97 Temple 30's as we edge nearer 100! - 27 09 2009

Last years predator fishing was some of the best we have experienced in recent years with well over 100 double figure zander reported along with scores of upper singles together with some good pike which included a few fish to mid twenties. In readiness for what we hope will be another good season, we will be stocking circa 50 pike during October ranging from 8lb to 18lb.

Picture shows Anglers Mail Gary Newman with a typical Old Lake double figure zander. You can read how Gary got on during a pre-season zander fish in the Anglers Mail on the 13th October.

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As we head into the autumn we tend to see a steady fall in water temperatures through September and October, and this week was no exception despite some pretty good weather which saw a number of days topping 20 degree’s. Water temperatures were 14.6 degree’s today, a drop of 2 degree’s on the week whilst oxygen levels remained high on all lakes at circa 65%.

Outlook for the week ahead is much the same with temperatures sitting around the high teens with the odd day hitting the early 20’s. There is a small chance of a shower towards the back end of the week.

Despite a small algae bloom on both Bonds and Milton lakes early/mid week, overall the fishing has been pretty good with all the lakes producing a few decent catches. Following the blooms on the two small lakes, we did flush some water through both lakes and the fishing on both yesterday was greatly improved with some pretty good catches of carp and silver fish reported in nets to 50lb. 

On the Old Lake, whilst the bream have continued to show in good numbers with bags to 100lb reported, it has been the carp that have again shown well with day ticket anglers reporting bags of up to a dozen or so fish which included the odd twenty.

Temple also saw another good week with yet more thirties reported as well as good numbers of twenties.

Whilst anglers are still picking up the odd tench, big crucian and bonus carp from both the jungle and shallow water areas, the bream continue to dominate catches all around the Old Lake with both pleasure anglers and matchmen alike reporting ton-up hauls. With both the front and long bank pegs being the target areas, the middle and early pegs are the swims to head for, although saying that, the island bank and top end of the long bank are also seeing some reasonable catches.

The ‘In Method’ for bank anglers continues to be a small feeder or cage feeder with hair rigged or lassoed 8mm or 10mm pellet on a size 14 or 12 barbless hook. It is also important to remember to ping out a few pellets around your feeder little and often as this does make a very big difference to the catches. Saying that, pole and float tactics are also catching with pellet being the best bait.

Boat anglers are also continuing to find some excellent sport from the open water and jungle with bream again making up the target species from the open water whilst anglers targeting the jungle are finding a few late season tench and the odd carp.

Tony Scott fished peg 28 just along the long bank catching 20 plus bream to 5lb on an open feeder packed with Halibut Swim Stim groundbait with 8mm halibut pellets on the hook.

Another angler to have a bumper day was Mike Davies who chose to fish peg 40 also on the long bank. Fishing a waggler with sweet corn and red maggot on a size 14 hook over loose fed corn, hemp, caster and pellet, Mike’s catch included a cracking 3lb 2oz crucian whilst his friend bagged a good number of bream on similar tactics.

The late autumn weather has certainly helped the carp fishing with yet another bumper week of catches reported from both Temple and the Old Lake. As we edge ever closer to the Temples magical “100 thirties” in the year, this week again saw tow more thirties reported which brings the total to 97 now.

Whilst there was only one thirty reported this week, there was a few good twenties caught which included fish to 29lb 4oz. Whilst previous weeks has seen the back bank producing the best sport, this week saw both banks producing fish equally well. Whilst popped up corn is still catching, an increasing number of fish are being caught on boilies, although interestingly all the fish this week were caught on variations of corn.

The Old Lake also continued its autumn run of fish with anglers again reporting catches of up to a dozen or so fish. Whilst tactics and baits remain much the same as in previous weeks, Icelandic Red boilies are fishing well as are KG1, Activ 8, Maple 8 and Cell boilies. Whilst most good quality baits will catch, it is also worth trying pop ups and popped up corn.

Taking the best catch of the week was regular Paul Pitchley who managed 4 fish during his mid week session, which included a 31lb 14oz mirror. Fishing swim 10, Paul fished a critically balanced corn catching two mirrors weighing 31lb 14oz and 25lb 14oz as well as a 24lb 4oz common and 24lb ghost.

Rob and Cameron O’Neill had a great few days on Temple this week catching 5 fish during their session. Fishing swims 11 and 12, the pair both fished popped up corn and popped up foam with 4 of the five fish coming the corn.

However, it was Cameron that gave dad a bit of a thrashing catching three of their five fish, which included the 32lb 12oz mirror. Fishing swim 11, Cameron caught a brace of 25lb’ers and the thirty. Fishing in swim 12, Rob also caught on popped up corn catching a brace of commons weighing 27lb 14oz and 24lb 12oz.

Cameron's catches

Rob's catches

Temple regular Rob Savage had a good session catching a 29lb 4oz common which a couple of weeks earlier had just topped thirty pounds. Fishing swim 9, Rob caught on popped up corn from the opposite margin.

Another angler to catch on Temple was Neil Malcomson, with a change in his luck since early season, Neil caught a 26lb mirror and 25lb 4oz common from swim 5 on popped up corn catching from both the mid water and island margin.

The Old Lake also saw some reasonable action this week with a number of anglers again reporting multi bags. Regulars Graham Varey and Co managed a number of carp to 19lb during their session catching on Icelandic Red from the island margins.

Both Bonds and Milton Lakes suffered from a mild algae bloom this week, which did see some tough fishing for a few days. However following a flush through of water and a boost from the aeration systems, the fishing has bounced back with some very good bags on both lakes reported by the weekend.

With both the feeder, pole and float tactics catching on Bonds, the island margins and pole line are both producing bags to 50lb. Key baits remain pellet and mini boilies with maggot also catching, indeed if you ask in the tackle shop, you can get a leaflet describing the ‘in’ method on Bonds, which will certainly help to increase your catches.

Kevin Nash (no not THE Kevin Nash) had a good day in the week on Bonds catching 10 carp to 9lb. Kevin fished boilies and pellet catching on a feeder rig. Another angler to catch was Andy Chippefield, fishing peg 6 Andy also caught 9 carp to 10lb on float fished waggler fished just one foot deep.

Young Christopher Nelson from Lightwater, Surrey fished peg 20 Friday catching a fish for close to 30lb. Chris’s best carp weighed 8lb 3oz and was caught on 8mm carp pellet over pellet on ledger tactics. Fishing with Chris was his father Ken who fishing similar tactics also managed a few fish for circa 35lb. Ken’s best fish weighed 10lb 14oz.

A young lady called Jo also managed a few fish during her short session catching fish to 6lb. See picture below.

Both Milton and Bonds Lakes suffered from a mild algae bloom this week, which did see some tough fishing for a few days. However following a flush through of water and a boost from the aeration systems, the fishing has bounced back with some very good bags on both lakes reported by the weekend.

With tench and crucian still showing in reasonable numbers, it was the carp and silver fish, which made up the bulk of the catches this week. With all areas producing a few fish, the margins are still the best bet for a few tench and crucian whilst the float and pole line is the best area to target for the roach, rudd and carp. Regarding baits, hard drilled and soft pellet and corn over small pellet are catching, with the roach, rudd and perch showing well to maggot, caster and worm.

Grabbing a short session Saturday, Alan Marks had a very good session catching a 40lb mixed bag. Fishing a short pole, Alan fished small banded pellet over pellet catching tench, crucian, roach, rudd and the odd carp and perch from both the margins and open water.

Kate Longhorn made the mose of her tuition lesson with Bury Hill's Eric Bailey with this lovely 12lb Milton mirror.