Ashmead Lake: Luck and Judgement

Ashmead Lake — It represents images of tranquil waters, serene landscapes, and, for many, the kind of quiet sanctuary only the most elusive carp seem to inhabit. Nestled in the heart of Somerset, it’s the kind of place where time slows down. Or at least, that’s the idea. Reality, as I quickly learned, can throw in a few unexpected twists.

The lake itself is a man-made wetland, part nature reserve, part angler’s paradise, where silence reigns supreme… that is, until the nearby banger racing track kicks into gear. There I was, sitting in the heart of one of the most serene fishing spots in the UK, when over the tannoy came a call: “Number 67, please report for your breathalyzer test.” At 9 a.m. A breathalyzer? At a banger race? For the record, I can confirm that carp anglers are a quirky bunch, but this level of oddity left me wondering — who turns up half-cut to race cars?

Nevertheless, I was determined to make the most of my trip. I’d arranged it as a break from the daily grind — an escape from family life, a chance for some peace and quiet, and, of course, the chance to track down some of Ashmead’s notoriously elusive carp. Considering that some seriously good anglers had fished there in the weeks before our trip, and blanked. I had absolutely no hopes of catching one of Ashmead lakes historic carp. When I arrived, I took one look and saw the beauty of the lake and thought, “Right, I’m going to put some real effort into this.”

I came out last in the swim draw, which was a cracking start and a solid effort ! I had my eye on Maxwell’s or Wilson’s. They were picked first and second in the draw. What I hadn’t anticipated though, was how Ashmead’s etiquette would shape my experience. Here, each angler gets their own slice of the lake, an area several acres in size where you can bivvy up wherever you like and fish in your chosen spot as you see fit. It’s a kind of freedom that’s rare. No longer was I penned in by a wood chipped swim; with a herb garden. I was in the most complex environmental of all… nature. And it felt, beautiful.

I chose to settle between the North Point and the New North. I hadn’t seen anything on the walk around. However this area of the lake offered more options than I could shake a stick at. I could fish open water, drop one in the edge. I could even have a sly rod in the river. The spot just felt right. Behind me, the river looked truly stunning. What surprised me, was this man made channel reminded me of my childhood trotting bread flake and chucking a fly on the River Witham ! It was quite simply a stunning example of how Ashmead Lake has become part of nature. The bailiff had suggested I try dropping a bait right into the edge on the river.

Bailiffs are known for talking absolute nonsense. The type of rubbish a bream angler spouts when trying to justify his passion. I don’t know why, but I just trusted this bailiff.

I decided that fishing the lake in October the carp would have seen pop ups consistently from when the booking system opened. I had decided, they were too blatant, too in your face. If I was going to trick one of these relics in to my net. It would need to be with a inconspicuous bottom bait. The spots I needed to find would have to suitable for a bush whacker full of crumb, or a wide spread of boilies.

The gear went up quickly. I walked across the path to the river and got my Bush Whacker ready. I dropped the lead between two small weed beds. Thud. Not quite clean enough for a bottom bait. I went a little deeper between the weed beds, and this time, it landed with a satisfying crack. Bingo. I felt that rare moment of almost instant success. A few crushed up boilies Origin Baits Jaffa, with a Withy pool rig went out to the spot, and I was set.

Talking rigs; I have no shame in saying, I do not enjoy messing around with shrink tube unless I have to. The Fox withy Curves and the Evolve Tackle ‘curved Line aligners’ are both fantastic. The Evolve Line aligners are significantly slimmer. What can be quite a cumbersome rig can be seen to be relatively subtle. And it absolutely nails them !

I didn’t waste time getting the other rods out. One went under a nearby willow, landing with a crack on the first try. The other went to a raised sandy area — 11 wraps out. With the trees above my head it was just right for my trusty 10ft ESP Quickdraw rods.

And then… the waiting game. About two hours in, my alarms went into full meltdown. I sprinted towards the willow spot in a panic, only to find nothing was happening. The alarm was silent. My heart sank as I realised it was the rod in the river that had gone off. I did an about turn and made the short dash over. The Alarm had stopped sounding and I said to myself ‘Please, please tell me it’s still on’. I picked up the rod. Yes! The fish was still there.

And it was a good one. It had taken line and was hugging the bottom.

The fish eventually slipped into the net, and I couldn’t resist sending a quick WhatsApp video to my mate. It was a short, but sweet moment of triumph. Ashmead had been kind, and I’d been lucky enough to hook into an Ashmead carp on my first day.

The withy pool rig had done the business. Everything about the withy pool rig for pressured carp makes sense. It may not be the most subtle, but when they pick that hook bait up. They are not going to shake it ! The Fox Withy Curve or the Evolve Tackle Line Aligner is perfect for the job, easy to handle, and tied with a slip D – multi rig style, it is easy to replace the hook and position the wafter, pop up or bottom bait at the right position on the shank. I used a size 6 wide gape, and the hook hold was perfect, A Bulls Eye in the bottom lip.

But that wasn’t the end of it. The next day, the rod under the willow ripped off again. This time, when I tightened the clutch, I knew it was big. But after a short run, the hook pulled. Examining the hook, it was significantly burred ! I decided to abandon those hooks and wont be using them again ! I decided to switch all of the rods to a size 4 wide gape. I wasn’t immediately crushed. Sure, it was a missed opportunity, but at least I’d felt the excitement of a bite, the thrill of being connected to one of Ashmead’s legendary carp. That’s the joy of fishing, ”the continual pursuit of what is elusive, yet attainable”.

As the day wore on, I became more frustrated. Losing that fish lingered in my mind. Then, as the night settled in, I was kept company by a curious hedgehog. Who knew they’d be so persistent about trying to invade a bivvy? My mind still on the lost fish, I finally got some sleep, but not without the feeling that Ashmead still had a few tricks up its sleeve.

The wetland is a maze of islands and snags. The biggest cast seems to be no more than 12 or 13 wraps. The Nash Bushwhacker is absolutely perfect for the job.

Ashmead Lake is an intimate water. Man against Carp, stalking them in the edge, while admiring its inhabitants waddling through the water. Seek and you shall find.

By 11 a.m. the next day, I saw fizzing over the spot I’d baited the day before. I could see carp moving through the area. It was on. At least, I hoped it was. The R Plus ripped off again. I called my mate and said: “Come over for the photos!”

And there it was. A gnarly old carp, one of the originals from Ashmead. It wasn’t the biggest in the lake but it was exactly what I came for — an Ashmead original.

It was an amazing feeling to hold and see up close the carp that Ashmead Lake has swimming in its depths.

We were told on our trip that Ashmead would now become a syndicate. There was chatter at the hut, a sense of sadness for some. Ashmead Lake will change now, and with that, its accessibility to anglers like myself has reduced significantly. I can only hope that many more anglers can experience Ashmead in the future.

Looking back on the trip, I can’t help but think a lot of fishing is about patience and luck.

Ashmead, with its beauty, unpredictability, and the strange soundtrack of nearby banger racing, was a perfect reminder that sometimes the fishing journey is as important as the fish themselves.

Ultimately, luck and judgement together create special moments.