Well our first week of the season is over. The anglers are heading home to snowy Blighty. It was touch and go for a while leading up to their arrival as to whether the weather would break. Three days before they arrived we had half the lake frozen and a few inches of snow on the ground.
Thankfully the snow melted, although there were little areas around the lake on the day they got here. The lake was liquid though the water was very cold. The forecast for the week ahead was a mixed bag of rain, cloud and the occasional sunny spell, and that is precisely what we got.
It rained heavily on Sunday and Monday, and the clouds were scooting across the sky powered by a stiff cold breeze. As the week wore on, we had less rain although it was still cloudy and threatening at times. The sun made a brief appearance on a couple of days and all in all it wasn’t too bad a week.
The anglers Barry and Ian from Essex and Derek and Jayne (also from Essex) who are old friends from last year arrived all excited and eager to get fishing. We had a wander round, and both decided they would like to fish the double swim. We tossed a coin and the two lads won, Barry set up in the newly improved double swim. His mate Ian decided to give them both plenty of room and pitched up in the Barn swim, and Derek and Jayne chose to fish from the Social swims around the other side of the island.
The first evening Ian cast out after his evening meal, and within an hour or so was into a good fish. He played it for a while before finally bundling it over the drawcord. A Mirror of 34lb 4oz, a new pb and one very happy angler, A cracking start to the season. Sunday evening, and Ian was in again, same rod, same spot, and this time a corking mirror of 36lb the prize. Two pb’s in a little over 24hrs. To say he was delighted would be an understatement.
Monday came with no further action around the lake until 7.30pm that evening when Jayne in Social 1 had a take. Hooked a long way out to the left of the far island margin, it was a few minutes before she had the fish plodding up and down the margin in front of her. After a further few minutes to-ing and fro-ing the fish came to the net and was expertly scooped up by Derek. At 38lb’s it was the largest fish so far, and a beauty, long and powerfully built.
At 9.30am the following morning Jayne had another take from the same rod. This fish followed a similar course to the first, coming in steadily and then marching up and down the margin for a few minutes before being engulfed in the landing net, another good Mirror, this time weighing in at 35lb’s exactly. Not a bad start, four fish caught, all mid thirties and better.
Jane with  her 35lb Mirror
Two hours later and Jayne was in again, this fish a little smaller than those previous, but still very welcome at 28lb 2oz. At 5pm, it was Dereks turn to get some action as he played and brought to the net a 27lb 12oz mirror. At 11.30pm Jayne was up out of her sleeping bag and into another long range fish. This, a very large looking fish only pulled the scales around to 29lb 8oz. Six fish in 24hrs from the socials, all in all a good days fishing.
Wednesday was another cold windy miserable day, and sadly nothing was added to the total. At 6am on Thursday morning Ian in the Barn swim was woken to a screaming alarm. The fish was brought to the net and weighed in at 23lb 8oz.
Poor Barry in the double swim had still to have a take, and we were all willing him a fish. He maintained his spirits and stuck to the job in hand, working hard to top up his baited area’s little and often. This finally paid off when at 11.20am he had a run, I was walking round the lake when I saw him playing a fish, I got round to his swim in time to see a stunning beast of a mirror in the sling. Up on the Ruebens she went and was proved to be 35lb 10oz. Barry’s patience had been well rewarded.
Nothing else came that day to any rods, though Derek the next morning had a right result. Jayne on her way round to the showers was called back to help as he had a fish on. This was landed, weighed and photographed and returned. Jayne set off once more for her shower, and just as she reached them Derek once again called across the lake to her, he was in again. Once more Jayne hurried back round and another fish was waiting in the net. Again it was weighed photographed and released. Jayne and Derek had a tidy round, a quick cuppa, and off she set again for the showerblock. This time she didn’t even get half way when Derek let out another war cry. I believe Jayne’s response was both audible around the lake and most unladylike. She spun on her heels and headed back to help Derek out with the pics. Three fish caught in exactly one hour between 7.45, and 8.45am weighing in at 30lb 8oz, 32lb 8oz, and another 30lb 8oz. three thirties before breakfast….. Result Derek.
Jayne eventually got her shower in peace you will be relieved to learn.
In the early hours of Saturday morning Barry landed his second Molyneux beastie of the week, with another beautiful mirror, this time weighing in at 34lb 2oz.
Whilst not the most prolific of weeks we have ever had, considering the weather leading up to and during their stay I think the anglers did well. 13 fish between them, 9 of which were over 30lb’s, most of which were mid thirties and over.
They all enjoyed their evening meals and we enjoyed their company around the dinner table. I wish them all a safe and pleasant trip home….. Until next time.
Molyneux French Carp Lakes
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