Essex carper!

This tactic really is a head messer I just look at it and think how? But clearly it is very effective way of fishing sometimes,I have had a few dabbles with the zig but never really had any luck but after reading this thread I will definitely be giving it a proper go this year. A great read everyone well done.

That's great Mikey, thanks for the info sounds like it's worth a bash then, just one question are the crayfish a big problem on the venue?

Yea that's why I only fish in the week! Lol

Hi all not been on for a while but anyway I have joined CAPS this year and I am after any upto date info on one of the lakes called Prestons and some people call it Pebmarsh I have had a look on the CAPS website but no real good info and I have taken a look on here but there is nothing really upto date so any info would be a great help as I'm hoping to do a 48hr in a couple of weeks. Cheers

Not long back from 48hr session at cutons lakes (A12 lakes) on the specimen 2 lake had 5 fish and one lost but nothing big at all 12lb 8oz being the biggest but considering I had a stinking cold, so really was struggling to even fish I'm not to disappointed was just nice to have a few runs but must admit I don't think I will ever go with a cold again it was hard work and I don't do hard work lol

Yes mate I had a look but could not find upto date info,but found some bits and pieces elsewhere anyway I fished the lake as planned but unfortunately blanked,I managed to chat to the bailiffs on the the lake and one of the members who managed to angle a very nice 20lb fully scaled mirror out and the one thing that came across is that it is a far from easy lake and in fact went as far as to say that it is a hard lake to crack,the one thing I would say about the fishery is how well looked after it is and how great the facility's are like proper toilets and even showers on site also the lake has a bailiff on site 24hrs a day and I was told if I caught a large fished and needed a hand just to give them a call no matter what the time is,the fishery also has a buggy service on site to take your gear to the swims so long as it it's not too muddy which I thought was a great idea also there are a number of takeaways that deliver to the lake car park which is handy. I will return for sure.

Hi all I'm off to this fishery for a 48hr session this week and have never fished the venue,I have read some bits and pieces on the lake but was just wondering if anyone has fished there lately and has some up to date information. Cheers

Have to agree it is great value for money and saves a fortune on day tickets!

Well I done my session on the lake (cutons speci 1) and yet again I blanked, a couple of my friends had a carp each but that was it I'm starting to think it's the way I'm fishing as I guy opposite my swim who was fishing into a bay who had done the previous 36 hrs and Had 14 fish and the biggest being 30lb 1oz which he caught while I was there and the other thing I found out was that there have been some large catches in the last few months (when I say large catches I mean people catching more than 15 fish in a session) however they blow hot and cold one week lots of fish and the next they go off the feed so can be a bit hit and miss,incredibly I always usually use frozen cell but this time I decided to give Urban baits Nutcracker a go as I had read some good catch reports about it and can you believe it I found out that a lot of the multiple catches have come on frozen cell that's just my luck but there you go,I'm going to give the lake another go at some point as I'm determined to catch the little [censored]s lol.

I fished this lake some years ago in the winter and then it was owned by Billericay angling club,I remember it being very weedy even though it was January and apparently in the summer it is full of weed however having said that from what I remember it has a good head of carp just need to get through the weed hop that helps.

Off to the speci1 lake next week so will post results,but has anyone got any up to date info please?

Yes mate thanks anyway

Hi everyone,I found this place online as its close to where I have a static caravan and was looking for places to fish nearby,anyway it comprises of three lakes.the top lake which from what I have read has carp to 30lb a match lake and a catfish lake,I was just wondering if anybody has actually fished here or has anymore info,many thanks in advance.

I'm not now but I was some years ago,they have a lot of waters for what I think is a very reasonable joining fee and no extra charges for a night ticket like Chelmsford which are sold out so quick it's hard to get one.

Yea I agree with you to a degree with what your saying ie the cats won't be feeding however to let the lake rest be it cats or carp is a fantastic idea and I just wish other venues would do the same but like you hint at not much chance of that its all money money, like all all carp fishing,so sad fishing has be become a money making venture.its all money money money!!

Yea I know but since all the work that was done it seems to be busy during the week every time I go or I'm just unlucky lol,just a footnote last year the lake was closed for 4months and Jason's wife said he wants to close it again this year between November and march to give the lake a rest,interesting idea that.

Got back yesterday from another 48hr session on the lake and it was hard going especially on Wednesday with the monsoon like rain,only managed 2 fish which was a small cat of 11lb and a nice looking mirror of 22lb but considering there was 10 anglers on the lake and the the shocking weather only me and one other angler managed to catch so should not complain I suppose.

