Exploring a DEAD Lake in East London.

A little extra video that I wasn't really expecting to make when I met up with some of the guys from the Fishing in London facebook group.
*My usual film will drop next Sunday featuring some scrappy urban jacks!*
Following the rumours that the Corporation of London had netted the fish in Hollow Pond, Walthamstow, and sold them, Steve from the Fishing in London (f.i.l) Facebook group wrote to them and recieved confirmation from the Corp. that their own fish surveys had shown many species including pike, bream and roach. Shaun, f.i.l founder arranged a date and between the 3 of us, lures, dead baits and maggot feeders were deployed for the best part of 8 hours!!! The result.... a BLANK. Somewhat disappointing, but sometimes you blank on any water. Conditions are far from ideal with very low water levels. I'm pleased we tried, and it was good to meet some group members. 🎣👍

[@BritishBoy1971]

There used to be some great fishing to be had there back in the 1980s (I lived about a mile away at the time). The local area has changed so much, people-wise (many of the local families moved out to Essex and other parts of the country/World) and I wouldn't be surprised if the fish that were there have been taken taken for the table over recent years. Along the nearby River Lea about 20 years ago there were many reports of certain people fishing illegally using line and tin cans as reels, taking the fish home with them. Keith Arthur was getting calls from angry people who had witnessed this on his radio show back then. No doubt, it still goes on.

[@rollin-rebuilds-uk7065]

i spent the early 90s fishing thier it was great good old mark the baillif wow the good old days you were fishing near boat house called the shollow end you had long chuck , bream point , chained off bay wow

[@rollin-rebuilds-uk7065]

the 3 cafe log cabin , eddies dinner lakeside dinner and roses cafe , wow memories

[@kimhaggerty4367]

Brought back some great memories for me my dad taught me how to fish there in the late 1950s be honest got a little tear in me eye along with a smile thanks good vid

[@TheBudgetAngler]

Thanks very much for such a lovely comment. That's for watching and taking the time to comment. I appreciate it 🙂👍🎣

[@trevorgilbert7284]

I used to fish it regularly in the 70s was there in the drought of 1976 used to wade out to one of the islands and float fish for tench brings back many happy memories.

[@TheBudgetAngler]

Fantastic memories! It's an iconic water! Thanks so much for taking the time to watch and comment! 👍🎣😃

[@stevestheboy1]

i did the same back in 76 trev that was a great year

[@Mouxbar]

Was well known for the tench fishing back in the 1980's. Summer early mornings and evenings were best. It was very shallow even back then so not too much has changed :-)

[@TheBudgetAngler]

I shall have to make a return in the summer didn't manage it last summer! 👌

[@mikemccaine4229]

@@TheBudgetAngler I walked it a fair few times in the baking heat in the summers of 2020 and 2021 as I lived right near it, and saw nothing. If there were any fish in there I'm sure I would have seen them....

[@andrewbanham8433]

Good video again. I once was a member of Hollow AS years ago who looked after the ponds I believe. I joined for Passingford pond and the south bank of the Roding from Passingford bridge as it is 12 minutes by car.

[@lenalliston5224]

Another of my old stomping grounds Andy - Lived in Leyton so just up the road. Back in the 60,s /70,s could always get plenty of roach and tench . In the winter the Pike boys used to get some cracking Pike on live bait. Good to see it again - well done mate👍

[@TheBudgetAngler]

Thanks Len 👍

[@colinread4976]

As a founder member of The Hollow Angling Society I can confirm that the Corporation of London did remove most of the stock of carp from the fishery and sold most to Lake John, amongst others.

[@mikemccaine4229]

Yeah I walked the lake a lot in the last few summers and it was as dead as a door nail!

[@shonkers58]

hi collin it was ralwlins , trevor up set him at the meeting arsking him to leave the the commitee meeting he should never been at in the first place it was nobery who invited him i was told by some one thats why he destroyed all the lakes and thay made tens of thousends of pounds but karma has taken the filth now ,, mark the bailef

[@WhiteRoseAdventures]

Looks like a beautiful peaceful place :)

[@TheBudgetAngler]

It's pretty, just lacks in fish! 😂

[@WhiteRoseAdventures]

The Budget Angler get a kayak 😝

[@JP-ic2ze]

Thanks for sharing the info on the venue. May still be worth a try in ideal weather, but doesn't sound like one worth rushing to try out either. Maybe when you reach 500 or 1k subs you should celebrate with an open invite to members on a large venue. Great to build loyalty, grow the channel and have a fun day out. Looking forward to the next upload.

