Set deep in the heart of delightful Shropshire countryside just outside the market town of Whitchurch, Chequered Lake is owned and run by angling journalist Andy Nicholson who runs the all-encompassing Angling News website.

During his long career, Andy has written for many angling publications and has produced several angling programmes and films for broadcasters including the Discovery Channel and mainstream TV.

A former Managing Director of Shakespeare Tackle and a keen angler all his life, Andy developed Chequered Lake some 15 years ago with the help of Billy Makin, the founder of Makins Fishery, which must be considered amongst the country's pioneering and most highly successful pleasure and match commercial coarse fisheries.

The two - acre Chequered Lake is stocked with a mix of fish including common, mirror and a few ghost carp to 30lbs; perch and bream to 3lbs; Old English crucian carp, roach and rudd to 1lb 8oz and some tench to over 7lbs.

Despite its size, it has only between 15 and 20 'natural' pegs and offers both traditional coarse fishing as well as fishing for carp using modern techniques.

Almost completely surrounded by trees and bushes and with a central island, it is also a superb stalking water, particularly in summer when fish can be taken from almost anywhere.

It has to be said that this is a delightful venue with few, if any, concessions to modern commercial coarse angling.

The pegs are all grass, there are no toilets, tackle shop, cafe or behind - the - peg parking - all that is on offer is a quiet venue where the fishing is what you make it and where the angler is up against fish which were stocked as juveniles from the Environment Agency 15 years ago and have been left to their own devices ever since.

Which all goes to make Chequered Lake a cracking old fashioned venue which is open from dawn till dusk at a fiver a go whatever time you turn up.

It also offers night fishing by prior arrangement to anglers who have the right equipment, skill and are known to the fishery.

Although Chequered Lake holds the occasional match, it is by and large a quiet venue, so far known only to a handful of locals and anglers from further afield who have heard of it through Andy's website.

Indeed, mid- week it is possible you will be the only angler there!