This weeks latest catches week ending 6/1/19
• Quietest time of the year means lots of swim choice and space
• Opportunities to rove and target showing fish
• Mild weather forecast for next weekend and into the week after
• Double-figure values a mid-January bonus
FISHERY OPENING TIMES
The fishery currently opens for day ticket fishing at around 7.00am on weekdays; 6.30am weekends and Bank Holidays. Current closing time is approximately 4.00pm.
TACKLE & BAIT SHOP OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK!
Open 7 days a week, 362 days a year, when you need it!
• PLEASE BE AWARE, ENVIRONMENT AGENCY ROD LICENCES ARE NO LONGER AVAILABLE FROM THE TACKLE SHOP. THEY CAN BE OBTAINED FROM POST OFFICES AND ONLINE AT www.postoffice.co.uk/rod-fishing-licence
• The predator fishing season begins on October 1 and finishes on March 14.
THIS WEEK’S FISHING! (in brief)
Fewer anglers have been venturing out since the start of January, after a busy time between Christmas and New Year, but that means more space and fish to go at for those who are still wetting a line.
The quietest time of the year in early January usually coincides with a big temperature drop and a covering of ice on the lakes.
But this year the forecast is for another spell of mild weather next weekend, after a dip in midweek bringing a couple of frosts.
With 11 degrees C expected by next Monday, there is a great chance of some winter action in pleasant conditions, and the big bonus is the wide choice of swims.
Instead of having to take what’s left when choosing where to fish, anglers can look for signs of feeding fish before they set up somewhere, or move from swim to swim with a roving approach, looking for liners to indicate where fish are located.
Zander anglers in particular can benefit from being able to move about, because at this time of year in particular the fish can be grouped together in favourable areas, and finding them can lead to lots of action when other swims are quiet.
And with fewer anglers to influence the fish and affect what is happening around your swim, the chances of success are greatly improved compared to when the lakes are busy.
Add to that the fact that winter fish fight harder than summer ones, due to the extra oxygen contained in colder water, and the improved appearance and condition of fish in winter compared to summer, and it’s easy to see why January is a month not to be missed, especially when the weather turns mild following a short spell of frosty weather.
There looks like being a bit of a rollercoaster ride of temperatures this week, which should stay dry throughout, starting at close to double figures on Monday, but dipping to a high of around 5 degrees C in midweek, with a couple of frosts expected, but then back up to near to double figures by next weekend again. Monday looks to be similar to Sunday, with a high of 9 after 5 overnight from the weekend, and plenty of cloud cover, and then 6 overnight into Tuesday, but then the cloud drifts away and a very sunny 7 degrees is likely to give way to 2 overnight into Wednesday, which looks set to be no more than 5 but with less sunshine, and then back down to 1 overnight into Thursday, which is expected to be a similarly cloudy 5, but staying at 4 overnight into Friday and 7, with 6 overnight into Saturday and a cloudy 9, with 6 overnight into Sunday and 9 again, rising to 10 on Monday and 11 on Tuesday. Winds are expected to start as westerlies on Monday, gaining in strength on Monday evening to become strong north-westerlies on Tuesday, easing off on Tuesday evening and moderate through Wednesday, lighter on Thursday and Friday, strengthening again on Saturday and becoming more westerly. So next weekend should provide another window of opportunity for fish to feed, especially with strengthening winds coming more from a westerly direction by then, and less from the north, with the bonus of it staying dry, the winds not being from a rain-bearing south-westerly direction. And the start of the week after looks set to be even milder still.
FOR ALL THE VERY LATEST CATCHES AS THEY HAPPEN, CHECK-OUT THE BURY HILL FISHERIES FACEBOOK PAGE AT www.facebook.com/BuryHillFisheries
OLD BURY HILL LAKE – GENERAL & BOAT FISHING
Plenty of opportunities when the weather is mild for action with carp from mid-doubles to 30 lb, along with bream of 3-5 lb that are known for feeding well in winter, due to the regulated flow of water around the lakes.
Zander anglers have been catching good numbers of small-to-medium sized fish, and now that the predator season is over halfway through, their thoughts start to turn to the lake’s biggest specimens, which often put in an appearance in the second half of the season, which comes to an end on March 14.
TEMPLE LAKE – CARP
A slower week for reported catches on Temple, but a few anglers are still putting in some time and are hopeful of getting some action.
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PLEASE NOTE: LEAD CORE IS BANNED ON BOTH TEMPLE AND THE OLD LAKE. PLEASE SEE KEN IN THE SHOP FOR FURTHER DETAILS.
BONDS LAKE
Bonds is a popular choice among visitors, because of its track record for producing multiple runs, and also because a variety of tactics work, meaning visitors can fish in a way that they enjoy, and still catch plenty of fish.
Pole or feeder, straight lead or waggler, or pellet waggler up in the water with baits fired over the top all work well, and the fish keep on the move, giving lots of anglers a slice of the action.
MILTON LAKE
Milton Lake is the place to head for if you want tench, bream, crucians and specimen roach, along with a chance of a bonus carp, either on waggler with a running line, or pole close in or up against the lily pads, where fish can often be lined up with a little-and-often loosefeeding approach using small baits.