 Lonsdale Park - Cumwhinton - Carlisle CA4 0AY |
 who's done what at Lonsdale Park.
22th August 2007 Well my results came in on Thursday and with an 'A' in Biology and General Studies and 'B's in Chemistry and Physics, Nottingham University confirmed my place to read Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, starting in September. It's been a fight to get this far and now I can look forwards to Fresher's Week and five more years of hard work! So, with finance, accomodation, Codes of Conduct, health declarations, vet societies, student guilds, dissection kits and all kinds of equipment - as well as specified Nottingham Vet School clothing - to buy and organise, not to mention packing and preparing for stiking out on my own, I've been very busy!
From the September 22 I'll be in Nottingham, so if there are any of of you down there - watch out!
Many of you will know that I have applied to do veterinary medicine and, depending on my grades, I'll hopefully be going to Nottingham or The Royal Veterinary College in London. Secondly, the more important update on the fishing and the park! Alan is now living with his wife in Thailand and we hope is doing alright, although we havent heard from him! Dad currently has a young chap called Ben working on trial, so we'll see how that goes... Fishing-wise, Reed Lake has come to the fore this year with a 26lb'er and a 28lb'er, both being produced last week. Ben was a little upset with the 26lb as it was caught from a swim he had been religiously feeding with dog biscuits at the same times every day for a week - and he only vacated it for about an hour to fish Lonsdale when a second chap pulled in the 26lb beastie on dog biscuit. I guess that's just the way the mixer crumbles! The 28lber fell to Paul and Adam Woods, and nobody deserves fish like this more than Paul and family - he's a good angler who works hard, so absoloutely everyone around the park was really pleased for him. The Margett Boys have done well too and their pictures say more than I can really - so here they are...
   The last few matches have been very interesting. A couple of weeks back Jack hauled in over 60lbs of quality roach and last Thursday as I went round weighing in (Dad was away on the Isle of Man Rally) every net featured at least one really quality roach of at least 3/4 of a pound, even the younger more inexperienced boys had found them which was really nice to see. Inspired by the roach in the matches, I set off for the first time in a while to see what silver specimens I could find. Wandering round I found myself sitting on Deer Lake. Being my first outting for a while, I had treated myself to a new reel (one of our Fladen Warbirds from the shop and now highly recommended by yours truly). Having a look at the 'destructions' and seeing some numbers, I set the drag and in went double dead maggot, one of my preferred baits on Deer. Pretty pleased with myself when the bigger roach started comming in - however I only got two of these beautiful fish in when disaster struck... No, I didnt fall in. (Although, incidently, I had been in rather precariously with waders earlier that day). My float bobbed under and with the smooth sweep down and away I knew there was something bigger. No sooner had I worked that out than I looked up to see the line streaking it's way up to Mel's Peg. The drag was all wrong! Trapping the line under a finger above the reel I'm sure I felt a cuff on the back of my head, but Dad was in the Isle of Man and I was alone on my side of the lake... Anyway labouriously playing the fish by hand, pulling in line and letting it out was a great learning experience and I safely landed a beautiful common about 5 or 6lbs.
From this I have taken away two things which I feel are prudent to share with you:
You might be after roach - but you can't tell the fish that can you! Anyway, here's three more photos...
   14th October 2006 Everyone's having a fantastic time at the minute - especially the carp! They just cannot resist the new secret and very special Lonsdale boilie... but don't worry as we have plenty in stock. Bruce, who runs Loch Mayben/Castle Loch, was here last week. As he left the lodge he was complaining of lack of sleep after he had six fish in one night. He was apparently relieved to see the sun rise so he could go and get some kip! Who can blame him with 15 specimen fish averaging around 18lbs?
The way they are going at the moment I'd put money on either Mel or Fran being the ones to break this year's lake record of 29lb 8oz with one of our big 30's. The Willows and the Secret Pool have been quiet this week, no sane angler has seen any reason to move from Lonsdale and Reed. It would be interesting to see what the current carp bonanza could produce from The Willows - maybe there's an experienced angler out there who's going to have a crack at it? Half-term week would be ideal! (Please note you must have Dad's permission to fish the Willows or Secret Pool). With Christmas shopping beginning in ernest now in the major department stores, I've been thinking about this years Christmas card and have one fairly good initial design. If anyone can think of something they'd love to see from us over the festive period - apart from our traditional gift of belting carp and roach catches - then drop me an e-mail and let me know!
