New and pre-loved fishing and field accessories outlet comes to East Anglia  

Hunting, shooting and fishing has just got better served in Suffolk, Norfolk and Essex as a new tackle and equipment outlet opens at Stonham Barns Park.

The new outlet Anglia Fishing and Field Sports is selling new and second-hand fishing tackle, bait, seat boxes, rods, poles and field sports accessories including airgun scopes and pellets.  The new creative business at the leisure, retail and holiday venue is looking to support sports enthusiasts from the region who are looking to make the most of their leisure hours – taking time out and trying to find work-life balance in today’s challenging economic times.

Owner Ian Woods from Eye, Suffolk began his passion for game keeping in rural Essex on a local estate.  At 15 he took a job in The Borders, Scotland as a Game Keeper and has not looked back.  ‘It was cold and bleak,’ says Ian ‘but it’s where the adventure began, and I have worked as a game keeper and pest controller ever since.’

The fishing hobby started while Ian grew up in Epping, Essex. He fished the Walthamstow lakes and rivers and did some occasional sea fishing.  Chasing the dream of catching heavyweight fish, Ian spent many a summer in France netting mega carp.  ‘It was an obsession that did eventually pass’ he explains. ‘Now I like to fish for specimen fish like tench, bream, perch, rudd and roach.

This means I have moved into Pole Fishing with all its tech and kit.’

Ian was asked by Stonham Barns Park to oversee the fishing at its two lakes, now endorsed by angling ambassador Bob Nudd.  ‘It was an opportunity that I couldn’t turn down.  I had just moved to Suffolk from Hampshire where I had been living and loved the landscapes and people  so much, I stayed!’

He worked in fishery management at Suffolk Water Park, Ipswich before moving to Stonham Barns Park to help upgrade and develop the lakes for fishing and leisure.  The two existing fishing lakes will be netted to check the current stock, treated and managed ready to separate them into two definitive fisheries – one for carp and the other for silver fish.  Bob Nudd and the Environment Agency are both working with Ian to elevate the quality of fishing at the venue.  Ide, or Orfe, and F1 (a hybrid between a carp and a crucian carp) are being including into the lakes.  The Ide are hard fighting fish which can be caught year-round which make them perfect for lake fishing and this is thought to be a first use of the fish in Suffolk.

A brand-new lake is also currently being constructed – for non-motorised sports – to add to the facilities available at the venue.  This will also be stocked as a fishing lake for when the leisure season ends.

Match Fishing takes place at the lakes at Stonham Barns Park throughout the year offering members of the community both – season ticket membership and day ticket fishing. Clubs are also being offered concessions to enable them to be able to fish too and 22-year-old Suffolk fishing star Jack Damant – who has just been selected to fish internationally for his country – is a regular at the lakes showing others fishing there exactly how it should be done.

Ian continues, ‘I have joined in with Match Fishing now as I get real enjoyment from the competition, and this prompted me to open the new store.  I am based here managing the lakes and so it makes sense to supply bait and the right tackle for those who fish here.’

‘The shop is designed to help people who want to buy and sell fishing gear – particularly – as their hobby changes and develops and this is proving to be popular as people want to continue with their fishing interest but not at any expense.  I am developing second-hand sales as well as buying in new stock to supply both fishing and fields sports equipment.’

People today need to connect with nature more than ever and fishing and field sports are great for being outdoors where stress levels instantly drop away.  I hope that fishing and field sports can keep evolving and adapting to encourage future generations to participate.  It’s activities like these that optimise our mental health and enjoyment of life.’

Programmes like Monster Carp, Mortimer & Whitehouse and Extreme Fishing are keeping fishing mainstream and with its wellness benefits is still a top relaxation choice for people of all ages and social demographics.

The redeveloped lakes at Stonham Barns Park will be ready for the Spring 2023 season and Bob Nudd will be hosting a new Fishing & Field Sports Show next year at Stonham Barns Park.

To find out more about Anglia Fishing and Field Sports you can visit www.angliafishingandfieldsports.co.uk or call Ian Woods on 07840 377 706.