Durleigh Reservoir, Somerset
Zak Williams enjoys a debut to remember at a picturesque reservoir where big bream are high on the agenda
CATCHING fish isn’t always the number one priority when you pencil in a session.
Having spent your week dealing with the strains and stresses of life, escaping to your own slice of paradise is often just as important as sliding the landing net under a few lumps.
Sitting on a tightly-pegged lake with very little space to fish is off-putting for many, indeed the cramped conditions suck a large chunk of enjoyment out of the day.
Sadly, it’s not uncommon for a water of a couple of acres to hold 30 swims or more and at this time of year, when everyone is keen to enjoy the great outdoors, most of them could be occupied at peak times.
If you fancy escaping the bankside commotion while being in with a chance of catching some huge fish, then the very generously pegged Durleigh Reservoir will be right up your street. Just 16 swims are spread across the giant 80-acre venue, which is located on the outskirts of the Somerset town of Bridgwater.
Weave your way through the town coming from the M5 and you’ll drive past housing estates, retail parks and industrial units. The urban backdrop is suddenly replaced with a stunning rural landscape once you get on the banks, with miles of greenery in every direction that you care to look.
The fishing itself provides a challenge, but one that can be cracked if you give your bait and rigs a little thought. Carp to over 30lb have proved a major attraction to specimen orientated anglers, while those who prefer to work with the feeder from a seatbox are drawn in by the prospect of bumper hauls of big bream.
New faces are sampling the venue every day and pretty much all of them fall in love with it, rifling through their diaries to find space for a quick return visit.
Current Feedermasters champion Zak Williams had never even set eyes on Durleigh before, but when IYCF asked if he fancied having a crack at it, he accepted within a second thought.
“I’ve heard some really good things about this place, and I can’t wait to get fishing. As backdrops go, they don’t get much more spectacular than this,” said Zak, moments after getting his first sight of the reservoir.
“It’s clear that I’ll to have to work hard on s
