Airfield Lakes - Mustang Lake

Airfield Lakes is my own fishery based in south Norfolk just below the town of Diss. We are set ‘out of the way’ in rural, peaceful countryside, but we’re not in the middle of nowhere and very easy to get to. I clearly like the place and am going to be biased because I created the fishery myself and built Mustang Lake from scratch around eight years ago. But with my hand on my heart I can honestly say it has to be one of the best day tickets in East Anglia and I’m confident to say it is now recognised nationally as top carp venue. From March 2016, Mustang Lake will be for exclusive hire only for groups and friends to share.

What seems to attract most anglers to the lake is the collection of stunning young carp present. In just five-acres there are 200 handpicked fish, which are a variety of strains. You really don’t know what is on the end of your rod when you hook one and I find that a nice buzz. Plus 95% of the fish in the lake are now over the twenty-pound mark and so far forty different thirties have been banked.

Another big thing I like about the venue is that it’s not easy, but it’s not hard either, rather a lake that will always keep you on your toes and you need to get things right to have a decent reward. I do meet anglers regularly that don’t want to put any effort in for their fish, I’m afraid I don’t know any decent lakes like that. Some anglers can make Mustang look easy, but it is a moody day ticket venue where good bait and tidy rigs are needed for consistent results.

In the summer months very simple bottom bait set-ups seem the best bet and baiting with a wide area of boilies is effective. In spring, big tight beds of baits seem very hard to beat. I tend to fish mainly day sessions on the lake, so my normal tactics are to be mobile and try to pinch a fish or two from the edge or out in open water where I see them fizzing. When I have fished nights on the lake, a big area of bait has worked best for me.

The lake is not packed with features, I wanted it a uniform depth, around 6ft, so it would fish well in the colder months, which it certainly does. The island in the middle and the thick beds of reeds around the edge are the main visual feature and they both produce plenty of bites. The carp really love to follow the wind in the lake, so fishing into a fresh breeze is always the best spot to be from spring to autumn. The most consistent swims are Pegs 1, 2, 6 and 13, but all 14 swims have done big hits on the right day. My rigs on the lake change with the seasons, but because the bottom is mainly clean flat clay, bottom bait rigs are my first choice, with 15mm boilies. In the cold months bright high attract pop-ups can be very efficient.

I have built big flat swims and pathways that drain really well, so there is no mud, which is a big plus in winter considering the lake is built on a clay field. The fishery has an excellent toilet and washroom, which is kept very clean and we have the usual takeaways deliver to the lake if you don’t fancy cooking. Lastly all my rules are common sense, I like people to be able to fish how they want to fish and not limit what they can use, all I ask is that everything is 100% safe.

The vital information you need...

Biggest resident: 37lb 10oz (2014)
Average fish size: 25lb-plus
Rough fish stock: 200 carp
Going bait: Frozen boilies
Local tackle shop: Peggs Angling, Diss, 01379 640431
Takeaways: Diss Kebab, 01379 650777; Chinese Golden Dragon, 01379 642088
Rod limit: Three rods
Location: Common Road, Dickleburgh, Norfolk, IP21 4PH
Contact: 07706 483084
Website: airfieldlakes.com
Prices: £25 for 24 hours, but from March 2016 will available for exclusive hire only
Facilities: Secure parking, toilets and wash block.
Known autumn areas/swims: Within a rod's length of the island margin and fish close to the margin reeds.
Rich's top tip: “Watch the water and keep things simple. Baiting up on a little and often basis is a safe bet."