Some of the improvements we're currently working on I can exculisely tell you include: They've had more than 12 notable fish in the past week, with our favorite being the 24lbs 7oz common from Reed (right). They've had back up weights sitting around the 21 - 22 - 23lbs mark and had lots of fun as they got them!
Mel and Fran regularly stop with us, so I'm looking forward to posting more pics of the great fish they never fail to produce!
Brian did well too, catching more tench than either Mark or Frank. Mark landed most of the big stuff with mirrors to 16lbs 12oz, commons to 24lbs-plus and the odd ghostie around the 10lb mark but going up to 15lbs 12oz. Many regulars will be familiar with Mel and Fran who landed their first carp within an hour of arriving. Paul Woods, meanwhile, left on Friday night not quite beating his personal best - which he caught with us last year - of a 21lb Grass Carp, but he did come close with a 19lber!
The Carp pretty much seem to be going crazy, but the silver fish are feeding too. A guest staying with us from London last week confirmed he'd had the best roaching fishing anywhere and although he didn't quite break the 2lb mark, he estimated he had over 80lbs at one sitting.
We expected the Secret Pool Mark Simmons stock to reach 20lb, and judging by this growth we're hoping The Willows exceeds our 30lb target too. Mark Carberry also had fantastic catch of 29 carp, most of them from Reed Lake with a few from Lonsdale. whilst Darren from the Isle of Man had a memorable stay landing a 23lb Ghostie! On the admin side of things, with the predictions regarding weather and fish weights for October and Xmas, the bookings are starting to arrive - so if you're thinking of the Holidays you need to sort things out sooner rather than later! For Christmas bookings we're including a free luxury hamper and of course a Christmas Tree! 9th September 2006 Well it's been a busy time of it! And that requires a Monster Update!
Unfortunately the wedding conflicted with our Tuesday Match, but Loz still had a go, borrowing Frank's peg!
Meanwhile, the matches have been pulling in good weights and some more unusual of our fish with Brenda landing one of our Deer Lake Black Tench. Dad also discovered that our... erm... vintage boilies which were made especially for us and had been left (and I mean left!) in the back of one of our bait freezers are still catching fish! One angler in particular couldn't go wrong with them, naturally Dad has reduced the price, but these boilies are not to be sniffed at! Condensed Milk and Peach Melba are the favourites - which is odd as traditionally on our waters condensed milk flavours are not popular. Must be the vintage!
The fish just seemed to have kicked into feeding mode, so if you're due a stay with us soon - you've timed it right! Hopefully the weather will stay just a bit nippy early morning and then warm up to keep the fish feeding! In amongst all of this we - I actually mean mostly Alan - finally managed to convince Lucky our Shetland pony to trust us and let us get a head collar on her. This meant the vet could come out to attend to her front feet and she is feeling much better now! She's definately appreciating all the attention and carrots!
I would advise adult supervision if you're going to take your children to feed her, however, as there is still a wild streak in her sometimes!
A 17lbs 12oz came off Secret Pool this week to Dave Folley whilst the match on Thursday was won with over 38lbs of roach. Back-up weights were mostly in the 20's.
Meanwhile, my Duke of Edingburgh's Award Gold Canoeing Expedition on Loch Lomond went well and we passed, as well as covering Loch Lomond in three and a half days! It was fantastic and I'd recommend it to anyone. Then I launched straight into seeing practice at the vets for a week, which was great. Having survived all that I settled back into Lonsdale life on Saturday, with Dad rallying on the Isle of Man. Three powercuts before 9.00am and some tempermental gates later, I went over to the Arches site with my little sister Amy on the Quad.
With a medical bed to take down, two single beds to construct, electricty gone haywire and an absent Dad I really didn't have time for a trip to casualty but luckily the vets had told me if you get bitten you should not pull your hand away - just open the jaw and lift.
So this is what I did. Anyway, I got the beds and everything else sorted with my left hand and then Mum whisked me away - several steristrips, iodine bandages and antibiotics later I was back in time to show people around. Phew!
Last night Phil landed a corker! Fishing on his float rod with 3lb line he managed to net a 17lb carp.
