The Lake
The Committee
Hook Lake is run by a dedicated committee which currently consists of 8 people, all of whom were syndicate members before joining the committee.
Back in 1994 the previous managers of Hook Lake ‘Fourways Fisheries’ made it known to Richard Stangroom (who was the head bailiff at the time), that they would be selling the lease and stock of fish at the end of the season.
Richard came up with an idea of getting a handful of the longer-term members together to form a consortium to buy the fishing rights from Fourways.
The consortium was successful, and whilst committee members have come and gone, Richard and two other original investors (Neil and Piers) still remain on the committee, having been joined over the years by Dan, Paul, Rob, Matt and Mark.
With each committee member bringing a different range of skills and experience, and when necessary, working with various specialist consultants, we have been able to successfully manage all the necessary aspects it takes to run the fishery.
Location: Northaw Village, Hertfordshire
Type of Venue: Estate Lake
Lake Sizes: 2 acres
Lake Record: 35lb 10oz (as of Feb 2024)
Features: Pads, Reeds, Snags
Fish stocking - Sizes - Other species: There are around 55 carp, many 20's and currently around ten 30's to mid 30 - as well as pike and roach.
Best baits, tactics etc: Boilies for bottom fishing, mixers for floater fishing or stalking with particles/naturals.
Winter Fishing: Very productive during the day. Best to bait up an area a couple of days in advance.
Facilities: We have an onsite toilet. A few hundred yards away in the village of Northaw is a pub 'The Two Brewers' which serves lunch and evening meals. There are supermarkets, restaurants and plenty of takeaway's in the local towns of Cuffley and Potters Bar, which also has a small fishing tackle shop.
Season: The full year Syndicate runs form 1st May - 30th April
Located in the small village of Northaw just outside of Potters Bar, you could easily feel that you are in the middle of nowhere. However, the lake is just 10 minutes from the M25 and the A1(M), with easy access to the M1, M11 and A10.
There is a pub in the village which also serves food, and there are plenty of shops and amenities in the local towns of Potters Bar and Cuffely, both less than 5 minutes drive away.
There is also a small fishing tackle shop in Potters Bar, offering pretty much everything you’d need on a session.
Despite its size and stock of carp, Hook Lake is considered a ‘difficult’ fishery, and therefore is not suitable for beginners or pleasure anglers.
However, it’s a great place for experienced anglers who want to improve their fishing skills, are looking for a new challenge, or simply want to experience a different, more traditional style of fishing then they may be used to.
There are 16 recognised swims on Hook Lake which are all large enough to house a bivvy with many of them easily big enough for a two man bivvy.
As the lake is rarely busy, traditionally most fishing is carried out by setting up in swims on the woods side (South) of the lake (the swims on the left of the fishery map) and casting across the lake to the margins of the swims on the field side (North) (the swims on the right of the map).
By fishing in this way, bank side noise can be kept to a minimum along the margins you are actually fishing. Of course, anglers wishing to fish from the field side are perfectly at liberty to do so and when members are fishing opposite one another the 'half way' rule apples.
All of the swims on the fishery have their own little hot spots which once you've worked out where they are, make what may have initially been a difficult fishery, become a little easier.
See more information about each of the swims here: Hook Lake Swims
The security of anglers fishing the lake, their vehicles and tackle is of great importance to us. We have been lucky that in the 30 years NFM have run the fishery, there have been no issues relating to damage or theft of any property.
Whilst the secluded location of the fishery is beneficial, to try and help ensure our security record continues, we have two locked gates, one at the entrance into Hook Lane, and the other into the fishery itself.
Furthermore, we have completely fenced the fishery, making access onto the property much more difficult.