[@TheBudgetAngler]

Hi mate, yeah it was an interesting session, from what I hear there are very few fish in there! Like the idea of a big meet, definitely something to consider! 👍

[@xpetshrinker63x39]

I used to fish there regularly in the 80's. I had many tench 3lb + in the shallows and all year round too, once night fished it in february in the snow and still caught tench, on the float and legering a swimfeeder with maggots. 3lb line, 14 hook and double maggot, used washing up liquid top as bite indicator or failing that a piece of foil left over from me sandwiches !!! There used to be a legend pike in there that was a monster that only had one eye.

[@Justmebullet]

I heard the story of the one eye Giant like brilliant.

[@ianparsons5409]

Used to fish there when I lived in Manor park up until about 1972. I also knew the Roding as a polluted river. Nice to see the Roding so much cleaner. Hollow Pond used to be jammed with Canadian pond weed back then, but looks clear now. Also fished on Wanstead Flats, and in Wanstead Park. The Eagle pond was probably my best venue to actually catch a few fish, had permission to fish from the dam end, brilliant compared to the road side!

[@TheBudgetAngler]

Fishing in London does seem to be an improving picture generally. Although I guess these things go in cycles. Yeah I heard Eagle Pond was very good. I hear there are still a few in there! 👍 thanks for watching and commenting!

[@chrismccartney8668]

@@TheBudgetAngler saw a few fish carp small taking bread that was being thrown for swans (sometimes huge number of swans other day only a few) Used to be good but casting over pavement was a bit dicey… There was also Rising Sun Pond near the Restaurant and church still there but very overgrown used to have roach carp and decent tench on the non boating bit but after the 80s seems to be neglected by Epping Forest, there are also a couple ponds in Knighton woods and Lords Bushes in Forest by the Private Hospital and one by the Bus Stop opposite used to crammed little carp as it had been used to put fish in when a pond was polluted One more pond at Roding Valley opposite David Lloyd Centre with Roding alongside don’t know if still fished but herons cormorant and mink fish their so presume must be fish?

[@richardprue4165]

Used to be a good lake in the 70s too along with eagle ponds

[@TheBudgetAngler]

Yeah I hear there are sill fish to be had for those that can put in the time and effort! 😄

[@BritishBoy1971]

I used to fish there in the early 1980s. It was very popular back then. It was great fun riding our BMX's up and down the the slopes around the ponds too. There used to be a big Lido next to the ponds, until it shut down and was filled in.

[@TheBudgetAngler]

Yeah I've heard it had a golden age. There must still be be fish in there! I'll definitely be re visiting it! I heard there was a lido there, seems a shame to just fill it in.

[@chrismccartney8668]

Filled in council who waste money everywhere else and ruined Waltham forest used to Lido often in the summer huge lido with fountains cafe and sunbathing step would make a killing now with heat we have but sadly long go e same as the ĺarkswood pool in chingford all gone so few pools nowadays..

[@darkangelw8472]

moving to Leytonstone, can't wait to go with my kids

[@TheBudgetAngler]

Lovely place to live! You'll enjoy the open spaces! 👍

[@deedontworry]

This summer I've seen some nice carp in there, a group of 15. And a jack pike! 👍

[@TheBudgetAngler]

Nice one! I've heard a few reports of fish being spotted in there! 👍🙂🎣

[@deedontworry]

@@TheBudgetAngler I'm going to give it a go next summer! 😁🙏

[@Deathst4lker]

Worth a punt mate - get a 'Deeper' on there and plot the place out a bit - might find some decent swims or places the fish hang out. Got to love a mini adventure !! Nice one - keep us posted ! :)

[@TheBudgetAngler]

Thanks mate, Think I might have to give one a go! There are a few places one would come in handy!!

[@xaosaltd]

Hi Budget Angler I am fishing quite regulary on Hollow pond in the last 2 years , so there few spots where definitely can catch fish as F1, small carp, roach, perch. So I can confirm there is a fish with good size indeed. Good luck everyone!

[@TheBudgetAngler]

That's fantastic news! You're the 1st person to have confirmed the presence of fish there! 👍 thanks for letting us know! 😊 if you have any pics please share them onmy social media! 😎

[@Johnnyalexwales]

is there a closed season here or is it open all year?

[@keithwoods3115]

fished it as a kid in the70,s , there used to be huge shoals of fish if you could find them ....

