THE FISH
Since acquiring the lake in 2015, we have worked hard to develop and maintain a healthy and growing stock of pristine fish.
In 2015 the original, unknown, stock was complimented with the introduction of around four tonnes of fish between 4 and 60lbs.
This included 15 plus fish over 44lbs, a common of over 55lbs, an impressive 51lb mirror measuring over a meter long, and 20 stunning Koi carp!
Subsequent and ongoing stockings (including several 50 and 60lb+ carp, and selective removal of over 200 smaller fish), have seen the average weights and top weights of our fish increase rapidly over the past years.
We have an estimated 120 carp in the lake, with an average weight of 38.4lbs in 2022.
Catch reports and photos from 2021-2022 show captures of individuals from the “big fish” stock of:
1x 70lb+ fish
4x 60lb+ fish
14x 50lb+ fish
38x 44lb+ fish
The current lake record (within the last two years) is the “BSM” (Big Scaled Mirror) which was caught at 70.4lbs in September 2021. It is caught regularly throughout the year, with weights fluctuating between 64lbs and its top weights towards the end of the season.
“One Job Bob” is the only resident catfish in the lake, who’s “one job” is to snap up any rogue bream that cross his path. Like our four grass carp, he is rarely caught by anglers, but on his last of three visits to the bank (in September 2022), weighed upwards of 138lbs/63kgs, and measured over seven feet long!
Anglers need to know that The Golden Carp Lake is not a runs-water.
The fish are clued-up and the lake, like all waters, can be tricky depending on weather conditions and changes in temperature.
Experienced and adaptable anglers always tend to do well on our lake, with record catches of over 80 fish in a week, and an average per-angler catch rate of 8.7 fish per week in 2021-2022.
Having never been drained, the lake contains a natural stock of pike, perch, black bass, roach, bream, tench and sun perch.
We remove a substantial amount of bream towards the end of every year, and although ever-present, they can be avoided by using baits of 20-24mm, which we recommend anyway, as these are the favourite of our resident carp!
Here are some of the latest photo's, more are available here....
