Where have the big Carp gone?

It is now just a week until the 'Big Wedding' and I really am like a headless chicken trying to get organised as well as 'tarting' up' Cherry Lakes to ensure the place looks as good as possible. I am also undertaking my daily 'sun-dance' to ensure good weather on the day. Judith says she thinks I should stick to doing my Corporal Jones 'don't panic' impression and that her method of keeping her fingers crossed behind her back for good weather is much better than my dance!

The fishery shuts for a short while from Monday, which I think might be really well timed from the Carp's perspective. We are forecast some very hot weather over this weekend. Hopefully this will be enough to encourage the Cherry Lake to finally finish spawning for this year. As I keep writing the bigger Carp have not spawned (as far as I can tell). If they do spawn then they will get a well earned short holiday!

Over the last few weeks we have had fewer 30+ Carp caught than we get in winter. The fishing on Cherry Lake has been much slower and more difficult than we normally experience in July. The ones being caught, with the exception of Alan Powell's recent 39-08 Common (see last post) have I think been largely male fish. I think the bigger female Carp are keeping themselves out of the way, not really feeding and feel (I imagine) very uncomfortable like they are constipated. Or as Judith says just like she did before giving birth to next week's bride!

So this should be my last update for a couple of weeks, unless something amazing gets caught this weekend. I have had a lot of guests saying they would like to see a few photos of the wedding, so maybe I will indulge myself with some wedding shots in my next update!

I know things are slow when Tom Nixon-Taylor struggles during his annual week's holiday with his Grand parents in Osprey Lodge. So far he has only had 3 fish (last year he was over 10 Carp at this stage) including this 30-02 Mirror Carp in the lead photo above. This particular Carp which looks lean, is down in weight on the 31-10 when last caught in October by Nathan Lynch, and just makes this years 30+ catalogue!.

Jackie and Geoff Radovic have recently completed their second visit to Cherry Lake and I am delighted to say that after a blank first trip, they are both off the mark. I always like to see lady Carp anglers at Cherry Lakes, particularly when they catch such pretty Carp like this 23lb Fully Scaled Mirror held by Jackie in the photo above.

Regular Andy Watts has been staying in Heron Lodge this week and has also landed three Carp to date. He called me around 21.00 last night to say he had a thirty in the net. He did another Leathery looking Mirror of 32-08. This is a Carp I know as 'Pac-Man's Mate. It has a 'Pac-Man' style scale on its wrist as you can hopefully see above (although it's wrist is practically devoid of scales on the other side), and looks similar to, but not as distinctive, as the real 'Pac-Man'. This particular Carp was last caught by Paul Mitchell in late July 20 at 31-04, and is a further addition to our 2021 30+ catalogue which is filling up nicely

The other lakes have all been producing fish, but I would say they are also a little slower than I would like. the changeable weather being my current favourite excuse! I am definitely remiss (unfocussed) in not having the details to report! One photo which did catch my eye is this one above from Sean Wade showing his son Rupert with a lovely Crucian carp of around 2lb from Cherry Pool.

Apologies to any anglers whose photos I have not used but should have and well done to those mentioned above!