Frensham Small Pond
Frensham, Surrey
OS Map Reference: SU 858 418
Postcode: GU10 3DW
Water Type: Dammed Estate Lake
Designation: Specialist Carp Water
Size: 30 acres
Maximum Depth: 4 feet
Facilities:
Contacts:
Head Bailiff: Mr. N. Brown
Deputy Bailiff: Mr. F. Price
Local Police 0845 1252222
Stock:
Carp to 40lb
Roach and Rudd to 3lb +
Tench to 8lb
Pike - Perch to 3lb
Once shrouded in secrecy, Frensham Small Pond or Little Frensham (AKA Burton on Sea) played a significant part in the history of modern carp fishing. Although the potential of the water is no longer a mystery known only to a few, the big carp remain the prize for any member willing to put in the effort needed to capture them. Like its larger neighbour, the thirty acre Small Pond also contains a good head of Tench with specimen Roach and Rudd very much on the cards.
Tench (to 8lb+) and Rudd (to 3lb+) are the most common species, but Perch are now making a welcome return after some poor years. The water is also noted for specimen Carp (to 37lb+). Pike are present, some very large ones, but sport is unpredictable. Like Frensham Great Pond, this water is under a great deal of public pressure. Morning, evening and mid-week sessions are recommended.
Members are advised to avoid the beach and swimming areas on Summer weekends and Bank Holidays.
The fantastic Leney Carp on this venue respond to specialist tactics and have seen most presentations over the years and have learnt to avoid them!
Location has to be the key and care in disguising your presentation should result in some memorable captures.
The Rudd are rarely fished for, yet respond well to the usual surface tactics of spraying maggots and a shallow presentation.
Go after Tench with the feeder or waggler and maggots or worms for best results, especially early in the season.
Winter fishing for the Pike can be very rewarding with dead baits presented near the reeds a killer method.
June 16th – 12th September 2011: Nigel Brown, Head Bailiff
This year the season got of to a slow but steady start, temperatures were a little bit on the cold side but still warm enough for some good bags, early mornings seem to be the best time for good bags of Tench, fishing with corn and maggot producing some good runs on light tackle with many fish in the 6-7lb bracket.
Both Roach and Rudd have made a very good show this year with some nice specimens being caught, my Son had a new PB Rudd of 3lb 3oz with him catching many over 2lb, the best setup for catching the larger fish seemed to be to bait a shallow area (2-3 feet) as the Sun comes over it, we saw so many anglers fishing the deeper water and catching nothing.
Carp have proved to be a little bit elusive this year with plenty of smaller fish coming out in the 10-20 lb bracket with a small number of low 30's being bagged, I'm sure the Autumn will get them feeding.
Sadly I received a phone call from the NT warden Tim saying a dog walker had reported a large dead 'seal' washed up on the beach, he sadly informed me it was no seal. Inspected by an angler an hour or so later, I was informed it was 'The 27' known by many around the country as 'The Double Row' an iconic Frensham Leney, 59 Years old and had a good run for its money, keep an eye out on the website for some old school photos and an epitaph to without doubt the greatest and prettiest of the Frensham carp, RIP old friend !
August – November 2010: Nigel Brown, Head Bailiff
The school summer holidays in late August brought the usual expected chaos with dogs and the general public, Roach and Rudd made a really good appearance towards the end of August with at least two 3 lb Rudd being caught and lots of large Roach. The best tactic seemed to be corn and maggot feeder. Tench have also been caught on corn and luncheon meat with best weights of 9lb this year. Carp slowly started picking up baits towards mid September with a good number of low 20’s coming out and a few 30’s. As we moved into October the Carp seems to be feeding on the ‘naturals’ again so trying to produce a run is mind numbing. Accurate distance casting seems to be putting a small number of Carp on the bank, feeding small amounts little and often.
Late October and the Jack pike sport is the best I have known in years, an evenings spinning usually produces 10-15 Jacks, as for the larger Pike they have not shown as yet. Unfortunately, the standard of fish handling of some of the anglers fishing for Pike, despite them having attended the Pike Teach-Ins is poor. I would like to remind members that Pike are delicate fish and require the utmost care when handling them, so please remember this when you have caught one. If you are unsure of how to unhook a Pike, there are plenty of YouTube videos to remind you of what to do or have a word with one of the Bailiffs on the water. Its better to have someone who can lend a hand if you have to unhook a deeply hooked fish, as opposed to cutting the line and causing the death of the Pike which is later washed up on the bank as has happened on a few occasions, this is completely unnecessary and can be avoided by striking early.
