Welcome to
Covid 19 – Update 9
As we are nearing a return to more normal operations, this will be (what we hope is) the final Covid update.
From the 31st July, the specimen lakes diary and booking page will re-open and anglers wishing to fish Lakes Pepper and Christine will be able to book as before.
A small number of changes remain in place for the time being:
Specimen Lakes –
Temporary swims changes: Please note that in order to comply with social distancing measures we have installed temporary swims on Old Pepper to replace swims 1 and 3 and a temporary swim on Lake Christine to replace swim 1. In addition to this swims 3 & 4, 5 & 6, 7 & 8 and 9 & 10 must be fished as single swims (i.e. one angler in swims 3 and 4, one angler in swims 5 & 6 etc.)
You must arrive at the following specified times:
For 8am starts, you must arrive between 7.30 – 8.00am
For 1pm starts, you must arrive between 12 – 12.30pm
For 5pm starts, you must arrive between 16.00 – 16.30pm
Season Tickets – These are now sold out and there are no more available.
Day/Night Tickets (excluding Specimen Lakes) –
Day/Overnight tickets remain limited to 25 per day, sold on a first come, first serve basis and must be booked and paid for the day before. (We cannot accept requests for half day tickets at present.) To purchase tickets, please contact AKC (01304 380691) who are open between 7.30am -12.30pm the day before you wish to fish (no earlier). To avoid delays and maintain social distancing measures access is limited to one person at a time. It is therefore recommended that if you need to make a purchase, you contact AKC in advance of your trip and pre-order and pay for any equipment that you need. This is particularly important if you are starting at 5pm on the Specimen Lakes, when the shop will be closed. In this instance any pre-purchased equipment will be available to collect from the bailiffs upon arrival.
Match Fishing– Match fishing remains closed at this time.
Temporary Rules:
In addition to the rules, all anglers must have read the rules amendments below:
Anglers must arrive at the times specified below:
Day Tickets & Specimen Lakes (8am start) – 7.30 – 8.00am
Specimen Lakes (1pm start) – 12.00 – 12.30pm
Specimen Lakes (5pm start) – 16.00 – 16.30pm
All anglers (irrespective of whether or not they are from the same household) must fish at least 15m apart.
Anglers are permitted one non-fishing guest provided that they are from the same household. The non-fishing guest can remain in the same swim space.
Anglers fishing overnight must bring their own hand sanitiser, and must use it before and after shutting the otter gates (see below).
On arrival you must stay outside (in your car if you arrive by car.) You must respect the social distancing rules and ensure you stay at least 2 metres apart from other people.
Staff from AKC will come out to greet you and check your season ticket or booking. If you do not have your Season Ticket with you or it has expired you will not be permitted into the lakes. No exceptions!!
Once your season ticket / booking has been checked, the barrier will be opened for you (we will not be issuing tokens.)
Each angler will be permitted to be accompanied by no more than one non-fishing guest provided that they are members of the same household only.
Anglers must have packed up and left the fishery before 6pm, unless booked onto the specimen lakes.
Otter gates around the fishery will be opened by fishery personnel in the morning and remain open whilst anglers are on site until 6pm, when they will be closed by site personnel. The requirement for anglers to close the otter gates is temporarily suspended.
Anglers fishing the specimen lakes after 6pm must use hand sanitiser before and after using the otter gates.
These measures ensure that both direct and indirect contact between yourselves and anyone else is kept to a minimum and is intended to protect both your health and that of the wider community.
Yours sincerely
Cottington Lakes fishery
Probably the most south-easterly fishery of its size in the UK, Cottington Lakes has established itself as one of the region’s leading day-ticket waters, with eight lakes offering a variety of angling to suit everyone from novices to experienced specimen carp enthusiasts.
“Voted in the top 10 of carp fisheries, by readers of Big Carp Magazine.”
The fishery is set in 45 acres of delightful wooded Kentish countryside, which compliments the lakes and provides habit for a wide diversity of flora and fauna. On site are a tackle shop, café and bar. There are also modern and clean toilet and shower facilities for visitors.
“great lakes in lovely settings which are staffed by friendly happy people”
The tack
le shop, AKC Bait & Tackle, manage ticket sales for the general coarse lakes, whilst lake bookings for the specimen lakes can be made via the Diary and Bookings link (top left of this page.) Also on site are the Kingfisher Cafe, which is open from 7am daily and serves hot meals, snacks and a variety of hot and cold drinks, together with the Kingfisher Bar which is open from 11am daily.
“A brilliant complex, well maintained and run. Keep it up guys. France? Who needs it with a water such as this.”
The fishery provides a choice of five mixed coarse lakes, two specimen carp lakes and a snake-shaped match lake which is about one-and-a-half miles long.
Its delightful setting together with the size and quality of the fish here at Cottington Lakes, makes us an ideal venue for experienced carp anglers looking to beat their pbs, novice anglers wishing to learn and pleasure anglers looking to spend a few days fishing either individually or with their famil
y or friends. Indeed, Cottington must rank amongst one of the most attractive and varied fisheries in the country.
Cottington Lakes is also improving the facilities for anglers using wheelchairs with the introduction of dedicated parking adjacent to Black Lake, wider and dedicated solid pathways and 2m2 fishing platforms, with more platforms to be added in 2018. There are a variety of tickets available offering 24 hours, day, night or half day options to suit most needs. However, because restrictions are placed on the number of anglers allowed to fish the specimen carp lakes at any one time it is advisable to telephone in advance to book these.
“a brilliant and welcoming venue, already in my mind the premier Kent venue.”
In addition to the above waters, there are also several 
slow-running streams meandering though the complex, which can be fished between 16 June and 14 March, and which hold good stocks of fish including carp well into double figures and pike to over 20lbs. Although parts of the dykes are densely weeded, they can be fished by anyone holding a day ticket to fish one of the Cottington Lakes waters. They are particularly popular with carp anglers looking for an altogether different challenge and with pike anglers in the winter.
The lakes are supervised by a team of bailiffs who are on site daily and are always willing to help anglers with a little bit of local knowledge and experience.
“I had a great time. Top fishery, top bailiffs. Definitely see me again.”
The extensive facilities on site also include 32 caravan pitches spread over five designated areas, one of which is pictured right. Twenty two of the pitches have electric hook-ups. There are also five pitches reserved for Caravan Club members, four of which have electric hook-ups. These facilities mean that, for anyone wishing to spend more than a day, combining local sightseeing with a little fishing, are able to cater for touring caravans and camping alike. 
If you would like any more information then please contact us using the details in the “Contact Us” tab opposite.
Our address is
Steed Partnership, Cottington Lakes fishery, Cottington Court Farm, Sandwich Road, Sholden,Deal, Kent. CT14 0AR Tel. 01304 380691
E-Mail – cottingtonlakes@outlook.com
