May 2014

The Long Common!, 25th May

After many many big fish caught, we needed a cherry on the cake.

Bryan Baker did it! He finally banked the mighty " Long common" at a new max weight 62lb10oz! Why is she called the "Long common"? Because she measures 1.20m long!

Bryan wrote:

'It was taken on peg 5, the rig was a Korda size 4 wide gape barbless on 6inch ntrap link with a Sticky bait dumbbell topped with a korda pink pop up fake corn. Fishing tight to the far side bank I left the bait out for over 36hours with a sprinkling of Sticky bait 20mm Vortexes boily around the hook bait.

The reel roared off at 11am on Wednesday and for the first half hour stayed deep and not showing its self, also taking out my second rod as it ran up and down the lake on one of its many runs. After approx a hour it final showed itsself to me, wow, my son Lee (smiley) Baker said it was the big common. My arms were dropping off and my heart was trying to get out of my chest but finally after 1hr 15mins it made its final run of approx 40 meters and Richard Seed approached it with the net and netted it first time.

At last I could see the size and length - 62lbs 10oz and 1.2m long, a new lake record.

I was also fortunate enough to take two more mirrors of 42.10 and 46.00. This beat my pb set at Vaux in France of 28lbs 8oz.

Between Myself (3 fish) Lee Baker (5 up to 55lbs 8oz) Richard Seed (7 up to 52lbs 10oz) and Jimmy Seed (4 up to 47lbs 8oz) we had a total of 19 fish all taken on Sticky bait 20mm Vortex.

(PS the trip was my 60th birthday present from her that must be obeyed, thanks Sue)'

May 2014

Winter Improvements and Fishing News , 20th May

Well, after a long and wet winter, it's time for some news at Old Oaks.

We did a lot of works to improve the setting. First of all, the snags. As promised, we removed a lot of dead branches and overhanging bushes but it was impossible to clear some of them because of the very high water level.

So peg 1, 2 and 5 are done. Only swims 3 and 4 still have some snags left, we will try to remove them in the summer when the water will go down.

We cut 12 tall poplar trees in the back of the pegs. Some were dying and others were cracking so we cut them down. The tallest one was over 33m high!

Each side of all the pegs have been cut, more room now to cast and land a fish. We mulched the whole huge amount of branches.

The track and the entrance holes has also been refilled with gravel.

Inside the facilities, the toilet seat is new. We bought a new machine to disinfect the facilities each week, no chemicals, just hot water which works really well.

Regarding the fishing, there have been some fantastic catches. For a few weeks the results were poor due to the bad weather, but other weeks have been really awesome. Many many forties and fifties week after week, a new lake record grass carp at 40lb, a lake record bream at 11lb 12oz and a new lake record regarding the total weight average over 42lb on 48 fish!

Many anglers smashed their personal bests, sometimes severals times during the same week!

Last week, 10th to 17th may, Paul Marshment party had the best ever result on Old Oaks.  A simply magic week, timing was perfect just before spawing, weather conditions spot on, fish hungry and heavy! They landed 48 carp for a total weight of 2040lb so 42lb8oz average!!!!

They caught 9 fifties (almost 14 cos 5 forties are 49lb-ish) and 23 forties!!! Unbelievable results!

That is 32 carp over 40lb in a week (biggest one was 55lb8oz). Congratulations guys, That's amazing!

In the last 3 days of this unique week, peg 1 were the only one to produce carp, funny when you know that generally anglers don't want that one. That's fishing!

When I'm writing this news there are no spawning signs yet but I bet in the next few days they should start.

Tight Lines
Mehdi

Feb 2014

First Anglers of 2014 at Old Oaks, 13th Feb

Nice news , the 2 guys on Old Oaks this week have already landed 2 carp at 40lb and 44lb!

Regarding snags at Old Oaks, I did remove another 50 yards of over hanging trees and branches last week.

Hard work...especially with that weather.

Mehdi