June 16th - August 15th by Nigel Brown - Head Bailiff
The season started slowly with winds from the north , northeast opening week, cold and overcast only a week before blistering sun and warm southerlies. The Carp had spawned before the opening night, so weights were well down on the few Carp that came out in June and July with the best being the old ‘Double row” at 34lb. Most carp falling to tight accurate beds of bait.
Tench were and still are ‘up for it’ with 5-6 lb’ers being caught quite regularly using maggot feeder and corn.
A few good Perch have been showing to chopped worm close to the reed line.
The Roach are not showing much as yet and a few reasonable Rudd are being banked with plenty of 2lb specimens, fishing close range with corn and maggot seem to give the best results.
We are now well into August and the school summer holidays bring a degree of chaos on the beaches and around some swims with bathers, swimming dogs etc, so be patient and do not loose your rag with anyone.
Just a friendly reminder that BBQs are NOT permitted by anyone. If you do happen to see a BBQ being lit up, ask them politely not to. If you get abuse, contact the Head Bailiff or any one of the bailiffs on the water at the time and it will be dealt with. We lost the best part of 140 acres of prime heathland and came very close to loosing all of the reed swims and a couple of anglers lives in early July. So remember - No barbecues & No alcohol and No exceptions.
January 2010 to March 2010 – Nigel Brown: Head Bailiff
What a winter, I have never known one as bad, with the lake locked in ice for a good month and with temperatures plummeting and with wind chills down to –13: all of which does little to aid the capture of fish.
That said, a few ‘die hards’ came out in February, but caught no Carp or Pike, but maintained their application until the end of the season. As temperatures sought to climb, the wind-chill knocked it back, until the dying hours of the final day when a Delkim burst into life ! A single solitary tone, the Carp angler just stood there for a split second before realisation dawned and he struck the rod that bent double as the fish surfaced about 140 yards out. After a great fight, all eyes seemed to be on this one angler, the first Carp since the end of October. It pulled the scales around to 26lb, still in its winter colours and covered in leeches, so that’s where they have all been then laid up !
Until next season . . . . . . Nigel Brown – Head Bailiff
November 2009 to mid-January 2010:
November got off to a good start with lots of Jack pike coming to spinners around the reed margins, best weight was just over 18lbs. Not as many Pike bank anglers around this year which is surprising as the quality and size of fish that hit the bank last season was awesome, this included a 33lb monster which has yet to grace the bank this season but has been spotted by a Rudd angler, who vowed never to wade in the pond again after it swam past in front of him.
The Carp seem to have ‘shut up shop’ by late November with the last fish of the year being a 22lb Common, the pictures that were seen of this fish are stunning, ‘a chestnut brown woodcarving’, would be an apt description of this perfect ‘Burton’.
December was wet, cold and misty with very few anglers gracing the bank with just the odd ‘die hard’ who had a good nights sleep.
As we moved into January the weather changed to cold and then very cold, as I write there is probably have about 5 inches of solid ice all across the pond. On the plus side one fish was caught, an 8lb pike to an angler who broke an ice hole in the reed margins, now that’s dedication for you. The ice should have completely thawed by the end of January so lets hope for some better weather for February.
June 2009 to October 2009:
The season started as usual very slowly on the Carp front with just one fish being caught in the first week, but gradually picked up as the anglers located them.
The best Carp to date was one of the ‘old warriors’ of 37lb 2oz Mirror caught by a 14-year old Tench angler. The elusive 40-pounder has yet to be seen this season, although unconfirmed rumours circulate.
Tench & Rudd were getting bagged from just about every swim with Tench weights averaging 4-5lb and Rudd 1-2lb, with the best witnessed at just over 3lb, taken on mini strawberry boilies. Perch started to show in numbers in August to worm and maggot feeder.
September kicked off with a few good Carp, coming out at range, mainly upper 25lb + fish and a few 30lb + fish. Pike started to show in numbers to spinners with very little caught on deadbaits as yet, with the best fish at 26lb to date.