[@TheBudgetAngler]

Nice one, I've heard there still a few fish in there! Thanks for taking the time to comment 👍

[@stephenport4768]

Great for Tench and Pike in the 90s with 5he 9odd carp

[@denbo4023]

As a kid - I lived about a mile away down James Lane not far from the park (used to be 'Abbotts' park), at Lea Bridge Road during 1950- early 1970s I moved to Australia in late 1974. I was at the 'Forest' all the time getting up to mischief when I was a kid - knew it like the back of my hand. There was a smaller pond on the way to the Rising Sun - we'd get gudgeon from it. Ponds was just about unfishable as they was choked with Canadian Pondweed all my time there - anyone know where it went? No point hiring a boat in those day because you couldn't row through it. Tried fishing from the bank a few times over the years but always gave up as always losing tackle after 1 cast into the weed. Spinning for pike from the bank was a lesson in poverty. Used to go the the Rising Sun or the Eagle pond instead on our push-bikes. Fished a lot with roach-poles. But - there was big pike and tench in the ponds - I think the record pike came from them 37lbs or so - as well as roach and perch in the middle - which was quite deep. One time we decided to screw the 'rules'. We got a rowboat and started to fish off of it - you wouldn't believe it - about 20 minutes - we just got the interest of pike following our lures when we turned around and there was forest-keepers had also bloody hired a rowboat themselves to come out and chase us away.. Then we used to frequent the food caravans on Whipps X road for tea and meat pies. And there was a great pub on the roundabout - The Green Man - in my 'late teens I was there every night - they had live music every night with Guy Darrell Sorry I waffle.

[@johnknibb-oj6du]

I live in london but dont even know where the hollow ponds are? I did have a go several times at connault wzter for pike. Dad dad a 13lb fish.

[@chrismccartney8668]

Many years ago Hollow Ponds was very good head of pike perch reach Rudd carp but pollution low water levels and illegal taking out has taken its toll.. low water levels mean some island are used for drinking camping and lots of pollution and litter.. used to be lots of green which means plenty of toddlers but grebes are rare now.. there used be good fishing 20plus years ago where model boat pond runs in hollow ponds but water levels so low now.. As a kid a long time ago we used to Eagle pond now banned and rising sun now overgrown plus a small pond on right when walking up the from eagle to rising this littlebpondvwas by road in right hand side and held carp and trench but dried out in 1976 drought and only reappeared after a very wet winter..

[@TheBudgetAngler]

Sounds like it's been declining for decades, thanks for sharing your memories 👍

[@azzabbooii112233]

Fished it last night for a few hours for pike had 1 out at midnight on a crank bait. there was a carp angler there too not shure if he had anything tho . but worth a try

[@TheBudgetAngler]

Nice one! Well done for getting a fish! 👍

[@kevinpawsey39]

That lake is as dead as a Dodo used to fish that years ago i am now over 60 there weren't a lot of fish in it then

[@patzero927]

Wake valley still has fish I've seen 2 big carp maybe give that a try once this lockdown over

[@TheBudgetAngler]

Yeah I've heard good things I'll have to check it out! Cheers 👍

[@jamiemiller4523]

Still lots of pike fishy when it's very cold with dead by where they more up the boats and the channel which ner the tool cafes just behind the first cafe. last week I had 4 pike out in 2-days first one size 8 pound second one size 4 pound . 11 pound and 5 pound

[@TheBudgetAngler]

Oh wow, that's fantastic, good knowledge. You've done well to catch there! Thanks for taking the time to watch and comment! 👍😀🎣

[@markfox6675]

wow im shocked 3 of us used to fish here in the 1980s every weekend where the boats used to tie up we used to empty of keepnets by 11pm as they were full of 5-6lb tench we used drennan crystalight rods mitchell 440 match and drennan floats and a ton of mixed groundbait sad to see the decline of what was a very good water shame but glad we had the good times

[@TheBudgetAngler]

Different world now!

[@smileygoesfishing36]

i hoping to get back there this pike season

[@TheBudgetAngler]

Nice, I saw a decent one came out on a lure a few weeks ago 👍

[@johnletch3677]

dead opposite where you are is a peninsular and right on the end we used to catch pretty reasonable tench

[@TheBudgetAngler]

Yeah I heard it used to be a prolific tench spot 👍

[@Jerec]

03:47 Pretty sure that's a C-130 Super Hercules military transport plane.

