Despite covering some 93 acres, offering 80 pegs and having been around since the late 1700s, Naseby Reservoir has been only lightly fished - although it is known to hold some big carp, catfish, bream, tench, pike and even trout.

Just a short drive from Junction 1 of the A14, the reservoir was run as a private fishery for many years before being closed to angling.

In 2003, however, it was decided to open the water as a day-ticket fishery.

To boost fish stocks some 12,500 mirror carp about 1lb in weight were introduced.

These fish are now regularly coming out at between 10lbs and 12lbs and provide exciting sport for both pleasure and match anglers alike.

Situated just a mile from the site of the famous battlefield which changed the course of the English Civil War in 1645, Naseby Reservoir is used to top up the nearby Leicester Line of the Grand Union Canal.

As a result, the water area can drop dramatically in summer to as little as 20 acres - and it is then that the angling really hots up as the fish are concentrated in a much smaller area.

Indeed, it was in the summer of 2005 when water levels were low that the current match record was set by local angler Steve Porter from Knighton, near Leicester, who fished off the dam wall and took a 248lb bag of carp and roach.

Despite this impressive track record, few matches are currently held.

For much of the year some of the bank is unfishable because it is soft mud.

In summer, however, this dries out and with reduced water levels a much greater portion of the reservoir becomes accessible.

Fishing is available all year round from the dam wall and for much of the year a gravel spit runs out from near the car park entrance giving anglers the option of fishing a channel between it and the dam, out into open water or into the arm to the left as you face the reservoir from the entrance.

Naseby is not only an attractive reservoir but it holds some excellent fish, and because they have so far been rarely caught they are all usually in pristine condition.

Although the average stamp of the carp is between 10lbs and 12lbs, mirrors to 28lb and commons to 24lbs 8oz have been caught.

Add in roach to 2lbs 8oz, bream to 10lbs 2oz, tench to 9lbs 8oz, trout to 8lbs, and perch to 1lb 8oz and you have some quality fish to go for.

And that's not to mention the pike which have been taken to 33lbs and catfish which grow so big that the reservoir is a regular weekend haunt for members of the Catfish Conservation Society.

Whilst cats to 60lbs have been caught, members of the society believe much bigger fish haunt the depths as several anglers have been broken whilst using tackle more suited to sea fishing than that developed for inland waterways.

For those interested in the bigger fish, night fishing is available but must be booked in advance with the bailiff on 07904 493417.

Anglers should note, however, that there are no concesionary rates for night fishing.