This could not be further from the truth and everyone from the most basic of beginners to the best of match anglers will soon be catching. If you do find the main area of the reservoir a bit daunting then the Balcombe Arm with a maximum width of 95 metres can be an excellent area to start your fishing. So whatever sort of fishing you are looking for, be it for pleasure, match or specimen you really should give it a go.

Coarse Fishing

The coarse fishing at Ardingly is run on a day and season ticket basis, dates and prices are listed below.

Season ticket dates 1 June 2007 - 31 May 2008

2006/07 season ticket holders

Season ticket prices Adult £85 Concessions £42.50

New season ticket

Adult £110 Concessions £55

Day ticket dates 1 June 2007 - 30 April 2008

Day ticket prices £10 Concessions £5.00 in advance

Day ticket price on bank £15

Day ticket fishing is available from 8.30am until dusk and tickets are purchased from the lodge before fishing.

The reservoir is a deep venue, so the favoured method has always been tip fishing with ground bait feeder. This is still the best method for the bream shoals, heavy feeding with crumb, caster and chopped worm can bring big bags.100 lbs catches are taken most years, the reservoir record is 210 lbs. If you really want to bag up then prebaiting for a couple of days before fishing puts the odds in your favour.

If you find fishing the feeder a bit dull then targeting other species such as Perch and Tench, then the float comes into its own. By fishing in close and feeding big fish baits such as corn, worm and caster, great sport can be had from Tench which are now up to 7 lb 12 oz. If it's big Perch you fancy then lobworms and bunches of caster float fished up in the water and feeding maggot can bring bags with single fish up to 3 lb. If you just want to catch plenty of fish and not fussy what, then attacking on the waggler feeding maggot every cast with some caster and corn mixed in, big mixed bags of Perch, Roach, Skimmers and Hybrids can be expected.

There is also limited boat fishing available and this comes into its own by anchoring off the private bank, which rarely gets fished. This is a cracking day out. The venue is also bookable for matches and can take up to 130 pegs. Many clubs use it for smaller matches 20 pegs or so, and they find it a good fair fishery.

Pike Fishing

The pike fishing at Ardingly is also run on season or day tickets, dates and prices below.

Season Ticket Dates

Combined season ticket Coarse & Pike

Current 2006/07 Members £85

New members £110

Day tickets £11 in advance (£15 on bank)

Day ticket piking is available from 8.30 am until dusk and tickets have to be purchased from the lodge before fishing.

Piking at Ardingly is both bank and boat fishing. There are 3 miles of bank from the corner of the dam wall to the mill at the end of the Balcombe Arm.

All methods work here. Once the water temperature drops, the fish become slower and less willing to chase lures then static dead baits come into their own.

 The depth of the reservoir varies greatly and as a generalisation, shallower areas are better early season, with deeper water better during the really cold weather. There are maps and photos of the water at the lodge. Half an hour studying these will save days of depth finding etc.

Five boats are available to hire and a call to the lodge is advisable to book one. The advantages of boat fishing are that you can anchor up off the private bank, which never gets bank fished. It also gives you the chance to fish around the jetties and the valve tower, which in the winter can get packed with fry, giving some great sport. The other good thing about boat fishing is the technique of trolling and in early season this method can take multiple catches.

Anyone fishing here must be a competent pike angler and be able to meet the rules. If this is you then you will find everyone here friendly and helpful. On the other hand, anyone coming here and breaking the rules or endangering the fish will be asked to leave the venue.

Fishery Rules

1. All anglers fishing for pike at this venue must be experienced pike fishermen,

2. All anglers must have with them a large unhooking mat, forceps, wire cutters, large landing net of at least 36 inches.

3. All paternoster baits must be fished with an up trace twice as long as the bait trace.

4. Minimum line strength 15lb but braid of 20lb+ is recommended.

5. Maximum of 4 rods to be used and never left unattended.

6. All anglers must have good bite indication, either surface floats or visible drop off.

7. All hooks must be semi-barbed.

8. When boat fishing no ledgering is allowed, every rod must be fished with surface floats.

9. A carp sack or pike tube is advised to either retain a fish for photographing or if unhooking is a problem and help is needed.

10. No course fishing on this ticket.

1. No litter, discarded line, tin cans, lead shot. No tents no fires, including barbecues.

2. No pike fishing of any kind on this day ticket including spinning.

3. No fishing from the Balcombe Estate bank, dam wall or causeway wall.

4. Keep nets can be used, they must be at least 8 feet long and staked out in deep water.

5. No carp or pike in keep nets.

6. All fish must be returned to the water alive and undamaged.

7. Valid rod licences must be held for all rods used.