Accessibility and features

The fishing at Ryton Pool has improved greatly over the last few years and excellent catches of carp and tench are now a regular feature. The newly constructed concrete bank, level with the car park, offers a long section which is easily accessed by less able anglers and wheelchair users.

There is also a specially constructed disabled fishing platform which is available to blue badge holders and offers easy access for up to three disabled anglers. A Radar key is required to open the gate to gain access to this peg. More details are available from the Visitor Centre. This platform is situated along the no fishing bank close to the car park.

The pool has a good selection of interesting swims to please both general coarse and specimen anglers, with a good selection of species to please all.

Plenty of substantial fish to go for

Double figure pike are there for those brave enough to venture onto the bank in the winter cold and both spinning and fishing with dead baits usually see a few on the bank through the colder months. There’s a good head of carp to please the specimen hunter with at least a couple of 30s to try for.

The big carp have taken a liking to boilies but still go mad for sweetcorn. A simple hair rigged boilie and PVA stick on a bolt rig works well, the method feeder being a good alternative. The lake has a large bird population making surface fishing hard work — a zig rig can see a fish in the net.

It’s advisable not to fish too light because the carp and tench fight hard and find the weed beds and snags before you know what’s happening!

Tackle for Ryton Pool

With the carp and tench getting bigger each season it’s essential to ensure that your landing nets are large and carp-friendly, unhooking mats are essential for the larger specimens and all fish larger than 3lbs must not be kept in a keepnet but should be released straight away.

Float fishing the margins can bring good bags of perch, tench, rudd and roach. A good groundbait with pellets, maggots and chopped worm works well and of course bread, which the fish see lots of when visitors feed the ducks. Fishing with a feeder works well early in the year but waggler is best in summer. The restocking programme is ongoing with the recent introduction of more carp, tench and rudd.

Leamington AA membership and site facilities

All anglers must have a valid Leamington Angling Association membership book together with an Environment Agency rod licence and entry to the park costs around £3.00 per vehicle, over four hours is £6.00.

In addition to the angling, Ryton Pools Country Park has an attractive Visitor Centre with toilets and a cafe which is open every day except Christmas Day. The cafe serves hot and cold meals and snacks, All Day Breakfasts, a selection of vegetarian dishes, freshly made sandwiches and baguettes and confectionery and ice cream. Groups of five or more anglers wishing to reserve an All Day Breakfast or hot meal are asked to telephone the cafe in advance on 07967 310808 to keep waiting time to a minimum.