Picture the scene, a 14 acre lake, surrounded by mature trees and bushes. Perfect swims, laid out in such a way as to enable you set up a bivvy of any shape and size. The sun beating down and the water gently rippling under a warm summer breeze, all around you the air of hope; hope of catching one of the vast stock of the most stunning carp in England and not a few swims away from you, some of the best anglers in the country pitting their wits against some of the cleverest, and most cunning carp you can imagine. 
Well, that was me last week. Lucky or what? Yes, I was and I am. I have been fortunate enough to acquire a membership to what is one of the most scenic lakes I have ever happened across, and I am in Heaven. I love Southlake at Yateley, and always will, and will visit there often, but hey! Horton is out of this world.
Del smith, the head bailiff, knows every carp in the lake personally, he’s caught most of them several times, and is, I would have to say, one of the country’s top anglers. This softly-spoken man is awesome in his ability to catch carp. Only the other day in the lodge he was asked which fish he would like to catch if given a choice.
‘Easy’, he said, ‘Gromit, ‘cos the last time I caught him, I did not get any good pictures.’
Well, within the hour, Gromit was sitting in Del’s arms like a long lost friend having his picture taken with the master. Coincidence? luck? I don’t think so, he knew what to do, where to fish, and the bait to lure him, and there he was, not Horton’s biggest resident, not by any stretch of the imagination. In fact, he weighed in at exactly 24lb, but pretty, oh yes, and I had the pleasure of netting him, and I felt like dropping to my knees, arms outstretched and uttering those words ‘I’m not worthy.’
Del is not the only, what I would call, great carper. Look around you on any given day and you will see faces whose names are amongst today’s greats, and a look at the pictures festooned over the walls of the lodge, and they are, or have been, there. Now I don’t know if all syndicates are the same because this is my first, and to be honest, I hope my only trek into this side of carping, but it’s not a load of individuals fishing the same lake. Oh no, it’s more than that, it’s like a huge family. 
As I write this piece I know what is happening there, the England v Germany match is about to take place and there is no doubt in my mind they are now gathering around the TV in the lodge, supping on a few tinnies, having all got full bellies from a BAR-B-Q. No doubt the chef was Chris `Starman` Hull, and brother, can he cook! I had the pleasure of eating my way through a roast dinner he prepared for myself and Julie, Julie being the wife of Viv shears the boss man on Horton, and yet another quietly spoken man whose joy it is to make sure we as members get only the best.
In this picture the man of the moment is in the foreground – Robin Daws. Twenty years ago he caught a 29lb-plus fish, not quite the thirty we all crave, then he extradited The Boxer from the lake and it was here at last. To say he was a happy chappy would be a gross understatement.
Now the question was ‘ Would it be another 20 years before he captured a 40? Well, er, not quite. Try 24 hours! Yes, inside a day he had the fish we all crave, The Parrot. Do you think all at the lake would be jealous? Well, perhaps a little, but I can honestly say all were as happy as Robin. As I explained earlier, it’s a big happy family. 
In the picture behind Robin is Rob, now he too has been having a good time. When I had to leave on Saturday morning, he had already had five lovely carp out and in particular a mirror, only 22lb-plus, that no one knew was even in the lake. Even Del didn’t recognise it, so they are now checking the records and if, as assumed, its been there hiding for some ten years, then Rob will get to name it. What a wonderful legacy to leave.
So far, in my three trips, I have worked really hard for bugger-all, so no change there then, but it’s only the start of the season so there is time yet. Hey, even some of the top rods have drawn a blank thus far so you could say I’m up there with the best………………Oh all right, I’m kidding myself………………but so what, I can dream can’t I?
Tight Lines
Kev Garrett
Horton Church Lake Syndicate
Stanwell Road, Horton, Berkshire.
This 14 acre lake has two 40lb carp in the shape of Shoulders and the Parrot and twelve different carp, seven mirrors and five commons, over 30lb. Horton is on its way back to the top following a fish-kill in 1997. Behind the group of biggest fish are a dozen or so carp just a pound or two short of 30lb and a riot of up and coming youngsters which are expected to become a little bit special.
The fifty Fishers Pond mirrors introduced into Horton in 1998 have all prospered and from a starting weight of between 9lb to 11lb they reached up to 19lb 14oz by the end of the 1998 season, with the average weight around 18lb. All these fish topped 20lb in 1999 with the fastest growers going over 25lb. The first of the new Horton carp should top 30lb this year. In addition to the carp Horton holds grass carp to 31lb, bream to 12lb, tench to 11lb 8oz and pike to 25lb.
Facilities include a lodge with cooking and shower facilities, television, telephone, toilets, fridges and freezer.
A waiting list for Horton membership is open. To add your name or for more details of Horton Church Lake and other waters owned by RMC, visit RMC’s web site by clicking the logo:
Late Breaking News from Horton by the Editor:
Del finally does it 
After capturing almost every known mirror in the Church Lake, Head Bailiff Del Smith finally caught his first ever 30lb common carp in the shape of Sid at 30lb 3oz.
Del’s first 30lb common has been a long time coming but he is hoping to top it by being the first person to net the Thorpe Park common at over 40lb.
Del bagged Sid, a new thirty for the water, on his usual Nutrabaits Big Fish mix boilies.
Ham and Eggs 
Also setting a new PB on the Church Lake was long time syndicate member Eddie Lancaster – AKA ‘Ham and Eggs’, who bagged the common known as Pimple at an all time high weight of 34lb.
Eddie has also got amongst the stockies and has had a 24lb grass carp since the start of the Horton season.
