The arrival of spring meant it was time to renew
the love hate relationship with Colney Lake on the
Bawburgh complex just outside Norwich. The lake is
undoubtedly the hardest I’ve ever fished, the lake
itself is very weedy, deep and crammed with natural
food. While not huge, at 28 acres there’s plenty of
water to search.
There is a good stock of carp with at around 120
fish. Most of these were stocked a few years ago and
the largest have already passed the 30lb mark. The
ones I’m after however are the big originals, only
three of these have been caught before. Kens a
linear mirror which had been out to 38 plus, a mid
30 mirror and a common of uncertain weigh since when
caught the fish bottomed out a set of 30lb scales
and the angler settled for 30lb! There are other big
fish in the water which in seven years of angling
are still uncaught, a big common has been sighted on
more than one occasion as has a very large mirror.
In addition to the carp there are a good head of
tench and some massive bream.
The problems fishing the lake are numerous, with
carp of this size the angling pressure is constant,
ten anglers on the water midweek is not unusual.
Much of the water is deep in the 13-17 foot range
and the water of less than 12 foot is choker with
weed come summer. The biggest problem though is the
natural food, these carp have been in the water for
many years and have grown very large on natural
food. I spoke to a fishery management guy visiting
the lakes who said the only other lake he’s seen
with this level of natural is Collingbrook. Makes
you think a statement like that!
I’ve fished the water off and on since it opened,
with some success. The stockies were easily caught
when they were first stocked. I also lost a very big
fish a couple of years ago due to a hook pull.
A ticket for a syndicate lake in Attleborough and
with several uncaught fish took me away from the
water for nearly two years but success there meant
another challenge was needed. So back to Colney it
was, I had a little go last Autumn and was rewarded
with a nice 24lb common.
The first session of 2004 came just after Easter, I
didn’t get a great swim because of the number of
other anglers but wasn’t too far away from the fish.
The fish were showing at first light so if you were
observant you’d know where you needed to be. The
following Tuesday news came across the grapevine
that Ken’s had been out at just over 40lb, the
weight was a bit of a surprise, the fish had been
creeping up gradually and I’d expected it to maybe
top 39.
On most lakes the pressure would drop after the big
target fish had been caught, however here it
intensified! The anglers must have other targets!
My first fish came three weeks later after four
blank weekends, I had to be away early for a working
party on another water putting up an otter fence, so
got up at first light to maximise my chances
watching for signs of fish. I’d moved onto Sleeper
Point when it became free the previous day but the
night had passed without action.
Red sky over Colney
At around six a fish cleared the water out to my
left, I quickly reeled in the left hand rod, stuck
on a fresh bottom bait and cast it to the area.
Around forty-five minutes later the swinger lifted
and I struck into a fish, which kited left. I was
gaining line but overhanging branches of some trees
on the entrance to a bay to my left were a cause for
concern. But with the tip under water I managed to
get it past the branches and into open water. A
spirited fight ended with the netting of a beautiful
looking fully scaled mirror, not huge at 20.14lb but
what a cracking looking fish.
With renewed confidence, particularly as this was
first time out for a new bait, I set about catching
another. After the success of my winter bait I had
decided to make my own summer bait too. I’d had a
lot of success in the past on home-made red
fishmeals, so decided to go down this route again.
This time however I would make use of the low
temperature and pre-digested fishmeals.
I ordered a load of ingredients and set about
perfecting the mix. After four mixes I was happy
with the results, a rock hard bait which would go
soft within a couple of hours in the water. I needed
a bait that would go through a throwing-stick
without splitting but also wanted a soft bait that
would be accepted by the fish. I achieved both by
including whole egg powder and blood powder to skin
the bait and also water soluble ingredients so that
the bait would soften once in the water. Added to
this were a low level fishy flavour, salmon oil and
a bulk sweetener made from sweetcorn.
The following weekend included a bank holiday, in
addition to this I’d booked off the Friday so I
could get a good swim. I started in the Cliff swim
and during the first evening and the following
morning saw a few fish. No action though.
During the morning Bailiffs Point became free so I
loaded up the barrow and got in there, this is a
swim I know quite well having caught there before.
One of the spots felt much cleaner than I would have
expected, something had been feeding there, I was
disappointed when all I could manage over the next
three night was a mid double pike that took a liking
for a fishmeal pop-up!
The bank holiday was very wet, well it would be! I
got a soaking walking my gear back to the car, worse
was the news that carp had been showing in the bay
behind me. I missed the activity sheltering from the
rain in the bivvy. I watched the weather closely
over the next week, the wind blew Southerly on the
Wednesday then switched to Northerly late on
Thursday. I would bank on the fish following the
wind, from my experience it take them 48 hours to
get on the end of a new wind on this lake. My baits
would be waiting for them.
I set up in the river swim, which was side on to the
wind giving a sheltered view of the bay. The caravan
bank looked good but I didn’t want to be in the
teeth of the gale when watching the water is so
important. The wind was quite cold so I fancied the
deep water along this side rather than the rest of
the bay.
A quick plumb up found a deep margin, thick weed up
against the bank down to 12 feet, beyond that a deep
channel of 14 – 17 feet, then a bar rising to 11
feet. I put two baits on the bar and one in the
margin. The margin spot was baited with plenty of
hemp and boilies while a kilo or so of boilies were
catupulted onto the bar. Friday night passed quietly
and the morning brought no signs of Mr carp. At
around lunchtime however one put it’s head out, then
another and another. Through the afternoon several
fish were spotted, though most at range or in the
margin of the caravan bank. On dark however a big
fish came right out only a matter of yards to the
left of my baits on the bar.
I woke early the following morning and couldn’t
believe I’d not caught, one or two carp showed
themselves but again at range. I watched for four
hours but no fish appeared to be near the baits.
I given up hope of a take when at nine thirty the
right hand rod is away. I bend into a very powerful
fish from a spot 20 yards out. I have to pile on the
pressure to start with as there is a snag to keep
the fish clear of. Once past this I slackened of the
clutch and let the fish play itself out. By the time
it tired the fish was some twenty yards to my right
along the margin, gradually I played it in. About
fifteen yards out, it rolled. No doubt was I was
attached to! Don’t fall off now!
Taking it easy I coax it towards the net, head up to
the spreader block, though tail still beyond the
cord! In it goes with a final roll.
Andy Hull with Ken's Fish, 40lb 1oz
I looked down on Ken’s, a fish that I’d longed to
catch ever since Kenny Norton (hence the name)
showed me the photos the day after he caught the
fish back in ’98. It was a jaw dropping sight then
and was still. I struggled to lift it onto the mat.
Out with the storm-pole and hook to steady the
scales, up he went. The needle shot round the dial,
oscillated around the 40 mark before coming to rest
at 40.01
I sacked up the fish then sat back on the bedchair.
I made some quick phone calls to Andy Green and Dave
one of the bailiffs I soon had photographs on the
way. A little while later this magnificent carp was
held up to an array of cameras and video before
being returned to make some other angler year. There
were a lot of hand shakes that day, I have to say I
saw no sign of jealousy at all. Everybody helped to
make it a memorable occasion, the congratulations
were very genuine. Thanks lads you’re a great bunch.
It all sunk in over the next few days, particularly
when I picked up the photos and saw what a superb
job Andy had done with the camera, cheers chap.
