Old Lake Latest Catches week ending 5/11/17

HEADLINES

Brace of Temple ‘30s’ and two upper ‘20s’
Double-figure zander is best of seven-fish catch
A dozen carp on maggot feeder on Bonds
Old Lake match won with 26 lb of bream

THIS WEEKS FISHING (IN BRIEF!)

Despite the cooler weather there are still some impressive catches being made, including a brace of 30 lb carp from Temple.
Jack Webb-olley showed what could be done with two 30 lb mirror carp and others of 29 lb 8 oz and 27 lb, as temperatures dipped to low single figures.
Predator anglers have also been enjoying plenty of action, landing up to eight zander per visit, including another double-figure fish, at 10 lb 2 oz.
The carp in Bonds are still feeding actively, though maggots are now a good tactic, Gerry Davis landing 12 on them on a visit this week.
And there are still bream to be caught on the Old Lake, the weekend match being won with 26 lb of them from the Front Bank.
There are some chilly nights in prospect now that we have reached November, but some lovely, sunny days to compensate. High pressure is in charge still, following on from last Saturday’s Full Moon, so daytime temperatures are likely to be a degree or so either side of 10 C each day, with possibly 12 on Friday. Monday and Wednesday look to be the sunniest days, with bright weather from sunrise to sunset, sandwiching a damp Tuesday with not a lot of sunshine but a degree or so more in terms of temperature at 11. As the week progresses and the Full Moon recedes, the nights should get a little more mild, reaching 6 on Thursday into Friday and 7 on Friday into Saturday, compared to an earlier 2 on Sunday night into Monday at the start of this week. So the weekend should start a bit milder at night, with mixed sunshine and cloud by day, but still with a chilly feel compared to the recent mild weather. Winds look likely to be light to moderate, with high pressure dominant, and north-westerly to start with, strengthening a little on Thursday and becoming more westerly. The sunshine should make it very pleasant to be outdoors, and if the fish show an interest in feeding it is likely to be when the sun has had a chance to warm the water. There looks likely to be more of the same the week after, with the first proper run of frosts from Sunday night through that week, but clear, sunny days.

• Anyone who fancies being part of the night syndicate of anglers who are allowed to fish Temple and the Old Lake after dark for a £50 joining fee will be interested to hear that there are places available. To apply, get in touch with the office on 01306 883621.

• Anglers are reminded that fishing on Temple and night fishing on the Old Lake is available exclusively to members of the Bury Hill Specimen Carp Club. Membership cards must be carried at all times when on the fishery, and be available to bailiffs when they carry out checks prior to the evening lock-up.

OLD BURY HILL LAKE – GENERAL & BOAT FISHING

A double-figure zander is a target for many of the predator anglers who try their luck on the Old Lake, and this week produced another one, showing that they are there to be caught.
The 10 lb 2 oz fish (see photo below) fell to David Pocock on an afternoon and evening session at peg 26, in which he caught seven zeds, on roach heads and tails, using a light leger.
And then he had another session three days later from the same swim and landed eight zander of up to 7 lb, this time on sardine sections, taking his tally to 62 since the season began just over a month ago.

Also in action with the zander was David Ives, who landed four, the biggest a personal best of 8 lb 13 oz (see photos below), on half roach.

And a change of tactics from bream to pike led to the capture of the fish pictured here for Pawel, fishing peg 72.

And on the carp front, Simon French and his son had a successful day, landing this fine common carp pictured below.

The bream anglers have also been successful, John Timms landing 14 to 6 lb from peg 12 on the Front Bank on feeder and maggots, while Old Lake regular Ray Parker managed nine to 5 lb on pole and 6 mm soft pellets.
And the Brian Spiking match on pegs 1-36 was won by Steve Ellis from peg 1, with 26 lb 14 oz on pole and pellets.
Runner-up was Terry Harrison, at peg 11, with 24 lb on pole and feeder, ahead of Paul Taylor with 22 lb 8 oz from peg 22 on pole, Steve Matlock on peg 10 and Steve Fitzpatrick both on 22 lb, Alan Wood at peg 34 with 19 lb 14 oz, and James Hitchen with 19 lb 1 oz from peg 17.

TEMPLE LAKE – CARP

While the dip in temperatures may have put some anglers off, Jack Webb-olley was showing what can be done with two 30 lb mirror carp, one of 29 lb 8 oz and a 27 lb common (see photos below).
Fishing peg 6 and then peg 15, Jack used stiff hinge rigs and multi rigs with 12 mm Mainline Milky Toffee pop-ups over spods of chopped boilies, the two biggest weighing 30 lb 12 oz and 30 lb 2 oz.

BONDS LAKE

Bonds regularly produces multiple catches of carp to double figures on a variety of methods, from pole to feeder and straight lead to waggler.

Gerry Davis, from Leatherhead, landed 12 carp to 9 lb 8 oz, which was a common, from peg 12, casting a maggot feeder tight to the island with double red maggot on the hook.

MILTON LAKE

Milton Lake is the place to try for a catch of prime roach, using a waggler on a running line or pole just a short distance out, close to the pads, where they can be lined up with a little-and-often loosefeeding approach. And in the mild spells there are crucians, tench and bream to be caught, along with occasional carp.