Hobbs Croft - The Fennes Fisheries

Location
Fennes Road, Bocking, Braintree, Essex CM7 5LB

Description
Hobbs Croft is a lake which offers both open water and the opportunity to fish close to islands and features, Hobbs Croft covers three-and-a-half acres and has 25 well-spaced pegs. Unlike Ash Grounds, most of the bank is accessible by car and disabled anglers are allowed to park their vehicles behind their pegs. The water is deepest near the car park, where there is about eight feet of water, although much of the remainder of the lake is only between three and four feet. However, along the right hand bank of the lake and for a short way across the top end there is a figure 7-shaped trench where depths run between six and eight feet. General information about the Fennes Fisheries - The Fennes - pronounced 'Fens' - is one of the largest coarse fisheries in Essex and offers a total of 14.5 acres of water the three spring-fed lakes within easy walking distance of each other. The fishery is a superb example of how, with careful planning, development and management, a tailor-made complex can mature in less than a decade into a well-established and productive site with a truly 'natural' feel. The fishery is built on former watermeadows and the lakes each take their name from the names of the original fields on which they now stand. Probably best described as a general mixed fishery, The Fennes has been developed with a strong emphasis placed on the environment and has plenty of decent sized specimens for anglers looking to catch bigger fish. These include carp to nearly 20lbs as well as good sized tench, bream, roach, rudd and perch. With decent all-weather car parks, tended banksides, platform pegs and well-maintained ladies and gents toilets, it is also well equipped to cater for disabled anglers. In addition to the angling, The Fennes sports a superbly stocked on-site tackle shop which sells a wide range of fresh baits, rods, reels, poles and whips plus accessories including line, floats, hooks, shot, etc. Indeed, anglers often visit the tackle shop for equipment even when they are not fishing The Fennes and the maggots on site are said to be some of the best available in the whole county. In addition, the tackle shop sells freshly frozen sea bait for those heading further afield! The shop also sells cold drinks and confectionery whilst a refreshment van serving breakfasts, hot and cold snacks and drinks is open on the site almost every Spring and Summer weekend. The refreshment van can also be made available at other times for visiting club matches. The Fennes prides itself on the quality of the fish in its waters. All carp are now bred and reared in the fishery's own off-site fish farm which regularly has some 7,500 fish at various stages of development, enabling the stock levels and quality of fish to be maintained at optimum levels for anglers thanks to what the owners describe as "an aggressive stocking policy". Although night fishing is not allowed and children under 12 years old must be accompanied, there is no Close Season and very few rules except the most obvious. In addition to Day and Evening Tickets, The Fennes offers an annual membership for regular visitors which costs £25 for adults and £12.50 for OAPs, juniors and the disabled. Members receive half-priced admission every time they visit the fishery and the ticket starts paying for itself after an angler's sixth visit. How to get there... The Fennes is in Bocking Village which is about three miles north of Braintree just off the A131 at High Garrett. Heading towards Sudbury, turn off the A131 into Bocking Church Street as directed by the brown Tourist Board signs. The fishery is signposted half a mile down Fennes Road, which is a right turn by the Village Hall (Bocking United Services Club). Again, follow the brown Tourist Board signs. The car park, shop and Ash Grounds Lake are on the left, Hobbs Croft Lake is on the right and Hill and Black 400 yards down a concrete road.

Fish Details
This lake holds the same range of species as Ash Grounds but the general stamp of fish tends to be bigger with the carp running to 16lbs and a few to slightly over 20lbs. In addition there are good heads of bream and tench to 7lbs, Crucian Carp and roach to 1lb 8oz and perch to 2lbs 8oz.

Tactics
Favoured methods and baits for fishing Hobbs Croft tend to be much the same as for Ash Grounds but because most of the water ranges only to about three feet deep, float fishing either with the pole or rod is fairly straight forward and popular.

Tickets
Day Ticket costs: Adults £6.00 (1 rod) £8.00 (2 rods); Juniors/OAP/Disabled £4.00 (1 rod) £6.00 (2 rods). Evening Ticket costs (from 4.30pm summer only) Adults £3.00; Juniors/OAP/Disabled £3.00. The Fennes is open from 7.30am until sunset all year round with the exception of Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

Contact
Tel: 01376 323285. Fax: 01376 322591. E-mail: crampy@fsbdial.co.uk

Rules
Hill and Black

Day Tickets
Available for this water

Disabled Access
Some disabled access - please contact for details

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Accuracy of information
Please email nkw@go-fish.co.uk if you notice any mistakes. We have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of our information, but cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions.