The Lake
The lake is over 2 acres in size, set in a further 8 acres of meadows. Dammed at one end the lake is fed by many underground springs. It is lined with Willows, Silver Birch and Poplars.
At the dam end depth is around 10 feet coming up to around 4 feet at the shallow end. The lake bed is made up of gravel and sand and a little silt at the shallow end and through the middle. The far bank is meadow with iris reeds along the margins. It was de-silted in 2002 when 8000 tonnes of silt was removed. There is a few patch of lilies in the near margin of the lake.
There are 4 swims on the lake, all being on the near bank.
The Fish
When the lake was drained in Spring 2002 the fish stock was mainly small fish of various species. These were removed and given to a local fish farmer. Once the lake was de-silted and limed, the sluice gate closed, the lake quickly filled. In the Winter of 2002 the lake was stocked with 45 carp between 16lb-28lb plus 5 carp between 29-33lb.
In December 2003 a further 39 carp to 28lbs, plus 9 grass carp to 25lbs and some pike. The total stock is now well over 80 fish. Two mirrors of 42lbs & 44lbs were added in February 2005 with an additional 6 carp between 35-38lbs. This will be added to in the coming months.
Since we took on the lake in 2020 we have added to the carp stocks. Early on we added a good number of 20lb plus fish. From 2023 we have not stocked anything under 30lb. Every year we have added a handful of fish into the lake including fish over 40lb and a new 50lber.
Average fish weight is just above 30lb and have 5 fish around the 50 mark.
Total carp numbers are around 130 fish
Cats now are up to 143lb but we are now removing any cat fish under 100lb.
