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April 2016

Starting with some sad news this month. 'Shimo' our 12 year old rottweiler was sadly put to sleep a few weeks back after a short battle with the dreaded cancer. Many of you who have visited the fishery will agree that he was a special dog and will be greatly missed around the lakes. Many of our customers shared their fond memories on our Facebook page when we posted that he was no longer with us. It was wonderful to hear so many stories about Shimo and also that so many also thought that he was indeed one special individual and a total credit to his breed. 

 

RIP SHIMO....

Despite the unseasonably cold and miserable weather, the lakes have fished relatively well, although they have yet to really kick in. Over recent weeks, plenty of carp have been out of both Jenkins and Churchwood Lake. The Cat Lake saw its first visitors over the Easter weekend. Some good cats have been gracing the banks and the lake is producing on a regular basis. All three lakes are pretty much booked up every weekend until October now, although you will still find availability during mid week on all three lakes. 

We also decided to purchase 150 x C1 carp from VS Fisheries to bring on in our own stock ponds. We feel we currently have the right stocking levels across the complex but wanted to grow a few carp on for the future years. Predominately made up of mirrors, there were some real corkers in the batch and they will certainly look superb in the years to come when they are ready to be moved. 

 

VS Fisheries Future Stunners...

The fishing show season was back again, so it was off to 5-Lakes Carpin-On show. Personally I prefer the 5 Lakes Carpin-On show to the Brentwood show, although one is obviously a lot closer to travel. It's always great to catch up with the likes of Simon Crow, Dave Levy, Ali & Dean, amongst a whole host of other anglers. There were some great products on show and 'The Big Fish Off' presentations grew some big crowds. 

 

 

Crowy, Joe T, Levy, Ali, Deano and Princess Bev....

Unless you have spent the past few months on planet Ur-Anus, you will all know the 'Big Fish Off' show is back on our screens for 5 weeks. More importantly, our very own Cat Lake will feature during the episode that will be screened on Thursday 28th April. To say we are excited in seeing our fishery on mainstream TV is somewhat of an understatement. Many of you know how passionate and how much hard work we put in on a daily basis to make this fishery just that little bit more special than the rest out there. Massive thanks to Dean and Ali, along with the production crew, in giving us this amazing opportunity that we will remember forever. The wife and I even managed to get invited to the launch party at the Sugar Hut, what a great crack that was ! 

  

Yours truly with Mark Bright, Deano & his other half, along with me having a little too much fun....

 

 

  

Making of BFO, what an amazing experience...

Nice guy Mr Tom Dove was back on Churchwood Lake for a little social with some mates and family members. It's always great to host these guys as they are such lovely people. Dovey has got to be one of the most genuine and nicest person in the angling industry. Jack Wildbore was also making his first visit to the fishery, another top quality fella. A few fish were caught in and amongst the laughs and banter that flowed as much as the beer throughout the weekend. Look forward to the next session guys.

 

 

Great Tom Dove social weekend on Churchwood Lake

Another top quality geezer, Dean Macey, was also back on The Cat Lake for a 48 hrs session. Joining him was Daniel Buckingham from Southampton, who won an 'Anglers Charity Auction,' in aid of getting some much needed treatment for a wonderful little lady named Autumn Lilly. Dan contributed £1,200 for the cause, a massive thanks to him and Dean for making such a difference. Massive well done to all those involved on this and many other worthy causes. Dan had never caught a cat before, but he was soon into the them, just missing out by a few ounces of a 30 pounder. They banked numerous cats, well into double figures, even sharing a few double hook-ups. It was a great laugh and the banter was A1+...

 

Deano and Dan with plenty of pussie action on our Cat Lake..

Thats about it for this blog. We are fast approaching May Bank holiday, lets hope it warms up a few degrees and get the lakes and the surroundings looking like summer is just around the corner. As I've mentioned, weekend availability is a little scarce but give us a call if you are looking for any mid-week availability. Don't forget to tune into the last two episodes of The Big Fish Off, Thursday 28th April, ITV4. Tight lines and see you all soon...

