Best Places for Carp Fishing in the UK - The Horton Complex

Aqua team members Al White and Mike Bromfield explore the best places to fish for carp in the UK, starting with The Horton Complex which includes Horton Church Lake, the Boat Pool, Kingsmead 1, Crayfish Pool and Kingsmead Island Lake.

The Horton Complex

After driving down the sort of track that always leads to the best carp lakes, you follow the signage to the Church Lake and are soon confronted by the imposing, yet iconic gates that welcome you onto the complex. The home of English carp. After unlocking the gate, you then pass through into the realm of modern carp fishing history. For most anglers, the first port of call is a visit to the Lodge to sign in and also check the recent catch reports.

The Lodge was built shortly after RK Leisure took over the complex in 2012 and was designed as a luxury facility for the anglers on the complex, which is exactly what it is. The Lodge features a fully fitted kitchen and rest area, a 50” TV with full Sky package, a pool table and darts board as well as beautifully equipped showers and toilets. The walls are adorned with framed pictures of captures from around the complex and some of the biggest and best fish on the complex are pictured as well as the ‘history’ fish from yesteryear and a number or BRFC certificates for the numerous British records that have been caught on site.

Leaving the Lodge through the patio doors takes you out onto a decking area with large fish ponds situated to your left that currently house a number of carp from the onsite fish farm. In these ponds they are nurtured to maturity under the watchful eye of Vince (the site manager) and his team of bailiffs, before being stocked into the lakes around the complex.

This decking area looks out over the crystal-clear depths of the hallowed waters of Horton Church Lake. It is the perfect place to start to take you for a virtual tour around the complex and see what the lakes have to offer the members.

Horton Church Lake

The most famous lake on the complex. A 16 acre, former trout fishery that stamped it’s name indelibly on the carp world when the inhabitants of the Longfield Fishery near Staines were moved here in 1990 when the site was at risk of backfill. The syndicate that formed a few years later featured a cast of characters who went on to become a “who’s who” of carp angling. Their adventures (and a number of misadventures) were captured for posterity in the wonderful Horton Chronicles, which even today is an essential read for anyone wishing to fish the lake.

The lake itself is around 16 acres in size and is known for it’s deep, crystal clear margins which give a glimpse into the incredibly rich, weed infested depths which stretch down to almost 20 feet in places.

The stock of the lake is immense - this is a true big fish venue. The lake contains around 120 carp of which almost 30 have now reached over 40lb in weight. At least 6 fish have exceeded 50lb, up to a current lake record of 56lb. In addition, there are also Grass Carp over 50lb in the lake which can regularly be seen cruising in the upper layers.

Most of the larger fish currently stem from Fishers Pond stockings in the early 2000s. Early in RK Leisure’s tenure of the venue they also embarked on a careful stocking programme across all of their venues, the largest of these fish in the Church has now reached 45lb and is still growing.

The most highly desired fish in the lake however are the ex-Longfield fish, a number of which remain in the lake although with the passing of time their numbers sadly reduce. The likes of the Missing Mirror, Linford (a glorious linear) and the perfectly formed Blacktail make up the 'A Team' of the mirrors with the likes of Fosters, The PB Common and the unbelievably rarely caught Thorpe Park Common being the pick of the crop of the commons. True history fish who, in our eyes, are the jewels in the crown of the Church Lake.

PIctured below: Mike Bromfield with The incredible Linford. Another fish from the 1990 stocking and Mark Kerridge with Iris, the largest RK stock fish at over 45lb.

The Boat Pool

'The Boaty' as it is affectionately known to members is a uniquely stocked 6 acre lake offering a variety of challenges and contains an incredible mixture of specimens for such a small lake. This includes an outstanding stock of carp to well over 40lb in weight (both mirrors and commons), a number of enormous bream to almost 20lbs and its most famous residents - a large stock of Wels catfish that reach well over 100lbs in weight.

This means a number of members are dedicated specialist cat anglers and the rules for this venue demand stronger tackle and larger nets than elsewhere on the complex.

Amongst the carp stocking in the Pool are some of the oldest and most revered carp on the complex, including the likes of Penny who is guesstimated to be over 40 years old. Unusually for such a small and pressured lake it also holds a number of carp that are absolute experts in avoiding capture. In addition to this, fish from the initial RK stockings have also now attained over 40lb in weight and there are a least another half a dozen already over 35lb.

A beautiful, intimate and challenging venue.

Pictured below: Mike Bromfield with Penny, one of the oldest fish on the entire complex.

Kingsmead 1

K1, as it is known, is the largest lake on the Horton side of the complex at around 30 acres and another true big fish venue which houses an immense stock.

The stockings of this lake have been mixed over the years and this means you literally have no idea what is going to pop up at your net. It could be a Fishers Pond, a Sutton, a VS fish, a Denge or even one bred onsite that are growing rapidly.

