Spring Has Sprung,At Last!!
Posted: 15th Apr 2013
What a week it's been weather wise!!! Graham,John & Dave have really had to battle the elements this week with the cold N/E wind blowing right through you for the first half of the week, and then suffering flood conditions for the latter part of their week. I don't think the fish know what to do with the conditions and they have not woken up from winter yet. Midweek we had 70mm of rain in 48 hours flooding the shower block out even with towels around the door, and having to open the sluice gates full bore to clear the valley of the rising flood water, but yesterday and today the weather is full sun, 20oc in the shade and more like our normal weather for this time of the season. There seems to be a bloom of blanket weed too over the last few days which I have not seen before, which can only be due to excess nutrients beinging pushed up from the deep ground water after such a wet winter, and run-off from the surrounding fields, just hopefully this will burn out over the next week otherwise it could become a pain if blowing into your lines or straight into your peg, I will keep an eye on it.
The lads last week landed 24 fish and lost a good 5, which despite the conditions could have been far worse. The fish seemed to be held up in pegs 3, 4 & 5 and peg 1 had no sign of fish at all, so Dave moved into 4 and started catching from the off. He had a brace of 40lb+ on The Wednesday night with a stunning animal of a male fish at 42lb, which after 20 minutes of playing in the pouring rain we were both soaked too the bone!! I think Graham in Peg 5 was the most consistent, catching fish each day throughout his week with the new pb of 44lb 8oz being the largest of the week. John in 3 had a slog until midweek with the fish not playing ball for him which was fustarting when the chap the week early had fish each day with them holding up off the double tree in front of the peg. Not a week of massive fish but fare play to the lads for their tenacity, and with 4 fish over 40lb+, 15 fish over 30lb+ (including 3x39lb+, 7 over 36lb+) and 5 x 20lb+ to 29lb 4oz including one of the stunning young fully scaled Mirrors.
No grassies out so far which tells me the water has not warmed up enough yet, and it's still very clear for the time of the year, but that could be due to the amount of freshwater passing through the lake.
The lads this week have had a complete contrast in weather, with full sun forcast all week and hopefully with a change in water temp the fish will start to wake up with food on their mind. Clive in peg 1 has had the wind pushing down his end and has landed 2 fish of 30lb and lost 1, mike in peg 3 has landed a 39lb+ fish last night so we shall see how it unfolds.
The Nightingales have arrived last week which is always a welcome sign, singing day & night claiming their territory ready for nesting, and all the trees are just breaking out into leaf today so Spring has arrived, YES!!!!
Back soon with any tasty news.
Over & Out
Team Sanctuary