February 2016

Yet again we have been finding very little spare time in keeping our blog up to date as we promised ourselves at the end of last year. What with full time jobs away from the fishery, improving access to and around the lakes, along with the general maintenance, time has certainly been at a premium as we start 2016. In fairness we are extremely active on our Twitter and Facebook feeds, which for many is the preferred and easiest way of obtaining up to date information with regards to our fishery. Obviously there are some people out there who stay away from such platforms and are happy reading such blogs once posted. So to keep all of our customers happy this year we will endeavour to update both on a much more regular basis. 

As I have mentioned, we spent a great amount of effort and money improving the access to the fishery. Beforehand we had a bumpy old track that became very difficult to access during the wetter months, even for a quad and trailer laden with mountains of anglers tackle. It's now possible to drive your gear and drop it off at the entrance of Jenkins Lake any time of year, meaning whatever the weather, rain or shine, you can reach your swim with little effort and mud free ! Cars are still required to be parked back in the main carpark in front of the house, so please return your vehicles once you have unloaded. A word of warning, anyone caught driving too fast along this road will risk the wrath of the wife and most likely a ban. Most anglers are respectful whilst at our property, but you know there is always one out there who wants to drive too fast and end up running one of our dogs over ! 

 

Mark putting his back into our new track down to lakes..

The lakes were purposely kept quiet over the festive breaks, giving the carp and the owners a well-deserved rest. The fishery has seen limited angling pressure during the first two months of this year. As with many day ticket fisheries, many anglers pack their gear away until the warmer months, branding themselves as 'fair weather fishermen'. Apart from a few chilly days this year, we have had a remarkable mild Winter, which has been great for the carp. We have continued to feed the lakes with our house CW Winter White bait, ensuring the carp will be reaching Spring in A1+ condition, ready for the new season. The anglers who have been venturing out have been rewarded with some great sport. As you can see from the pictures below, the carp are looking great in their Winter colours and are all up on weight. 

 

Enjoying some festive activities around the lakes....

My old friend Scott 'Geezer' Grant recently enjoyed a great session on Churchwood Lake. Scott landed five carp, including a 29lbs, 27lbs and a 22lbs, along with a couple of upper doubles. As you are all aware, we are not a so called runs water, so a five fish catch during February is certainly a great achievement, so well done Geeze. A new test boilie from Galaxy Baits was Scott's successful approach, making a change from the usual house bait that 90% of the carp come out on. 

 

 

 

Few of my fav pic's so far this year.....some cracking looking carp

As usual the diary starts to look busy as we head towards March. We also have series 2 of 'The Big Fish Off' due to be aired at the start of April, which we are guessing is going to create additional interest in our dedicated Cat Lake once anglers see what it has to offer. If you are looking to book a lake exclusively for a weekend, I believe once we reach Easter, all weekends until the end of September are booked. There are still a few spots available where the lakes have not been booked exclusively by one group but these are also rapidly being filled. We will continue to post any availability which result in any late cancellations being received along with any bookings that do not pay their deposits in a timely fashion. The next few weekends we still have availability, so if you fancy dusting those rods off sooner rather than later, then give us a quick call on 01277 375499 to book a session in.


October 27th 2015

Where does the time go ! So much for keeping my blog up to date on a regular basis this year. That said, we are now entering into my favourite time of year at Churchwood Fisheries. The banks become a little quieter allowing myself to get a few sessions in before any really harsh weather conditions arrive. The abundant natural food sources in the lakes have also drastically died back which means it's the perfect time for an all-out bollie assault. We have just started to introduce our house Winter boilies on a regular basis and we are more than happy to show our customers on arrival the spots we feed. Both Jenkins and Churchwood lakes typically fish well throughout the colder months as we tend to keep the bait trickling in which means the carp stay active and searching for food.

 

 

Glamping on CW and a few crackers....

We have also just completed our latest project which was to create a track from the carpark down to the lakes. In Winters past, the field leading down to the lakes could become very soft and muddy, with even the quad and the trailer loaded with fishing tackle struggling to get down there. Now we have the road, whatever the weather conditions, access is not going to be an issue and you can arrive in your swim with mud free, dry boots and tackle. The white trainers brigade will be more than happy !

