Rother Valley Country Park, Sheffield
Reports suggest that this little-known venue is among the best in the region, so Paul Hardy shows our cameras exactly why it’s worthy of such praise
THE popularity boom in fishing natural waters has helped to unearth venues that until recently had been ignored by the masses.
Large stillwaters and reservoirs have seen visitor numbers rocket, with anglers seeking a change and the simplicity of a ‘one-rod attack’ being just a couple of the likely reasons for this spike in interest.
It’s prompted some to research and explore vast venues close to home, taking a chance on places that even the most intense Google search fails to provide any information about with regards to what could be lurking beneath the surface.
Catch pictures and reports eventually crop up from those that have landed on a hidden goldmine, with news soon spreading.
As a result, venues that were pretty much unheard of suddenly become the next big thing, with anglers prepared to travel huge distances to sample the new-found delights.
Tamar Lakes, on the Cornwall and Devon border,
Derbyshire’s Staunton Harold Reservoir and the Cambridgeshire monster-bream Mecca that is Ferry Meadows are all well-known examples of this.
It’s only a matter of time before the next breakthrough venue arises and, judging by recent reports, there is every chance that it could be South Yorkshire’s Rother Valley Country Park.
Located just 10 minutes from junction 30 of the M1, a series of lakes cover the huge expanse of the site. Boating and other leisure activities take precedent on the main lake, where fishing is prohibited, but venture to the top end of the complex and you’ll stumble across Northern Lake, where you’re allowed to wet a line for just £5 a day.
A large and relatively featureless lake, it has been sparsely fished in recent years, but those that have tried to unlock its potential have been left gobsmacked with what they’ve uncovered.
Tench and bream hauls that include individual fish into double figures and big perch have been documented, with those in the know revealing that such delights are the norm, as opposed to the exception.
Local expert Paul Hard
