Blackroot, a beautiful parks pool that was man-made centuries ago and is located in the middle of SuttonPark. The lake itself is about 12 acres and was allegedly named after a blackened old Oak stump that was located in the middle of the pool (never found it with the plumbing rod though!). I probably have a special bond with this place as it's where I "cut my teeth" as a young carper and where I spent many happy hours, days, weeks, months etc fishing and enjoying the company of many friends that I used to fish there with.
Blackroot had earned a reputation as a real hard water, one of the hardest in the Midlands. And at around the time I fished it it only held about 20 carp (that's about 1.5 fish per acre!) and had been fished by the likes of Dave Mallin and Wayne Dunne. Things have changed now and the council have restocked it and it no longer has the same reputation as it once did, but it's still as scenic and as enchanting as it always was and definitely somewhere I'd recommend. There are still even some original fish alive, so if you want to catch yourself a piece of Mids history then get down the "Root".
For more things Blackroot check these out: Dave Mallin, Big Carp magazine issue 4, Wayne Dunne Big carp magazine issue 15 and www.beyondthebivvydoor.co.uk
Here's a few of the ones I caught.
Blackroot
"The Original 25". My first fish from the "Root" at the start of the 1993 season. She weighed 26lb 8oz, caught on tiger nuts just off the fence. A personal best for a good few years and one of lake's most prized reisdents (second largest in the lake at the time).
"The Pit Fish". My second biggest from the lake @ just over 24lb. Caught at the end of a 5 day session on the 11th January 1995. Probably my hardest earnt capture to date. One bleep on the Delkim conversion signalled the take after 4 nights of frost and no action. Great weeks fishing though in the company of my old carping buddy - John.
This fish was called the Medes fish but I believe it came from Hill Hook nature reserve. Caught her around June 1997 (ish) from the Pads swim. My third biggest from the lake @ 24lb.
"The Longmoor Linear". Caught this fish when I revisited the Root last year (June 2006) for a look around. The place had changed a bit but was still as atmospheric as ever and I caught one of the one's I never had from when I fished the place years back. Beautiful old fish @ 22lb 8oz. This fish originally came from another pool in the park, one that you can't fish - Longmoor, hence the name!
"Humpy". Another old Blackroot warrior. Caught him with a 16'lber on the same day. Weighed 19lb 15oz, June 94. This is an old fish and graced many anglers nets. Don't think it's actually original Blackroot stock but has been in there that long it might as well be. Still alive and kicking today as I saw him when I went for a look round this summer (Aug 07).
Another one from Longmoor. Not a true original Root fish but almost, having been in here for a very long time. 18lb 12oz, Sept 94. I remember casting out a single pop-up and the take came before I even had chance to set the bobbin or turn my alarm back on!
"The Mug". Don't know why it was called this as it never really came out any more times in a season than any of the others! Caught him the same day as Humpy off the Sandy banks. 16lb 5oz, June 94.
Mid double common @ 16lb, Jan 96. Another winter capture from the Root. Actually, when I think about it, it was caught not far away from where I caught the Pit Fish a couple of winters previous.
16lb, Feb 96, Two takes in a day from out by one of the buoys. Managed to lose the other one though. This one was probably a recent stockie.
Mid-double stocky, and not an original Root fish. Caught the same day as I had the Longmoor Linear. About 16lb, Jun 06. Caught off the Sandy bank.
Blackroot Pool. Winter off the fence, sometime around late 90s.
