no name Etang Rendezvous Willow Lake Vallee Lake 1 Lac de Laneuville Les Burons Poplars Lake Beausoleil Birch Lake Birch Pool Retreat The Retreat Eagle Lake & Peters Pool Moorlands Fisheries Ultimate Lake Le Moulin du Mee St Leonards Orchard Lake Lake Juvanze Etang Marolles - Big Lake none Etang Tissier Carp Hunters Retreat Croix Blanche Lake Small water venue Poppy's Lake Saint Amand Leisure La Verrerie Croix Blanche Tortue Lake Woody's Hooked in France none1 Petit Pretre - Gun Lake Les Basses Berthieres Malhere Etang Marolles - Caravan Lake Oakwood Fisheries none Staceys Place Etangs de L'Ecurie - Tall Trees La Bourgonniere Lakeside View Farm Lake Lac Lucie Kingfisher L'Angottiere Maison Verre Lac du Val
February 2012 September 2017 March 2012 April 2012 May 2012 June 2012 July 2012 August 2012 September 2012 October 2012 November 2012 December 2012 January 2013 February 2013 April 2013 May 2013 June 2013 July 2013 August 2013 September 2013 October 2013 December 2013 February 2014 March 2014 April 2014 May 2014 June 2014 July 2014 August 2014 September 2014 October 2014 November 2014 December 2014 January 2015 February 2015 March 2015 April 2015 May 2015 June 2015 July 2015 August 2015 September 2015 November 2015 December 2015 January 2016 March 2016 April 2016 May 2016 June 2016 July 2016 November 2016 December 2016 January 2017 February 2017 March 2017 April 2017 May 2017 June 2017 October 2017 January 2018 February 2018 April 2018 May 2018 June 2018 July 2018 August 2018 September 2018 October 2018 November 2018 December 2018 January 2019 March 2019 April 2019 May 2019 June 2019 October 2019 November 2019 January 2020 February 2020 March 2020 April 2020 May 2020 August 2020 October 2020
Alan and Judy Lobley from Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, have been visiting the complex for over a decade.
They fell in love with Orchard Lake on their first visit some years ago to such an extent that they have booked the first two weeks of September on Orchard every year indefinitely.
Alan is a very accomplished angler and is equally at home with big cats as well as the carp and always does well. Judy likes the comfort of the cabin on Orchard and with it being so close to the swims she can help Alan out with fish if needs be.
They also fell in love with Gizmo our Yorkshire terrier from when he was a pup and he inspired them to get a Yorkshire of their own, but then they went a bit far in that they now have three Yorkies - Oscar, Ellie and Ted!
The dogs come out with them every September and really love the space and freedom they have to wander and explore the banks.
Alan and Judy are out again for their two weeks in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 etc...........
For over a decade a group of anglers from Somerset and Avon police annually visited the complex.
They fished all the lakes at the complex banking many personal bests, but their favourite venue was Birch Lake for the quality of the fishing and the good bankside accomodation..
One of the policeman, a Traffic Unit boss from Frome called Nigel Butler set a record catch in 2009.
In a single day Nigel landed seven cats with the two biggest at 120lbs and 105lbs making this catch the biggest brace of catfish ever landed from the complex.
A couple of years ago Nigel retired and bought his own carp and cat lake just a few minutes drive away, so we have lost a client but gained a very good friend. If you are coming over in 2017, you may bump into him as he often calls over to see how our fishermen are doing.
Here are the pictures of his 225lb brace!
Could you break his record in 2017?
David Simons and Ian Brownell have been visiting the complex for a decade now. Their early efforts were on Poplars Lake where the caught many carp into the mid-40s and some of the very big cats. In more recent years they have focused on Eagle and Peters where they continued to catch consistently and in 2016 they fished Orchard for the first time landing many fish.
They are booked onto Eagle and Peters in September 2017 and September 2018.
Another angler who has been coming for over a decade is Darren Norris. He has fished every lake on the complex and is a fan of the big cats as well as the carp. Darren holds the record carp and cat brace from Eagle and Peters with a carp of 44lbs and a Wels' of 77lbs caught on the same day. The 77lb Wels' was a new record for Eagle until it was broken by an 80lb fish this season.
Darren is out again with us for 2017.
The Howcroft family from Basingstoke have been coming to the complex for seven years now.
In that time they have fished all four venues: Birch, Poplars, Eagle and Peters and Orchard. They are equally at home targetting the big cats as well as the carp. I can't recollect a visit where they have no caught well with dad Fred and son David often chasing the big cats. Mum Jan is a very fine angler too and often banks the biggest carp of the week. David's daughter Lauren often comes with them.
In 2017 they have booked in for two weeks laid-back fishing on Orchard lake at the end of September.
This week has seen lovely clear days with bitter winds. Great for working, we have been continuing with our planned works and improvements to the fishery.
First we set about clearing the south facing bank which had Alders growing the whole length of it, these were removed and cut up for fire wood. This has left spectacular views over the end of the lake. As you can seen Oakwood Fisheries is a mature stunning venue of over 150 years old.
We thought it would be a good idea to feature in the Blog some of our regular anglers who have fished the complex for several years now.
First up is 76 years young Colin from Luton. Colin has fished Poplars, Birch and Orchard in recent years and here he is pictured with a personal best 34lbs plus from Orchard which beat his previous best of 29lbs from Birch. He is fishing Orchard in 2017.
Shelly from Epsom is our most successful lady angler and has fished Birch, Eagle and Peters and Orchard and always does well, often outfishing her male fishing companions. Here she is pictured with Casper at 41lbs from Orchard and her pb Wels of 63lbs 5ozs. Shelly comes out a couple of times a year and is on Eagle and Peters and Orchard in 2017.
More regulars will be featured in next weeks Blog!