Old Lake Latest Catches week ending 19/11/17

HEADLINES

Milton Lake on form for roach and crucians
Good catches of both species despite cold weather
Bonds fishing well for multiple catches of carp
12 fish to 8 lb best recent session
26 lb 8 oz Temple common for dad fishing with four-year-old son
Milder weather in the forecast

THIS WEEKS FISHING (IN BRIEF!)

Milton Lake has been on fine form despite the low overnight temperatures and recent rainy weather.
It’s a great time to target the lake’s roach, with less competition from tench, and the prospect of a personal best.
Until last winter, Bury Hill’s specimen roach were divided between Bonds Lake and Milton, and fish to 3 lb were landed from Bonds.
But to make these fish accessible, they were added to the Milton Lake population in a netting, so this is the first full winter that they have been catchable in a lake designed for fishing fine and achieving delicate presentation without the risk of a carp ‘gatecrashing the party’.
And at the same time there are crucian carp to be caught on identical tackle and tactics, which with careful feeding can be tempted even in cold weather.
Lake regular Alan Derbyshire knows how to line the fish up, and he had 11 crucians on a visit this week, while Clive Chambers landed a 2 lb roach, showing what can be achieved with the cooler weather upon us.
Bonds Lake continues to provide plenty of action, with carp to close to double figures, Dan Chivers landing 12 to 8 lb on his latest session.
And Temple Lake is still producing a fish or two, Jason Drew landing a 26 lb 8 oz common while introducing his four-year-old son, Harry, to carping for the first time.
There’s a big wave of mild weather heading this way in midweek, providing double-figure overnight temperatures on at least three consecutive nights from Monday night. After the recent frosts this will be a welcome respite, and should be accompanied by daytime temperatures of 13 or 14 degrees C for four days, which is double what they were last Sunday. But then the values begin their slide, after the Monday-to-Thursday highs of 13 or 14, with 7 on Thursday night, 10 by day on Friday and 4 on Friday night, and then 8 on Saturday and 3 that night into Sunday, though warming slightly to 9 on Sunday and 12 on Monday, but still with single figures at night but frost-free. Winds look to be light to moderate, strengthening as the week goes on and mainly south-westerly or westerly. The sunniest day looks likely to be Wednesday, and the most overcast Tuesday, but all should be largely dry, with only Monday and Thursday likely to produce a passing shower in an otherwise largely dry week.
• 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

Missing

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.

Jason Drew had a 26 lb 8 oz common carp this week from peg 1, made all the more pleasing as he had his four-year-old son Harry with him and so he was able to show him his first big carp.
Successful bait was Carp Company Ice T boilies with Tuna & Garlic, over crumbed boilies, in open water.

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.

Dave Chivers, from Epsom, was kept busy on Saturday with 12 carp to 8 lb from peg 12, all on maggot feeder cast tight to the island with double red maggot on the hook.

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.

Clive Chambers landed a 2 lb roach, while float fishing at peg 23 with red maggots, also catching plenty of perch.
And lake regular Alan Derbyshire had 11 crucians and two roach of over 1 lb on Saturday, along with lots of perch, fishing a pole at peg 2 with small worm heads on the hook, over feed of chopped worm, a bit of groundbait and maggots.