🎣 Jewel of the Cotswold Water Park – Big Carp Specimen Lake

Bradleys Lake – Watermark Fisheries

Wildmoorway Lane · South Cerney · Gloucestershire

📋 About the Fishery

Bradleys is the Jewel in the Crown of Watermark Fisheries — a 114-acre mature gravel pit already well known by the serious specimen hunter for its large carp currently growing beyond the magical 40lb mark. Situated on Wildmoorway Lane in South Cerney, Gloucestershire, this vast Cotswold Water Park gravel pit is one of the largest and most impressive day-ticket carp venues in the entire region — a water that commands genuine respect from specimen anglers across the South West and beyond for its combination of extraordinary scale, exceptional fish quality, and the sense of space and wildness that few venues of any kind can offer.

Like all the lakes of the Cotswold Water Park, Bradleys was created through the extraction of sand and gravel from the Upper Thames floodplain — a process that has transformed this corner of Gloucestershire into one of the largest man-made wetland complexes in the UK. The gradual maturation of these former workings over decades has produced a landscape of extraordinary ecological richness and angling diversity. Bradleys Lake sits at the heart of this landscape, its 114 acres making it one of the genuinely big waters of the entire Cotswold complex — a venue where you can fish all day and still not have explored every feature and corner the lake has to offer.

Bradleys was stocked with 2,000 carp in 2006 to complement the existing head of 250 carp which had already grown in excess of 40lb. This considered two-tier stocking approach — adding a large volume of younger fish to supplement an established head of proven big-weight residents — has paid dividends over the subsequent years as both the original stock and the 2006 intake have continued to grow within the lake’s rich, food-abundant environment. The result today is a venue carrying one of the most impressive heads of carp of any day-ticket water in Gloucestershire, with fish spread across an enormous range of sizes from hard-fighting doubles all the way up to genuine forty-pound specimens.

For the angler visiting Bradleys for the first time, the scale of the lake is the first thing that strikes. At 114 acres with depths varying considerably across the pit, reading the water correctly is a genuine skill at this venue — and one that takes time to develop. The Cotswold Water Park setting means Bradleys has the characteristic clear-to-slightly-coloured water profile of these former gravel workings, influenced by weather conditions, algae growth in summer, and the seasonal variation in aquatic weed that brings the marginal features alive through the warmer months.

Bradleys is managed as part of the wider Watermark Fisheries complex, which also includes Hills Lake, Little Horseshoe, The Pike Lake, and Wood Pool — all accessible via Wildmoorway Lane. Day tickets for Bradleys are available from the Tackle Den in South Cerney, which serves as the booking and permit point for Watermark Fisheries and is the best first port of call for current lake conditions, recent catches, and practical swim advice from knowledgeable local staff.

Night fishing is available at Bradleys on a season permit basis, making it one of the more accessible overnight carp venues in the South Cerney area. Full-year permits covering nights represent excellent value for local anglers who want to dedicate extended time to exploring the lake across the full season. Dawn to dusk day tickets are also available for visiting anglers who prefer shorter sessions or are fishing the venue for the first time before committing to a season permit.

The Cotswold Water Park location places Bradleys within one of the richest wildlife habitats in southern England. Kingfishers, herons, great crested grebes, reed warblers, and numerous wading bird species are regular visitors to the lake margins throughout the year. Otters have been recorded in the wider Cotswold Water Park complex — a reminder of the importance of careful fish welfare and thoughtful bankside behaviour that preserves the ecosystem that makes this area so special for both wildlife and anglers alike.

For experienced carp anglers seeking a genuine big-water challenge in the Cotswolds — a venue where location, long-range skill, and watercraft matter more than simply turning up and casting out — Bradleys Lake delivers one of the most rewarding and demanding day-ticket carp experiences available anywhere in Gloucestershire. The combination of the lake’s extraordinary scale, its history of producing forty-pound fish, and the beautiful Cotswold Water Park setting make it a destination that rewards both the dedicated visitor and the local angler building a long-term relationship with this exceptional water.

🐟 Fish Stock

Bradleys is the big-fish venue of 114 acres and contains common and mirror carp to well over 40lb. With over 2,000 carp spread across the lake following the major 2006 stocking programme — added to the original head of 250 fish already exceeding 40lb at the time — the stock profile at Bradleys spans a huge weight range. The established residents that were already big fish in 2006 will have continued to grow significantly in the near two decades since, meaning the upper end of the lake’s size range is genuinely impressive and likely to extend well beyond the 40lb-plus mark confirmed in earlier years.

Bradleys has produced tench to double figures, perch over 4lb, roach to 3lb 14oz and pike into their twenties. This exceptional multi-species stock makes Bradleys far more than a one-dimensional carp water — it is a genuine all-round specimen venue where dedicated anglers targeting tench, pike, or specimen roach can enjoy outstanding sport alongside the main carp fishing appeal. The double-figure tench in particular are a remarkable benchmark for a Cotswold day-ticket water and have attracted specialist tench anglers to the venue over many seasons.

The carp themselves are predominantly commons and mirrors, well conditioned within the clear-to-slightly-coloured water of the Cotswold pit environment. Fish that have spent years in a 114-acre lake tend to be powerful, deep-bodied, and extremely hard fighting — a direct result of the exercise they get navigating a large open water rather than being confined to the restricted dimensions of a smaller commercial fishery. Every carp from Bradleys is a fish worth the effort of catching.

