This lake is broken into three parts, all connected by large channels. I have called them top, middle lake and the bottom lake (that was hard work to name them!). The bottom lake is the deeper, next is the middle which leads to the top lake. This is also the largest of all lakes and has seven islands dotted around. All being quite large and you are able to fish off of two of the islands. There is also a large area of the lake which the carp can escape to, from the pressure of anglers. There are oh so many bars and humps to fish to. I am sure that that I have only found out a tiny amount about these lakes.
I love to know the history of lakes I am fishing. I find it fascinating and it gives you a brief history of where you are fishing. So I started to searching the internet and found some amazing stuff.
Situated on the western edge of the New Forest, between Ringwood and Fordingbridge, Ibsley was a busy RAF and USAAF Fighter airfield during World War II, after which it became an accommodation base for personnel from the nearby R.A.F. station at Sopley. R.A.F. Ibsley opened on 15th February 1941, flying activities ceased in 1946, and the station finally closed in 1952.
It was at Ibsley, during the late summer of 1941, that the flying sequences for the classic film ‘First of the Few’ starring David Niven, Leslie Howard and Rosamund John,depicting the story of the development of the Spitfire by Reginald J. Mitchell were filmed, with pilots of No’s. 118 and 501 Squadrons taking part between operational sorties.
During its operational years, many squadrons were stationed at R.A.F. Ibsley, including no’s. 32, 66, 118, 124, 129, 165, 234, 257, 263, 302, 310, 312, 313, 421, 452, 501, 504 and 616 of the Royal Air Force, also No. 7 Flying Instructors School and the No 1. Glider Pick-Up Unit. Ibsley was also used, for short periods, in 1942 and 1944, by the United States Army Air Force, the 1st Fighter Group, 8th Air Force The 48th, 367th, 371st Fighter Groups, 9th Air Force, and 67th Tactical Recce unit of the 9th Air Force.
A number of wartime structures still remain at Ibsley and several, including the old Control Tower, the Battle Headquarters, Direction Finding Station Blast Wall and twelve remaining Compass Points, a Sleeping Shelter and Stanton Shelter, have been registered by the Group with the Imperial War Museum’s Defence of Britain Project. This project aims to list the World War II structures still remaining in this country. These structures have also been registered with the Sites and Monuments Register of the Hampshire County Council
On 24th April 2000 a polished granite Commemorative Plaque resting on a Purbeck stone base was unveiled to mark the role R.A.F. Ibsley played in World War II and beyond. It rests on the existing wartime concrete base of the airfields old guardroom/picket post at Cross Lanes, Mockbeggar. A link to google maps for directions can be found on our get involved page.
I also found this propaganda video with David Niven filmed on the airfield.
Ibsley Control Tower combines so much that is of interest to those appreciative of atmosphere. Ibsley was a very busy RAF airfield in the last proper war. It was the location for a morale-boosting wartime movie starring David Niven, and was taken over by the Americans in 1943. Ibsley played a major role in the D-Day invasion. It survived for precious few years, the airfield having been lost, almost entirely, to gravel abstraction. All that is left is a ruined and forlorn watch office (control tower) surrounded by lakes, now known as Mockbeggar Lakes, with wooded islands.
There is undeniable atmosphere, and a definite sense of foreboding due to graffiti and drug-related litter suggesting regular use as a rendezvous for illicit nocturnal activity – which seems all the more strange when one considers the affluent and respectable New Forest village setting. Looking closely at the daubed and battered walls it is just possible to make out three forces’ sweethearts painted by US airmen. Well meaning plans to save and restore the building have come to nothing and, unfortunately, its complete demise seems imminent. Ibsley Tower is on private land belonging to the gravel company, but its isolation and neglect would suggest that trespass for the sake of curiosity is unlikely to be a problem.
It can be viewed lawfully from the north-western most corner of Fir Walk, public access woodland a quarter of a mile to the south of the village of Mockbeggar, which itself is just off the A338, about two miles north of Ringwood.
I fished this lake twice over the years – with a large gap in between. I’ve no photos of the first time around, but the lake was absolutely stunning. It still was when I arrived back the second time – until the big cut back, which was quite dramatic and put a lot of anglers off. But not me! This was quite fortunate as the carp didn’t know any different, it was great fishing there. You could walk around, place your bait on the perfect spot and walk back to your rods.
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The vegetation started to grow back and the anglers returned. I moved on to Kingham next door. Unfortunately, it got a bit silly with one angler arrive early and stick their bucket and chairs in swim to reserve swims for his mate’s, who would arrive 3 or 4 hrs later. This was the time that I headed off to fish a lovely syndicate on the Hampshire Avon for 6 years, where I hardly ever came across another angler.
With the last summer bank holiday of 2020 this weekend, I moved things around and arrived Tuesday afternoon after storm Francis had moved through, well the rainy part of it, the wind was still forecast to blowing over 45mph for the next 10 hrs then fade away. Fishing the back of the wind would have been nice, however, that bank is out of bounds, and the other swims that I fancied the wind would have been right in my face.
After spotting a few carp showing in the blast of the wind, I popped onto one of the islands. The wind was more across the swim and this area was sheltered by the trees. It was quite pleasant on the bank, the lake was still taking the force of the wind and another fish stuck its head out.
That will do me. I got the kit from the car and spombed out some bait. As I’d arrived later than normal and needed to get the noisy part over first. This was very interesting in a huge crosswind, but I got there in the end. Then came the fun of casting on to my spot – heavy leads where definitely the way forward.
The bivvy was all tidy and time for my first brew, relax and watch the lake for a few hours.
