Zander fishing continues with another run of BIG f - 6 12 2009

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The next few months will see major stocking taking place on all the lakes at Bury Hill. The Old Lake will receive some large tench from Temple as well as good number of skimmers, whilst Milton Lake will see most of the carp removed which will be replaced with tench as well as quality roach, rudd, perch and skimmers, all of which will come from Temple Lake. Bonds Lake will also see a further stocking of small carp from Milton as well as a few roach and skimmers.

Buckets of rain and the odd frost have finally sent water temperatures tumbling to 6.6 degrees whilst oxygen levels remain pretty level at 60%. Outlook for the week ahead is much the same with showers and the chance of the odd frost.

Despite the influx of cold water, the fishing has generally remained pretty good for the time of year and particularly for the zander and pike with some reasonable catches reported.

Not surprisingly the extremely wet conditions coloured the Old Lake heavily which made for perfect Zander conditions, although the initial influx of cold water did slow sport for a day or two. As such more multi bags have been reported which includes a good number of doubles. Whilst the coloured conditions do not favour the pike fishing, the week has seen a few more fish reported with a couple of fish topping 16lb.

Whilst sport is linked heavily to the predators right now, the bream fishing on the Old Lake has also been pretty good this past week or so with bags close to 50lb reported which included the odd bonus tench. Whilst feeder tactics appear to be the best method, pole and float tactics are also catching with the front bank seemingly the most productive.

Whilst the carp fishing on Temple has generally slowed, there have been a few fish reported from the Old Lake, which included the odd twenty. The two smaller lakes have also fished pretty well with Milton Lake in particular producing a some reasonable sport with mixed silver fish nets to 30lb being reported whilst Bonds has fished a little harder with nets of carp to 25lb. 

In brief, another silly run of zander over the last week or so with seven or eight doubles reported amongst the 60 or so fish reported.

With all areas producing a few fish, the fish do now seem to be moving towards the deeper water pegs, although the middle section of the long bank is still accounting for good numbers of fish and probably most of the bigger fish. Whilst smaller baits such as head and tail sections are working best, sea baits continue to work well with sections of sardine, sprat and smelt taking a lot of fish.

Regarding methods, ledger tactics still seems to be the way to go although a lot of fish have also been taken on float fished baits, particularly by boat anglers who continue to enjoy some great sport from the jungle area.

Following his impressive 30 fish haul the other week with fishing partner Duncan Charman, Alan Stagg paid another visit to Bury Hill catching another new PB, this time weighing 11lb 3oz. Fishing peg 37, Alan ledgered small sea bait strips on single hook rigs catching 6 fish which included an 8lb 8oz and four seven’s.

Fishing next to Alan was Mike Lyddon who managed 3 fish topped by a 10lb 8oz fish. Mike also ledgered sea bait strips, this time smelt. 

Another angler to find a double was Dave Ball; fishing sprat Dave caught a 10lb 8oz zed, which was a new PB from peg 40.

Gary Newman was yet another angler to bag a good fish this week, this time a 10lb 8oz zed. Gary fished a very light ledger with single hook rig with a sprat.

Regular Paul Cockfield also did well catching 8 fish topped by a 10lb 3oz zander. Fishing deepwater peg 24, Paul caught on ledger tactics and small dead baits.

Despite some pretty grim weather which has seen water temperatures plunge, the bream fishing on the Old Lake has again been pretty good for the time of year with bags to 50lb reported, which again include the odd bonus tench.

With both the front and long banks producing fish, the middle section of the front bank has fished pretty well with small groundbait feeder and cage feeder tactics accounting for the majority of catches with maggot on the hook.

Whilst most of the sport has been to bank anglers, a few hardened boat anglers have also been catching a few bream from the open water areas using running pole tactics.

There was another decent turnout for the latest KC Angling midweek open on the front bank of the Old Lake. The recent wind and rain made for very wet conditions but the mild temperatures had a few bream in a feeding mood as Robbie Taylor on peg 5 found out. Fishing a small groundbait feeder at 25 and 35 yards out, Robbie alternated his hookbaits with soft pellet and hair rigged corn for a cracking winter bag of slabs and skimmers for 48lbs 2oz. Hayden Woods was next best on peg 20 in the deeper water with 23lbs 12oz of bream using a swim stim mix in his feeder. Red maggots was Hayden's hookbait offering and although the bites were finicky the bream were almost sucking the maggots to skins.

England International and Dorking rod Steve Gardner filled third spot from peg 9 with just over 20lbs and again opted for the feeder and corn combination.

Epsom AC also fished the front bank last week in what can only be described as ‘appalling conditions’. With the early pegs again producing the fish, Dave Port won the day from peg 6 with 20lb 5oz of bream caught on feeder tactics and pellet and corn, second was Tony Lock who bagged 17lb fishing the feeder and soft pellet whilst Peter Bennett was third with 9lb 15oz which included a late season tench caught on feeder and maggot.

A much quieter week for the carpers due to the appalling weather, saying that, those who did brave the elements on the Old Lake were rewarded with some reasonable fishing which included a couple of twenties.

With winter conditions now well and truly arrived, accurate feeding and small baits are definitely the way to go with boilies now accounting for most of the fish. As is normal at this time of year, the island margins are always worth a try.

Whilst there are plenty of signs of fish moving up on Temple, a lack of anglers has meant no fish have been caught.

Andy Jones from Croydon fished peg 36 on the Old Lake catching a lovely 24lb 11oz leather. Andy fished 15mm source boilies with a pva bag filled with pellet.

Another angler to brave the conditions on the Old Lake was Chris Martin who caught 4 fish topped by a lovely 21lb mirror. Chris fished peg 33 placing his Icelandic Red boilie close to the island with a pva bag filled with small pellet.

Despite some pretty severe flood conditions on Bonds, anglers have been catching with the island margins proving to be the best area. Whilst most methods will catch a fish or two, a small feeder with hair-rigged pellet still seems to be the best method with mini boilies and maggot also catching.

With water temperatures starting to drop, it was no surprise to see quality bags of roach, perch and rudd starting to be caught on Milton.

With the odd tench and very odd crucian also still showing, float and pole tactics continue to be the best method with both the pole line and margins producing bags to 30lb. Bait wise, things are now a lot finer with single red maggot and caster generally being the best baits, although pellet and even corn are still catching.