Oliver Wells lands 7 x 30's and our 13th different 40lb+ Carp of the year

I have been away again chasing big Carp. At almost 62 and with dodgy Hips etc, I am not sure how long it will be before I need to hang up my 'bivvy'. So I better go whilst I can! Well at least this is what I am saying to Judith to persuade her to 'let me go' so regularly.

The fishing has been so good on Cherry Lake recently that I have been writing updates very frequently. This update has a lot to catch up on in terms of big Carp caught, but because I have been away, I am a little light on detail. Apologies to the anglers mentioned here if I have got things wrong as well as to those anglers who I have over-looked.

Unbelievably since my last update on 26 September, 18 different Carp over 30lb have been caught from Cherry Lake including two over 40lb+. It is hard to keep up with all the big Carp being caught. Whilst I have no doubted missed a good few, the running total for the number of different Carp caught from Cherry Lake in 2023 is 82. Of these 13 were over 40lb's+.

Despite this fantastic fishing we unusually have a few vacancies for Cherry Lake in October

16-20 October. Grebe Lodge

27-30 October. Osprey Lodge

30-03 November. - Osprey and Grebe Lodges. (Nb prices are lower from November).

We also have Pochard Lodge currently available for 27-30 October.

Please call 01285 869887 if you fancy a late break.

The star of last week was undoubtedly Oliver Wells, who caught an amazing 21 Carp during his stay in Osprey Lodge. Oliver, who is one of our regulars, landed 8 Carp over 30lb plus a new 40lb+. The middle areas of the lake plus the shallows where particularly productive for him.

The new forty, pictured in the lead photo above, is a new entry in this year's 30+ catalogue. This particular Carp is one of our fish which is both doing well and is rather illusive! Indeed I had to go back to 2021 to find her in my catalogues, when she was caught by Callum Dodd in June 21 at 32-12 (at the time she was a new thirty for us). A weight gain of over 7lb's, plus replacing any potential spawn she was carrying in June, is a good weight gain over two and a bit years and suggests this distinctive fish is definitely one of the stars for the future.

As well as being Oliver's third different 40lb+ Carp from Cherry Lake, she was also our 13th different 40lb+ Carp of the year.

Oliver kindly sent me photos of all of the Carp he caught, something which I would like all anglers to do in the future. Given he landed 7 different 30's+ along with the 40-04 Mirror pictured in the lead photo above, there are too many to reproduce here. I have limited myself to the 37-08 Mirror pictured two above because it is a new entry into this years catalogue, along with this stunning 32-04 Common pictured immediately above. Well done Oliver on such a great result.

James Hine is another one of our long term regulars who we always look forward to returning. He preceded Oliver into Osprey Lodge, and also had a good trip with 14 Carp being landed. Unusually, most of these Carp were doubles. For some reason, some of the younger home-grown carp introduced over the last few years, can congregate in areas of this swim. They now are of the size where they pick up anglers baits. These Carp all ranged between 12 - 18lb and included some real crackers. Just wait until these are 20's and 30's in a few years!

He did however pick up one of my favourite Carp in the lake. A lovely distinctive Carp which I know as 'The Dark Mirror' which came in at 40-08

Phillip Kingsbury and his new wife Kelly, who were on their first visit to Cherry Lakes, celebrated their recent marriage by staying for a honeymoon week in Heron Lodge. He certainly had a good time, landing 7 Carp, which included 3 x thirties and three upper twenties. His biggest was a night caught Common known as 'The Swirl' which came in at 39lb. He also had a 35-08 heavily scaled Mirror caught during the hours of darkness. His third thirty was this Mirror of 31-04 pictured above.

Jamie Thomas followed Phillip into Heron Lodge last weekend. He was rewarded for his efforts by three night caught 30's+. His biggest was a Mirror of 36-08. Two Commons of 31-02 and 30lb made up his trio of 30's. The 36-08 Mirror was also a PB for Jamie.

Mark Dobson was another first time visitor last week and stayed in Grebe Lodge. During his 4 night stay he managed to land 4 Carp which included a 35lb Common and this stunning fully scaled Mirror of 39-12 below. Another good first time result.

Well done to everyone above and apologies to any guests I have missed.