News at Molyneux

Hi David,

Please find attached a picture of my recent capture of ‘Big Lin’ from Molyneux in April 2012.  

She came out a week earlier at 46lb so did not make lake record for me by a few oz’s ... but I think you will agree that she is still worth showing people though!! 

Kind regards,

James Willcox

Big Lin @ 45.02

Wally has just rung to tell us that the 5 anglers on the lake had a slow start on Saturday, but the rain yesterday sent the lake mental & they had 5 carp on the bank at one time!

So far they've had 19 fish with 2 new 40’s out - one 40lb and one 42.02lb

They've also had 8 x 30's up to 36lb, and 9 at 27lb'ish.

We'll bring more news & photos as we receive them.

Well after all the hard winter work we have put in to get the lake ready for this year, we had our first group of anglers arrive last Saturday morning. The South Coast Crew, of Sam, John, Steve, Tom, Glen and Lee and of course the lovely Becky arrived fresh after a nights sleep on the Portsmouth to Le Havre ferry, and only an hour and a half's drive to the lake. They were absolutely blown away by the beauty of the lake, and after a cuppa and a chat, they were raring to get going.

We wandered around the lake, with a quick chat about the swims and features that lay in front of each of them and upon returning to the kitchen the guys decided amongst themselves where they would like to fish. Saturday as always is spent setting up home for the week, and by the time the guys had got themselves sorted and had a little feel around the swims with a lead it was time for dinner.

After dinner Helen and I cleared away and wandered around the lake in the late evening to see how they were all settling in. It was beginning to drizzle and looked to be a wet night ahead. We were just thinking of turning in for the night when the van door was knocked fairly urgently. It was Becky to tell us Sam her boyfriend had caught a big mirror of 46lb.

With the lake record standing at 43lb 14oz, this was a momentous occasion, so off I set around the lake as fast as my old legs would carry me to find a very excited and slightly shocked Sam. Glenn and John were also in attendance. The fish was lifted out of the margins and I opened the net to see an old friend, the fish we call the big Linear in all her glory... She looked enormous!!

We checked the sling was zeroed and once again she was hoisted up. The needle swung round to settle at exactly 46lb 8oz. A new pb for Sam and smashing the lake record by almost 3lb !

There were handshakes and hugs all round and then we took the trophy photos with poor Sam struggling to hold up the immense fish.

The following morning we found out that John in Social 2 next door to Sam had also broken his pb with a lovely 32lb Mirror. The rest of the lake had been very quiet, and no one else had managed a fish between them. It had been a very cold night and this proved to be the pattern for the first few days, warm during the day with the temperature steadily increasing as the week went on, but dropping very cold at night, indeed a couple of nights we had quite a sharp ground frost.

Monday morning and overnight Glenn had landed one of the baby commons at 14lb, small but perfectly formed, some of these small commons really are going to be stunners when they grow a little larger. Sam had added to his tally with a one eyed fish weighing 33lb's. Again on Tuesday morning it was a very cold start to the day with mist shrouding the lake. Sam had done it again with a lovely common of 28lb. The lads the other side of the lake were still struggling.

Tuesday night saw the worst ground frost of the week and it was a slow start to the day with mist covering the lake once again and taking an age to lift. No fish out at all that night. Tom and Steve who had plotted up either end of the channel decided a move was in order and so Steve headed down to Jacks and Tom to the cabin swim. A wise move as it turned out. The following night he landed a cracking common of 39lb 7oz's another new pb by some way and the third of the week.

Sam caught another cracking mirror of 33lb's. It seemed the fish were shoaling up in no mans land between Jacks and the social, so by moving Tom was able to get to the edge of the area where they were. Thursday morning saw two more fish landed and another two pb's Glenn in the double swim caught a 22lb 8oz mirror and John increased his new pb by catching a cracker of 38lb 8oz. His second pb of the week.

Later that day at 2.30pm Glenn smashed his pb again with a corking mirror of 32lb's. The first fish of the week to come out during the day and only the second around that side of the island.

Friday morning dawned bright and blue with not a cloud in the sky.... Once again Glenn had caught this time a 29lb mirror. Tom landed one as I walked around just prior to breakfast at 24lb 8oz. Later that afternoon Sam finished his week off with a chunky 36lb mirror.

It had been a hard weeks fishing to be fair to the guys, cold frosty nights and bright sunny day with high pressure. The fish are waking up still and sadly a couple of the guys although they both had runs failed to put fish on the bank. Thirteen fish landed during the week, seemed scant reward for their efforts, but with 7 thirties 3 of which were over 35lb's and a new lake record of 46lb 8oz, the average weight of those caught was very impressive indeed.

A good start to the season, and a lovely bunch of anglers to boot. We all got on very well, and the guys left promising to come back and see us as soon as they could. This makes our job a joy to do when we know that anglers have truly enjoyed their holiday even when the fishing is as hard as it proved to be this week.

Well done to all the anglers that caught, and especially Sam, that is one awesome fish to catch and with not an ounce of spawn in her, it makes me wonder just what weight she will be in a few weeks time.......... Will you be the angler that finds out :-)

Sam and the new Lake Record of 46lb 8oz	Glenn and his new pb of 32lb's	Tom and his new pb 39lb 7oz Common
John and his second pb of the week at 38lb 8oz	Sam and his 36lb mirror	The group at the end of the week about to depart for home

Work on the cabin has continued through the latter part of the winter with a view to improving the overall package for those that decide they would like a little more comfort and self sufficiency during their stay with us.

We have installed a mini kitchen unit comprising of a sink/drainer, a fridge, and a two ring electric hob.

This along with the existing microwave oven means that those that hire the cabin can now comfortably cook their meals without having to use the main kitchen area.

Kitchen area of cabin	Sofa and tv/dvd player	WC and wash basin
Twin Bedroom	Double bed on 1st floor	Exterior of Cabin

Breaking News!

Our first anglers of the season arrived yesterday, a party of six anglers and one non-angler.

One of them, Sam Bowers, wasted no time at all, and within 8hrs of casting out, the first carp of the season proper was on the bank..... and what a fish!  Affectionately known as the Big Linear at a new Lake Record weight of 46lb 8oz, smashing both his personal pb and setting a New Lake Record for Molyneux.

What a start to our first season!  To say we are chuffed to bits is an understatement.

Well done Sam :-)

The Gorgeous Big Lin at 46lb 8oz	The smile says it all.............	The Ruebens Never Lie................