My Guide To Flaxlands Fishery

Flaxlands Fishery is without question my favourite commercial carp venue. Having fished it for over 15 years, that alone should say plenty about what this place has to offer. It’s not just the picturesque surroundings or having food and drinks delivered straight to your swim – although that definitely helps. The real draw is the quality and variety of fish. Over the years I’ve caught carp of all sizes, plenty of silverfish, bream that are now really coming through, chub to over 6lb, plus tench and crucians. It genuinely covers everything.

Whether you’re brand new to fishing or very experienced, pole, whip or rod and reel. Flaxlands caters for the lot.

General tactics and approach
I’m very much a rod-and-reel angler, but whip and pole anglers shouldn’t be put off. A lot of the baiting approaches cross over regardless of discipline. One rule applies to everyone though: little and often feeding. No matter what you’re fishing for, that mindset will always out fishes piling bait in.

I keep things simple and rotate between three approaches throughout the year, adjusting baiting and location depending on conditions:

The feeder
The bomb
The waggler

They’ll all catch all year round if you understand when and how to use them.

Feeder fishing – summer approach

Groundbait:Nut 365 Expander Mix
Feed pellets: Nut 8.5mm Feed Pellets
Hookbait:One of our new Wafters or matching pellets dipped in Betalin

Every venue is different, but at Flaxlands hard work normally pays off. When carp are moving and feeding, an aggressive approach works well. That doesn’t mean overfeeding. It means staying accurate, consistent, and on the fish. Always start little and often. Never heavy and far apart!

Once I’ve got the cast bang on and clipped up, my feeding is very controlled. I feed four pellets at a time, three times back to back. So it’s cast out, then four pellets – ping – another four – ping – and the final four – ping. I repeat that every five minutes. I recast every ten minutes and keep that rhythm going. It keeps fish interested without overdoing it and builds confidence in the swim.

I also like to have two spots clipped up. If one goes quiet, I can switch between them while feeding both spots. Once carp trust an area, they’re easy to catch. Building that trust is the hard part.

Summer swim choice
In warmer months, fishing tight to islands and under your feet are prime areas. Carp are confident in shallow water and happy to feed aggressively. Where possible, I still favour the far side as it creates less disturbance, but shallow lines really come into their own in summer.

Feeder fishing – winter approach
As winter arrives, I switch from the Blitz range straight over to Nut 365. It’s a simple change, but an important one.Water clarity improves and carp begin to drift away from shallow areas. Those summer spots tight to islands and margins become less consistent. I focus more on ledges, deeper water, and natural runs through the middle of the lake.

That said, don’t completely ignore the shallows. On brighter days, carp will often move up briefly to soak up the sun. Those short windows can produce quick bites if you’re watching the water.

Winter feeding and casting
In winter, I feed less and cast less. Location becomes everything.I recast every 20–25 minutes and only put four pellets over the top of the feeder straight after the cast. No topping up between casts. Just enough bait to nick a bite if a fish passes through.

I’ll keep rotating spots within my swim, trying a new line every twenty minutes until I find something. If there are no signs in my swim but I can clearly see fish elsewhere, and moving is possible, I’ll move. Location is absolutely critical during the colder months.

If you’re struggling in winter, a top tip is to try two or three maggots on the hook dipped in Almond Betalin. Simple usually wins.

Bomb fishing
The bomb and pellet is either my backup approach or, if the fishery has been fishing hard lately, sometimes my starting point. Carp don’t behave the same every day, and some days they just respond better to a static bait.I’ve caught over 30 carp in a day fishing a single bright wafter on a running lead with no freebies at all. That said, four pellets over the top is still a go-to tactic and always worth trying.

Bomb set-ups
"Set-up one"
15g flat pear lead
12-inch Guru bait band rig
Size 12 hook
Betalin Wafter

"Set-up two"
Inline lead 15g
4-inch Guru rig

I use the shorter rig when fish are feeding confidently and competing. The longer hooklength comes into play when carp are slow moving and cagey. In those situations, I’ll often fish a slack line where possible. There’s no strict summer or winter rule with the bomb. It’s all about adapting feeding and rig choice to how the fish are responding on the day.

My Waggler fishing guide
The waggler is one of my favourite tactics. When it’s on, it’s hard to beat.It really comes into its own around April, when carp start moving through the upper layers. It’s a proactive way of fishing and one you need to commit to for at least an hour to give it a fair chance.I like fishing it in the afternoon when carp are higher in the water. If you’re unsure on depth, 2ft is a great starting point. Accuracy is key – keep feeding as tight as possible.

I ping four pellets at a time, three sets back to back, then cast the float straight over the top. One important point: once the float hits the water, don’t move it. The first few seconds are often when the bite comes. Dipping your pellet in the matching oil or Betalin helps disperse attraction quickly and makes the hook bait stand out.

I usually start over deeper water and draw fish up rather than beginning shallow. Feeding for around 30 minutes before fishing the line can make a huge difference. Once competition builds, carp will often start breaking the surface.

Waggler fishing – summer and winter
In summer, the waggler is all about feeding and competition. Stick to tight feeding, build confidence, and let the fish come to you. Once they switch on, bites come quickly.In winter, the approach changes completely. I focus on fishing single hookbaits to any signs of carp movement and concentrate on the deeper layers. If I feed, it’s very light and always over the top.

Rather than loading an area with bait, I’m looking to drop a single hookbait in front of a moving fish. Location is far more important than bait at this time of year, and staying mobile will catch you more fish than sitting it out.

After 15 years fishing Flaxlands, I’ve learned that success here isn’t about gimmicks or complicated setups. It’s about accuracy, feeding discipline, understanding seasonal movement, and knowing when to push and when to back off.

That’s exactly why it keeps delivering — and why I keep going back year after year.