Following a week with no anglers at Molyneux, which I have to say is very very odd in April which is without doubt one of our better months, the fish were on the hunt for food big time.
We had two anglers, Tony and Dave, arrive on Good Friday for a long weekend break. They set up in the double swim and spent Friday night fishless, which amazed me. The following weeks anglers arriving bright and early Saturday morning were in for a treat. The weather was mixed, with showers, occasional sunshine and low cloud. This combined with the low which had moved in toward the end of the previous week was, I was sure, going to set them up for a good week….
The three new anglers, Mick, his son Mark and Marks mate Andy were all welcomed with the usual cup of tea and appraisal of what had been happening. We then went for a wee wander round the lake to show them the swims and get familiarised with the topography of the lake. Â With Dave and Tony in the double swim, Andy chose to start off in Social 1 with Mick in Social 2 and Mark in Stones.
Andy was first off the mark with a lovely mirror of 37lb at 7.15pm on Saturday, two hours later and he was in a gain, this turned out to be a 29lb mirror.  The early hours of Sunday morning saw Andy catch in quick succession a 12lb catfish, followed by a 32lb 8oz mirror. Just after returning to his swim after breakfast he landed a corking mirror of 42lb’s.
With Tony and Dave still having no joy in the double swim they decided to move on Sunday morning. Dave chose Jack’s swim for his final night, while Tony tried his luck in the cabin swim.  At 9.30pm that evening Andy was away again, landing a 64lb catfish after a terrific battle.
At a little after midnight Dave in Jack’s landed a stunning common of 19lb’s, certainly one for the future with shoulders like Geoff Capes for all our older readers. At 5.30am Mick in Social 2 landed his first of the week at 32lb’s A short while later Dave in Jack’s caught a second fish, a 30lb 10oz mirror. At 9.15 am Andy landed a 34lb mirror. Dave and Tony, packed up slowly on Monday morning before heading off back to Blighty and the real world.
Mark in Stones then landed a 30lb 8oz mirror at lunchtime. At 1.30pm Andy landed his second forty of the week with a fish known as Guinness at 40lb 2oz. This is the first time this fish has crept over the forty pound mark. At 3pm Andy was off again with a 37lb 2oz mirror. Mark had another at 6.15pm landing a lovely 34lb 2oz mirror. At 9.15pm Andy had yet another big mirror this one weighing in at 37lb 4oz.
At 8.15am on Tuesday morning Mark landed a 41lb 4oz mirror, which bizarrely was the first one that Andy had landed two days earlier at 42lb’s.  Mick having had nothing overnight decided on a move round to the cabin swim.
At 9am Andy then brought to the net a 14lb mirror, he followed this up half an hour later with a 28lb 4oz common. At 1.30pm Andy landed a slightly smaller common of 21lb 2oz. At 2.50pm he caught a 35lb 2oz mirror. Then at 4.30pm he caught a 29lb 8oz common, followed up with a 36lb 8oz mirror a little before 6pm. Shortly after returning this fish Mark was calling him to take a photo as he had got in on the act with a 27lb mirror. At 9.15pm Andy finished the day with another stonking mirror of 37lb 2oz.
Wednesday started early for Andy as he caught his first fish before 1am, a 31lb 4oz mirror falling for his trap. Mick’s move to the cabin was justified when he managed a 38lb mirror at 1.15am from the tip of the island.
Andy then caught a 27lb 10oz mirror at 3.15am, and Mark had a 25lb 8oz common at around 7.30am. At lunchtime Andy was in once more, landing another good mirror weighing in at 36lb 8oz, he followed this up at 2.45pm with a 38lb 4oz mirror. During the day on Wednesday Mark decided to move into Jack’s swim, although he had been picking off the odd fish in the channel, he was eager for more, and with it being his Birthday decided to head to Jacks in search of a few fish.
In the early evening Andy managed another two , a common of 23lb 8oz, and a mirror of 35lb 12oz. At 9.15pm Mark had his Birthday wish in the shape of a 36lb 4oz mirror. Proof again that if you don’t feel the swim you are in is doing it, then move. The hour or so it takes to pack down, move and set up again is soon forgotten when you are sat in a new swim with confidence high and a plan in your head.
At 11.30pm Mick managed a first, an Albino catfish, the first we have seen caught from Molyneux, only a tiddler at 13lb, but a lovely looking creature which will soon grow and become a sought after fish.
The first two fish of Thursday came from Jack’s falling to Marks rods, a pair of mirror’s weighing in at 28lb 8oz, and 29lb’s respectively. A quiet day ensued with the next fish not making an appearance till 4.30pm, Andy caught it, a mirror of 31lb 8oz, followed within half an hour by a mirror of 30lb’s exactly. Mick then had a 25lb mirror from the cabin at 6.30pm. At 8.15pm Andy landed a lovely big square looking mirror of 34lb 4oz.
At 8.40pm Mick had a strange take and after a bit of a tussle landed a monster tench, up on the scales it went and it was our first double figure tench of the year so far at 10lb 2oz. Well done that man! The day finished as it had started with two mirrors for Mark, firstly a 29lb 8oz at 9.15pm, followed by a 32lb 4oz mirror at 11.15pm
Friday dawned and I think everyone was surprised to learn that nothing had been caught overnight. In fact the next fish caught was by Andy at lunchtime, a time when he had picked up quite a few of his tally to date. A 29lb 12oz mirror his reward this time. An hour later and he seemed to be making up for the fishless night with a mirror of 37lb 12oz. At the same time Mick was battling a fish of  his own, up on the Ruebens and it was to be confirmed at 31lb. At 4.30pm Mark had a 28lb 8oz mirror.
That evening Mick had two more in quick succession, a 36lb mirror at 8.15pm, followed by a 30lb mirror at 8.45pm. Mark also had a fish at around 8.15pm a common of 29lb 6oz.
Just after midnight Mark finished his week off with a 25lb 5oz mirror. Saturday morning and Andy had time for two more early morning mirrors before he started the long pack up. Mirrors of 31lb 4oz, and 29lb 8oz at 3.30am and 6.30am being the last two fish of an amazing week…..
With a total of 49 carp and 3 cats caught between the group of three, 27 carp over 30lb’s and 3 forties. Andy alone had a terrific weeks angling and was absolutely knackered by the end of it. He caught 28 carp, including 2 over forty pounds and 17 thirties, plus a few tench and a couple of cats. Fair play fella, cracking weeks angling.
Well done to all the guys, they worked hard and had a great week. It was a pleasure meeting you all, and we thoroughly enjoyed your company for the week. I hope we see you all again very soon.
Wally, Molyneux bailiff
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