Gary Owens braves the cold and prospers!

Until Gary Owens arrived for a quick stay on Cherry Pool this weekend the only thing I have been seeing around the place is ‘brass monkeys!’

The strong East wind coupled with our aerators have kept all the lakes ice free so far. Normally the aerators keep the lakes at least partially free of ice down to about minus 4C when it is calm. It will be interesting to see how they cope with this week’s ‘Beast from the East’.I am glad to see the forecast looks better from next weekend.

Gary Owens, who is a good friend of Cherry Lakes, decided to spend the weekend on Cherry Pool staying in Egret Lodge. He is very glad he did. Fishing with pop up maggots on a stiff hinge rig, he has caught on every day. Typical of winter Carp fishing, when feeding spells can be short and well defined, he has had several Carp close together and then nothing until the next feeding spell. This is clearly shown by the photo of two in the Carp Cradle together! Very sociably these feeding spells have been in the morning and during late afternoon.

Cherry Pool is an excellent winter water. It is deep and sheltered and full of Carp as well as silver fish. This results in the fish feeding in almost all conditions. Gary certainly proved this to be the case this weekend.

Of the 12 Carp he has landed to date, 8 have been doubles to around 13lb. This is a good return at any time of the year, and an excellent one given the conditions. The Carp looked great in their winter colours. It is also good to see some of the older ‘Leney’ style Mirrors making an appearance. This Carp pictured below was worth the trip on her own!

As Gary said ‘when it is this cold…….the centrally heated Lodges really do come into their own….and keep you fishing when it would be too uncomfortable to do so by sitting on the bank’. I could not agree more!

With the cold weather likely to be with us for the next two or three weeks, please give us a call if you fancy your chances….. 01285 869887.