Old Lake Latest Catches week ending 5/2/17

HEADLINES

Bream feed in the thaw
England stars bag-up in milder spell
Local angler’s 12 carp and 13 bream in a night
More mild weather forecast for start of this week

THIS WEEKS FISHING (IN BRIEF!)

Bream have been the main target species in the thaw that followed the recent big freeze, and in surprisingly big numbers.
An 80 lb catch for the cameras, to go with a fishing blog, was followed the day after by a 63 lb matchwinning catch, within a week of the Old Lake being iced over.
And it was England international Will Raison and his former England team-mate Steve Gardener who led the way, showing what can be achieved even in winter when fish are hungry.
There was carp success, too, local angler Tony Sawyers landing 12 carp and 13 bream in an overnighter as the rise in temperatures put fish on the feed.
A sunny start to this week could produce double-figure values on Tuesday, though this is expected to be followed by a slide back into frosty weather as the week progresses, due to next Saturday morning’s Full Moon drawing in a high pressure front. After Monday’s 6 degrees C and Tuesday’s 10, it looks like 5, 4 and 2 in the days that follow, with zero or sub zero at night.
Next weekend looks to be bright and sunny with no more than 4 or 5 degrees by day and zero or just above at night, in moderate easterly winds, with similar into the following week.
Winds through this week should be very light and start from a south-westerly direction, until Wednesday, when the high to the east pushes the low to the west out of the way on easterly winds, strengthening into the weekend.

• The predator fishing season begins on October 1 and continues until March 14.

• 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

Anglers itching to get back out on the banks following the big freeze have been rewarded with some fine catches, including good numbers of winter bream.
England star Will Raison produced the goods for the cameras to provide material for his blog when he put together an 80 lb net from the middle of the Front Bank.
And the following day Steve Gardener led the way in a 34-strong contest with 63 lb of bream from the Long Bank, at peg 34 (see photo below).
Steve fished pole or feeder with hair-rigged corn to push Gary Simmonds into second with 27 lb from peg 33 next door, on small yellow boilies and Method feeder.
Third was Don Garnish with a smaller 27 lb weight, from peg 27, on pole and maggots.

Best carp catch of the week was the 12 landed by Tony Sawyers, from Westcott, who also had 13 bream and a 1 lb 8 oz winter tench on his overnighter at peg 2.
Tony fished Carp Company Icelandic Red 15 mm pop-ups and 18 mm bottom baits with PVA bags of crushed boilies and 15 scattered baits per fish.
All but three of the fish were commons, the biggest 20 lb, 19 lb 8 oz, 18 lb 1 oz and 18 lb, and fell to single 15 mm boilies.
Milton Lake regular Alan Derbyshire gave the Old Lake a go for a change and had several 4 lb bream from peg 23.
Alan fished 11-metre pole and pieces of dendrobaena worms overdepth, while cupping in groundbait, dead maggots and chopped worm.

A reminder that the annual Macmillan Cancer Support Predator Day will take place on the Old Lake on Saturday, February 11.
All participants will receive a Gold Label Tackle goodie bag, which includes single-hook pike rigs, and following the fishing there will be a bumper raffle.
Tickets are £20 for adults, £15 for juniors and OAPs, with all money raised going to Macmillan Cancer Support. They are available from alan@stoneyandfriends.org.uk or applications can be obtained from the office by ringing David on 01306 883621.

TEMPLE LAKE – CARP

Difficult conditions made it a quiet week on Temple, but milder weather could bring an upturn in sport.

BONDS LAKE

As the ice thaws out, Bonds regularly produces multiple catches of carp to double figures on a variety of methods, from pole to feeder and straight lead to waggler, as well as offering some prime roach fishing, having produced fish to 3 lb in recent seasons.

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.