Donna Graves smashes Cherry Springs. Nathan chips in too!

I had intended to focus this update on the Carp Fishing Graves family, Nathan and Donna's, great result last week on Cherry Springs. However just as I began to write this update on Tuesday morning, Kevin Lane kicked off his session in Kingfisher Lodge on Cherry Springs with a quick 30-04 and 28-08 brace of Mirrors, so I will start with him.

Kevin's 30-04 is the 7th different Carp out of Cherry Springs caught this year. Given how well the Carp seem to have done this year, and by the number of big 20's that are being caught, my best guess is that we now comfortably have over ten different 30's in this lake. The biggest caught so far this year from Cherry Springs was Perry Walton's 37lb Mirror caught in April. Who knows this might even extend the record to 40lb+ if caught again over the next 6 months or so.

In the past Cherry Springs has been a good winter water. My feeling is that with a lot more bigger Carp to go for, this should be a popular choice this winter.

The stars of this update are Donna and Nathan Graves who have just spent their first visit to Cherry Lakes in Kingfisher Lodge on Cherry Springs. Nathan kindly sent me a detailed report and commentary about their trip, along with some great photos. I have taken the liberty of simply reproducing their text here, as it speaks much better than I could!

Thank you Nathan and well done to Donna, Nathan and Kevin.

Hello Both,

Firstly thank you for being such excellent hosts and providing a fantastic holiday, first class facility and lake. Thank you also to Dave & Simon who were both informative and friendly.

What can I say...35 Carp all in excellent condition, 7 twenties, 28-10, 28-07, 25-07, 24-00, 23-03, 20-08 & 20-02, twenty doubles for which most were 15lb plus, and 8 cracking singles.
Donna being top rod with 22 Carp including five of the twenties and the biggest Carp

It was a slightly slow first couple of days with the first few bites coming into darkness. On the 3rd night after repositioning her rods into open water at 10PM, Donna had a screaming take leading to a spirited battle to claim her prize of a truly wonderful looking Mirror Carp at 28-10. By the end of Tuesday we were sat on 13 fish, but the best was yet to come.

By Wednesday morning the conditions changed to being very "Carpy", and with great watercraft by Donna saw her change her spots, and bang it all kicked off! Despite the 40mph gusts of wind and constant downpours, Donna fished hard and got her just results. Over the next 28hrs (Without fishing the nights) Donna had 15 bites, including 13 from the same spot, as the Carp fed with gusto. All I could do was smile and do her justice as a good gillie,( I did chip in with two). We were soaked and tired but overjoyed, and on a total of 30 Carp.

(continued............)

The last full day saw different condition and Donna's spots had gone quite. On the other hand things started to pick up for me with a couple of bites, and with Carp now showing all over the lake we positioned our rods in new areas, and what a great decision, my left hand rod resulting in a sensational looking mirror weighing 28-07. Donna then landed her final stunning twenty at 20-08.

All the Carp were caught on size 6 barbless wide gapes tied with a simple blow back rig. Hook bait was the house Bio Spice wafters all fished from the bait boat over a good helping of corn, hemp, pellets and washed out Bio Spice boilies.

Thank you once again, and no doubt we will see you in the future.

Kindest regards

Nathan & Donna