35-08 cracker with the water only 5C

Carp fishing is normally considered to be very difficult when the water temperatures drop under 7C. This in my experience is too simplistic. Certainly when water temperatures are falling, and most definitely as they go under 7C, then Carp fishing is very difficult if not impossible! However once water temperatures have been steady for a couple of weeks, and especially from mid-January onwards as the days start to lengthen, then the Carp are there to be caught. Even if the water is very cold.
In fact, I can think of a number of examples during the last 10 years where our guests have caught Carp with ice on the water (one angler even gently cast onto the ice and then drew back to the edge where he caught from).

As you can see from this brief update, several anglers have chanced their arm over the last couple of weeks and have caught ‘proper’ winter Carp. All of them with the water temperature being 5C or less, and all proving my point that with skill and application (and some luck) some Carp are there to be caught. When you also factor in that our Lodges are warm and welcoming, I am a little surprised we are not fully booked! After all ……….‘you have to be in it…..to win it’.

My good friend Simon Littmoden took advantage of ‘being in charge’ on Tuesday. when he landed this absolutely stunning Fully Scaled Mirror of 35-08. Fishing very close in from the front of the house, and despite it being just two days since the ice on the lake thawed out and with the water temperature a chilly 5C, Simon was delighted when he got a take resulting in the Carp pictured in the lead photo above.

Darren Collins who recently stayed in Grebe Lodge also got lucky when this Common of 36lb, pictured above, picked up his small pop up. This Common looks like it retained its spawn last year. Hopefully she can successfully shed it this year? Both Simon’s and Darren’s Carp picked up yellow pop-ups and yellow wafters. A good starting point for other guests this winter?

Sam Sheryn had a tough visit last week, and with the ice slowly advancing on Osprey Lodge, he sensibly switched to the available Kingfisher Lodge on Cherry Springs. The greater concentration of bubble aerators plus our force 7 aerators meant we could keep more of the lake open during the extremely cold nights. He was well pleased when this 18lb Common above saved him from a blank.

Having thought we had finished all the heavy work, a careful examination of the Cherry Mere bund showed up some issues and resulted in some more heavy duty bank repair. Thanks to the team led by Simon and James, we have been able to complete this work. Great job guys.