We believe that our website is unique in the angling world and we hope that you will find within its pages all you need to know to make your visit to our waters successful.

As many of you will know during the summer floods hit many parts of the country and Oxfordshire received more than its fair share with the high water levels affecting several of the Linear waters. It could have been a major disaster for the fishery if it hadn’t been for the quick response of the Linear bailiffs and other helpers who quickly erected fences to stop fish movement from our lakes. Even so fish were lost but on all the lakes except Oxlease the losses were minimal and some waters like Manor Farm Lake even gained fish.

The losses from Oxlease were higher than on the other waters but this was mainly due to the infection that struck the fish after the water receded and which was a direct result of the flooding. This infection and the stress caused by the floods killed an unknown number of carp. Oxlease, which is the end lake in line, bore the brunt of the flood waters and the fish were put under greater stress than on any of the other lakes and as a result did not cope as well. We believe that more than 25% of the Oxlease fish survived, including a good number of the bigger fish, but we decided that for their welfare they should be rested. So Oxlease will not be open again for fishing until at least the late spring of 2008 and re-stocking will take place over the next two years following this. We have already ordered well over £40,000 worth of carp which will be delivered to the water in late 2008 and many more will be introduced from our stock lake at that time and again in 2009.

Those that are connected with the fishery are very optimistic about its future and are convinced that a far better fishery will result as part of this set-back. The two Brasenose lakes which we believe lost a minimal amount of fish have so far been stocked with several hundred carp and amongst these are some of the prettiest mirrors you are ever likely to see. The stocking of Brasenose One has been completed to at least pre-flooding levels. On Brasenose Two, where Linear’s planned stocking had not been completed at the time the floods hit, stocking will continue and with the 400 carp already introduced the water has exceeded the stock levels that there were prior to the floods; with the continued introductions planned to bring the water up to their high standards Linear believe that the two Brasenose waters will soon surpass anything we have already achieved on the site. Not long after the flooding and prior to any re-stocking it was noted that a far higher proportion of twenty pound carp were being caught from Brasenose One than there had been previously and in general the fishing appeared unaffected.

Hardwick Lake/Smiths Pool has also received 282 very pretty mirrors and commons up to double figures which more than compensates for any losses that may have occurred there and Linear’s future plan is to stock these two waters with even more carp. St. Johns may have lost a few small carp but these fish have more than been replaced by the escapees from the stock pond that is situated between St. Johns and Manor.

Manor Farm Lake certainly gained a number of escapees from the stock pond along with a number of the larger carp that the pond held. Some of the small carp of around 2lb that escaped from the stock pond into both of the lakes have already been caught at over 5lb. The last time this happened, a number of years ago, the fish did so well in just a few short years that some of them are now being caught well over 30lbs. Guy Syndicate Lakes are receiving their fair share of new carp although we believe that losses there were very low and some of the fish just moved home between the three lakes that make up the syndicate.

In total £75,000 was spent in 2007 and another £50,000 will be spent in 2008. In addition we transferred more than 500 carp from our stock lake to various waters on the site.

STOCK PONDS - FISH REARING
Linear has five stock ponds where they grow on carp from fry to high singles or low doubles. In addition there is a 12 acre lake that is kept heavily stocked for growing on carp beyond these sizes. Linear has been enjoying some excellent results from the stock ponds and in the past fish of just 1lb in weight have gained as much as 7lb in nine months of controlled feeding. In addition to the stock ponds there is also a fish house where lesser numbers of selected carp are being reared in more controlled conditions.

ARTICLES – WIN FREE FISHING WITH A STORY
If you have a more detailed account of your visits to our waters than we need for our TOP STORIES & LATEST CATCHES pages Linear is looking for stories and photographs to appear in our planned Linear Annual Magazine which is due out later this year.

• Click here for more details

SPECIES OTHER THAN CARP
Linear Oxford has gained its reputation as a quality carp venue but, as we say every year, the other species are being neglected. All of the waters contain some superb tench and double figure specimens have been caught from many different waters. Double figure bream have been caught from Hardwick Lake/Smiths Pool, Manor Farm and St. Johns but of the three Hardwick/Smiths Pool holds the largest head of bream. St. Johns also holds some very big catfish for the UK and a number of large fish have been caught from the water! Most of the lakes can provide excellent pike fishing and you will see in the pages of this website that we plan to run our own pike matches during 2008/9.

Whatever you fish for you will be welcome on our waters and we look forward to seeing you there.

DISABLED ANGLERS
We now have two custom made swims for wheelchair disabled anglers and their helpers. One of these is on Oxlease and the other on Brasenose One. Both swims contain disabled toilets and are suitable for erecting a bivvy.

Many other swims are suitable for the disabled especially on Oxlease Lake . In the near future many more suitable swims will become easily accessible on Brasenose One and Two once the tracks are built around these lakes.

Not all the swims and banks are easily accessible on some of our other lakes and in the past Linear has always done its best to help disabled anglers if they have problems getting to or leaving these swims. This help remains in place but will only be available when we have the use of 4X4 vehicles, which is not always seven days of the week. If you think you are going to have problems moving yourself or your tackle about on the fishery then an advance phone call to our Head Bailiff will tell you if we are able to help at the times you wish to start or leave.

SHOWER BLOCK
Linear has a shower and toilet block between St Johns and Manor Farm Lakes . There are also two parking areas between these waters.

THE SYNDICATE WATERS
The Guy Lakes Syndicate Waters are open for all to join but there is a waiting list details of which are contained within this website. We also have a small syndicate on a stretch of the River Windrush and details of this can be found on our website. Because they have become so popular and membership numbers are limited there is a waiting list for the Guy Lakes - currently it could take up to two years before anyone is invited.

THE DAY TICKET WATERS
There are seven day ticket waters at Linear Oxford and there is no limit to the time anglers can spend on them. Although referred to as the day ticket waters these lakes can be fished throughout the day and night and for any period of time
Tickets are available from the Linear Bailiffs who patrol the waters regularly. It is permitted to start fishing and pay the bailiff when he visits your swim. Fishing on all these waters is open to everyone, all the year round. The tickets are transferable and anglers can move between waters on the same ticket.
There is no drinking water on site but water can be obtained from our Head Bailiff if he is not too busy and you have a water container. Alternatively water can be obtained from the nearby grocers shop in the village of Stanton Harcourt, along with provisions.

Linear rules are sensible and can be found on our main notice boards as well as on this web-site.

THERE IS NO CLOSE SEASON ON ANY OF THE LINEAR DAY TICKET WATERS.

FROM ALL AT LINEAR - GOOD FISHING

Fishery Manager: Len Gurd
Head Bailiff: Roy Parsons
Fishery Officer: Chris Blunt

BAILIFFS
Steve Leonard,  John Newland, Colin Hambridge, Stuart Roper, Basil Hopkins, Michael [Mac] McCarthy, John Warr, Darren Hemmings, and Ivor Peachey.