As I flick through my social media feeds over the past few months, I realise there has been far too much going on to mention everything in this quick blog update, so here are just a few of the highlights of our Summer. My only real fishing session of the year was a week spent 'glamping' on Churchwood Lake with the family. Although more of a social with a few friends and family members, I did mange 7 cracking carp, 5 of which were 20lbs+ with the largest being a carp called 'The Long Common' at 26lbs+.

The Cat Lake really did fish well throughout the warmer months. There were many spectacular catches, although one in particular stuck out in my mind. Father and son, Wayne & Kurtis Gardiner landed in excess of 30 cats including several 40's and 50's. Fishing with leeches proved to be the winning method for this pair of anglers, although others were enjoying success with a pellet approach. The lake provided many anglers with some great sport and was pretty much fished every day throughout the Summer. Be warned though if you are looking to book a session next year on our cat lake, 'The Big Fish Off' is due to be aired on TV sometime in March or April 2016. Once the episode featuring our lake appears, interest will naturally be generated and finding availability will most likely become extremely difficult. Therefore book early to avoid disappointment.

 

Father & Son Wayne and Kurtis doing well on the Cat Lake

Dean Macey also managed to squeeze in a few days on the Cat Lake. Dean was one of the last anglers to fish for cats and probably missed out by a few weeks before the cats slowed down their feeding. Although no cats banked, we had a great social and a lot of laughs. Dean is back next Spring, fishing with an angler who bid and raised over £1,000 for a charity auction.

The big cat that resides in Jenkins Lake also made an appearance back in September at a new complex record of 66-15lbs. This cat certainly likes keeping itself to itself and has only been out a couple of times since relocating the majority of cats from Jenkins to the dedicated cat lake. Will be interesting to monitor on how much weight this particular specimen can obtain in future years.

 

Lake record cat and Jenkins looking very Autumnal.....

Both Churchwood & Jenkins Lakes have fished consistently throughout the Summer months. As many of our regulars would know, we pride ourselves on the condition of our carp and this year has been no exception. Every carp has been in A1 condition, a true testament to all the hard work and effort that goes into running a successful and healthy fishery. 

 

CW Swim 1 action....

The diary does now begin to free up and it's certainly worth getting a session in while the temperatures are still holding. As I have already mentioned, it's my favorite time of year to fish and hopefully this Winter will be no different to previous ones.

July 7th 2015

Head of Korda’s product development team Tom Dove, made his first visit to Churchwood Fisheries. Tom was accompanied by family and friends to celebrate his Grandfathers 80th Birthday. The group split into three teams, creating a little rivalry and some great humoured banter. ‘Team Dove’ prevailed as winners with 4 carp for 79lbs+, ‘Team Willis’ 2nd with 3 fish for 55lbs+ and ‘Team Sticky’ with one carp of 19lbs. Mainline Cell wafters, glugged in Almond Goo proved to be the winning method. Tom later message me & said - "Somehow I had managed to grow up 10 minutes from your venue and before this weekend had never set foot on the place - I had missed out for years! We had a great time, the fish were beautiful, the lakes are immaculate and the service really is 'second to none¹. My grandad¹s 80th birthday was complete when he landed a monster catfish, check out the smile on his face!. Thanks Steve for the hospitality and the family for making it such a great weekend! Happy birthday Johnny boy!" Thanks Tom and hopefully we will get that date in the diary for a little social on the lakes before the end of the year.

 

  

Next up was something that we had been eagerly awaiting for the past few weeks. Dean Macey and Ali Hamidi had arranged to film an episode of ‘The Big Fish Off’ (2nd series) on our Cat Lake. Naturally we were all very excited and we were not to be disappointed. We cannot give too much away ahead of the programme being aired, which will hopefully be sometime early next year. Olympic gold medal winner Sally Gunnell was joined by reality television series ‘The Valley’s’ - Anna Kelle. The duo had three challenges arranged throughout the week, with the 3rd being held at Churchwood Fisheries.

