Bob Goes Fishing

Syndicate Lake (12)

18 June 2013 Venue: Syndicate Lake

Nothing worth photographing today.

Arrival time: 18.00
Weather: Very warm and humid with some rain
Swim: NE bay.
Tackle: 12ft Drennan Barbel Specialist, 8lb line, 10 hook.
14ft Shimano Speedmaster match rod, Shimano Exage 1000RC reel with 5lb line and 14 hook.
Bait: Luncheon meat.
Fish: One small roach

I had been waiting indoors for a delivery that never came. I also had a headache, not helped by the stormy weather. Come five o’clock I decided to go over the lake. The conditions were good and I thought some air might clear my head.

I had arrived and set up two rods by six o’clock. Unfortunately in my haste to get out I had left my coat behind, and I didn’t have a brolly with me either. Sod’s law prevailed and it started raining just after I had tackled up and cast. I sat it out and fortunately it was short-lived, but my shirt had got wet and my headache wasn’t getting any better.

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Species: Roach

Stake Hill (8)

12 June 2013 Venue: Stake Hill

Nothing worth photographing today.

Arrival time: 17.00
Weather: Cloudy with rain threatening, and actually arriving, thus cutting short my stay
Swim: Far corner
Tackle: 12ft Greys’ Rova Float rod, Speedia centre pin reel with 3lb line, waggler, 14 hook.
Baits: Sweetcorn & bread flake.
Fish: A number of small bream and one small tench.

The weather forecast wasn’t great, but I took a chance and arrived at 17.00 to find an empty lake. Obviously nobody else was brave enough to chance it.

The wind was strong but, as it happened, the direction was such that the corner where I normally fish was in fact the only sheltered spot. After a short while a small bream was hooked. It leapt out of the water and proceeded to ‘skim’ across the surface. I guess this is where the term skimmers comes from.

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Species: Bream, Tench

Kilnsey (2)

11 June 2013 Venue: Kilnsey

Only one photo today.
Larger light-box version in the full report

Arrival time: 12.45
Weather: Overcast with some light rain
Swim: Fished from between lakes, trying each.
Tackle: Sonic SK3 9’6” #6/7 rod, Sonic SK3 reel, floating line, leader of 7lb & 5lb flourocarbon with 4lb tip.
Lures: Selection of nymphs.
Fish: Four rainbow trout. Best fish approx 3lbs.

My second visit to this nature park. Last time I hired a rod but I now have my own fly rod, so was able to get a catch and release 4-hour session for £13.50.

There were about five people on the lake and there didn’t seem much action, although a chap to my left landed a fish shortly after I arrived. I went and had a word with him about choice of fly, but he said he had tried a number of patterns since arriving about three hours earlier.

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Species: Rainbow trout

Stake Hill (7)

10 June 2013 Venue: Stake Hill

Only one photo today.
Larger light-box version in the full report

Arrival time: 18.00
Weather: Bright evening clouding over towards dusk, when the temperature dropped rapidly.
Swim: Far corner
Tackle: 12ft Greys’ Rova Float rod, Speedia centre pin reel with 3lb line, waggler, 14 hook.
Baits: Sweetcorn & bread flake.
Fish: Mixed bag of small bream, tench and roach, with a carp of about 2lbs.

A week’s holiday near Ilkley provided the opportunity to re-visit Stake Hill Fishery. I first went there in 2007, which I think was the year it opened. The fish have always been quite small but on light tackle provide a good evening’s sport.

Although there were more people this time than on previous occasions, I don’t think the fish receive anywhere near the ‘feed’ that would be put into the water on a more popular commercial lake. This probably accounts for the fairly slow growth rate, plus average temperature in this ‘high’ lake is probably lower than in lowland areas.

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Species: Carp, Tench, Roach, Bream

Syndicate Lake (11)

04 June 2013 Venue: Syndicate Lake

More photos in the full report

Arrival time: 15.45
Weather: Sunny at first but wind became cold and even colder when the sky clouded over.
Swim: Lily pads and NE bay.
Tackle: 12ft Drennan Barbel Specialist, 8lb line, 10 hook.
14ft Shimano Speedmaster match rod, Shimano Exage 1000RC reel with 5lb line and 14 hook.
Baits: Bread flake & Luncheon meat.
Fish: three carp, best fish 11lbs 10oz.

In my last report I said I would return and have a go at the roach. Unfortunately fishing rarely pans out as you would like. Whereas on the last occasion I was getting a bite a cast from roach using my heavier tackle, today I could hardly tempt them with a nibble using a much more appropriate set up. However, let’s start at the beginning.

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Species: Carp 10lb+, Carp

Syndicate Lake (9)

21 May 2013 Venue: Syndicate Lake

More photos in the full report

Arrival time: 14.30
Weather: Cloudy with drizzle, brightening later.
Windy but this didn’t affect the sheltered lake.
Swim: Lily pads
Tackle: 10ft Fishtec compact float rod with Shimano ST5000 reel, 6lb line and 16 hook.
11’6” Hardy Marksman, Shimano Exage 4000RC reel, 8lb line, 12 hook.
Baits: Luncheon meat , worm and sweetcorn.
Fish: One nice carp, 11lbs 6oz, a few roach and a small pike.

The first bit of good news was that the undergrowth hadn’t yet taken hold so I could actually get to what I call the lily pad swim without too much trouble. There were, however, no lily pads at this time of year. They’re obviously awaiting spring/summer like the rest of us.

There were no signs at all of fish movement, which contrasts with when I first looked at the lake in March last year, when there were carp cruising during what was an early warm spell.

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Species: Carp 10lb+, Roach, Pike

Bob Goes Fishing

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Syndicate Lake (12)

Stake Hill (8)

Kilnsey (2)

Stake Hill (7)

Syndicate Lake (11)

Syndicate Lake (9)