One-and-a-half acres in size, Furnace Pool is the largest water at Furnace Mill with 30 pegs and an average depth of about six feet.

Linear in shape with a large rectangular pool at the entrance end and a basin near the car park, Furnace Pool offers a variety of outlooks with one end of the pool being out of sight from the other.

With roach to just under 3lbs; bream averaging between two and four pounds but running up to 11lbs; tench averaging 1lb to 3lbs and crucian carp up to 4lbs.

The water also holds a good head of common, mirror and ghost carp averaging one-and - a - half to 4lbs with the largest mirrors and commons now running to 20lbs.

Furnace Pool also holds decent numbers of barbel and ide.

The most popular methods for fishing Furnace Pool are pole or rod - fished waggler with the fish usually being caught at varying depths throughout the summer when many of the bigger catches fall to anglers fishing close into the margins where the bankside vegetation provides plenty of cover.

In winter, as can be expected, the fish tend to stay on the bottom in the deeper water, although they are caught higher up on bright, sunnier days.

Although pellets and paste, which can be purchased at the fishery, are good all year round, other baits vary according to the time of year.

In summer, casters, luncheon meat, sweetcorn, red maggots and floating bread, dog biscuits and pellets are usually the most successful whilst winter favourites include maggots, worm and either bread punch or flake.

As with most waters, nearly all baits are usually most effective when fished over a bed of feeder pellets or hemp, the latter being especially productive when fished with luncheon meat on the hook.

Lake Rules