Westwood Lakes

This could be the shortest review ever written - the place is brilliant - just go and try it.
Nope - I didn’t think I could get away with such a sweeping short statement, so let’s start at the beginning.

Situated a couple of miles from Boston, Westwood Lakes are set in typical flat Lincolnshire countryside - with pheasants, skylarks and the occasional jet fighter the only noises to disturb a tranquil days fishing.

I visited earlier in the year and anyone who regularly fishes the east coast will know to take a brolly with them - ‘the air is bracing’ but the stiff breezes can go right through you!
There are three lakes, all well stocked, (make that extremely well stocked), with easy access to safe, secure pegs.

The main match lake (Kingfisher) has winning weights of 100lb+ in summer, mainly carp and tench, but there’s a good head of silvers, barbel - in fact - it’s got most of our fish species swimming around in there!


A typical mixed catch from Kingfisher Lake

The Hawk Lake is stuffed with smaller fish, lots of pastie-sized carp, rudd, roach and bream plus a few specimen-sized fish to give you the run-around. Of course I managed to latch onto one of the biggies. Fishing a size 16 with pellet, I was happily getting a bite a chuck, rudd, roach, tench, carp, when I hooked into what could only have been a big barbel. I played the fish (it could have been a submarine) for 10 minutes, only to have the hook pull. I never even saw the fish, to be honest I don’t think it realised it was even hooked! Was I disappointed? Anyone who loses a good fish through a hook-pull knows the feeling... but the appearance of a beautiful ghost carp next cast brightened the mood. How can fisheries stock such spectacular fish - a garden centre would be charging a fortune for them.
‘Buy them small, buy lots of them and buy the best’ the fishery owner Alan Coupland told me when we were chatting.
Now there’s an interesting character. Look at Alan and your first impression is - he’s an angler - and you would be correct. Alan’s one of the old-school River Trent matchmen and he can talk the hind leg off a donkey with his angling tales. He knows the sport from both sides, as a fisherman and as a fishery owner - and he’s certainly good at what he does. The fishery is a credit to himself and his staff.
Back to the fishing, I had a quick session on Kestrel Lake and managed a few rudd, roach and carp (which gave a very good account of themselves) when I hooked into a lovely barbel - which I managed to land - see I can do it!
The fish went just over the seven-and-a-half mark - nice or what?


They take some holding - even on the bank!

Not to be outdone, one of the visiting local anglers landed a double-figure barbel ten minutes later and then to top it off - managed another at 9lb+. Told you it was good fishing.

Accommodation
The lodges are first-class, with everything a family needs for a holiday stay - and I mean everything...
‘She who must be obeyed’ rated it with five stars, so it must be good. Certainly over-kill for a humble fisherman like myself, although the outdoor hot tub eases the stress and strains from a hard days relaxing on the bank, it’s a tough life.
Excellent fishing, superb accommodation, nothing more to say really.
If you are in the vicinity, pop-in, you won’t be disappointed. I’m going to visit there again, it’s a delightful, quiet fishery well worth a visit or just click to: www.westwoodlakes.co.uk


Until next time, good fishing to you all.

Kevin Miles