Currently the lake has three fish that have grown to over 50lbs (up to a high of 57lb) and at least a further 20 fish that have been over 40lb, supplemented with a large and rapidly growing number of 30lbs fish coming through the ranks. Whilst the lake has a reputation for being tricky at times, some huge hits of big fish are still had by members every year. Unlike the Church Lake, K1 also enjoys a reputation as a productive winter water for those willing to battle through the longer, colder nights.

There are probably somewhere in the region of 400 carp in the lake and swimming amongst the giants are some incredibly sought-after fish like the Posh Sutton (47lb plus), the Upfront Common (47lb plus) and a true special pair of fully scaled carp known as The One (almost 40lb) and The Two (a good 30lb).

Pictured below: Mike Bromfield with the Posh Sutton over 40lbs, a capture that made the Carp Talk front cover and Al White with a surface capture of the K1 character Wonky Chops. A face only a mother could love… the fish isn’t the best either!

Crayfish Pool

The often overlooked Cray is the smallest lake on the complex and a beautifully intimate water of only 3 acres or so. This is the true history lake on the complex and over the years it was fished by some of the most famous names in our sport such as the late Rod Hutchinson and the renowned big fish angler Ritchie MacDonald.

As its name suggests, the lake has an abundant population of Signal Crayfish which the successful members learn to fish around in order to extract some of its prize inhabitants.

Whilst being a small lake with a healthy stock (numbering around 80 or so carp), do not be fooled by the high stocking density as these carp have a reputation for being incredibly wily and difficult to tempt. The current lake record stands at 42lb and there are an increasing number of 30lb carp in the lake. There are some striking looking carp in the lake including some of the best on the complex such as Two Tone pictured here which is now regularly over 30lb.

Amazingly, the Cray still holds a small handful of carp that were swimming in Rod and Ritchie’s day - these are the ultimate prizes.

The Cray may not have the same numbers of big fish as the other lakes on the complex and as a result can often be left alone by those chasing numbers of big carp and as a result can often be very quiet.

Pictured below: Older than its captor and much better looking - Mike Bromfield with Reggie.

Kingsmead Island Lake

Last, but not least, is the Island Lake, known to some as K2 or The Dark Side and the home of the current complex records. The lake is situated the other side of the famous bridge that divides K1 from K2 and the two lakes are vastly different.

The Island Lake, which can be fished using a boat (there is a secure compound onsite to store them) is a large, windswept pit of around 60 acres in size and as its name suggests features several islands, all of which can be fished from.

The stock of the lake is largely guess work and best estimates would currently be around 400 fish up to a colossal 61lb, a fish known as Roids due to it’s abnormal growth and big shoulders. This is the current complex record and is one of a very small number of true-blue English born and bred 60lb carp. As well as this monster, the largest common in the lake is also a complex record. This is a fish known as Leachys, a fairly friendly carp which is regularly now caught over 50lb in weight. There is at least one other 50lb carp in the lake which is known as Mike’s Pet which is a much rarer visitor to the bank than it’s brethren.

In addition to these monsters and much like K1, some of the most sought-after fish in the Island Lake are not the largest. Fish such as The Big Fully (over 40lbs), The Leather (a genuine true leather of over 40lbs) and the Long Common (over 44lbs) are worthy additions to any album and not frequent visitors to the bank. The rest of the stock comprises at least another ten carp over 40lbs, an increasing number of 30s and a large number of scaley Sutton strain fish that accidentally found their way into the lake due a Cemex faux pas over a decade ago a lot of which are now hitting weights over 30lb.

A true big pit, big fish venue that to some is the pinnacle of fishing on the complex.

Pictured below: Al White with Roids, at the time a lake record but is now the largest fish on the Horton Complex over 60lb in weight, with the Long Common (these days called The Redmire by some) and Leachys Common, a fish that now tops 50lbs and is the largest common on the complex.

Summary

In conclusion the complex literally has something for everyone. Whether you want to creep around intimate venues or sit staring at a vast wind beaten expanse of water you can do it all here. The condition, facilities and security of the venues are absolutely top class and better than almost any you will find on any syndicate anywhere in the country. The different membership options available also allow you to fish your way around the complex season-to-season without breaking the bank. To think on this one complex you have a 60, over ten 50s, well over sixty 40s and literally hundreds of 30s it’s simply a staggering head of big fish spread across the venues.

As expected for venues of this quality, waiting lists are in place which you can join online at https://my.rkleisure.com/.  If you have any questions about the complex of any other RK venues you can also phone the superb team in the RK Leisure Membership Office.

Written by Al White and Mike Bromfield

Images by Rupert Whiteman, Mike Bromfield, Al White and Mark Kerridge