Carp fishing is ‘rock hard’, but if you can sit it out, then you could land a good fish.
Farnham Angling Society Record
| Species | lbs:ozs:drms | kilo.grms | Date | Captor |
| No Records Caught From This Venue Yet! | ||||
- Members can fish all banks with the exception of the Bird Sanctuary and amongst the lilies behind the boathouse.
- Swims within the reed-beds are clearly marked, do not encroach upon the reed beds outside these swims.
- Umbrellas and Stormsides may be used all season, bivouacs are permitted from 1st October until the end of the season.
- No open fires - see Bye-law 4.o page 10 or BBQ's of any kind at this fishery.
- Only barbless hooks are permitted on this water.
- Night Fishing, from 10:30pm until 5:00am, is restricted to ten members at any one time. The first night of the season is to be drawn, 10 tickets per night. Each Member must obtain an authorisation code prior to fishing by calling the ‘System Operator’ on 07903 250905 between 2:30pm and 6:30pm daily.
- Members may only book one night at a time and can not book another until after 3:30pm on the afternoon following that night.
- Non night fishing members must restrict their fishing to the period of 5:00am until 10:30pm.
- The use of lead shot is banned on this water in accordance with the National Trust Bye-laws.
As for Frensham Great Pond, take the A287 travelling south from Farnham. Follow this road to Millbridge and take the first left after the river bridge. After 1.5 miles you will arrive at the northern end of the lake.
There is an FAS car park adjacent to the Warden’s cottage. Please ensure that the car park gate is locked at all times. Use the warden’s cottage entrance for access and park only in the designated area without causing inconvenience to the warden, especially at night.
There are many footpaths to the water.
The Little Pond is owned and managed by the National Trust, having been donated to them by the Atherton family. The pond is man-made and was formed when a dam was built in 1246 at the instruction of the Bishop of Winchester, the resulting 14-acre pond being rented to the monks at Waverley Abbey and used to supply fish to the court of the bishop when visiting Farnham Castle. The Great Pond was also a fish pond and was highly managed as a commercial fish farming enterprise, with the fish were harvested every 3-5 years.
Both of the Frensham Ponds were drained by the Government at the outbreak of World War II to 'deny the enemy fixed navigational points' that would have assisted the Luftwaffe. Following the war the Small Pond was used for tank manouvres and was colonised by nature resulting in a mixture of trees and bushes, military equipment, assorted incendiary devices and general junk.
Farnham Angling Society had previously had the fishing rights on both the Frensham Ponds prior to them being drained. After the war, a Major Allnat decided to sell the land where the pond had been by auction. Mr A O King the Secretary at the time, who had long been a great admirer of the former pond and had a 23lb Pike displayed in his barbers in Farnham, had persuaded the Executive Committee of FAS to let him bid for the land and they left him to try and arrange the required finance. However, these discussions had not involved the wealthy Mr Frank Atherton, then President, who himself had designs on the land . . . . .
The funding of such a purchase for FAS was in considerable doubt as we did not have the required funds, however it appears that the ever resourceful A O King clearly found a way to enable FAS to bid. Unfortunately, AOK had to attend last minute business on the day of the auction and instructed his son Hugh to make the necessary bidding. This led to Mr Atherton bidding, amongst others, against FAS. Hugh King understandably assumed that the President was there on Society business and stopped bidding ! Unfortunately for FAS, this was not the case, and at the next meeting of the Executive Committee a stormy and volatile argument took place. With the Secretary and the Executive Committee venting their anger at the actions of their President, Chairman Dick Boseley struggled to keep the meeting in check, despite the fact that they had not discussed the matter prior to the auction with the President explaining that he would not have bid for FAS because he himself wanted it. And so it was that the potential purchase of Frensham Small Pond was lost to FAS in 1949.
The cost of the subsequent works to restore the base of the pond were considerable and cost Mr Atherton £1,950, plus a further £671 on repairs to the dam and the sluice before it could even be refilled, so the purchase of the land had been only the start of the cost of the restoration of Frensham Little Pond, and perhaps it was simply beyond FAS's capabilities at the time. Not long after the auction, despite Mr Atherton entering into a long lease with FAS once the lake had been restored, he was replaced as President by an Executive Committee that had lost their faith in him. Frensham Small Pond was ultimately donated to The National Trust by the Atherton family around 1979.