Woodpecker Pool Newsletter July 2014

Well here we are again and we hope you are all keeping well and enjoying the summer, where the last three months have gone we don't know but as they say when you are enjoying life time goes quickly and that is a fact. We have had so many old friends and some new ones over in the last few weeks and with that we have seen some fabulous fish caught including yet again some new lake record fish and several PBs. The weather for the period has still been all over the place with some nice sunny days and warm, to cool with heavy rain and winds. Well here we go with the latest roundup from Woodpecker.

Our next people on after the two John's were good friend Peter Neary and for the first time here his good friend Roman Sitek. Peter and Roman have been friends since school days and the last time they went fishing for a week together was to the lovely Emerald Isle some 40 years ago. Roman had never caught any really big fish before coming here, also our lake contains species he had never caught, would the fishing gods smile on them? Read on as we are sure you will be suitably impressed.

They had a total of 21 fish made up of 3 Catfish, 97lb 12oz, 107lb 6oz and after an epic battle a New Lake Record to Roman of 116lb, well done to you and well played. The Sturgeon was caught once, again to Roman so another PB for him. There were 2 Grass Carp caught with the best at 34lb 4oz, the rest of the catch included 4 x doubles, 8 x 30s and 1 x 40. The best Mirror was 36lb 4oz and the best Common an equal Lake Record of 47lb to Peter, well done mate. The total weight was 830lb 12oz for an average of 39lb 10oz.

There were several personal bests caught during the week. It was a pleasure to meet you Roman and we hope to see you again in the future, thank you both for your company and laughs during the week, my sides are still aching!!

Moving on and our next friends to visit were Jan and Cid with son Trevor this time around on his biennial visit, regular visitors and always a pleasure to see so how would their week turn out?

Some beautiful fish caught again this week, 21 in total made up of 1 Catfish at 88lb, the Sturgeon once, 1 Grass Carp at 35lb 8oz and 18 Carp made up of 1 x double, 9 x 20s, 7 x 30s and 1 x 40. The best Mirror was 38lb 8oz and the best Common 40lb. The total weight was 684lb for an average of 32lb 9oz.

Thank you all for your company once again and great to see you again Trevor, see you again in a couple of years unless you can charm the good lady. Looking forward to seeing you Jan and Cid again in September.

Following on friends Phil and Mike returned to us once again and Mike is the holder of our lake record Mirror, let us see if the fish were kind to them this year. Well they had an up and down week but some lovely fish caught yet again.

There were no catfish caught or any sign of the Sturgeon this week and only 1 Grass Carp at 30lb 2oz. They had a total of 19 fish made up of the 1 Grass Carp, 1 double, 7 x 20s, 6 x 30s, 2x 40s and 1 x 50 a new PB for Mike and also a New Lake Record Mirror of 50lb 4oz, well done and congratulations Mike you have done it once again.

The best Common was 32lb 15oz and the best Mirror 50lb 4oz for a total weight of 524lb 8oz and an average of 27lb 9oz. Thank you both once again for your company and the chats during the week and we look forward to seeing you again in the future.

After we had given the lake a rest period we welcomed friends Sue and Andy unfortunately without Lisa and Gavin this time, but for a very good reason, as Lisa was expecting the birth of their baby immanently. Sue and Andy were hoping that the birth wouldn't happen until they returned from their holiday in France but more of that later on.

Andy generally gets into some big Catfish when he is here and this year was no exception but the outcome was devastating for him this year unfortunately. He had a mega battle with a very big Catfish and it was so close to being landed but unfortunately it picked up a few twigs with line attached which was making it very difficult to get its head up. I tried everything I knew to get this fish in and even had a gloved hand in its mouth at one point only for it to power off once again so I got into the water with a net and tried to steer the fish into it but with the twigs and line that was attached to it made it impossible and unfortunately it slipped the hook and was gone. I was absolutely gutted for Andy and can only offer my apologies for not being able to land it successfully. Anyway moving on and they always say some clouds have a silver lining and so it turned out to be for Andy this week, read on.

He had a total of 29 fish, with no Catfish but the Sturgeon once and 1 Grass Carp of 31lb 8oz. This is where it becomes interesting because the rest of the catch included 8 x 20s, 9 x 30s, 6 x 40s (5 different fish) and 1 x 50 and a New Lake Record Mirror of 51lb 3oz, massive congratulations Andy it couldn't have come to a nicer person. The best Common of the week was 45lb 4oz, what a week and well deserved. The total weight was 924lb 8oz for an average of just under 32lb.

Returning now to the immanent birth of the baby, Sue and Andy returned from France and a few days later Lisa gave birth to a beautiful baby boy, congratulations to Lisa and Gavin and Sue and Andy on the birth of their son and grandson, all you need to do now Andy is get a rod in his hand!!! Thank you Sue and Andy for your company once again this year and we will look forward to meeting Jonah and to seeing all of you again next year.

For our final report for this newsletter we welcomed back the Newberry family, we have not seen them for sometime due to unforeseen circumstances so it was nice to welcome them back here once again for two weeks and to see what they would make of the place and the fish now.

Only John and Joe fishing and again no nights fished. They had a great first week catching a total of 38 fish including 3 Catfish of 93lb 7oz, 107lb and 115lb 14oz, the Sturgeon twice and the rest carp including 14 x 20s, 5 x 30s and 2 x 40s. The best Mirror was 41lb 10oz and the best Common 44lb 14oz, the total weight was 1130lb 13oz for an average of 30lb.

Their second week was somewhat slower catching 19 fish including 1 Catfish at 112lb, the Sturgeon once and the rest made up of carp including 8 x 20s and 4 x 30s. The best Mirror was 33lb 2oz and best Common 39lb 5oz. The total weight was 593lb 11oz for an average of 31lb 4oz.

A great fortnight with some stunning fish caught and several PBs. Thank you all for your company and custom once again and we will look forward to seeing you next year.

Well that is the end of the catch reports for this newsletter and some fabulous ones at that we think you will agree.

Just one other thing before we close, as you are probably aware we are already fully booked for 2015, thank you all very much, we are now getting bookings and several enquiries for 2016, if you seriously would like to come here in 2016 please get in touch as soon as possible, please don't think we are pushing it we just don't want the ones of you that would like to come in 2016 to miss out.

A big thank you to all that have already been this year and we are looking forward to meeting and welcoming those of you that have still to come.

Until next time stay healthy and happy and tight lines.

Sue & Doug

© Woodpecker Pool 2006-2023