Cedar Lake – an April Session
The lake
The lake is about 4 acres in size, bowl shaped with steep tree lined banks across three sides and sloping grass on the fourth, with a pontoon and jetty in the water. Behind that is the owner’s house and front garden. At either end of the lake are lodges with steps leading down to large fishing platforms.
The lake has crystal clear water and varies in depth from between 2ft to 6ft. In the shallow areas are large beds of underwater weeds reaching from the bottom and these can be seen clearly on a sunny day looking down from the high bank. In the deepest areas the bottom is clean and made up of a very fine sandy pebble.
In front of swim 3/4 there is a large gravel bar that almost reaches the surface with a deep channel either side.
The fish can be spotted easily looking from the high bank, which is about 10ft above the clear water. That was where I first saw all the carp - loads of them up to 50 at a time on a sunny day. Most of the fish are mirrors - I dunno how many but loads… and all of a good size 20lb+ and quite a few that dwarfed the majority, huge fish with massive bellies and small heads.
Two 40lb carp had been caught the week previous and the lake has only been open 3 weeks, so with a unknown original stock who knows what it might throw up? After seeing all these fish we couldn’t wait to get the rods out!
The accommodation
At either end of the lake is a lodge with steps leading down to large fishing platforms.
In each lodge is a gas 4 ring hob, a small fridge, pots, pans, cutlery… everything you need cook well with. There’s no running water but large 20litre water containers are supplied which can easily be filled up at the tap in the shower block. In each lodge is two single beds (but you need to bring your own bedding)
You step out of the lodge onto a veranda with a table and bench for eating on. Via some wooden steps this leads down to a large fishing platform raised about a foot above the water. This can easily take 2 x one man bivvys and all your gear. I'd recommend you use a self standing bivvy that can be screwed into the platform with large rings (screws are supplied for one swim). The other has ground at the back of the platform and it’s easy to erect the bivvy. It can be a bit of a pain and needs a strong hand, but once its up it’s pure luxury - no mud, you can walk around in socks! Its nice and clean and really comfy especially if there’s 2 of you in a swim… and there’s plenty of water either side.
It really is like home from home - nice comfy swims, electric in easy reach for essential charging, fridge keeping the beer chilled- absolutely ideal for a party of 4 or 2 anglers who want to fish together and have half a lake each.
If 2 of you are fishing together one person must stay on the platform at all times while the rods are in, running down the steps to a screamer you would more than likely result in you breaking your neck!
There’s plenty of roach, perch and bream in the lake too… so this would even suit couples who’s wife might like sitting there with a float whacking out roach, or families that may not want to stay in bivvys but want to fish and have a comfy bed at the end of the day.
Along the third bank is another newly built wooden lodge with 2 clean toilets and showers. Electric is provided by a generator at the back of the lodge.
Our session
After a toss of a coin Mark and myself chose swim 1+2, which is at the near end of the lake by the driveway where our van was parked.
After setting up and having a scan around with the baitboat we realised the weed was a bit more than we expected… but in amongst it was large clear areas in the middle and around the margins. We got to work, finding our spots and even using a rake to clear areas in the margins.
It had been only a couple of hours when my buzzer screamed and I was into a fish which ploughed through the weed attaching it to the line. After a good fight we slipped the net under the first fish… a mirror of 22lb… so we’d had a good start!
The night was quiet productive with us landing a couple more fish, all over 20lb, but also lost a couple due to the weed.
Sunday and Monday the action got quite hectic with us landing another 10 fish – and only one under 20lb. The biggest was 28lb, but we also lost a fair few in the weed.
This was a problem because as the fish ploughs through the weed the lead would slide up the line and the weed would attach itself. Then you would end up with a 20lb fish and 20lb of weed hanging from your line.
After a while thinking about the problem (as we were losing more than we were landing) we came up with the solution of using helicopter rigs so that the weed cannot attach itself. This seemed to work to a degree. Also, using inline leads and nothing with a swivel hanging on it helped.
On Monday we had a surprise visit from Gareth from Angling Lines who had come to shoot some video of the lake. During his stay we managed to bank a few fish for the camera, but a lot of the action was at night so he missed out on a few. When he was leaving he gave us half a bag of Quest Baits to try.
