Sandiway Lakes is a club-owned members-only water.
This former sand quarry site hosts 2 lakes situated near Winsford, approximately 10 miles south of Warrington. Since the club purchased the site outright around 20 years ago for £250,000, much work has undergone to provide comfortable fishing and boost the stocks of these productive lakes. There are locked car parks on both lakes.
Sandiway Big Lake - This is the club's premier specimen fish water. At 53 acres, many anglers will find the size of the lake daunting, and the fishing certainly isnt easy, but the rewards can be great if time is invested.
The bottom of the lake is mostly sandy, and has been described as 'like an eggbox' with depths ranging from 6 - 30 feet. In summer, the clear water means that weed growth is prolific in some areas. There are around 30 pegs, all suitable for overnight fishing. Anglers can stay up to 3 nights, and may use up to 3 rods.
The lake is home to specimen carp, tench and bream, with pike and roach also present. As far as carp are concerned, the original stock is largely unknown, but not thought to be very many fish, probably a dozen or so. The club has a careful stocking program in place since 2005 to provide selected fish that have good growth potential from quality sources.
Carp Stock
Up to the start of the 2014 season, 91 carp have been stocked into the Big Lake. The average size of these fish at the time of introduction was around 17-22lbs, with a few bigger fish up to just shy of 30lbs. As expected, most of these fish have grown on since then - meaning that every fish in the lake is something special. There is an complete photo gallery of all of the stocked fish in the online stocking archive.
Bream and Tench
Although not as numerous as in the Small Lake across the road, the Big Lake is also noted for specimen bream and tench. The average size for both species is very good, with tench around 5-6lbs, and several fish in the 8-9lbs bracket. The bream shoals have dwindled in recent years, but the average size of fish is impressive with specimens recorded to 15lbs plus.
Sandiway Small Lake - the "little" lake is still an impressive 17 acres!

Access at this water is excellent. There are two car parks, one at either end of the lake. The club has provided safe and well-maintained paths and fishing pegs to allow comfortable fishing for our members.
Some of the pegs are purpose-designed for wheelchair users.
The stocks of fish on the small lake are more numerous than the big lake, although the average size of fish is much smaller. There is a good head of carp, roach, bream and tench in this lake. Additionally, the lake is stocked with pure-bred crucian carp.
In the past couple of years, the club has recently stocked with approx 200+high-quality, fast-growing carp to provide specimens for the future. A range of sizes were stocked, from singles, up to the argest fish stocked at 24lbs. The intention is to develop the lake a "runs water"
Again, clear water and good weed growth mean that fishing is not always easy. This water performs best early morning and late evening, or on overcast days when the fish venture into the margins. Do not be afraid to put the bait in to induce the fish to feed. 'Balling it in' can work well here when the conditions are right and the fish are on the feed.
(The club secretary with one of the carp being stocked into small lake)

Sandiway Lakes is a club-owned members-only water.
This former sand quarry site hosts 2 lakes situated near Winsford, approximately 10 miles south of Warrington. Since the club purchased the site outright around 20 years ago for £250,000, much work has undergone to provide comfortable fishing and boost the stocks of these productive lakes. There are locked car parks on both lakes.
Sandiway Big Lake - This is the club's premier specimen fish water. At 53 acres, many anglers will find the size of the lake daunting, and the fishing certainly isnt easy, but the rewards can be great if time is invested.
The bottom of the lake is mostly sandy, and has been described as 'like an eggbox' with depths ranging from 6 - 30 feet. In summer, the clear water means that weed growth is prolific in some areas. There are around 30 pegs, all suitable for overnight fishing. Anglers can stay up to 3 nights, and may use up to 3 rods.
The lake is home to specimen carp, tench and bream, with pike and roach also present. As far as carp are concerned, the original stock is largely unknown, but not thought to be very many fish, probably a dozen or so. The club has a careful stocking program in place since 2005 to provide selected fish that have good growth potential from quality sources.
Carp Stock
Up to the start of the 2014 season, 91 carp have been stocked into the Big Lake. The average size of these fish at the time of introduction was around 17-22lbs, with a few bigger fish up to just shy of 30lbs. As expected, most of these fish have grown on since then - meaning that every fish in the lake is something special. There is an complete photo gallery of all of the stocked fish in the online stocking archive.
Bream and Tench
Although not as numerous as in the Small Lake across the road, the Big Lake is also noted for specimen bream and tench. The average size for both species is very good, with tench around 5-6lbs, and several fish in the 8-9lbs bracket. The bream shoals have dwindled in recent years, but the average size of fish is impressive with specimens recorded to 15lbs plus.
Sandiway Small Lake - the "little" lake is still an impressive 17 acres!

Access at this water is excellent. There are two car parks, one at either end of the lake. The club has provided safe and well-maintained paths and fishing pegs to allow comfortable fishing for our members.
Some of the pegs are purpose-designed for wheelchair users.
The stocks of fish on the small lake are more numerous than the big lake, although the average size of fish is much smaller. There is a good head of carp, roach, bream and tench in this lake. Additionally, the lake is stocked with pure-bred crucian carp.
In the past couple of years, the club has recently stocked with approx 200+high-quality, fast-growing carp to provide specimens for the future. A range of sizes were stocked, from singles, up to the argest fish stocked at 24lbs. The intention is to develop the lake a "runs water"
Again, clear water and good weed growth mean that fishing is not always easy. This water performs best early morning and late evening, or on overcast days when the fish venture into the margins. Do not be afraid to put the bait in to induce the fish to feed. 'Balling it in' can work well here when the conditions are right and the fish are on the feed.
(The club secretary with one of the carp being stocked into small lake)
