Old Lake Latest Catches week ending 18/2/18

Headlines:

11 lb 2 oz fish caught in the margins
Carp beginning to feed more strongly
Up to a dozen carp from Bonds and three doubles on the Old Lake
Sunny weather forecast though temperatures are on the slide

THIS WEEK’S FISHING! (In brief)

The Old Lake has produced its biggest zander of the season, in the form of an 11 lb 2 oz fish.
After the first half of the season produced huge numbers of medium-sized zander, it could be the turn of the larger fish to make themselves known in the remaining three and a half weeks.
There are also signs that Bury Hill’s carp are beginning to feed more confidently, judging by the improvement in catches.
Those in Bonds Lake have been responding, providing up to a dozen fish per angler, while there have been a number of doubles caught from the Old Lake.
Two anglers shared three doubles to just short of 20 lb, as the fish have been stirred into action by the longer days and stronger sunshine.
After some milder temperatures at the weekend just gone, this week’s weather looks set to be a slow slide from around 9 degrees C on Monday to 4 by next weekend, and from 6 degrees at night to minus 1 by the weekend, continuing to fall into next week, possibly to minus 4, though with little rain after Tuesday and a fair bit of sunshine next weekend. Monday and Tuesday should be the mildest days, with 9 degrees and damp, Monday night being an unseasonable 7 degrees, followed by a 3 on Tuesday night, then a cloudy 6 degrees on Wednesday, but 1 degree into Thursday, which should be 5, falling to zero at night. Friday looks to be the start of some sunny weather, but leading to minus 1 at night and a similar picture on Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Winds should change from south-easterlies last weekend to lightish south-westerlies on Monday, moving towards north-westerlies and becoming moderate for Tuesday, with north-easterlies on Wednesday, picking up a little for Thursday and again for Friday and Saturday, and continuing through to Monday. So the start of this week looks to offer the best chance of a few fish, with milder temperatures, albeit damp, and favourable winds, before a slide into the cold but bright weather by next weekend.

• 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 predator season has produced a couple of double-figure fish, but it has been the high numbers of medium-sized fish being caught that has been unusual.
Up to a dozen zander per angler has been the story this season, but these final few weeks are when the heavyweights often put in an appearance, as the latest catch shows.
Steve Smith, from Cheam, banked an 11 lb 2 oz zander on a recent session, the biggest reported this season.
He was fishing on a day of poor light, which is often a trigger for zander to feed, and just 1 ft from the platform on peg 24 when he landed the personal best fish, which took a roach tail.
With just over three weeks to go, and the fish at their heaviest weight of the season, feeding up ready to spawn, there is as good a chance as at any time of a fish of similar size or bigger before the close on March 14.
Carp anglers Gavin Stevens and Graham Bicknell, from Midhurst, also enjoyed their recent visit, sharing a catch of three carp topped by a 19 lb 13 oz common for Gavin.
The pair was fishing pegs 72 and 74 and casting 18 mm Carp Company The Nut Mix boilies tipped with orange baits, or Spotted Fin The Catalyst boilies, towards the island over loose offerings, Graham catching fish of 16 lb 8 oz and 16 lb.
And Charlie Holt, from Epsom, was rewarded for his endurance, fishing regularly this winter to try to catch a PB carp, and finally succeeding.
Charlie landed a 14 lb 6 oz common from peg 2, on a 15 mm NashBait Strawberry Crush boilie over loose offerings.

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.

Anglers are reporting multiple catches of carp, despite the cool conditions, one young angler having had five carp when he called in at the tackle shop at lunchtime, with more expected in the afternoon, helped by the mixture of warm sunshine and cloud cover.

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.