The run of big Carp continues

With the weather so mixed, and no sign of the normal hot spell which occurs around the end of May in most years, the Cherry Lake Carp are waiting patiently to spawn. They have moved past the very heavy feeding that we saw during May when they had their pre-spawning munch. They are feeding more in bursts. The bigger female Carp are also trying to get away from the male fish. The Carp we are seeing are heavy at probably at their yearly heaviest weights ( I am of course talking more about the female Carp rather than the male fish).

We have had some cracking Carp caught last week and a further 4 additions to the 2022 30lb+ catalogue.

Rather indulgently I am going to lead this update. I have to say I rather enjoy fishing from the front of the house (in the Cottage swim's water) and developed a taste for it during lockdown. So every now and again I block the Cottage out and 'treat' myself to a couple of days fishing. This was the case during the Jubilee celebrations. On Friday I had a amazing couple of hours and caught two of my Cherry Lake target Carp. The first was the biggest of our Ghost Common's at 36-04. This Carp was caught last month by Tom Hughes at a similar weight of 36-08.

My second Ghostie was the very special Ghost Mirror known as 'The Peach' at 35-04, pictured in the lead photo above. This was also the heaviest ever weight for this Carp. Peter Jones had her last June at 33-08. I will try not to boast or gloat too much, but I do think a brace of English Ghost Carp over 35lb is special, particularly as one was a Mirror and the other a Common. I was very happy indeed!

Our Dairy-Cream boilies did the trick. It was the first time 'The Peach' has been caught this year and so she has been added to the 2022 catalogue.

At the other end of the Cherry Lake Carp scale, I also had this absolutely stunning Ghost Mirror of 06-08, pictured below. This is one of our home-grown hand picked fish which I probably introduced from our stock pond last year. This is going to be a very attractive and distinctive Carp as it 'grows-up'. I love the classic 'Italian' shape, and if it makes it to become 30lb+, it will no doubt be a real target fish to catch. My son Richard for some reason called it 'Super-Mario', so Super-Mario she now is!

Jon Drake returned to Grebe Lodge last week along with his wife Lisa. he had a great trip. I have already forgotten how many fish he caught, but I do know he had two thirties. The biggest was a night caught Common of 37lb, which I was not able to confidently identify, and this lovely 33-07 heavily scaled Mirror pictured below. This one did make the 2022 catalogue. Given we are now up to 44 different 30lb+ Carp this year, of which 16 are Commons, I am now at the point that unless the photos of any Common is good or the fish has a very distinctive marking, then I am not even trying to find them.

Jon's second thirty was this lovely heavily scaled Mirror below. At 33-07, this beauty is also a new addition to this years catalogue. Well done Jon.

Cherry Lake regular and good friend Paul Mitchell was also here last week with the new love in his life, the lovely Debbie. Paul was probably not as focussed as normal, but still had a good stay landing I think, two 30's in a 9 Carp catch. He had a fantastic fully scaled Mirror of 32-04 (caught earlier this year by James Morris) pictured two photos below and a brand new thirty for us, a Common of 30-08 pictured below. This Common was carrying spawn which took it over the thirty pound mark for the first time.

We still have several vacancies on Cherry Lake available over the next month or so. To stop you trawling through the on-line availability calendar, I have picked out the nearest dates for you here......

20-24 June. Heron Lodge on Cherry Lake

27 to 01 July. Osprey and Grebe Lodges on Cherry Lake

27-01 July. Cherry Lake Cottage

Please contact me on info@cherrylakes.co.uk for details or if you want to book.

The other lakes have largely been overlooked by me during the last few updates. generally they have been producing well. Last week on Cherry Springs, Vince Hole did particularly well landing c22 Carp including 10 x 20's+ to 29lb. Nice one Vince!