Hunt's Corner

I have been lucky enough to fish some of the country’s best day ticket waters, but one stands head and shoulders above the rest in my book: Hunts Corner on the Linear complex in Witney. This beautiful nine-acre lake feels more like a syndicate water and with only ten swims that offer each angler nearly an acre of water without over looking anglers opposite. It has a stock of approximately 350 carp averaging twenty-pounds and a current lake record mirror of 43lb with the best common 32lb also boasting many other thirty-pound fish.

It is a long narrow lake with depths ranging from six- to ten-feet. Swims One to Six are situated on the east bank, Seven and Eight cover the top bay and Nine and Ten are found on the west bank. My favourite swims would be Peg Seven and Eight in the top bay, as when the fish get in here at this time of the year multiple catches are on the cards.

The topography of the lake is typical of any gravel pit with the lakebed having many bars, humps and bumps, as well as areas of silt and a small amount of weed covered in crystal clear water. You are well advised to try and blend in your end tackle as much as possible with gravel types. Now is a fantastic time of the year for a trip as the carp have just about finished spawning and are looking about for a good feed! The fish at this time of the year swim backwards and forwards covering most areas during any 24hr period making your swim choice that much easier.

Zig Rigs fished four- to six-feet high can be very productive – my preference is a black or yellow Avid Zig Lite hookbait soaked in Betalin on a size 7 Fox SSBP hook tied with the Fox 12lb Zig & Floater hooklink. You can fish these either in front of showing fish or spod a sloppy mix to draw them in and floaters will also work very well in the warmer conditions.
My normal approach is to plumb and find a hard area big enough for two rods and introduce twelve to twenty spods of our sloppy spod mix or any good mix of pellets, particle and clouding groundbait, then scatter 50 to 100 boilies such as Mainline Cell over the top and fish a bottom bait tipped with imitation corn when the fish are lower in the water and feeding on the deck.

As for amenities, local shops are within ten minutes of the lake or you can order pizza or Indian takeaways which can be delivered to the lake. There are also showers and toilets on-site and drinking water available from main office. Tickets can be purchased for two or three rods, day or 24hr sessions – just turn up and fish the bailiff will take your payment when he does one of his many rounds. Hunts Corner really is a fantastic water, it’s quiet and tranquil with some stunning fish, so by far my favourite day ticket water – go on give it a try!

The vital information you need...

Lake records: Mirror: 43lb; common: 32lb.
Average fish size: Twenty-pounds.
Rough fish stock: 400.
Going bait: Mainline Cell, Sticky Krill, Sonubaits Code Red and corn.
Local tackle shop: State Tackle 01993 702587, Hinders 01793 333900.
Takeaways: The Olive Branch 01993 700222 and Peppers Takeaway 01993 709322.
Rod limit: Three rods
Location: Stanton Harcourt, near Whitney, OX29 7QF.
Contact: 07885 327708.
Website: linear-fisheries.co.uk
Prices: 12hrs: £16 for two rods and £19 for three rods. 24hrs: £28 for two rods and £33 for three rods.
Facilities: Toilets and showers (showers are by St Johns Lake office).
Known summer areas/swims: Swims seven and eight.
Bryan's top tip: “If the action is slow on the bottom try some Zig Rigs.”