A quiet, mature gravel pit near Canterbury offering beautiful surroundings on a nature reserve and a long way away from any major roads. The loudest noise is usually birdsong.
Uncrowded - you're often more likely to see a bailiff than another angler! Currently there are just 66 members on 40 acres including 30 who mainly fish the nearby 15 acre Carp Lake. This will gradually increase in future years.
Near record bream of 17-14 in April 2004 at only 11 years of age. Bream grow in length for up to 15 years and then fatten up so Wingham could well break the 20lb barrier. So far the best is 18-06 in 2006, and this was a different fish to the 17-14.
Steve Burke with an early season tench of 10-04
The tench are a very high average size, with multiple catches of 9lbers being common. Indeed, no less than Phil Jackson, the Chairman of the Tenchfishers rates Wingham as one of the best nines waters in the country. The lake record stands at 10-06 for a female, and 8-01 for a male. Much bigger tench have been seen, but with so few fishing it's not surprising that they remain uncaught. Best of all, the vast majority of these big tench are far from fully-grown.
The heaviest perch caught to date went exactly 4lbs, but had just spawned and so would have weighted considerably more just a short time later. Lots of 3lbers have also been caught, whilst twos are common, and again bigger perch have been seen.
Also present are big carp, big eels, roach, rudd and pike, although the pike fishing is private.
The carp potential is unknown as very few indeed have targetted them so far. What is now apparent is that there are more carp present than we first thought. 3 different forties to 45-08 have already been caught, and this is just the tip of the iceberg. Certainly the 45-08 isn't the biggest carp in the lake as a bigger mirror has been seen at close range. Indeed, one member has been besotted with it ever since!
For more on the carp plus the latest catch reports click here.
Clubhouse with kitchen, lounge, bait room, toilets and shower. Secure car park.
No closed season. 4 rods all year.
"Wingham is one of the prettiest waters I've fished, and the way those rudd and perch are growing someone's going to get a 100lb bag before long. Don't you dare have another match without inviting me!"
Bob Nudd, 4 times World Champion
"Make no mistake - the plan on which Steve has embarked and stuck to will, within five or six years, help the lakes produce 40lb+ carp, tench in excess of 12lb, bream possibly of 20lb+... never mind the perch, pike and rudd.
If you want this kind of fishing, you have to join early, see out the development phase and eventually reap the rewards. As I've said to Steve on several occasions in the last decade, if anglers want to get to reach the summit of achievement, they have to join at ground level. I bet those who thought "I'll join later, once the fish get big" are now kicking themselves."
Top Fisheries Consultant, Dr. Bruno Broughton. April 2004:
"I'm unaware of any other British lakes where carp have grown to 30lbs in just 7 years. What's more 8 year old bream at over 10lbs means that Wingham could beat the record in the years to come - possibly by some margin! The complex is very attractive and peaceful and if I lived closer I'd be pestering you for a ticket!"
Top Fisheries Consultant, Dr. Bruno Broughton. September 2000:
NO DAY TICKETS.
Following a change of ownership (that thankfully saved the site from development) we've unfortunately had a big rent increase. To minimise the impact on subs the season on both lakes is therefore now divided into 3 sections of 4 months. Members may choose to fish for 4, 8 or 12 months of the year, or to split their fishing between the Carp and Coarse Lakes.
Early period (March 15th - July 14th) £360
Late period (July 15th - November 14th) £180
Winter period (November 15th - March 14th) £90
Discounted 12 month ticket £570
Joining/rejoining fee £230. There's no further joining fee if you increase the number of periods, or also join the Carp Lake.
Credit/debit cards accepted via Paypal.
There's a waiting list for all classes of ticket. Please contact me to put your name down.
Click To View Our Carp Fishery
For the latest Wingham Fisheries news click here
WINGHAM FISHERIES
Tel: 01304-814100 (9am - 9pm ONLY)
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