 

The pressure was on for Deano, Ali, their respective partners and the lake to produce the goods, all of which did not disappoint. The work involved in producing such a show is a great experience to witness 1st hand. We had given the lake and surrounding area a complete makeover before the arrival of the film crew, it looked absolutely stunning. As I expected, my nerves were running high, being that catfish can be unpredictable at the best of times. Fortunately it all came together and it’s going to be a corker of a show ! Thanks to Ali & Deano, along with the production team, for giving us this opportunity to be part of ‘The Big Fish Off’ and the chance to see our fishery on mainstream TV.

  

The lakes have continued to fish relatively well considering the high temperatures that we have currently been experiencing. The aerators which are run 24/7 have been doing a great job in ensuring that the fish and the water quality remain in top condition. Prevention is always better than cure in any situation relating to low levels of oxygen which can lead to tragic consequences for a fishery owner. As you would expect there is minimal available dates as we head through these popular summer months. As always it’s worth keeping an eye on our Twitter / Facebook feeds for any late cancelations along with all the latest news.

We are now selling Churchwood Fisheries polo shirts, T-shirts and hoodies. For more information on prices and availability, either give us a call or ask next time you are down for a visit. Lastly we have appeared in a Top 10 UK day ticket poll, voted by readers of Rob Maylins 'Big Carp' magazine. Overall it's been a great few weeks here at Churchwood Fisheries & the recent publicity has far exceeded anything that we could have ever of wished for. I know some of our regulars may be groaning with regards to this increased exposure, which will undoubtedly make our diary even busier, but what we have to offer is worth waiting for !

June 13th 2015

Churchwood Lake spawned a few days ago, Jenkins Lake has yet to show any signs, although hopefully they should have a go very soon. 

June 4th 2015

I will start this update with news that our Cat Lake has been absolutely fishing it's socks off over the past few weeks. Some big hits are being had with numerous 50lbs+ & 40lbs+ cats being caught along with a few that have gone over 60lbs. Action has remained pretty constant although the guys on this week have so far struggled. Cats can be a little unpredictable in their feeding habits and can totally switch off, anything from a 1 - 5 day period. Saying that its been the 1st few days that they have gone off the feed for several weeks now. We fully expect them to be back on the munch big time any day soon ! Fishing over large beds of pellets seems to be the norm, with single or double 22mm halibut pellets being the preferred hook-bait. The Cat Lake is pretty much booked now until September, but it's always worth checking to see if we have any cancellations. As usual we will post via Twitter / Facebook any new availability, so keep an eye open if you are looking to get on any of the lakes over the more popular months during the summer. The biggest cat, resides in Jenkins Lake and has yet to make an appearance this year, we expect this particular specimen to be over 70lbs on its next visit to the bank.

 

  

 

  

Few of the many cats recently out of 'Cat Lake'...

Both Jenkins & Churchwood Lakes have remained pretty constant in terms of number of carp being caught. Churchwood Lake has not seen the same angling pressure as Jenkins and we have had some availability during mid-week. Weekends are naturally very busy but if you fancy a few days during the week, you have a relatively good chance on getting on Churchwood Lake over the coming weeks. The carp have yet to spawn in either lake but we have a few days of warm weather forecast, so we could see this happen very soon.

  

 

 

 

 

 

Selection of some of the stunners recently gracing the banks...

The complex is looking absolutely stunning now it's in full Summer glory. Even if the fish are not playing, it's truly a majestic place to sit and relax, watch the resident Kingfishers, Muntjac Deer and various other wildlife, truly magical !!!