The first take happened a lot quicker than I expected – just after 1900. The left rod screamed off and I was into a carp who was heading out into the lake and kiting right. It was soon had under control and was coming in nicely. I flicked the rod over the top of the other one, just as the carp headed right again, it again was soon back under control and heading left towards a shallow area. I’m sure it was looking for those boulders. At this point, it became apparent that I’d hooked up the other line, I tried passing the rod over the other rod, but I must have got it wrong and it was nicely wrapped around the line. The only option was to pay line out and play the carp out under the rod tip and then sort the mess out.
15lb 2oz Common
That will do!
After sorting out the mess and just before the rain, both rods were back out.
My second take happened nearly 12 hrs later and I was starting to wonder if I’d got my swim choice wrong.
It was around the 10 lb mark, you can’t choose what picks your bait up, but it was a welcome fish.
As ever, once the bait was back out, a brew was in my hand.
My next take happened right in the middle of me trying to film some Deeper tips. By the time I had land and taken my photos of another lovely looking Airfield Lake Common, my Chrip had drifted around the corner of a small island and caused me some issues.
12lb 7oz Common
The tail on that fish certainly gave it plenty of power and it was well on its way towards getting under the snaggy margins.
I was laying on my bedchair thinking when it would be best to top up the swim with some bait and how much when the right rod belted off towards the island and kiting right. I’m so glad I’ve been putting my waders on each time, as I needed to walk to the left and get the tip underwater to avoid the overhanging tree to my left. Once the fish was under the rod tip, it was well behaved and just needed to be played out and slipped into the Nsr50.
20lb 10oz Common
I now had the perfect timing to get more bait out.
I didn’t get a single bleep through the second night. Perhaps as the wind had gone completely and the lake was flat calm since yesterday afternoon. By 1100, it was all due to change again.
Another weather front was coming. This would stir them up again and bring on another feeding spell. So, I’m staying put in this swim and will stick out some more particles, I think more boilies would be a silly idea.
As it got closer, I’ve put fresh Classic Corn wafter on both rods and we will see how the next 24 hours pan out.
The change in weather has got them feeding again. Only 30 minutes after the rain arrived, the left rod belted off with a very unhappy carp. It was chasing out into the middle of the lake and off to my left, it was doing its best to nip around the corner of a small island. I held on, turned the fish, and gained ground steadily until I slipped it into the Nsr.
14lb 12oz Common
Again, you can see from the tail, where these carp get all their power from. After I quickly got the bait back out there, I carried on sorting out lunch.
The next take was about quarter past 2 and was also on the left-hand rod, this kited off to the right and I had to wade out to avoid a tree in the water. I turned the carp and it belted back towards me, right in front of the swim, and picked up the other line. There wasn’t time to put the rod over the other one, this fish had in its mind that it needed to get around the small island and into the bay behind me. I was wading off down the left margins to keep the fish under control. It finally succumbed to my persuasion and was finally under the rod tip. There was absolutely no way of getting the other line separated, I just had to slowly play the carp out and gain line. Once it was in the Nsr50, I cut the line, zipped the net into a floating retainer, and set about sorting the rods out. The last thing I needed was another take, which isn’t too out of the ordinary on this lake.
15lb 5oz Common
I was very happy with that one. Now, it was time to strip a load off the line and redo both rods. I also warmed up in the bivvy as it was now monsoon season here, what a difference a few hours can make.
The storm arrived and past, it was certainly a bit rough out here this afternoon, but by 1900, the sunshine was back out and there was a gentle breeze from the S/W. Hopefully, there was a chance of a couple more carp before I pack up tomorrow morning.
Look at this weather! Isn’t it amazing how thing’s can change? I had a funny take just after 6pm and it was a carp who must have gotten the line under one of those boulders. It didn’t belt off like they normally do, just pulled the bobbin up and down and when I picked the rod up it was stuck fast.
The weather is looking for tonight.
My next take was my first in the night and behaved pretty well until the head touch shone on it for a split second. The carp bolted under the overhanging tree and I sunk the tip and held on. The only 2 outcomes from this are either a hook pull or away from the snags, the carp just powered away under and unfortunately resulted in a hook pull.
With a new bait on and the rig checked, I flicked it back out onto the spot.
What a perfect last morning, I’ve got a few hour’s left to go, before the next lot of rain arrives.
I’m planning on having a lovely bank holiday weekend with the family and will be down again next week for a few more nights. The kids are going back to school soon and we will see how this pans out over the next 3 weeks. By then I’m sure the wife will be moving out of her front room office and back into the real one, things may return as much as possible to normal. This may mean a few nights less fishing for me, but that will not be a bad thing as Winter will be knocking on the door and the Airfield Lake will close for the season and I will be back on Meadow Lake over the Winter months. Not sure how that will pan out, we’ve got a few new members and they will be as keen as mustard (as we all were at the beginning) until they come to terms with how hard fishing is on there in the Winter.
This is a really hard question because we all hate them pesky little carp. But after a 3 or 2 nights blanking would you be happy to catch one? Or after a long period of blanks would a small carp make you breathe a sigh of relief? Or even when you’re fishing a mega hard lake and you catch the smallest one in there?
Well, I can say that I would be happy. It breaks the chain and you can think yourself lucky – you’ve done something right. The bait and rig are working and you picked the right feature to fish. Just because a small carp picked your bait up, it’s not the carp’s fault and it could so have been the lump you are after. You’re fishing for carp and you just had one, be happy. We all know it’s hard sometimes and I certainly feel your pain, as this season all I seem to be picking up the smaller carp but I say to myself I am not blanking, so I am doing it all right.
Food for thought the next time you catch an 8 lber.