[@FanterFishing]

Not many free waters about, maybe the small stock will reproduce over the years and one to revisit in years to come. All the best mate

[@TheBudgetAngler]

Cheers mate, Yes exactly! There are a few in Epping Forest so I hear, some of them must be worth a look, and I've heard there are a few deep holes in that lake that are worth checking out. Should make an interesting challenge! 👍

[@smileygoesfishing36]

that plane is a ( A400 M ) airbus -- tight lines and i will be back there

[@chrismccartney8668]

Any one tried Hollow Ponds again !! In warmer weather…

[@TheBudgetAngler]

I've heard a few perch coming out on maggots last summer 👍🎣😀

[@gavin7706]

Well Andy they are otherwise lying about the fish in there or you just had a rubbish session🙁 Out ourselves today couple of small pike only, at least we didn't blank. Hope your day went better today and you landed a few. Tight lines bud 🎣🎣🎣🎣🎣

[@TheBudgetAngler]

Hello mate, nice one! I should have joined you. I did manage a few hours this afternoon on a park lake, hooked 2 decent fish lost them! 🤷‍♂️ the weather's nice though! 👌

[@andrewwright6172]

Hi Andy watched your trip to the Hollow Ponds. This was once a prolific fishery until the 80s when a fishing club took over. Its been all downhill since then. Vast shoals of tench have been removed alond with other fish, then water levels are extremely low at present. The best place to fish is point which is near the 2 cafes as you entered the venue. Fish it at long range with pop ups, still some good bream and the odd carp about. Enjoying your fishing and keep up the good work. Andrew

[@TheBudgetAngler]

Yes it's very what what's happened here. I hear there are a few reasonable pike in there too! 👍😃thanks for watching and commenting 🎣

[@SuperRat78]

Fish was removed from there years ago and other ponds ,due to mugging etc and carp over running the silver etc ,hollow ponds ,higham parks ,connaught waters not sure if they restocked them

[@TheBudgetAngler]

Apparently there are still a few of everything in there, I'll have another go when they let us out again! 👍🎣🤞

[@SuperRat78]

Connaught waters ur best bet seen some small pike and small carp and plenty of silver fish and seen quite few anglers there but over run with dog Walkers etc

[@TheBudgetAngler]

Cheers mate I'll have a look. I heard it was good years ago. Not heard much since 👍

[@SuperRat78]

Hope u do a video there it's a lovely place to go

[@chrismccartney8668]

Fished in 60s very often lots of perch but now lots of cormorants eating everything in site..

[@TheBudgetAngler]

Nice one, yeah I think the cormerants have decimated everything within miles of the Lea Valley :( 😞

[@stevestheboy1]

not just the cormorants i think the locals eat a fair share when no ones looking

[@roudh89]

My old man spotted 3 carp cruising together in the summer about 3years back he took a picture he might still have it on his phone nothing big no more than 10lb I’ve fished it twice blanks both times, have seen people catch pike by the boats shallow end and have spoke to a few anglers over the years no one’s had any luck with the carp. Ive lived opposite the lake for 18years and have recently moved out of Leytonstone in all the years I never believed there was any carp until my old man showed me the picture I was pretty shocked as I’ve walked around there hundreds of times and never once seen a carp I’m pretty sure theres only a handful unfortunately. The biggest fish in there has to be my catfish which outgrew my 5ft tank and was about 3ft long at the time I released it into hollow ponds around 9years ago anyone lucky enough to catch it please upload a video or picture and tag me in 😅

[@TheBudgetAngler]

If I get back down there I'll try! There are definitely fish in there! Thanks for sharing and taking the time to comment !👍🎣😀

[@stephenport4768]

Late 80s early 90s fished it with my dad and my brother saw my first carp anglers on Hollow Ponds and got quite friendly with them saw an old mid double carp get caught there good pike water back then and the Tench loved a Richworth Strawberry Boilie

[@TheBudgetAngler]

Thanks for sharing, I've heard so many great memories of that place! I have heard of a few reasonable pike coming out more recently👍

[@stephenport4768]

@@TheBudgetAngler could nip for roach and gudgeon back then and livebait for pike they pike also loved a smelt deadbait Strawberry or Esterberry boilies for the carp but was always getting tench instead 😂 Don't know what the stocking is like in the lake today hope these old tactics can help the next time you have another investigation Perch pond's in Wanstead and Connaught waters at Chingford is another place we could fish don't know if you can fish today worth looking into though hope this helps 😉