🎯 Tactics & Methods

At 114 acres, Bradleys demands big-water thinking from the outset. Location is the single most critical skill on this venue — with 2,000-plus carp spread across more than 100 acres, finding the fish is always more important than any rig or bait choice. Arriving early, spending time walking the banks and looking for signs of fish activity — rolling carp, bow waves, surface disturbance, or bubbling on the lakebed — will nearly always lead to better results than simply settling into the nearest convenient swim and casting to open water.

Long-range fishing is the standard approach at Bradleys, as it is on most large Cotswold gravel pits of this type. A powerful spod rod for accurate baiting at range, quality distance rods capable of casting heavy leads to 100 yards-plus, and strong braid on spod and marker reels are all essential kit for getting the best from the lake. Monofilament mainline in 15lb or above is recommended given the size and power of the carp present, and a reliable anti-tangle lead system is important on a lake where the lakebed contains the varied mix of gravel, silt, and weed typical of mature Cotswold pits.

Boilies over a spodded particle bed remain the most consistently reliable approach for the specimen carp at Bradleys. High-quality fishmeal or birdfood-based baits in 15–18mm sizes work well on a lake of this type, where the fish encounter a wide variety of presentations and bait types throughout the season. A bed of mixed particles — hemp, corn, pellets, and broken boilies — with a quality wafter or balanced bottom bait hookbait on a fluorocarbon hooklink gives a versatile, proven presentation that works across all seasons on Cotswold gravel pits of Bradleys’ profile.

Margin fishing should not be overlooked despite the lake’s vast size. Given that 2,000-plus carp live in 114 acres, fish density is actually relatively high, and the margins of the lake — particularly those with overhanging trees, reed fringes, and bankside features that provide shelter and natural food — are regular patrol routes for carp throughout the warmer months. A carefully placed margin trap at dusk or dawn, baited modestly with corn and a boilie, can produce some of the most exciting fishing of the entire season on a big water like Bradleys.

For those targeting the specimen tench that have made Bradleys famous among specialist anglers, feeder fishing with worm, caster, and groundbait over a careful loose feed of maggots and casters is the most reliable approach. The tench at Bradleys are found in the typical Cotswold gravel pit locations — silt pockets adjacent to gravel, marginal shelves, and areas of soft weed — and respond best to patient, accurate feeding rather than large-volume groundbaiting campaigns that can scatter fish rather than hold them.

🏆 Lake Records & Key Stats

📅 Seasonal Fishing Guide

Spring (March–May): As water temperatures rise in spring, carp at Bradleys begin moving out of their winter holding areas and patrolling the shallower margins and bay areas of the lake. This is one of the most exciting times to fish — carp become visible in clearer, warming water and can sometimes be targeted directly. Tench also begin feeding strongly from late April and early May, making spring one of the best periods for specimen tench fishing from the marginal features and silt pockets.

Summer (June–August): The warmer months bring carp into the upper water layers and along marginal features, with surface fishing and zig rigs adding productive options alongside long-range bottom fishing. Weed growth increases throughout the lake during summer, creating natural ambush zones and carp holding areas. Early morning and late evening sessions produce the most consistent results during summer, particularly for the bigger residents.

Autumn (September–November): Widely regarded as the prime period on big Cotswold gravel pits like Bradleys. Carp feed hard through autumn as they build condition ahead of winter and visit all areas of the lake, making location slightly easier than during summer. Long-range boilie fishing over a spodded bed performs at its best during September and October, and overnight session permit holders will find autumn nights among the most productive of the entire year.

Winter (December–February): Dawn till dusk day ticket fishing is available year-round on Bradleys. Carp slow considerably in winter but the lake’s stock density means they remain catchable on single hookbaits and small PVA bags fished to the deeper central areas. Winter is also prime time for targeting the pike, which hunt actively in the colder months and can be found throughout the lake, particularly around the deeper holes and drop-off zones where prey fish concentrate.

ℹ️ Facilities & Key Rules

Bradleys Lake is accessed via Wildmoorway Lane, South Cerney, with parking available at the fishery. Day tickets and season permits for Bradleys are available from the Tackle Den in South Cerney village, which also serves as the principal source of current lake information, bait advice, and local tackle for the Watermark Fisheries complex. For ticket enquiries contact 01285 862716. General queries can be directed to 07470 056871.

Ticket options include: Dawn till dusk day ticket £10 · 24-hour ticket £22 · Full year permit including nights (3 rods) £325 or (4 rods) £350 · Daylight only year ticket (3 rods) £175 or (4 rods) £200. These prices represent exceptional value given the scale and specimen potential of the lake, particularly for local anglers investing in a full-year permit that provides unrestricted access to one of the largest carp waters in the Cotswold Water Park throughout the season.

Key Rules to Know:

Maximum 3 rods on standard day ticket — 4 rods on premium year permit only. Night fishing for full year permit holders only — not available on day or 24-hour tickets without prior arrangement. Barbless or micro-barbed hooks only. Unhooking mats mandatory for all carp and large species. No sacking of fish. Tickets must be purchased before fishing and carried at all times. Valid EA rod licence required. All litter to be taken home or placed in bins provided. No fires. Contact the Tackle Den on 01285 862716 for all bookings and permit enquiries.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

📞 Venue Information

📞 01285 862716 (Tackle Den – tickets & bookings)

📞 07470 056871 (General enquiries)

📍 Wildmoorway Lane, South Cerney, Gloucestershire, GL7 5UZ

🗺️ Satnav: GL7 5UZ

Day ticket £10 · 24hr ticket £22 · Year permit (inc nights) from £325 · Tickets from Tackle Den, South Cerney · 3 rods standard · Night fishing for year permit holders