The Willows - Carp & Coarse Fishery - Hessay, York.

This much loved lake is 3 acres and set among natural, scenic, mature landscaped gardens containing over 5000 trees and shrubs set in approximately 71/2 acres. The land was originally old Clay/Brickworks about 150 years ago and is steeped in history. In part of the garden, facing the main road (A59) there used to stand an old coaching house named the Boot and Shoe. A water well has been erected on the spot where it stood and actually leads down to the original cellars of the pub. You will find this mentioned in many a book written by local historians.

(Click here to view more images of the Goldrush pool.)

The Goldrush is heavily stocked and contains many species including:

Carp to 10lb, Crucian Carp to 2lb, Tench to 5lb, Golden Tench to 3lb,
Roach to 2lb, Chub to 3lb, Ide to 3lb, Rudd to 2lb, Barbel to 3lb,
Grass Carp to 5lb, Koi to 9lb, Bream to 4lb.

This fish-filled lake has many features such as 9 islands with overhanging trees and rushes with 35 well spaced pegs.

Match record

The best match record on Goldrush is 226lbs. This was in a five hour match taken on catmeat fishing in the margins next to an adjacent peg.

Evening match record

The evening match record is 127.12lb taken on pellet.

Silver fish record

The best all silver fish net is 98lbs, comprising ide and skimmers and was caught on chopped worm from peg 33.

Winter match record

145lbs caught on 3 maggots, fished shallow tight to an overhanging willow on the island on peg 47 in January.

Best match baits

Hemp and Luncheon Meat. Fished on the deck both in the margins and in open water and under willows is most successful.

Luncheon Meat and Casters. Fed in open water with luncheon meat on the hook is accounting for many ide, chub and carp in open water both shallow and on the deck.

Catmeat and Hemp. Putting the catmeat through a quarter inch riddle the mixing it with hemp and fishing single or double cube is accounting for a lot of 100lb plus weights.

Paste over hemp. In the warmer weather this is a good combination.

Pellet. Fished shallow or on the deck when the weather is warmer is also accounting for some good catches.

Maggot. Fished from the start has been successful catching ide, chub and skimmers. Plenty of 50lb plus nets in the early stages of a match then switching to carp fishing is a good tactic for the second half of the match.

Worm. Fishing a full worm over chopped worm and casters is also a deadly combination.

Pleasure Fishing. Pleasure anglers fishing floating baits exceed 100lb+ catches regularly as the carp in the Goldrush are very gullible to floating bread and dog biscuit fished either on the pole or rod and controller and waggler float.

(Please note that bread, dog biscuits or any floating baits are not allowed in any matches)