Old Lake Latest Catches week ending 21/1/1

Headlines:

Anglers catching carp and bream on corn
Smaller baits offer double the potential action
Zander being caught in the milder spells
Double wave of warmer air due this week

THIS WEEK’S FISHING! (In brief)

Fishing small baits in the cold weather has led to anglers getting double the action, by catching carp and bream.
Corn baits are attracting both species, as they look for a more digestible offering than a boilie, bringing welcome extra activity when fewer fish are feeding.
Zander anglers continue to tempt them on small pieces of fish, former shop manager Russ Evans returning to try his luck, and landing one from peg 38.
Mild spells seem to produce the best action, and there is some mild weather in the forecast, sandwiching a chilly couple of days before the mildness returns.
Tuesday and Wednesday could manage 12 degrees C, with a dip to single figures for Thursday and Friday, but then back up to double figures again for Saturday and Sunday. Monday should be cloudy but dry and 9 degrees, almost double Sunday’s values, followed by light rain on Tuesday but 12 degrees, similar on Wednesday, before a cooler but sunnier Thursday and a dry and sunny Friday, with a cloudier but milder Saturday and milder still on Sunday and Monday. Overnight values should start at 6 degrees on Monday into Tuesday, rising to 10 on Tuesday into Wednesday and then back to 6 on Wednesday into Thursday, sliding further to 3 on Thursday night and 4 on Friday night, recovering to 7 at the weekend. Monday’s lightish westerly should develop into a moderate south-westerly on Tuesday, strong winds on Wednesday, easing a little on Thursday and again on Friday, before returning to moderate for the weekend. So Tuesday afternoon and evening and Wednesday look like being good feeding spells, if you go prepared for strong winds and some rain, offering the chance of big carp, stirred up by the active weather front.

• 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

Corn was the key to success for Brian ‘Harry’ Krishnan and his friend Mike Williams, who winkled out a few carp and bream despite the cold weather.
The pair from Carshalton were fishing pegs 26 and 27 on an overnighter, Harry landing an 11 lb common carp and three bream, and Mike seven bream to 4 lb 8 oz.
Harry was using fake corn and maggots in open water, adding a tiny PVA bag to his rig with just half a dozen pellets inside, while Mike was fishing a feeder and single grains of corn.
Former Bury Hill shop manager Russ Evans dropped by for a bit of zander fishing and despite very cold weather he managed to catch one from peg 38.
Russ used a tiny piece of roach tail to tempt the 3 lb zed, fishing in the margins near to the big tree, using a size 6 single hook.

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.

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.