Old Lake Latest Catches week ending 18/3/18
Headlines:
Angler’s two zander for 19 lb 9 oz
Regular reaches 100-zed tally for season
13 Old Lake carp to 28 lb in one session
Bonds catch of ten carp to 12 lb
43 lb wins latest Steve Gardener match
16-bream pleasure catch from behind the island
THIS WEEK’S FISHING! (In brief)
The predator season looks set to go out in style, with lots of action and some specimen fish as it enters its final days.
Mike Holcombe landed zander of 10 lb 5 oz and 9 lb 4 oz, while father and son Martin and Alfie Swieton had six to 9 lb 8 oz, the biggest falling to eight-year-old Alfie.
Lake regular David Pocock has landed over 100 zander since the start of the season in October, and Mike Holcombe now has 50 since January 1.
Wednesday is your last chance to fish for predators before the annual fishery Close Season for pike and zander until October 1.
The Old Lake carp are showing signs of stirring now that the water temperature is rising.
Adrian Nuttall landed 13 during a 24-hour session at peg 24, next to the building, the biggest a 28 lb common, the best reported this year.
The Bonds Lake carp are also active, Josef Hopp catching ten to 12 lb on krill pellets.
And the Old Lake bream are also responding, the latest Steve Gardener midweek contest being won from peg 2 with 43 lb, while a pleasure session provided Chris Taylor with 16 fish to 6 lb on feeder and maggots.
The weather has taken a big turn for the better, with double-figure values becoming the norm rather than the exception, and there’s a distinct feeling of approaching spring in the air.
Although there isn’t a huge amount of sunshine expected, there should be double-figure highs every day, and the cloudy weather will encourage the zander, bream and carp to feed. It should also mean night-time temperatures no lower than 3 degrees C, and for the first part of the week at least the winds should be from a north-westerly direction. Monday is likely to be the wettest day, with showers on and off as a front moves through, giving 8 or 9 degrees all day and moderate west-north-westerlies. Tuesday should be drier with a bit of sunshine and a high of 9, and more of the same winds. Wednesday is likely to be a bit warmer, reaching 11 degrees, but with winds having swung round overnight to south-easterlies, strengthening as the day goes on. Thursday should provide 10 degrees after a damp start, with south-easterlies becoming lighter throughout the day. Friday looks likely to be the sunniest day, with 10 and moderate south-easterlies, with similar on Saturday, offering more dry and sunny weather in between the cloud, before sunshine and showers on Sunday with light-to-moderate south-westerlies. Overnight values should be at their lowest on Tuesday night into Wednesday, at 3 degrees, and their highest on Wednesday night into Thursday, at 7 degrees. So, a pleasant week after a damp start, offering a good chance of some zander action before the end, in particular on Tuesday.
• The predator fishing season began 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
The final days of the predator season always offer the prospect of a big fish, as well as good numbers of smaller ones, and this year catches are shaping up that way.
Mike Holcombe led the way with a day of nine zeds, the biggest weighing 10 lb 5 oz and 9 lb 4 oz (see photos) on light legered small roach deadbaits 30 metres out from peg 27, using a low-resistance set-up.
Mike came back for more a few days later and had another eight fish to 6 lb to bring his tally to 50 zander since January 1.
Another lake regular, David Pocock, now has over 100 zeds to his tally for the season, catching six on his latest visit, on small sections of roach.
Eight-year-old Alfie Swieton, from Feltham, landed an impressive new personal best 9 lb 8 oz zander (see photo) and a 4 lb 8 oz pike while fishing with his dad, Martin, at pegs 74 and 75.
The pair had six zander in just a few hours on legered whole small roach cast towards the island.
Colin Moore had nine zander and an 8 lb pike from a boat, float fishing small sections of roach on hair rigs.
Lawrence McDermott, from Worcester Park, landed six to 6 lb 8 oz and a pike of 6 lb, while his pal Sean Neal caught four and a pike, all on float fished half or whole roach deadbaits, on pegs 66 and 67.
And Steve Trinder had a couple of zander to 6 lb on a short session (see photo).
Predator fishing ends on the evening of Wednesday, March 14, so get in now for your pike and zander fix before an end to predator sport until October.
The latest Steve Gardener midweeker produced a 43 lb winning weight of bream for Brian Nesbitt, on peg 2, ahead of Ian Rodger with 33 lb 8 oz from peg 38, and Brian Spiking next door on peg 37 with 25 lb 12 oz.
Pleasure angler Chris Taylor was also in action, landing 16 fish to 6 lb from behind the island, on small maggot feeder with double maggot on the hook.
And on the carp front, Adrian Nuttall, from Carshalton, landed 13 during a 24-hour session next to the Boathouse at peg 24, the heaviest an impressive 28 lb common, the biggest Old Lake fish reported this year, along with five bream.
Adrian used 16 mm Dynamite Red Fish pop-ups over bottom bait loose offerings, 11 of his fish coming during the daytime, while his pal, Paul Allen, had three carp to 15 lb using a similar approach at peg 23.
TEMPLE LAKE – CARP
A slower week for reported catches on Temple, but anglers are still fishing, in the hope of being on the bank when conditions trigger a feeding spell. In particular bright pop-ups with a high leakage rate or bottom baits tipped with buoyant yellow or pink artificial corn are good winter offerings.
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.
Bonds carp are often the first to respond in numbers to the rise in temperature at the end of the winter, and Josef Hopp showed how things are livening up with a catch of ten to 12 lb from peg 17 on 8 mm krill pellets fished with a feeder and Guru Bayonet hair bait stops.
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.
