Old Lake Latest Catches week ending 12/11/17

HEADLINES

Zander anglers enjoying multiple catches
Up to 12 fish per session, the biggest 9 lb
Bonds catch of seven carp to 17 lb
28 lb wins Old Lake contest
Temple 18 lb common on a pop-up

THIS WEEKS FISHING (IN BRIEF!)

It’s turning out to be one of the best seasons for numbers of zander, with lots of angler catching many more fish than in previous years.
Regular anglers have had up to 60 fish since the start six weeks ago, and this week the action continued, including fish to specimen size.
Regular David Pocock landed 12 zeds to 9 lb, while two anglers shared a catch of 12 to 7 lb 8 oz, and another regular, Alan Pickering, had seven to a personal best of 8 lb 7 oz, and was the only angler predator fishing that evening.
Bonds is still in good form, Rickey Gower landing seven carp to 17 lb, while his friend, Ben Hodges, had four.
There are still bream to be caught on the Old Lake, despite the cold weather, the Andy Ryan match being won with 28 lb 12 oz, on groundbait feeder and maggots.
And Temple is still producing fish, successful local angler Mark Constable adding an 18 lb common to his tally.
With high pressure still in charge, it looks like being a dry and sunny week with moderate or lightish winds, but with temperatures only around 6-11 degrees C and some chilly nights that could go down to 2 degrees. Monday is likely to be the frostiest morning, but with lots of sunshine, though not much more than 6 degrees at its warmest, but a cloudy Tuesday could take the temperature to 10, and then 11 for Wednesday and Thursday, before a very sunny 9 on Friday and Saturday. Overnight temperatures should double from 4 on Monday night into Tuesday, to 9 from Tuesday night into Wednesday and similar the following night, before a steady slide to 3 degrees on Saturday night. Winds should be lightish north-westerlies on Monday, becoming south-westerlies on Tuesday and then losing strength every day, always with a westerly directions but switching to the north on Friday and into the weekend.

• 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

Zander anglers have been enjoying some great fishing this season, with lots of runs and a good average size, including a few specimens.
Last week David Pocock had a 10 lb 2 oz fish and took his tally to 62 for the five weeks of the season.
And this week he added another 12 to 9 lb, all from peg 38 and all on sardine sections about 2-3 rod lengths out, using a light leger for confident takes.
Also landing 12 fish were Simon Dodd and Phil Ellis, who shared six in the daytime and six in the evening, on the Long Bank, the biggest 7 lb 8 oz (see photo), on legered or float fished mackerel, smelt or roach.

And lake regular Alan Pickering had seven zander to 8 lb 7 oz, which was a personal best for him, all on legered smelt, from the ‘Oak Tree’ swim.
Last Sunday’s Andy Ryan series contest was won by Marcus Page with 28 lb 12 oz from peg 30, on groundbait feeder and maggots, ahead of Mark Hathway with 21 lb 8 oz from peg 24.
Organiser Kevin Tree was third with 19 lb from peg 15, ahead of Gary Simmons and Bob Draisey both with 14 lb.
And the Fish Tales shop match on Saturday was won by John Reader with 16 lb 8 oz from peg 17 on feeder and maggots.
Carp angler Paul Killick had a 15 lb mirror carp from the Front Bank on an 18 mm CC Moore Equinox boilie.

TEMPLE LAKE – CARP

There are still fish to be caught on Temple, lake regular Mark Constable, from Westcott, adding an 18 lb common to his list of captures, on a Monster Baits Monster Ice pop-up with a Ronnie rig and a PVA bag cast tight to the island from peg 7.

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.

Rickey Gower and his pal Ben Hodges shared a catch of 11 carp to 17 lb (see photos below), including several doubles, legering in open water from pegs 10 and 11.
The pair were using Bloodworm pellets for what Rickey described as a “lovely day’s angling.”

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.

Colin Sheer had roach to 1 lb 5 oz along with three tench and two crucians, on float fished maggots at peg 26.