Old Lake Latest Catches week ending 17/12/17
This weeks fishing! in brief
After sub-zero temperatures during the midweek deep freeze, the Old Lake had a covering of ice on Sunday morning, following another cold night.
There had been a lift in values in midweek as a couple of lows brought milder and wetter conditions, but Saturday night’s clear skies gave a pre-Christmas covering to the lake.
However, the anglers who made the effort to turn out had swims created using a boat, and were optimistic of catching fish, since the activity and light penetrating the water usually brings them round to investigate.
Before the ice covering arrived, there were reports of multiple catches of zander and a sprinkling of pike, including one catch of three zeds and a pike by a boat angler.
The aerator pumps also help to circulate the water and melt the ice, as well as encouraging the fish to feed, as they create a flow around the lake that the fish have to swim against.
The forecast for this week is for a significant rise in temperature, possibly even reaching 10 degrees C on Wednesday, as low pressure fronts bring cloud and showers, keeping frosts at bay.
This Thursday is the shortest day of the year, meaning that from now on there will be more hours of daylight, and this is also the official start of winter.
It is often the case that after some chilly days and nights in early to mid-December, the run-up to Christmas is characterised by mild weather, and the fishy conditions have in past years produced some impressive catches for those escaping from Christmas shopping duties, including a fishery record carp two years ago with the capture of Nemo on the first day back after the Christmas break.
The lakes will be open next Sunday, after which they will be closed for Christmas Day and Boxing Day and reopen on Wednesday, December 27. There’s a steady rise in temperatures forecast this week, from a sunny 5 degrees C on Monday, to 6 and cloudy but largely dry on Tuesday and 10 and cloudy but dry on Wednesday, followed by similar with a slight dip to 8 on Thursday, and 7 and the same on Friday, before back up to 9 by Saturday as the dry but overcast theme continues. Monday night into Tuesday is expected to be the last of the sub-zero nights, with minus 1, followed by 5 degrees on Tuesday night, 6 on Wednesday night, 3 on Thursday and 4 on Friday before 7 between Saturday and Sunday. Winds look likely to be lightish westerlies or south-westerlies for most of the week, which means that there are good prospects for sport and these should be pleasant conditions to be outdoors, with little in the way of rain and no strong or cold winds. Species such as zander, bream and carp all respond to overcast, mild weather and south-westerlies, and coming after the deep freeze of last week, when a lack of feeding will have sharpened appetites, this looks like a good week to wet a line before the annual, two-day break.
• 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
This week’s milder conditions are expected to bring a return to form after the cold weather, attracting more anglers to the bank to get a visit or two in before the Christmas break.
The reduced number of anglers means a wide choice of swims or the chance to adopt a roving approach to locate shoals.
And both carp and zander are in prime condition in the cooler weather, fighting harder and recovering quickly in the well-oxygenated water.
Taking advantage of windows in the weather when mild conditions prompt feeding activity and an increase in the urge to search for food is a major factor in winter success.
TEMPLE LAKE – CARP
A slower week for reported catches on Temple, but as fish become accustomed to the cooler temperatures they should start falling to anglers’ baits, in particular to bright pop-ups with a high leakage rate or bottom baits tipped with buoyant yellow or pink artificial corn.
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.
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.