Hi all I realise this is an old thread however I'm considering fishing the big fish lake at this venue In mid October was just after any upto date info on the the venue if anyone has any. Cheers

Since he widened the lake and dug all the silt out the lake seems more universal in depth apart from around the island where it is a bit shallower apart from a hole where the catfish sometimes lay up,as for what end of the lake the fish were showing as you walk in from the car park the fish were showing on the bank to the right hand side from about the middle of the lake out to the last two swims( the last swim is known as cat corner and is the swim where I had the 3 mid 20s earlier this year) where there is a small bar which runs from that bank up towards the island,I fished on a big swim close to the island into the wind thinking that they would follow it but most of the fish I saw rising were in them areas that I described above but for whatever reason the guys who was fishing that end only had 3 catfish between four of them but to be honest it is entirely possible they were only after the cats which some people do over there now.

Well just to let people know how I got on on my recent session,I arrived on Wednesday afternoon to a few fish showing, anyway got myself set up and was getting some knocks or liners whichever way you want to say it which gave me some encouragement,into the evening and I get my first run and my first thought was I had hooked a decent carp but when I eventually got it to the surface the said carp turned into a small catfish lol - it tipped the scales around to a very modest 12lb but still at least I had caught,later in the evening another run comes along just as I was about to re bait and this time I'm sure it was a carp but unfortunately after a brief tussle it slipped the hook -;( into the the early hours of Thursday morning and I'm awoken by the bite alarm at 3am and I'm in again and this time it is a carp and it does not slip the hook, this time it's in the landing net and I know by looking at it its a 20lb+, I put it on the scales and sure enough it goes through the 20lb mark and settles on 24lb 2oz and of course I'm very happy a beautiful looking common in great condition. Into Thursday day proper and the heavens open with thunder and lightning and I don't know why but this seemed to kill the fishing as it completely went quiete no knocks or liners and that was it right through to Friday lunchtime when I packed up. Looking forward to getting over there again in mid September.

Well I think I posted about the 1st time that I had fished there in a number of years and that I had three mid 20lb carp and my brother had a 61lb catfish, since then I have done two more sessions and just had relatively small cats but have caught every time and the reason I believe that I had no carp was that they were get ready to spawn,has it ever been easy? Well if I'm honest no your right it has not but now it's been made bigger is it any better? Well I don't think I could answer that question after only 3 sessions but the only thing I would say is that I've heard some good things about the size of the carp that do come out ie: numerous 30lb carp which feels me with encouragement as I'm desperate to break through that barrier so only more time on the fishery will tell and as ever if I catch I will post it here.

I realise this is an old thread but off to crow green for 48hr session next week and not been over there for a couple of months does anyone know how it's fishing? Many thanks

Yea I'm inclined to agree,I think that when they are feeding they bully the carp out which is a shame and I can't see what you can do to stop it,in the passed I've tried using fruity baits like strawberry or something along them lines but I've still caught cats,I suppose that's just fishing.

Absolutely as the baits we was using were just not working so thought that a change of bait could do no worse and as the result proved it was a good move going to get the different bait,I think to many people get to a lake and will sit there thinking that the fish are just not interested instead of trying to change things like the bait and rigs,in my opinion if your not catching you have got to try all sorts of different things it's no good just sitting there and doing nothing and if that means going off to get some different bait I will do it,some would say why did I not take a variety of baits and looking back I should have done but I did not just think oh well that's life I done something about it.

Well i fished this lake and it was not an easy lake to be honest but with the limited info I had managed to get on the lake I had expected that anyway. Well we arrived on the Tuesday early afternoon and it was very windy but sunny and warm but there was no fish showing at all,so into the first night and I was awakened at 3am to a bite alarm going off but not mine it was my cousins and it turned out to be a very small Catfish of 9lb but at least we saw a fish on the bank,anyway into the second day and still very little sign of fish so I had a chat with my brother about a change of bait which would mean going to a tackle shop in Clacton about 6 miles away which is what I did and decided to try Active 8 frozen. So I return and it's now it's well into the afternoon and so change the bait and put out a fair few freebies and within 20 minutes my brother hooks into what we knew pretty quickly was a Catfish and a hard fighting one at that,after a 25min battle he finally gets it in and it is very nice 42lb(he has caught cats too 61lb but said he has never had fight as hard as that) into the evening and at around 11pm my alarm screams and at last I'm in and straight away I know I'm into a cat as the fight is unmistakable and after a 20min battle i manage to land what turns out to be a PB for me of just over 36lb which I was well pleased with,unfortunately that was pretty much it apart from a small Common of 9lb which my cousin caught as we was packing up,but I like the lake and will return at some point in the future.