Marsh Farm celebrates two decades of excellence as controlling club promises an even brighter future
THE MOST iconic crucian carp venue in the land reaches a milestone this month – 20 years of jaw-dropping catches. And the owners are confident those sky-high standards are here to stay. Marsh Farm Fisheries in Surrey is home to three day-ticket waters – Harris, Hill and Richardson – all of which have a solid reputation for giant crucians. No wonder anglers are willing to travel from all over the country to sample the unrivalled action. Opened in April, 2004 to members of the controlling club, Godalming AS, the Farm has gone on to produce countless personal bests, with fish in the 3lb-4lb bracket being almost commonplace. The complex is within a stone’s throw of where the official British record was caught – Johnson’s Lake,
which produced an astonishing 4lb 12oz ‘cruey’ to top specimen angler Julian Barnes back in 2021.
Several other species, including tench and rudd, are also present in healthy numbers, but you won’t find a single common, mirror or F1 here. Most will agree that nowhere in the country can compete with the consistency of Marsh Farm, and a man who had one of the lakes named after him believes it will hold on to its well deserved reputation for many decades to come.
Godalming club secretary Graham Harris played a pivotal part in creating the complex, and he told Angling Times: “Marsh Farm has always felt like a special place and, as it has evolved over time, it has always continued to be the best fishery of its kind. “We are lucky to live in a part of England where the geology, water quality and climate suit crucians, in particular. Within a 10-mile radius of Marsh Farm are two Godalming waters that have previously held the British record for crucians -Broadwater and Johnson's. “Conditions in both seem to be just right for producing special fish, and Marsh Farm is the latest chapter in this special angling narrative. “We want to maintain an environment at Marsh Farm that is capable of supporting crucians, tench and rudd that rival those in Johnson's.” Anglers of all skill levels have become regular visitors to the complex, top specimen angler Mike Lyddon among them. He’s banked dozens of crucians over 3lb from the day-ticket lakes to a best of 3lb 10oz 8dr, and he believes there are several reasons why they have become so prolific. “The lake is quite shallow and rich in features such as lily pads and reedbeds, and when you combine the two, you create the ideal breeding ground for crucians,” explained Mike.
“There are no mirror or common carp stocked, and this has prevented hybridisat
