Gunville Lake  UPDATE

        This site if Bailiff controlled and check will be made frequently Day & Night!!!!

 Local Police Officer Steven Quelch  patrols this site assisted by 2 special constables.

We are once more locking the main gate please be patient with any problems as already persons unknown are interfering. The local police have agreed to visit the site whenever possible so give them a wave when you see them 

                        Swim depth 3 metres off end of lilies Aug 2004                15lb Pike. Nov 2006 caught by Rob Cassford

 Gunville Lake is the oldest fishery owned by the Isle of Wight Freshwater Angling Association. The Lake formed part of the brick works which made bricks for the Prison at Albany.  Then around 1933 it filled with water to an area of 4 1/2 acres and twenty feet deep in places.   It is rumoured that the engine that was used to pull clay to the foundry still lies at the bottom of the lake.

During the 1940's the first known about fish were introduced.

The 1950's saw miles of barbed wire, dumped into the water. The wire had been used for coastal defences around the  65 miles of  island beaches.

The council started to land fill with household rubbish until the Association bought the tipping rights for 12 shillings and 6 pence per week.  At that time in the early sixties 2 1\2 acres of water remained.

The Association bought the 6.8 acre site including the lake on 4th Dec.1972 with the help of a sports council grant.
Then began a mammoth task of clearing, covering and hiding all the rubbish that had been put on the site.     Planting of trees and shrubs and fish stocking then began in earnest and the committee transformed a council tip into a commendable fishery.

Hard graft continued to the present day and fish stocks are now at a very high standard.

 Car parking is adequate and thirty swims are fishable. Since 2001 a lot of hard work clearing old willows and repairing swims and land drainage systems has been completed.  This is part of an ongoing programme by the Committee to improve fishing conditions and enable better access. Hence the clearing of the entrance lane and cutting new path ways both to the water and around the lake.      The end car park has been extended by another 50 meters. 2002 season site perimeter work has taken up a lot of work party time all to keep the neighbours happy.  2003 resurfaced car park fitted inside gate with a lock repaired drain at far end

We have invested wisely and paid for the advice of Dr Bruno-Broughton a specialist in fisheries management who has visited the site on two occasions. His vast knowledge and useful analysis has proved excellent and the results have been astounding. The water quality is excellent, the fish have responded and island records are regularly being broken.

Island records: in 2003 this lake held five places on our record sheets: Mirror carp, Pike, Rudd, Perch and Eel.

http://www.isleofwight-fishing.com/010.htm

Fish stocks: Carp both common and mirror to twenty pounds, Pike to twenty pounds, Tench and Bream to six pounds. Perch to three pounds, Roach and Rudd to two pounds and Eels up to 5lb. 

Proven Baits: Luncheon meat, worms, boillie, pellets, sweet corn and good old faithful bread all are useful for specimen carp, bream and tench. Pole fishing and ground baiting with  hemp and fishing casters is devastating for the quality roach/rudd and thirty pound bags are common in a days fishing.

We have put some good strains of carp in over the last thirty years and all the old codgers who fish there have broken tackle straightened hooks and tales to match of the one that got away.

                         Larger Carp could and should be lurking in this lake.