Dad and I haven't managed to be out much this week, but Dad did get a couple of big chub off The Willows. These fish originally came to us as fry and have grown on to become rather large. Dad has named the first 'Charlie Chub' and Amy named the second 'Chubby Chub'. This wasn't expected, and Dad anticipates
a 3lb specimen any time now, as he spotted a huge fish whilst out.
Firstly last week - the aforementioned tench angler Paul won our match with 45lb of the doctor fish. More than enough to cure any fishy ails and keep Paul actrive throughout much of the match!
More recently, today's match was won by Chris (pictured right) with 41lbs 4oz of roach whilst the second placed angler came in with 27lbs 6oz.
His reward for this gentle, relaxing days fishing? Forty eight tench, all between 3lbs and 6lbs with the average being just over 5lbs. Not strictly a carp catch-up item, I know, but still thought I'd let you know the tench are well and truly incredible at the moment. Paul is pictured left with his fantastic bag of tench.
If a stall was set out for our double figure beauties an even more impressive bag may be recorded here laterin the year!
Wally, one of our regular guests, has had two one-hour trips to the Willows Lake this week. The first delivered a beautiful 18lbs 2oz fish and the second rounded his final day off magnificently with a fish of 22lbs. Both succumbed to the traditional bread, and as we'll see later it's been a week for traditional methods. Back to the new. New guest Jamie Griffiths fished The Willows with Lonsdale Park's new boillies and bagged a 23lb 2oz mirror.
This week has seen him with a superb bag. The first fish to put a bend in new acquisition weighed in at 16lbs 8oz and was followed over the week with one of 14lbs 12oz from Secret Pool plus fish of 17lbs and 19lbs.
To cap it all off, as the light died on Thursday evening bubbles slowly crept towards that loved float. One frantic phone call later saw his expert photographer (me!) taking a picture or two of his ugly mug with that fine 24lbs 8oz fish (above right). Lucky or what?
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Mel and Fran Quine from Strang on the Isle of Man celebrated their 100th visit to Lonsdale Park in 10 years in October - and yet again bagged up with some lovely late season fish.
And this didn't include a great haul of other species which they picked up along the way including two pike to 16lbs, tench to 7lbs 8oz and perch to a lip smacking 3lbs 8oz.
Mel and Fran are really doing well with over 23 specimen fish, six of them over the 20lb mark, the biggest of which weighed in at 25lbs 12oz. They have been coming to stay with us for 10 years now and said to Dad last night: "This is the best fishing we've ever had, it's not something we're likely to repeat in a lifetime. Absolutely brilliant."
A new lake
Mel and Fran are currently staying with us and have definitely proved it's possible to catch carp here 24/7!
Last week Andy and Fred Walker had a good collection of fish from the Secret Pool, topping with the curent lake record of 21lb (pictured left).
The first thing that springs to mind, is Congratulations! to Bob and Lorraine who were recently married and had their wedding reception with us.
Just a couple of hours into his arrival, Bob started landing carp, but we think Loz was definately his best catch!
And last week saw Paul Clamp land a 17lbs 8oz ghostie from Reed Mere (left). Reed is currently our most consistent lake regularly producing carp around the 22lb mark.
Russ Fisher had a 25lbs 12oz carp off The Willows this weekend (left) and Anthony McMahon took a Grass Carp weighing 21lbs 7oz on the trusty Source boilie and pva stocking approach (below right).
I went up to see No 6 and ended up being totally daft and approaching a barking Akita which decided - probably rightly - that I was dangerous and eliminated the possible threat of my right hand.
Tuesday's match was won by Jack (Uncle Albert's' friend) with 53lb of roach. Jack is pictured left with a specimen which came in at just 2lbs. Meanwhile Terry (aka Uncle Albert) won Thursday's match with 37lb 12 oz of roach.
An update on our recent well attended residents' matches.
An interesting day yesterday - one of our regular guests Paul fished from 9.00am until 12.00 noon when he decided to stop for a long four-hour lunch and then continued into the early evening until around 5.00pm.
Finally, Paul has acquired something of a 'magic wand', says Wally. A beautiful example of a Richard Walker Mk IV split cane rod which is 36 years old and hasn't seen a fish for 25. True to form, Paul has set her up with a Grice and Young 'Jecta Crown' centre-pin, supplied by Wally, and using a soulful quill he made himself some years ago set out with a worm.