Estate lake bliss

 Most of my friends and followers know only too well how much of a dislike I have for holes in the ground stuff to the brim with fish. I much prefer old, mature natural waters over any carp puddle. Quality makes up for the lack of quantity on these places. Four fish today may seem like a bad day to most anglers but these fish are stunning, wild and showing their true colours. Not dulled in anyway by spending their lives in muddy murky water been over fed on commercial pellets, they fight like stink too. No doubt shocked by what is happening and the fact they are not heavily fished for.

 Then there is the scenery, not a paving flag or scaffolding pole in sight. Real natural banks unspoiled by man other than well worn patches of grass marking the best spots flanked by beds of reeds. The sun was just starting to rise as I was setting up this morning and over the next hour or so I was treated to a stunning display as the breeze blew the morning mist from the water and the sun started to break through. Then out of the mist came a train of swans, the parents proudly escorting their nine young around the lake. Once the mist cleared it was a lovely warm clear morning and the whole area was alive with nature.

 For one reason or another the fishing was slow going today, I had started by casting half a dozen feeders to my spots and then spodding some loose particles over the top. Hooks were baited with the ever faithful combo of real and fake maggots and both rods were out ready and waiting by not much after 4am. It was well after 7am when I received my first take, 3 fake casters D-rigged on a size 12 hook proved the down fall of the fish. A heavy slow fight commenced and it took me a while to gain any kind of advantage but soon enough a nice fat lady was posing in front of the camera, at 5lb 7.5oz she was far from the biggest in the lake but one of the most stunning I have had with not a mark on her.

 Just as I had slipped her back a mate of mine popped down to see how I was getting on, no sooner had he arrived than the same rod fished long was away again. This time a small male around 3lb was the culprit. The time flew by while we chatted and I added an average size bream in the process, this fish falling to maggots alongside a fake one rigged mag-aligner style. It was soon after 9 and my mate was just about to head home when the same rod roared off again, another slow plodding fight gave the game away from the off and bream number two hit the back of the net captured by my mates well timed camera shot!

 This one was much bigger than the first but wafer thin after spawning, I'm sure though that in a few weeks it will be well over the 6lb mark. Expecting more action I stayed on later than I often do here but no more bites were forth coming. The weather this spring has clearly had an effect on the fish as even the carp lads are not getting bothered by the tench and bream as much as the normally do.

 I have just one more session planned on here this year and feel sure that the fish will still be in a pre-spawning feeding mood and the chances of a fat female are high. Next week me and JD are having a day out on another stunning old natural water, but this one has not been fished for many many years and only recently opened back up to anglers. Tales of un-caught monsters and original fish stocks are sure to mean sleepless nights between now and next Sunday. But of course we are all waiting impatiently for the opening of the rivers. I don't like to gloat but I do have the first week of the season booked off work but wont be in a rush to hit the rivers hence my one last shot on the estate lake. My feeling is that with opening day been on a Sunday there will be so much bait chucked in it would be wiser to wait until later in the week.