Where Has The Sun Gone?
Posted: 4th May 2014
Well what can be said about this week other than miserable, I really felt for the guys who had to put up with weather more like late Autumn than Spring. They arrived on Saturday to be met with rain, only to leave with it breaking the following Saturday and in turn putting the fish to sleep for most of the week. With over 50mm of cold rain this week the lakes are overflowing the monk as I type. John took a couple of fish on the first night from Peg 3 with the best being a lovely long framed animal of a Mirror that put up an epic fight whilst I waited patiently before slipping the net under him.
But with each day the cold wind and driving rain were knocking the water temp down and the fish really did lock up, stop feeding and to be honest shocked with the thought of coming close to spawning then having to adjust to a 8oc drop in temp. The water has been like tap water most of the week highlighting the fish were not even feeding on naturals. Due to the removal of 1 ton of Tench & Roach over the winter the amount of extra natural food available is giving the Carp the upper hand, and not being reliant on Anglers bait you do need to build confidence over the week and get them grubbing about and returning for more!!!
The fish are looking plump and in prime condition for spawning ahead, it's all down to mother nature deciding when the conditions will be right, When, that's anyones guess so far this season.
The lads ended the week on a poor total of 12 carp, best the 42lb 14oz, followed by another 40lb+ and 3 x 30lb+ including a perfect 39lb+ common. The remaining 7 fish being 20lb+ which told me it was only the smaller male fish that were still prepared to pick a bait up. The lads are back in September so watch out fish, they have a score to settle.
On the wildlife front it's been alive down at the lakes, we have never had so many Tadpoles, which the carp seem to capitalising on them. Of late the Reedwarblers are arriving by the day, claiming patches of Reedmace for nesting over the coming month. The Kingfishers are busy feeding their young, Goldfinch & Blackbird nesting in the garden, grass snakes sunning themselves under my upturned boat & Greatcrested Newts in my stockponds!!! It's like an episode of "Spring Watch" down there!!
3 lads have arrived this weekend to pit their wits and hopefully enjoy some sunshine and fish!! It's been glorious today which is more like the norm for this area of the world, and inturn Roly took a 44lb 12oz and a 33lb+ 30lb Grassy today!!! Im sure the return of some settled weather will see a few more fish banked.
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Team Sanctuary
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