Big Fish: Catfish present night challenge

One of the best starts to the spring season in years continued to deliver great results around all of the local fisheries last week despite a cooling off period and the first substantial rainfall in a couple of weeks.

Carp continue to dominate both the commercial pools and the gravel pits with match, pleasure and big fish men all enjoying some terrific fishing but tench fishing is beginning to shift up a gear too with the first really big fish of the season beginning to show locally as well as nationally.

Good news for local catfish anglers is that the fish at White Waltham’s Pondwood Farm Fishery have switched on with four fish over 40lb banked already this season.

Cats are primarily nocturnal feeders and although Pondwood produces plenty of daytime fish, it does open for night fishing every two weeks and the results are usually spectacular with the night of April 25 producing no fewer than 51 cats!

Night fishing at the complex is by prior booking only with details on 0118 934 5299.

Pondwood Head Bailiff Mick Holdaway tells me that 20lb carp are being caught from all three lakes on the complex and local predator anglers will be delighted to hear that the long-awaited Pike Lake is now finished and ready to be stocked this autumn.

With a good balance of prey fish to predators the venue should be worth a look for some big fish when it opens.

At Royal Berkshire the carp fishing remains in electric form with fish coming from all three lakes with the largest from Lake One where multiple catches of good doubles are on the cards.

This was the venue where Windsor angler Roy Nugent fished last week to take 10 doubles in a day session with fish ranging from 10lb 12 oz to 17lb 6oz. Ray fished at close range with an Enterprise Tackle corn hookbait on a size 10 hook to 8lb line with a loosefeed of pellet and corn to take the fish.

Perch and roach fishing at the venue has now slowed down but there are still good mixed bags to be taken by pleasure anglers with prawns one of the top baits to try according to venue regular Maidenhead’s Harry Taylor.

If you are looking for some terrific roach fishing it is currently worth a trip over to Holme Grange at Crowthorne where plenty of redfins are still feeding with fish to 1lb in bags to 30lb plus. Be warned though. The carp are feeding hard at the venue too so be prepared to have your roaching interrupted regularly.

Any anglers wishing to report catches may contact me on 07780 755138 or ian@bigfish
trail.com.