In typical fashion the likely lads of Ace and Chappers will be turning up at the smallest 30lb carp holding lake in the worrrrrld (clarkson esque) geared upto the max fresh and early on saturday morning.

With the new bivvy, bed chairs and sleeping bags lubed up and ready to be maximized in the winter chill, the kettle is sure to get a bashing throughout the night!

But its back to business on the Manvells puddle, and true to form the fawlty towers inspired name for this lake is sure to kick up a few suprises. With the local pleasure seekers still snoring in there pit and Chris Akabusy polishing his cane the likely lads will be scoping out the inhabitants of the goldfish bowl!

Tactics are short and sweet, standard drop off bolt rigs to short hair rigged mounted boilie/tiger combo's with the now world renowned bait concoction sure to make an appearance!

Don't be confused though, we are there for one thing only and thats pure carp, last time the puddle taught us a bit of a lesson in the short time we had there! but mark my words...the carp will be tamed on Saturday.

Stanwick Fisheries is quite a secluded gem in the Northampton fishing crown, located just outside Rushden, off the A45 it isnt particular obvious for passing fisherman the monsters that lurk in the depth's of Elsons and Roman lake.

Stanwick Fishery - Elsons Lake

I will start with Roman as i am yet to fish it, the syndicate is limited annually to a small number of anglers and the waiting list is long and full. Though there are carp to over 40lb, tench and bream well into double figures and some collosal pike to be found in the weed infested crystal clear lake, the wait could be worth it!!

Elsons, the junior to Roman lays right in the heart of Stanwick fisheries, limited to 12 anglers per day with pre-booking advisable in the summer months or at weekends. With carp to 40lb and a similar stamp of fish to that of Roman, though with only around 85 known carp over 6 acres the anglers need to have their wits about them to connect with anything.

Pre-baiting is adviseable, from personal experience targetting the margins for the few hours after nightfall will be the most productive. Would also reccommend spending some time fishing multiple areas over the lake as the fish stick to clear patrol routes which change throughout the day, after half a dozen weekends spent at Elsons, me and Ace could pretty much say "we should get a bite around now" and 9/10 times that would happen.

Overall a nice place to fish, with over hanging tree's and friendly locals, thouroughly reccommend a trip to the shores of Elsons. For runs there is always Mallard and Swan lakes to target if your looking to bank a few.