Sherborne Lake, Dorset

[CAR476]

For those who don't know it, Sherborne Lake is a Capability Brown designed water of around fifty acres in the grounds of Sherborne Castle. Fish stocks include bream to over 7lbs, Tench to over 6lbs + Roach, Perch.....and, rumour has it, Carp. All sounds perfect except nobody seems to have told the fish !
I have fished the lake for three seasons, with the best result a half pound skimmer + a few barely born roach ! Matches are held fortnightly and the club posts the results on their website. These results are not especially stunning, averaging around 8lbs for the top weight so far this year. Having asked fellow anglers on the banks, there appears to be no real route to success.....usual 'excuses' prevail. Too early in the season, too late in the season, too sunny, wind from the east, fish have moved to the middle, close- in is best, feeder is best, float is best...etc etc. The one common factor however is water clarity. For whatever reason the water can go from slightly coloured (green ish) to gin clear in a matter of days.....from what I have heard, clear means a blank day.
Any thoughts ???

 

[buygoodtackle]

I fish a Capability Brown lake on the Bowood Estate and it too can lose all colour overnight. However, the best results when this happens is to search out the weed beds - you may not always see them on the surface. Once found, if they are in raking range, rake a clear channel and concentrate on fishing either a waggler or pole with a long lash in this channel. If the weed beds are too far out to rake either try fishing a waggler on the edge of the bed or if too far then an open end feeder with chopped worm. Think corn, worm, bread, maggot, caster,wheat and hemp rather than pellet. Hopes this helps.

 

[CAR476]

Thanks, I’ll give that a try. The weed is lilly pads which seem to sprout from ‘cabbages, on the bottom. The club keeps channels clear but I’ll have go with an old rake head to stir things up.
Thanks again.

 

[hunter]

I would recommend taking some Rubber Gardening Gloves etc as depending on the Water raking can be a wet and muddy experience. I ended up looking like Al Jolson the last time I tried it!

 

[CAR476]

I would recommend taking some Rubber Gardening Gloves etc as depending on the Water raking can be a wet and muddy experience. I ended up looking like Al Jolson the last time I tried it!

Ha ! Very good…..but you can’t say that sort of thing these days….can you

 

[hunter]

Ha ! Very good…..but you can’t say that sort of thing these days….can you

Oh, you certainly can! Even the Politically Correct Morons can't pretend that historical figures didn't exist and are best ignored. Now if you'll excuse me I'll get back to my Black & White Minstrels CD.

 

[CAR476]

Oh, you certainly can! Even the Politically Correct Morons can't pretend that historical figures didn't exist and are best ignored. Now if you'll excuse me I'll get back to my Black & White Minstrels CD.