April 29th 2015

It’s certainly warmed up over the past few weeks and the lakes have burst into life. The trees are getting greener by the day and the lilies are now in rapid growing mode. It’s a great time of year for the fishery owner, especially when the carp start to bask in the warm afternoon sunshine. Just watching the carp gliding around the margins is sometimes just as exciting as catching them. It’s also an ideal opportunity to get a close look and see how they have fared over the Winter months. Typically some great catches can be had at this time of year, with multiple catches a common occurrence. One such angler who seems to have nailed his tactics on Churchwood Lake is Herts angler Martin Sontag. Martin has been fishing the lakes for a few years now and has amassed enough knowledge about the venue that gives him a massive edge when it comes to catching these carp. Martin reacquainted himself with an awesome resident, known as ‘The Long Common’ at a weight of 29-08lbs. This particular carp always shows well at the start of the year but then sometimes goes missing during the Summer months. The same happened last year, caught in quick succession a couple of times and then went on the missing list. Personally I think this carp gets preoccupied with the abundant natural food sources during the Summer months and pays very little attention to anglers baits. It will be interesting to see if she slips up again over the next few months.

 

Martin & Paul with 'The Long Common' at 29-08lbs

The Cat Lake has also been throwing up some decent catches and some good sport is being had. The usual tactics seem to be working fine, fill it in with several kilos of 20mm halibuts, present a hook bait over the top and just sit back and wait. All 3 lakes are obviously getting busy at this time of year and there is now limited availability. It’s always worth keeping in touch with the booking office as we naturally get some cancellations along with not receiving deposits in a timely fashion that can free up availability. Keep an eye on our Twitter & Facebook accounts as this is where we will post any new availability. I will leave you this month with a small selection of recent catches from both Churchwood and Jenkins Lake.

 

 

Selection of carp out over past few weeks....

March 22nd 2015

Spring certainly looks and feels like it's just around the corner. On a recent night time walk around the lakes I came across a few frogs which were making their way back to the lakes from the surrounding woodlands, getting ready to pair up and mate. I also saw the 1st bat of the year skimming across the surface of the lake, another sure sign that we have turned the corner and we will all soon be basking in the Spring sunshine. We have also completed a make-over of the swims on Churchwood Lake. A considerable amount of money has been invested in plastic ground reinforcement grids that provide a firm, dry and mud free swims on both lakes. We decided to fill these with small pea shingle rather than wood chip which obviously degrades over time. With the shingle, drainage is improved considerably along with lowering future maintenance of swims. Bank sticks and bivvy pegs are easily inserted without the need for the dreaded mallet !! We have also changed back over from our Winter boilies to the CW Red baits. Both lakes are getting fed once or twice a week depending on the number of anglers fishing. As you would expect most of the carp caught have been on our bait....

Swims on Churchwood and back feeding the CW Red's

The lakes have still yet to see any significant angling pressure, although this will now change as Easter approaches. Historically some great catches can be had at this time of year, although being still early you are somewhat at the mercy of the weather conditions. The lakes were partially frozen around Easter last year and we have seen snow in April and May around the lakes not so long ago. This year everything seems to be coming together nicely as the temperatures steadily rise and the carp are slowly getting their metabolisms back up to full working order. Regular visitor Lee Thoneycroft from Southend, has recently been enjoying some success on Churchwood Lake. On Lee's last 24 hrs visit, he managed to bank a upper double mirror along with a new PB in the shape of the impressive 'Bubbles' at 31lbs. Now this carp is no mug and is no regular visitor to the bank. I caught her last year at 29-12lbs, to my knowledge this is the 1st time she has been out since then. Unfortunately Lee was fishing alone this particular night and therefore only managed a poor night time selfie on his iPhone. It was also Lee's Birthday, what a great present !!

 

Lee Thorneycroft with Bubbles at 31lbs and a pretty CW stockie

Jenkins Lake also looks like its finally sprung into life. A group of 3 anglers have just started a week long session and have got off to an absolute flyer. After showing the guys all the know hot spots and then placing the rigs with the aid of the row boat, just 1hrs later a cracking 26-08lbs common and a 21lbs common both made an appearance simultaneously. Shortly after the remaining angler had a immaculate 23lbs common. The carp were in A1 condition and both have gained weight over the Winter period. The 26-08lbs common is similar in appearance to another large common named 'Tom's Common'. With this in mind, along with this particular carp not having a name, we thought we would just call it 'Tom's Mate'.

