Fish are mint, big, and heavy. Every danger of a 50. Think carefully about who you bring.

Around 400 carp in less than 10 acres. You'd think it'd be easy. Sometimes it is. Most of the time it takes some figuring out. The lake's over 300 years old with plenty of natural food. They don't have to rely on bait to survive - so most don't get caught too often. That, little weed, few snags, and the level of care shown by Redmill anglers is probably why they're in such fabulous condition.

Depth varies from 10 to 3 feet. Silty, with hard patches. The islands are an angler magnet (me too). Open water features are more subtle. You don't need anything more than a catapult to get bait where they feed. A spod can be useful used thoughtfully. Baitboats aren't fishing.

The fish are mobile. Although they don't cruise on the surface, they do give themselves away. Occasionally a good angler hauls on his first visit. Most relax once they've had a fish to remember.

There's one double swim and others close enough to fish socially. A maximum of 8 anglers means there are always free swims if you want to move. It makes sense to share the ferry cost, but if you do come, you'll probably wish you'd come alone and gone fishing...

We've got a few regular groups that who bring less experienced carp anglers. Not a problem, as we know the score and they look after them. But, supervising someone will impact your own fishing. Better to share the lake with other like minded anglers - turn a good holiday into the session you'll never forget.