Well, our holiday is almost over and today it’s raining, not that we’re complaining as we have had a marvellous two weeks considering the weather that immediately preceded our holiday. As we’ve got to be out before 10.00 tomorrow I’ve forsaken a final evening’s fishing, as I didn’t want to have to try to dry out everything before packing.

Docklow is without doubt a great place for anglers. The lakes are mature with plenty of bank-side features and are set amongst trees. There are plenty of pitches so at no time is there any pressure on finding somewhere to fish, unless of course you have a particular spot in mind. I only fished late afternoon and evening, which is often the most productive time. All lakes seem to have a good stock of carp, as would be expected these days, and a surprising number of barbel. I have not really tried for silver fish so I can’t comment on roach, bream etc., although I did catch some. There are also chub and although I only caught a couple of small ones I saw bigger fish landed.

The tackle shop on site is a fully stocked establishment and not the usual bits and pieces store found at some commercial venues. The restaurant also serves good food, and the accommodation is fine if a bit lacking in homely comforts. We’re used to rented cottages that usually feel more home from home.

On the downside while I applaud Docklow’s stringent rules, such as banning most particle type baits, and bolt-rigs, some rules are I feel a bit daft. For example, free-lining is not allowed, nor is surface fishing. The reason for banning the former is possible damage to fish because of the lack of anything to cushion the strike. The pity is that the lakes are ideally suited to this type of fishing and it’s a technique that I normally use where suitable. I actually watched a couple free-lining opposite me on the Mickey Mouse Pool (I assume they hadn’t read the rules) and doing very nicely, with a number of good carp coming to the net.

When you see some anglers hauling out carp with what can only be assumed to be very coarse tackle, the argument that free-lining damages fish is a bit laughable. The surface-fishing ban is frustrating when you have carp slurping at the margins late in the evening but I accept that ducks are a major problem at the venue and can see why the ban exists. The fact that pole users can surface fish does, however, seem unfair on us rod and reel anglers.

The fishing offered on the Wye and Teme is somewhat misleading. They talk about a 1000 metre stretch of the Wye when there are no more than four swims that are fishable in the normal sense of the word. On the Teme the situation was even worse, although I admit to not walking the whole stretch. Both rivers have impenetrable bank-side vegetation and high banks, making any attempt to ‘form’ new swims quite dangerous. Although when I mentioned this at Docklow they seemed to think that there shouldn’t have been a problem. Perhaps I’m just not adventurous enough!

I enjoyed the fishing and had some nice carp. The carp fought long and hard and on sensible tackle (i.e. not rope) took a while to subdue, often going off time and time again when you thought you had them beaten. It is clear that the one I lost on the second day was probably the biggest. Comparing the power of the lost fish with the ten-pounder I caught yesterday, I would say that it was probably a good double. The chub on the Wye were immensely satisfying given the much more difficult fishing there compared with the relatively easy conditions on commercial lakes. It reminded me of my youth when days by the river often resulted in very little to show for your efforts. The Teme was an even starker reminder of those occasions.