Bridge Pool (80 pegs) is a pleasure anglers’ paradise for bites all the way to the Elysium fields … and you don’t even have to be a gladiator! Corn and maggots fished on either pole or waggler will get you in amongst the carp and bream plus plenty of other silver fish. Buy a bag of Hallcroft’s own brand of pellets and trickle a few of these in throughout the session and you’ll have plenty left for next time. Reed Pool (47) holds some massive carp up to 23lb and these big fish have a liking for cat meat, paste and luncheon meat. Concentrate on presenting a bait down the edge on rod ‘n’ line, especially towards the evening, or out at 11 metres on the pole … usually a broken one! Moat Pool (80) will continue to improve and is really hotting up. It will be back to pellet and paste fishing for carp, skimmers and bream to 3lb on the pole. Use a big blob of paste on the hook and I hear that the regulars are making theirs from Dynamite Baits Swimstim and Marine products. Steve Spurr runs the on-site tackle shop, ‘Ultimate Anglers’, tel: 01777 719911. Day tickets are great value at £5, with OAPs/disabled £4.50 and kids only £4, and the spacious cafeteria serves up hot and cold food throughout the day. Contact owners Terry, Nick and Luke Sears on 01777 710448 for club and match bookings. Hallcroft also has 20 pegs on the adjacent River Idle which can be fished on the same day ticket price and contains chub around 2lb to 3lb and barbel to 6lb. Stick float, maggot, caster and hemp or legered meat and bread is just the ticket.
