Advanced Carp Magazine

One of the most historically important waters in our sport faces a bleak future following the Government’s decision this week to give the controversial HS2 rail project the green light.

Savay lake in the Colne valley is legendary within carp circles. However, the £32billion rail line being constructed between Birmingham and London would see the water ‘sliced in two’ by the new track.

Cutting a line directly through the Colne Valley, the new HS2 line would also see the destruction of several other waters in the area, including the famous Korda -home of the British Carp Study Group - and Denham Lake, as well as running right alongside Harefield and Broadwater.

The news comes as a bitter blow to campaigners who launched a petition to save the venue from the project and has ‘devastated’ anglers who fish in the waters affected.

“It’s a crying shame, just devastating,” membership secretary of the British Carp Study Group Ron Key told ACF. “The line will rip right through some of the most important carp waters in the UK, and our own Korda will have to have two supports built across it to carry the rail line, which will mean we will loose the water for good.

“We were always fighting a losing battle with this though. Compared to home-owners and businesses also affected by HS2 carp anglers would always have been at the bottom of the pile. And when you think nature reserves and sites of special scientific interest are on the route, they were never going to stop for a few carp waters.

“There has been a lot of thought, effort and money gone into these waters though so it’s very distressing to think of losing them," he added.


Respected carp angler Lee Jackson is a member of the BCSG and has fished both Savay and Korda, viewing their loss as ‘devastating for carp fishing.’

“The rail line will obviously drastically affect the waters of the Colne Valley and even destroy a few of them, which is a terrible shame for the sport. Of course Savay and Korda are such historically important waters it will be a huge loss,” said Lee.

“The trouble is Government projects of this size, whether its rail lines or motorways, are not going to stop for anglers. No matter how loud we shouted on this we were never going to make a difference.”





Savay
A private syndicate water owned by Tom Banks, Savay is described by Danny Fairbrass as ‘a gem in carp angling history’. Fished by all the greats it has been a crucial water in the development of modern carp fishing.

Korda
The home of the British Carp Study Group, Korda will also be cut in two by the new HS2 line, destroying a carp fishing paradise with carp to the mid forties.

Denham Lake
Another victim of the Government’s decision, the lake will be carved in two by the track, destroying a fishery with carp to over 40lb.

Harefield
Although not touched by HS2, the rail line would run within feet of Harefield’s banks, ruining a tranquil venue with a regular passing of trains at up to 250mph.

Broadwater
Another quiet carping venue, which will be transformed by commuter trains passing within feet of its banks.