Blog

End Of The Season

Posted: 1st Nov 2017

Well the season has now come to a close and it's been a very successful year for us regarding what the lakes have produced, along with the progression of the larger lake opening and new customers being greated and welcomed to the fishery.

I have been updating FB multiple times each week, so I feel like I'm repeating myself with the blog if I'm honest. With regards the future, maybe social media is the way forward but I will discuss with our regulars to see if they think the blog is still necessary?

I will keep this blog as short as possible because of the number of weeks that need to be updated. It's been very consistant after the long dry, warm summer and the weather held out until the end of the season which always helps! Infact it's been too warm which seems crazy to say.

Continuing from the epic week Steve & Neil's group had... the following week was the 23rd Sept-30th Sept. A group of chaps who have fished the lake before booked the 7 acre lake and once again some lovely fish caught. 3 out of the 4 anglers had upper 40s with Paul taking the largest mirror of 50lb 5oz along with others to 47lb from Peg 1, Alan had fish to 48lb in peg 5 & Nigel landing a 46lb 8oz mirror. The week ended on 17 fish landed...50lb.5, 48,47,46.8,43,43,41. along with a 34lb & 7 x 20lb+ including 2 x 28lb along with a couple of scaley stockies.We also had a group on the larger lake booking the lake exclusive. They landed 85 fish with 70 of them over 20lb+...once again average weights between 21-23lb with the largest fish going 28lb+. Great sport indeed, all from virgin carp!

30th Sept-7th Oct....both lakes booked. We had regulars on the 7 acre lake and a new group booking the larger lake. The fish were showing signs of slowing down which is to be expected with the number of fish being caught this year. Adam, Andy & Craig fished the smaller lake and once again new pbs caught but the fish seemed to be grouping in the centre part of the lake again and peg 5 leaving Craig in 1 struggling a little. Andy landed a new pb of 53lb so he was over the moon. It was slow going for Adam in 3 but with a slow steady approach the carp started to find the bait and he had 4 fish over 40lb+ in the second half of the week to 45lb and another pb broken. The week ended on 15 fish landed, largest 53lb, 5 over 40lb+ to 45lb.....another week producing big fish and happy customers. The new group on the 15 acre lake caught slow and steady all week......with another two Adams on that lake, another "Adam" on the smaller and myself...I felt I was going mad...I thought the only Adam in the world was myself! The guys had a great weeks fishing landing 79 carp with 38 being 20lb+ including 2 x29lb, 2 x 28lb, along with others of upper 20lb. The other 42 fish were mostly in the 18-19lb bracket so I'm certain next season we will be seeing another jump up the ladder with average weights well into the 20s and lots more 30lb+ fish each week.

7th Oct-14th Oct saw another group of regulars on the 7 acre lake. The 4 lads spread out and the fishing was patchy with little of a pattern devloping for some of the guys, and others coming good later in the week. Once again a lot of fish around Peg 3 area, moving into 2 then back up the lake to the centre again. Kev in 1 was consistant for most of the week and having a nice run of Commons to 35lb+ which were all pristine condition and looking like they haven't seen the bank for most of the season. Some of this fish are from very large brood stock so I'm expecting big things in the future from this batch of commons! Ronnie landed on the big fish and made the most of it with a 48lb mirror on wednesday, followed by a brace of 50s to 50lb 12oz on the Thursday & Friday. What a way to end the week and smash your pb! Stu & lee both started well taking 40lb+ fish but it did slow down for them when the fish decided to move up the lake...buts thats fishing I guess. Week ended on 22 fish landed 2 x 50lb+ 4 over 40lb+ to 48lb. 10 x 20lb+ and 6 scaley stockies. The guys also had two nice Roach over 2lb+...not fished for, but all the same very special.

14th Oct-21st Oct.....the weather spun on its head this week with a very warm wind pushing up from spain taking temps into the mid 20s which is very unseasonal. I thought it would increase the water temps and keep the fish feeding, but it was anything but and the fish seemed very unhappy indeed. I think the carp had started to slow down their metabolsim ready for winter, combined with the daylight hour length dropping and lots of big fish being caught it should have been a steady lull into the winter period...but the sudden hot spell completely perplexed them and feeding was not on their mind. We had 4 regulars fishing along with a single angler on the large lake. So many fish to be seen and heard crashing all through the night but they did not want to touch a bait. It was tough going which was a real shame for the guys and only 3 fish landed to upper 20lb along with another clonking big Roach of nearly 3lb. Sometimes we are all at the mercy of the weather and it could not have been more obvious, this week was one of those cases. Keith on the large lake had some nice steady action, with him taking onboard that the lake contains minimum 500 carp he gave them some bait with 50kg of sanctuary pellet going in, along with 30kg+ of boilies he did manage to hold them for a short period everytime they came through his swim. You have to remember that I feed these fish 100Kg PER DAY just to give them a boost while anglers are not on the lake, so your baiting approach can make a big difference. He landed 22 fish with 18 being 20lb+ and the largest going 29lb along with a common of 28lb and 6 others between 26-27lb. 4 doubles just under 20lb+ made the remainder of his total....well done buddy.

This brings us to the last week of the season with a group of 4 on the smaller lake and a couple fishing the larger venue. The weather had started to cool again and the air and ground being very damp with the feeling of late Autumn in the air. The guys on the smaller lake once again had to listen to the fish putting a dolphin display on each night, with big fish crashing all over the lake. I got the feeling the fish were ready for a break and other than Bez in 4 being very consistant each day, the others chaps seemed to be chasing the fish around.

18 fish landed with the best falling to Karl on the last night weighing 46lb+ along with others of 45lb,42,42,42 3 x 30lb to 36lb. 10 x 20lb to 28lb. Nothing huge this week but 3 out of the 4 lads catching 40lb+ fish.

Phil & Sue fished the first swim on the larger lake which made sense having facilities close to hand and the fish moving from one end to the other, the aim was to bait and let the fish come down to them insteady of chasing around 15 acres of water with no other anglers pushing the fish around. It did start off slow but by mid week and a drop in temps and a change in the wind, the fish started to move down each night and they landed 14 fish between them, best falling to Sue's rods at 29lb 8oz (no comment Phil) with 12 over 20lb+ and 2 upper doubles. Once again some stunning looking fish being caught.

So that's it for numbers of fish, it's been a very busy year & both the fish and I are looking forward to a break. The fish will not see a line for the next 5 months, allowing any hook-slips or marks to heal, build their strength back up for the following year and hopefully it will be our best year yet. Lots of changes coming to the fishery over the next 24 months which I will talk about in depth this winter, all for the better and it will progress the fishery to the next level. But for now it's rest time before I start the winter work....I will keep you all informed.

A big thanks to old & new customers this season, every group other than one has rebooked the larger lake after fishing it this season which speaks for itself.....we value your support and custom and we will strive to push things forward to make it even more of a special venue for the future.

 

Quality not Quantity has always been our moto....and with the fish coming through the ranks who could doubt it!!

Big thanks & Love from Team Sanctuary

Keep smiling