Chequertree Fishery

Chequertree Fishery sits at Bethersden, near Ashford in Kent, with three lakes offering coarse and trout fishing. The coarse side has a cracking spread of species, so this isn't just about sitting behind carp rods waiting for one bite. There's scope for different interests here, whether carp are your thing or you'd rather fish for tench, bream and smaller silver fish.

• 1 lake: Main water
• Fish: carp
• Tickets from: Coarse day ticket — one rod — £12
• Find it: Ashford · TN26 3JR

Based on how each lake is set up — not a ranking.

Chequertree Fishery sits at Bethersden, near Ashford in Kent, with three lakes offering coarse and trout fishing. The coarse side has a cracking spread of species, so this isn't just about sitting behind carp rods waiting for one bite. There's scope for different interests here, whether carp are your thing or you'd rather fish for tench, bream and smaller silver fish. Individual lake names and sizes aren't confirmed, though, so don't expect a lake-by-lake steer.

The fishery lists common, mirror, crucian, leather and grass carp, alongside tench, bream, chub, perch, roach and rudd. It advertises carp to 35lb, with tench and bream to 8lb. Those are the fishery's claims, not a promise that a lump will roll into your landing net. Still, that mix gives the coarse fishing plenty of appeal without needing to dress it up with tales of easy catches or guaranteed PBs.

The biggest bit of practical advice is simple: sort your ticket before you leave home. Every angler must book and pay in advance, and tickets aren't sold on site. The gates stay locked, with prepaid anglers gaining access from 7:30am. There are daytime, evening, night and longer-session options, plus match tickets. Pick the session that fits your plans and get the arrival arrangements clear, especially if you're booking an overnight stay rather than a daytime visit.

Fish care is a proper part of the setup. Dip all nets when you arrive, bring a suitably sized landing net and mat, and use barbless hooks. All coarse fish go back, and neither keepnets nor bait boats are allowed. Peanuts, chickpeas and tiger nuts are banned too, as are livebaiting and spinning. That's worth checking against your usual kit and bait bag before setting off; much less faff than finding you've packed something you can't use.

Off the bank, there's a licensed clubhouse serving food, alcoholic and soft drinks, tea and coffee. Indoor and outdoor seating give you somewhere to take a break, while a small basic tackle-and-bait shop covers another useful extra. Fishing lodges and caravan/camping amenities are also available. Clubhouse hours vary across the week and may change with attendance, so don't assume refreshments will be available throughout your whole session.

The trout side needs a phone call before you commit. An undated website notice says trout fishing is closed until autumn, and a reopening date isn't confirmed. Rainbow and brown trout are listed, with separate fly-fishing tickets and rules. For enquiries, ring the fishery. Use TN26 3JR for planning, but bear in mind the mapped location isn't a verified entrance.

Good background reading. Most of it is a few years old, so treat it as a starting point and ask on the day.

Videos linked by the fishery

• Our read

  Checked Sept '26 — “Chequertree Fishery at Bethersden offers three lakes, a proper mix of coarse fish and a licensed clubhouse for a brew. Book and pay before travelling, and check trout availability before planning a fly-fishing trip.”

This is our own summary of recurring public feedback and the venue details we checked, not a copied customer review or a promise you’ll catch. Feedback changes, so we keep it separate from the Tackle Index score.