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Venue information
IN the 1970s and 1980s Wilden Pool in Stourport was well known for specimen bream to 10lb. Large shoals in the 3lb to 5lb class regularly made up 30lb to 50lb catches.
The venue was very popular with local anglers seeking an alternative venue when the River Severn had overflowed its banks.
In the 90s, the commercial boom came and anglers deserted these traditional stillwaters. The venue fell into disrepair and eventually silted up so badly that in the late 90s the pool had disappeared completely under trees and undergrowth.
In 2004 new owner Alan Hubble cleared the area, re-dug the pool and enlarged it. Alan also added a central island that runs the length of the now reborn fishery.
As Alan also wanted to create something different from the standard carp-dominated, commercial fisheries, the new Wilden Pool is stocked with a huge diversity of mainly silver fish. Bream to 9lb, barbel to 11lb, roach and rudd to 1lb, chub to 3lb, dace to 8oz, tench to 3lb, perch to 2lb and gudgeon make up the stocks.
The fishery re-opened in June 2005 and has been well received by anglers using pole, waggler, straight lead and feeder tactics.
An average cast to the central island is an easy 30 metre lob. As no groundbait is allowed, wet pieces of diced meat or corn, crammed tight inside a small open-end feeder work when cast to the island margins.
Of the four top swims we’ve picked on the complex, A9 looks across to the point of the island, so there are in effect three shelves to target, the point itself and left and right corners.
It’s about five feet at the base of the shelves and an open-end swimfeeder is the most effective way to quickly lay down beds of bait at each of the three points.
Peg B7 is the second peg to consider. Down the shelf at four metres is an excellent skimmer, perch and roach line. Fish with the rig at the depth of the base of the shelf to start and if bites stop, shallow up, just two inches at a time and fish closer in.
With eight feet of depth across this peg, A12 is a top winter peg. It’s good for perch bags in winter and those bigger bream and tench in summer.
Finally, B8 is a good year-round peg to head for as it marks the start of a deeper section of pegs in the higher numbers to the left. It’s a good bream and tench peg in the warmer months, with carp, roach, chub and perch in the winter.
Nearby tackle shop: Mal Storey, 129 Sutton Road Kidderminster, tel: 01562 745221.
Bans: No method feeders, groundbait, hemp.
