With anglers arriving on the prolific Roseau Large lake on the 2nd April we decided that we needed to turn our attention to an area of the lake that was particularly productive yet far from ideal to fish from, swim 9. The swim commands a lot of water with alongside the island, however it was a high bank making it very hard to net fish even when the water level is up. We felt if we left this bank as it was we were asking for trouble as the safe return of fish was close to impossible without falling in or worse, dropping the highly prized fish.
Before we started the work
After making a few drawings of the peg trying to decide what the best way would be to construct a comfortable fishing area for the angler we decided there was only one way to go about it with the materials we had. We thought about going out into the lake by making a platform but as the margins were so deep we decided it wasn’t the best plan. After sharing ideas we decided that a dug out style peg was going to be the best way to construct the new swim.
As you can see from the before and during pictures we had to dig out a lot of soil and clay from the bank, digging 3ft down and 1.2m back to make the main platform of the peg. All this soil was thrown on the trailer, again used for filling pot holes around the lake. It took a lot of effort, good team work and some choice words from Myself and Bas as we lugged three full sized weathered railway sleepers around to the peg. Two of these were put on top of each other to form a solid front to the swim, then staked in place by with two decent sized stakes drove over 6ft into the clay.
The work begins...
The drop from the top bank to the platform was 3ft, too high to step down to comfortably, so we went about digging a small step out in the corner of the platform. Once the soil was removed and the logs cut to size, we soon had a back and sides on the step leading down to the peg. With the third sleeper we had left along with 3 logs we made a back to the platform to prevent it caving in under pressure, again these were staked in place. After a little more shaping we were ready to put gravel on the main platform and the step, this helps massively as anglers will no longer have to put up with mud all around their rods whilst playing and landing fish.
Much better!
We went on to replant some reeds to the right hand side of the peg, they are taking nicely and will provide the peg with some colour and additional character once established. This in something we are both very keen to implement around the fishery, Bas has already planted countless willow whips around the banks which are all looking healthy so hopefully in a couple years time these will be a real feature to the lake.
Both of us are extremely happy with the new pegs so far and have some very exciting plans for other lakes around both the lakes for the future. Already the two anglers doubled up in the new peg 9 this week have landed over 20 fish included 5 x 30’s and are very happy with the new swim! I have also managed a few from the new peg 2 on the Small lake, pictures will follow.
Jack & Bas (Fishery Managers)
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