3 more 40's from Cherry Lake

Hard on the heels of Alan Cross's 43-08 Common of last week, a further 3 forty pound plus Carp have been caught from Cherry Lakes in the 5 days or so since my last update. Our running total is now 11 different Carp landed in 2023 over 40lb+.

Cherry Lake is certainly enjoying a good run of form! Indeed all three Lodges last weekend plus the Cottage reported a 30lb+ Carp capture. Weekends like this ensure smiling faces all round!

Before we get into the catch report, I thought I would start with confirming, just like a lot of fisheries, that we have banned the 'Magic Twigg' from OMC. The principal reason for this is the opportunity for the device to get stuck during the fight, and more likely, within the landing net, resulting in damage to the captured Carp. As always fish safety drives most of our rules. I trust guests and anglers will understand.

Despite September being normally a very popular month, we find ourselves in the bizarre position that all three Cherry Lake Lodges and Kingfisher Lodge on Cherry Springs are available for Monday 25th to Friday 29th September. We also have the following vacancies

15-18 September. Grebe Lodge on Cherry Lake

09-13 October. Pochard Lodge on Cherry Mere and Cherry Lake Lodges.

Please contact me on 01285 869887 or at info@cherrylakes.co.uk if you are interested

This week's star is regular Brian Round who has been staying in Heron Lodge with his wife Janet. Since Friday he has landed 4 Carp, which are worth listing in order of capture, 38-05 Common, 42-05 Mirror, 41-03 Mirror and a 29lb Common. Very nice.

Brian's first Carp, a PB Common of 38-05 (see the last photo below) came from just off the near side aerator. This picked up a wafter over a pellet, boilie mix. Monday was a real red letter day for Brian. Around mid-day the biggest of his two Mirror's picked up his wafter, fished at about 80 yards (the Lodge side of the far channel for those familiar with the lake layout). After a good fight, Brian was delighted to land his new PB at 42-05. A new top weight for this lovely Carp.

The same spot produced a screaming run about 6 hours later. This time he landed a long Mirror of 41-03. A brace of English 40's in one day. Wow! This fish also broke his previous PB.

This Carp last appears in my 30+ catalogues when caught by Wayne Chowner at 39-08 in April 22. This is a first time 40lb+ for us. Interestingly Brian also caught this Carp at 37lb during his 2021 visit! Slow but steady growth.

Regular Mark Goodyear also returned on Friday with his wife Michelle, staying in Osprey Lodge. Mark had a great weekend breaking his previous PB twice. He got the weekend off to a fast start with the first of the weekend's forties, when he landed this 40-06 Common pictured above. This Carp lasts features in my 30+ catalogue at 41lb when caught by footballer Cameron Brannaghan during the first week of January 23.

Mark picked his new PB, from the near-side channel to the left of Osprey Lodge. Mark went onto to land two further Carp, including a 32lb Common, which also beat his pre-trip PB.

Ryan Hicks stayed in Grebe Lodge this weekend on his first visit to Cherry lake. He did well and from memory landed 5 Carp including two 30's. A Mirror of 31-10 followed by a Ghost Mirror of 34-08. I was particularly delighted to see 'The Peach' ( we lost a Ghost Mirror during spawning which Dave thought might have been 'The Peach'). Whilst down on it's top weight when caught at 36-10 by Oliver Wells in March, she nevertheless looked great.

Our running total of 30lb+ Carp is now comfortably past our 2022 total of 70. And this is in a year where I have struggled to keep up with all the 30's being caught. This year's running total now stands at 74 different Carp caught from Cherry Lake over 30lb+. This includes 11 different 40lb+ Carp (2022's total was 10).

It is not however all good news. This total of 40lb+ Carp does unfortunately does not include either 'The Patch' or 'Dick'. Having reported about the demise of The Patch in June, I am so disappointed to report that 'Dick', our lake record holder, has recently died.

I have no idea why this fantastic Carp died. It certainly was not due to being recently caught. Maybe it was simply the result of old age, or the retention of some eggs from spawning going bad, or an infection which it could not fight off? Regardless of the cause, and as you would expect, we were gutted by Dick's death. RIP old friend. Old Carp just like old people do unfortunately die.

We still have at least two of our known big 40's (not included in this year's total of 40+ Carp caught), whom given the weight gains we are starting to see, and if caught at the right time, could go past Dick's record weight, and become our next recorded 50lb+. The stock of younger 40's coming through will also hopefully keep growing and over the next couple of year's challenge this next milestone weight mark. So be sad but don't despair.