Gavin Martin's new Cherry Springs lake record - 35-02 Mirror

As mentioned in my last update, I must start this update reporting on the results of Amy McAndrew and partner Gavin Martin's stay last weekend in Kingfisher Lodge on Cherry Springs. Amy and Gavin, who were on their first visit to Cherry Lakes, have already booked to return next year. I think it is easy to see why!

Between them, they caught some 16 Carp. Successful tactics were to use the Cherry Lakes Bio-Dairy cream boilies fished in conjunction with pellets did the trick for them throughout the weekend. They both caught Personal Bests, along with five other 20lb+ Carp. I tried very hard to have either Gavin or Amy's Carp as the lead photo, but the configuration of the photos sent, plus my very limited editing skills, meant that I could not get an acceptable fit. Hence they are both pictured below.

Amy's new PB was caught during Saturday and was a cracking hard fighting Mirror of 28-04, pictured below. Partner Gavin went one better later that night when he smashed the lake record when he caught this 35-02 Mirror pictured above. This Carp is one of the known thirties in Cherry Springs and has obviously done well since it was last caught by Jav Alam at 30-06 a year ago. Well done Amy and Gavin on your PB's.

Glenn Grint stayed in Cherry Pool last week and had a fantastic visit. He caught well over 30 Carp and said he was going home for a rest! The biggest Carp of his week was this long and lean Mirror of 25lb. Glenn also caught a Common of 23lb.

It is interesting to see that the Cherry Pool Carp are starting to put on some weight as we progressively remove the Bream. The food we put in is presumably finding it's way in increasing quantities into the stomachs of the Carp rather than the Bream!

Our plan is to introduce some larger Carp including one or two 30's during the course of the winter. Our intention being to improve the quality of the Carp fishing whilst ensuring Cherry Pool remaining a great lake for float fishing etc for the other species. In Cherry Pool we have a healthy stock of Crucian Carp to 4lb, Roach to 3lb, a small number of good Tench, and plenty of Perch. I suspect all of these species will do even better with the removal of many off the Bream.

Sam Matthews has been on his first visit to Cherry lakes fishing with good buddy Dan Chappell in the Cottage swim. He made a fast start to his weekend on Saturday morning when he caught his first Cherry Lake fish, a well conditioned Mirror of 36-10. A new PB for Sam. He is pictured in the lead photo above with his daughter Ellie, who did not look as pleased as Dad Sam to be photographed with this Carp!

This Carp was last caught by Neil Ash at the end of March at 37-08. Whilst slightly down, my feeling is that this Carp is probably up in weight on the same time last year and will be comfortably bigger, than when caught by Neil, if caught next Spring.

Whilst Sam managed the biggest Carp of the weekend, Dan managed a brace of 28's in the early hours of Monday to finish the weekend as 'top rod'.

Rob Vickers, pictured below, stayed in Heron Lodge for his first visit to Cherry Lakes over the last week. He managed to convert his chances into three Carp including this fabulous heavily scaled Mirror above at 36-02. A new PB for Rob. This fish was last caught by Kevin Lane in June at 35-02, so it looks like it has increased slightly on it's pre-spawning weight.

Well done to all the anglers above.