Catch 22 Day Ticket Fishery
Norfolk carp ace, Keith Williams gives you all the tips you'll need to take on one of his favourite venues
Situated near the Norfolk village of Lyng, the Catch 22 fishery spans over 20-acres, and this gravel pit has really matured well in the last 15 years or so and now holds a very good stock of carp with some tipping the scales at over forty pounds. Whilst these larger fish are every anglers dream, the lake is now turning-up a number of impressive thirties and twenties as well.
The lake has good swims around three banks and the fourth is a special nature reserve. ‘The Reserve’ swim has been built to include a platform, which is ideal for setting-up on, however you would have to book this swim in advance and be prepared to row out to the swim as it is not accessible by land. An alternative would be to fish the Island. From here you can cast to the gravel bars and far margin on the reserve, which can regularly produce big carp. Although there are 33 swims in total and every one can produce on its day.
Pegs 1 to 4 are great swims and produce a lot of carp from the gravel bars and the weedbeds, often presenting and holding fish. When the wind is blowing in a southerly direction this is a particular area I’d certainly be looking to head for. My favourite method would be to Spomb plenty of whole boilies and chopped boilies to try and avoid the large bream. Spombing your boilies also helps to avoid the gulls, which will soon move in if you use a stick.
Another good swim in this area is located on a point where you have an island directly in front of you. At the back of the island there is a large plateau that regularly produces carp throughout the year.
Pegs 8, 9, and 10 are also personal favourites of mine on this bank, which can be really productive when the weather becomes cooler. In winter you are able to bait-up at around 70 metres range just past a gravel bar into deeper water of around 17 feet. When the temperatures hit rock bottom, maggots are a good bait choice and will ensure a bite even when snow is in the ground.
The old car park area also fishes well at any time of the year, with my favourite winter swim being 17. But all the pegs along this bank will produce fish from the gravel bar at around 70 metres.
The northwest bay is a good area to target when it’s accepting the wind, although most noticeably during the warmer months when carp can be caught close in. The fish tend to spawn in this area and it can be closed off during this period. Good swims here are 28 to 31 with bars and weed to attract the fish with a good south, westerly wind providing the best conditions. Peg 31 is my preferred swim here as it is often neglected; yet gives good results as you are generally casting out towards the reserve with plenty of lily pads holding the fish.
The vital information you need...
Biggest resident: 46lb common
Average fish size: Twenty-pound mark
Rough fish stock: 2,000 plus fish
Going bait: Mainline Cell
Takeaways: Breakfast, sandwiches and drinks available from the on-site cafe
Local tackle shop: On-site 01603 872948
Rod limit: Two rods
Location: Lyng, Norwich, NR9 5LN
Contact: 01603 872948
Website: catch22fishingcentre.com
Prices: £15 for 12 hrs; £25 for 24hrs
Facilities: Toilets, shower, lodges, tackle shop, cafe
Known winter areas/swims: One of the best things about Catch 22 is that all the swims can produce.
Keith's top tip: Steer away from using pellet and regularly feed with boilies, but don’t be afraid to use maggots when it gets really cold.