Milton fished well despite more ice! - 14 03 2010

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This winter’s huge stocking program is now almost complete. Old Bury Hill Lake has seen some cracking tench stocked from Temple Lake as well as a good number of bream and skimmers. In turn, following the recent dredging, Milton Lake has seen most of the carp removed which we have replaced with 500 small tench, 3000 crucian and simply loads of quality roach, rudd, some gigantic perch as well as a few bream and skimmers. Bonds Lake has also seen a further stocking of small carp from Milton as well as a few roach, rudd and skimmers.

The early part of the week saw two or three heavy frosts, which again saw ice on the lakes, as such, water temperatures have barely moved this week and were still around 5 degree’s this morning having crept up just .5 to 5.5 degree’s whilst oxygen levels remained high around 75%, so no real change.

Outlook for the week ahead is at last looking a lot better with temperatures starting to climb to double figures, which in turn means that water temperatures will start to increase which in turn will see the fishing start to pick up - Phew!

The last week of the predator season saw some great fish caught which included quite a few pike to 18lb and even the odd zander which included one of the biggest fish of the season, a stonking 14lb 4oz specimen.

The general fishing was also pretty good and particularly on Milton Lake, although the hard frosts during the early part of the week did slow the general fishing for a couple of days, although as I write this report on Sunday, anglers are catching a few bream and skimmers on the Old Lake and plenty of silver fish with the odd tench and crucian on Milton Lake.

The carp fishing on the Old Lake has also seen a few fish banked, whilst the fishing on Temple remains somewhat tough.

Dredging work continues on Bonds and this lake remains out of action for a few more days, but is due to re-open on Wednesday or Thursday this week.

Despite water temperatures remaining on the low side, the last week of the predator season saw a lot of anglers on the bank having a final go and I am pleased to say that most caught a few fish with a few zander also showing.

With pike to 18lb included in the weeks catches, whilst the cold water temperatures have held the zander fishing back, the week has seen a few fish caught which included a stonking fish weighing 14lb 4oz which is one of the seasons best zeds and another double weighing 10lb 2oz.

Whilst the fish are now well spread out, the fish seem to be favoring the shallower water and as such the early pegs on the front bank, the top end of the long bank and the jungle are all definitely worth a go!

No real changes regarding baits and methods with both sea and freshwater baits catching equally well, although smaller baits seemed to work best and particularly when fished with single hooks and light ledger or float rigs.

With a quite end to the season for the zeds owing to the very hard winter conditions, this week has seen a few zander caught which has included a couple of doubles, one a stonking fish weighing 14lb 4oz caught by Bury Hill regular Chris Ives. Chris fished peg 14 along the front bank catching his fish just as the sun was setting on ledge red roach dead bait. Chris also managed a small pike and sander during his end of season session.

Jerry Bolus from Epsom was another angler to find the sander this week. Fishing peg 9, Jerry fished a small link ledger alternating between sprat and roach sections catching a 10lb 2oz sander and 9lb 12oz pike.

Another Bury Hill regular Kevin Oldcorn had a good day in the week catching a couple of pike, the best a very fit looking 11lb 14oz fish. Kevin fished shallow water peg 2 catching on ledgered Mackerel tail, which he fished 30mts out.

The colder start to the week than forecast saw water temperatures fall back a touch before ending the week at much the same as they started, 5 degree’s. This clearly slowed the fishing on all the lakes with only a few bream and skimmers showing on the Old Lake. However, with temperatures generally on the increase at last, expect to see the fishing improve hugely over the next few days or so.

Whilst all methods have been catching, pole and feeder seem to be the best tactics for the cold-water conditions with single red maggot and small pellet working best. Saying that, a small feeder packed with a good groundbait has also been catching a few bream and skimmers with red maggot on the hook. However as water temperatures start to increase, expect to see larger baits such as pellet, corn and mini boilies start to catch.

Steve Manning had a good day on the Old Lake mid week catching 8 bream and a dozen or so skimmers for 30lb. Steve fished single red maggot with a open feeder packed full of groundbait and free offerings which he fished 25mts out from peg 11.

Not surprisingly the cold-water conditions also slowed the carp fishing this week although a few fish were reported from the Old Lake with anglers bagging fish both from the bank and boat.

With all areas producing the odd carp, the middle of the front bank and long bank seem to be the most productive areas although one angler managed a 7 fish from the jungle whilst boat fishing.

Tactics and baits remain much the same with ledger and PVA bags clearly the way to go. Bait wise, pretty well any good bait will work although the old favorites such as Icelandic Red, Fusion, Maple 8 and KG1 are all worth a go!

Following Temple’s bi-annual sort out two weeks ago, the good news is that there are now 7 fish over 35lb in Temple with the two top fish both weighing over 37lb. All the fish are artificially at a low weight and with better weather now arriving expect to see all the fish start to pack on some weight in the weeks to come.

Kevin Duffel had a couple of good days on the boats fishing the jungle earlier this week where he managed 7 fish. Although nothing large with the best fish weighing just 15lb, it was a sure sign that spring is on the way. Kevin fed pellet catching on large pellet and boilies.

Bonds is currently being dredged and we hope to have this work completed by Tuesday 16^th March, meaning that the lake will be open later this week and certainly in time for the weekend. Following the stocking of a further 500 fish this winter from Milton; expect to see Bonds bounce back to its old self as spring arrives.

Following the dredging on Milton and the stocking of huge numbers of crucian, trench and quality roach, rudd, perch and bream, as predicted the fishing on Milton this week has been brilliant with bumper mixed catches reported by all anglers. With mixed bags to 30lb plus being reported, anglers have been catching on pole and float tactics with single red maggot and caster seemingly the best baits, although pellet and even corn are also catching. With perch to well over 3lb in Milton, chopped worm and Predator Plus additive is also worth a go with a big lobworm.