fishing tackle or light coarse/match fishing gear to be used. No keepnets or sacking of fish. No tents, wind-breaks or non-fishing related camping gear to be used. Recognisable fishing bivvies or brollies only. General Guidelines: Please ensure that you book-in prior to angling or going over to the lakes. We do not allow lake viewings at Old Mill. This decision has been taken with angler's best interests at heart. It allows people to fish in peace and quiet, safe in the knowledge that both themselves and their equipment is as safe as possible. An Environment Agency licence is required to fish on the premises. The fishery allows a maximum of three rods be used at any one time per angler (2 licences are required to fish 3 rods). 24 hour angling commences at 12 noon and ceases the following morning at 11am. Early entry prior to 12 noon is charged and subject to available pegs. For the purposes of security, night fishermen's vehicles will be locked on site from fishery closing time until opening time the following morning (7pm til 7am). Anglers may only leave the site during closing hours for emergencies only. Please ensure that take-aways are ordered by 6pm to leave enough time for your order to arrive before the gate closes. Non-fishing night guests are limited to 1 per fisherman per night and must pay a £5.00 insurance premium. Children under the age of 16 are not permitted on Willow or Birch. Children may fish on Oak but must be accompanied by a fee paying adult (whether that adult is fsihing or purely supervising). There are no concessions given for any of the lakes. Under no circumstances are vehicles to be driven onto the lakeside. Parking in designated areas only. Anyone caught entering the fishery outside hours will be treated as a criminal and may be prosecuted. In the event that the person/s entering the site are found to be doing so to visit an angler, the angler will also be asked to leave. No trespassing onto adjoining fields or railway. No fires or unsupported BBQs. No load radios or TVs. No litter, including cigarettes and tea bags. A bin is provided, please use it. Toilet facilities are provided 24 hours each day. Use them or you will be banned. No wading, swiming, walking on ice or using the onsite boat. Alcohol is to be used sensibly and in moderation. Any bad behaviour caused by its abuse will result in you being banned. Treat other anglers with respect. No poaching swims or casting over lines, only fish the water designated to your swim. No dogs to be brought onto the site. A 5 MPH speed limit is in force on the enitre complex, do not ignore it.

Facilities: Regularly cleaned flushing toilets, basins and shower facilities. Please keep these nice and tidy for the next angler. Fresh drinking water available from an outside tap located next to the toilet and showers. Secure parking available on site inside a locked gate. No lake viewings or visitors mean the site is as secure as it can be. Local shop is only a 5 minute drive away and Tesco's is located in Market Rasen. Local take-away delivery to site. Please ensure that your order is placed by 6pm to ensure that delivery is made prior to the gate closing at 7pm.