Lemington Lakes

Stockton Reservoir, run by British Waterways, is the smallest of their bagging carp waters in the area. It's related to Clattercote Reservoir, Boddington Reservoir, & the well known Drayton Reservoir. With a family of that pedigree you know the fishing will be good.

This four acre water was drained in 1997 having been a syndicate water prior to that. It has been totally transformed having had several islands created, to offer a sanctuary not only to the fish residents but also the wild life.

Dangler Bliss netting a carp

Pictured above is the wooden walkway pegs 1 - 20 covered in diamond mesh to stop slipping. Since the initial documenting of this report the disabled pegs have also had diamond mesh stapled onto them.

All 64 platforms at Stockton reservoir are of timber construction and in excess of 2 meters square. There are three designated disabled platforms with bump-stops on three sides, and a further 37 that are accessible but without stops. The remaining 20 are accessed from a wooden walkway with a 20cm drop down on to each peg.

There is a large car park constructed from crushed stone. It is flat with the odd loose stone.

Access to all pegs from the car park is via a steep slope some 15 mtrs in length. However disabled drivers can park their vehicles behind the designated disabled platforms. The key to the drop bollard can be obtained from the Blue Lias Pub after 9.00am, or if you are planning an early start, please ring the pub on Tel: 01926 812249 to ask for the bollard to be dropped the night before your planned visit.

There are no toilets on-site but toilets are available in the Blue Lias pub which you pass on entering the drive down to the Reservoir. The Blue Lias is open all day during the summer months only.

We at the dangler have no qualms in recommending a visit to Stockton Reservoir - after the initial slope up to the water it is very accessible. The fishing is quite outstanding with many carp in low double figures being caught regularly. The average water depth is around 5 ft and deep close in. Fish can be caught on a variety of methods, pole fished tight to the reeds can result in some very big fish if you can get them out!

Stockton reservoir is located between the villages of Stockton and Long Itchington behind the Blue Lias Pub.

From Rugby go through the village of Dunchurch on the A426. After 5 miles down the road and having passed Draycote Water, you will come to a junction with Stockton signposted to the left and nothing signposted to the right; turn right here! With the view of the cement works chimney in the distance about a half a mile down the road you will come to the entrance to the Blue Lias pub and Stockton Reservoir.