The whole time we were in the swim we could see fish crashing at the opposite side of the lake everyday and Mark had had a busy previous night with 5 runs all coming from the distance rod towards the other swim. So on Wednesday, because we were the only ones on the lake, we decided to move camps to the opposite lodge.
After setting up I didn’t have many of my frozen boilies and the rest were in the freezer which was to the side of the house. Being lazy and wanting to get the rods out I baited the rods with a combination of pineapple pop-ups and Quest Baits. I flicked the 1st rod down the margin and before I had chance to get all 3 out it was away. This time it was a lot easier to play the fish as the weed was quite sparse and there was large clear areas. After a good fight I banked the biggest carp yet at 29lb 8oz… but within ten minutes of putting it back another screamer and the first 30 pounder - at 31lb - was landed. I was well chuffed!
It wasn’t long before Mark was into a fish and another upper 20. The night was very quiet but during Thursday daytime we banked another few fish into high 20’s.
As the evening approached and the sun dipped behind the large cedar trees my buzzer burst into life and the line ripped of my reel. I was into another good fish which fought like a tank as it swirled and rolled in the crystal clear water. After 10 minutes we finally got it to the net and what a catch it was … 37lb 14oz of big fat mirror… what else could you want! The quality of the fish is superb and with an unknown quantity of originals who really knows what’s in here?
The night was quiet again with us managing another good 20lb+ fish each. This was strange because the majority of the runs in the other swim had come at night - not complaining though as I was catching up on a few sleepless nights.
Friday morning I got up early and made sure the baits were back in position. Within a hour my middle rod was away and I was into the third 30 of the trip - a magnificent fat bellied mirror at 35lb.
Hours later another run which slipped the hook, but then minutes later another rod was away with another mirror of 23lb. Why do you get hours of nothing then 2 runs at once???
Mid afternoon and the sun is really hot when I get a run and lose it in the weed. Grrrr! Fed up I decided to go for a shower. The door to the shower room kept blowing open. There was a bolt on the inside but the handle was dodgy so I slid the bolt closed and took my shower. Afterwards when I went to open the door the bolt was firmly shut and I was trapped! I tried pulling the bolt out with my finger with no luck.
Panic struck, thinking “Oh shit, I'm stuck” I checked my pockets for anything which might help lever the bolt nothing. Scanning around on the floor I spotted a piece of metal and after a further 15minutes digging at the doorframe I finally managed to lever the bolt across. It was lucky because much longer and I was near to breaking the door open – of course I didn’t think to open the large window in front of me! Doh!
The rods went back out for the last night and the final chance to catch some more.
In total between mark and myself we must of had 50 runs in which half were lost. When the weed dies down a bit later in the year this venue is gonna have some awesome results of big fish, with the majority 20lb+ I think we were unlucky on the timing as I've been told the lake has been treated for the weed growth and should be much better pretty soon. That’s when the 40-50 fish hits are gonna be possible.
As the last night drew in the rods were cast for the last time with the hope of the last night business and a good result. It wasn’t long into dark when the 1st run came to Mark and after a very weedy fight we slipped the net under the first common at 17lb. A long torpedo shaped fish nothing like the fat mirrors that were stocked but a nice fish nevertheless. A few hours later he’s in again with another 20 while my buzzers were quiet.
Finally managed to get a bit of sleep until his buzzers burst into life for the 3rd time during the night which produced the icing on the cake at 5.30am in the morning - a 31lb mirror for Mark. And that’s were it finished we reluctantly wound our rods in to start our long journey home.
I think this lake has huge potential and is rammed with quality carp and is definitely worth thinking about for a trip abroad. It was a shame about the weed situation at the time but we still really enjoyed our week of comfort and carp.
Andy Lear
In total we had 57 runs between us and landed 29 fish;
4 x 30lb… biggest 37lb14oz. 20 x 20 & 5x10+
Andy
23.4m, 35.0m, 37.14m, 31.0m, 10.0m, 22.14m, 27.14m, 28.8m, 16.4m, 23.2m, 24.0m, 22.2m, 22.4m, 29.8m, 22.8m, 37.14m, 19.4m, 23.2m.
Mark
26.0m, 31.2m, 24.8m, 26.0m, 27.2m, 27.8m, 18.8m, 28.4m, 26.2m, 27.0m, 17.0c, 21.2m.