 

 

Lee Reynolds, Steve Slatter & Peter Garwood with some cracking Jenkins Lake commons

The Cat Lake has still to see any anglers although my cousin Nick Grimes put out a rod for a couple of hours and managed to land a low 20lbs Cat. We have just started to feed them so hopefully this will get them nice and active before the 1st customers visit within the next few weeks. 

 

1st cat of the year along with an old Linear warrior from Churchwood Lake that made a recent appearance

The diary is certainly filling up on a daily basis so if you are looking to come fish anytime soon then I strongly advise you to book asap. It's worth keeping an eye on our Facebook & Twitter feeds @churchwoodfish / Steven Sands Churchwood Fisheries, as we often post any available dates and any late cancellations. Tight lines, get those rods dusted off, its time to go fishing !

February  15th 2015

The lakes have seen very little pressure so far this year, mainly due to us keeping the lakes quiet so we can get on with some of the annual maintenance. We have had a fair bit of rain as well so it's worked out well in keeping the banks free from anglers and thus preserving the bankside conditions. The few lucky anglers who managed to wet a line have been rewarded with some success. We continue to trickle in the bait which keep the carp moving around and searching for food. It's not been the coldest Winter by any means and on sunny mornings it feels like Spring is just around the corner. We have laid some plastic reinforcement ground grids around Jenkins Lake which has created a nice firm, mud free area to bivvy in. We still have a few more swims to do but in general the lakes are looking well as we head into the very busy Spring period when anglers again begin to dust off their rods. 

 

enjoying life and some fishing with Kuma......Jenkins Lake looking pretty on a lovely sunny morning.....

 

Jenkis swims receiving a little make over.....dry, no mud, 5 star swims

 

removing a over-hanging tree in Jenkins before it decides to go in itself.....

As in previous Winters, winning methods have remained the same. The simple stiff hinged rig with one of our house pop-ups have accounted for the majority of the carp caught. Using the row boat provided to accurately place a bait on the gravel / harder spots is again the approach that works the best. I will leave you with a few pictures of the most recent captures. The diary is getting full for all 3 lakes so if you have yet to book a session then I suggest you do so soon to avoid disappointment. 

 

 

some more of the Winter crackers recently gracing the banks...

January  12th 2015

Happy New Year to you all.....

Here we go for another year and lets hope the fishing here at Churchwood Fisheries is as good as it was throughout 2014. It's certainly kicked off in style with some real stunners gracing the banks. In truth we kept the lakes fairly quiet over the holiday period, mainly to give the fish a much needed break from angling pressure but also to allow the owners (us) and family members a much needed rest. We have only had a small handfull of anglers on so far this year which has allowed myself a little bankside time. My last 2014 session was on Jenkins Lake which yielded 5 carp to 27lbs+. My 1st session of 2015 was on Churchwood Lake, this also rewarded me with 5 carp to 22-08lbs. The most pleasing aspect of these 10 carp was the condition they presented themselves in. Fin and scale perfect and looking superb in their full Winter colors. Tactics again were kept simple, stiff hinged rigs in conjunction with our CWB Winter white Pop-ups. Presentation and location is key on any lake, but no more so than on Churchwood Lake. Two other anglers were on during the session when I landed 5 carp. Both anglers caught a carp each, both coming from the rigs that I had rowed out and placed for them. The carp are regulary fed on certain spots and these spots probably do about 90% of the bites. We are more than happy to detail these spots on your arrival as we obviously want you to catch and enjoy your session, hoping that you will again return some day in the future.

The diary is rapidly filling up, especially for April and May. If you want a crack at some of the best looking English day-ticket carp around, with 5 star facilities, set within tranquil and peaceful surroundings, then give us a call on 01277 375499 to check out availability

  

 

 

 

selection of captures out during 1st few weeks of 2015......all cracking condition

December 2nd 2014

Where has 2014 gone !! It’s already December, bringing with it dark mornings and dark evenings, crisp and frosty mornings…….time for me to get the rods back out. Personally I do enjoy my fishing at this time of year for a number of reasons. Firstly the lakes are obviously much quieter during the Winter months, meaning I can get out on the banks during any spare time I have over the weekends. Secondly the other reason is that the odds are starting to stack in my favour with regards to banking a few carp. The lakes are abundant with natural food sources during the Summer months along with a constant supply of anglers bait. The carp can of course be a little more select when it comes to feeding and thus sometimes a little harder to catch. With many of the carps restaurants closing for Winter, they have to start visiting any new pop-up restaurants that have started to appear in their neighbourhoods. Each year we continue to feed our own CW Winter White boilies into the lakes, keeping the carp on the move and looking for food. For any visiting day ticket anglers, being able to get on the bait and onto the baited spots, is such a massive advantage during the Winter months. We are more than happy to point out the baited areas as obviously we want to see anglers catch and leave happy and thus wanting to return to the fishery.

 

Frosty nets and misty mornings are well and truely here...

My first 24hrs 2014 Winter session recently yielded 5 stunning carp to 27-08lbs. Conditions were far from ideal, although the comfort of the lodge situated on Jenkins Lake ensured I remained dry and comfortable. Trust me when I say I’m no hard-core cold weather crazy carp angler, I enjoy my creature comforts, especially with the temptation of a nice warm house a few hundred yards away from the lakes. Tactics are kept simple during the winter months, simply because the right bait on the right spot will catch you a carp. Presenting half a CW White bottom bait, topped with half a matching pop-up, critically balance with a size 6 Korda Krank hook and 8 inches of a heavy braided hook-link, was the successful approach for my recent session. I also like to thread a pva stocking mesh stick onto the hook-link and pulling the hook back inside to ensure the hook point is free from any debris when it settles on the bottom plus giving me that little extra bit of attraction around the hook bait. Typically the stick mix will consist of finely crushed bottom baits which is then firmly compressed to ensure a nice solid sausage stick.

 

The winning components & fishing in comfort

I get asked frequently on how much bait would you recommend during the colder months. My usual tactic would to put 1kg over each spot the night before I know I am fishing and then just fish stick mixes over the top. Once I’ve caught from that spot I would then top up with a dozen whole baits and a few chopped baits. I would then carry on that feeding approach throughout the session. Presentation is key and using the row boat supplied to place rigs by hand is by far the most accurate method in doing this. Even when placing rigs using a bait boat, you can never be sure how the rig has landed and on what surface it has settled on. Finding a hard gravel spot using an oar and then gently lowering the stick mix precisely onto the desired spot is about as accurate as it gets. Some purists out there may see using a row boat as cheating, but when you have limited time to fish and conditions are challenging, anything that can improve your chances of success needs to be exploited to the full.

 

 

4 of the 5 landed on a recent wet and cold 24hrs session

Another important job recently completed was the chalking of all 3 lakes with 5 tonnes of the white stuff. What are the main benefits of using chalk ?

  • It decreases organic and oxidisable matter which is displayed as a reduction in silt levels
  • It improves oxygenation and stimulates aerobic micro-organisms
  • It improves water clarity by settling suspended waterborne solids
  • It reduces methane production by silt body
  • It counteracts acidity in the water and silt
  • It provides essential calcium for plants and wildlife

 

Mark in process of spreading 5 tonne of chalk by hand....

With the lakes being situated within ancient woodlands, one can expect a large volume of organic matter finding its way into the water on an annual basis. Regular chalk application has certainly benefited our lakes, as they say, the proof is in the pudding. The lakes are not excessively silted as you may well expect in an old tree lined estate lake. The carp are all in A1 superb condition and the water chemistry is perfect for the growth and maintaining a healthy and vibrant fishery.

Vouchers are again available this Christmas if you get stuck for any gift ideas. From a 12hrs session to a full weeks session, we can tailor make a voucher suitable for your requirements. Call us on 01277 375499 for further details. I will leave it there for now, get your rods back out whilst conditions remain reasonable….you won’t catch that dark chunky mirror of your dreams sitting on the sofa in front ofthe TV !!

Looking for the perfect Christmas Present !!!!