Woodpecker Pool Newsletter November 2011

Welcome to the final newsletter of the 2011 season. Our season has now ended and what a season it has been with the majority of people catching personal bests and lake records broken several times for most species during the year. We have seen the driest year here for over 40 years with only about a week's worth of rain since March and although the lake levels have dropped it has not affected the fishing at all, we believe that because of the consistently good weather the natural food in the lake has flourished more than ever before and the fish have certainly taken advantage of that making catching them at times very difficult but they have certainly packed on the pounds because of it. Woodpecker has produced its first 40lb plus Commons this year and we never thought in our wildest dreams that this would happen, every year we think that is the best it can produce and then our little lake throws up some more amazing surprises and we wonder where it will finish, that is in the lap of the gods, all we can do is keep doing what we have done from day one and manage the fish stocks and wait and see what happens.

Now let's move on to what you all want to read about the final few weeks of the season some really good weeks but as the weeks went on the fish became very hard to catch.

At the end of the last newsletter it was the Lambert family who closed it with a fantastic week would their good fortune carry on for our next guests?

The 27th august and we welcomed back Jean, Keith and Christopher Taylor with his soon to be bride Nikki. No nights fished and they had some lovely fish during the week, 17 in all including 7 x 20s, 4 x 30s and a new lake record Mirror at the time of 48lb 2oz to Keith, the best Common was 29lb 8oz and they also had 2 catfish of 77lb and 53lb and a bonus 17lb 12oz pike, no Grass Carp or Sturgeon, this fish has been quite elusive this year so far but that will change. The total weight was 538lb 8oz with an average of 31lb 8oz.

Thank you all for your company once again and it was a pleasure to meet you Nikki, good luck with the wedding and your future life together with Christopher.

Our next guests we welcomed back Sylvie, Tony and Steve Walker for their second time here. They had an excellent week catching 23 fish. The catch included 5 x 20s, 9 x 30s and 1 x 40 carp, 1 grass carp of 30lb 2oz, 2 catfish of 78lb 8oz and a then lake record of 90lb 4oz and the sturgeon twice, I knew he would have to start appearing soon. The best Mirror was 47lb 8oz, best Common 28lb 2oz. The total weight was 825lb 4oz with an average of 35lb 12oz.

Thank you all for your company once again, it was a pleasure to have you here again.

Moving on and our next guests are good friends, Jan, Steve, Lisa and Chris the new Cheshire Ratcatchers minus me so how did their week turn out, in their words fantastic is the only way to describe it. A total of 31 fish including 5 x 20s, 8 x 30s and 1 x 40 carp at 46lb 4oz, the best Common was 38lb 14oz. They also had five Catfish, 2 x 70lb+, 1 at 86lb and a New Lake Record at 92lb, the sturgeon, yes he is back on form and no grass carp. The total weight was an excellent 1110lbs for an average of 38lb 4oz.

What a great week guys, thank you all for your great company during the week and we will look forward to seeing you all in the UK next April.

Following on were more friends Heather, Tony, Chris and Ian joined for part of the week by Jacqui and Jonny. Yet another good week with a total of 28 fish being caught including 12 x 20s, 7 x 30s and 1 x 40 a Common of 40lb 4oz and new PB for Tony. The best Mirror was 39lb 2oz and 1 grass carp at 27lb 10oz and the sturgeon. The total weight was 809lb for an average of 28lb 12oz.

Thank you all for your great company during the week and hope to see you all in April if you are free.

Our next party here are also good friends, Lee, Pete and John, good angler's so what would happen for them. It turned out to be a very tough week with a lot of the carp not playing ball at all however they still managed 21 fish including 2 x 20s, 4 x 30s and 1 x 40 a Mirror of 48lb 4oz and New Lake Record to Pete, a different fish to the other one caught earlier in this newsletter. They also had catfish of 53lb 8oz, 74lb, 75lb 8oz and 88lb and 5 pike to 13lb 6oz.

It was great to see you all again and thank you all for your company and chats over times gone by, we will look forward to seeing you all here again in 2013, wow that seems a long way away but will speak to you long before then. Congratulations Lee for being awarded Angler of the year on Farmwood that is an outstanding achievement on such a tough water and also good luck Pete with the Iron Man competition next year.

Our next guests friends yet again Elsie, Terry and Anthony here not only to fish but to celebrate Anthony's 40th birthday. Well the fishing had started to slow down but really took a nosedive and was very difficult to say the least but they still managed a total of 21 fish including 2 x 20s, 3 x 30s and 1 x 40 a Mirror of 46lb 6oz they also had 5 catfish to 73lb 8oz and 3 pike and also the sturgeon. The total weight was 667lb for an average of 37lb. A tough two weeks but as I always say we can't change the weather or what the fish do unfortunately.

Look forward to seeing you all next April and thank you all once again for your company and laughs we shared during your stay.

Onto our final week of 2011 and we had friends Helen, Alan, Kelly, Chris, Halle and Alex, this week was postponed from August due to an accident in the family. To say this was the hardest weeks fishing we can remember is an understatement, although Alan and Chris didn't fish 24/7 and went out a few times it was really hard going, only 3 runs all week resulting in two fish landed, the sturgeon to Alan and a beautiful Common of 41lb 12oz and PB to Chris. However the week resulted in some good things coming from it, the family know what we mean so we will say no more.

Thank you all for your company once again, it was lovely to hear the children's laughter and we look forward to seeing you all again next year.

Congratulations to all of you who have broken their personal bests this year and there where a lot of you that did manage to achieve that.

One final thing we only have one available week left for next year, if anyone is interested please get in touch, also we are already taking bookings for 2013 and we are shortening our season from then on, we are getting older I'm afraid, so likewise if anyone is interested in any particular weeks please get in touch.

Well as they say that's all folks another excellent season with some great highs and the odd low, Sue and I cannot thank you all enough for your loyalty, company and friendship without you all Woodpecker would not have the same meaning.

Until next time stay healthy and happy and we hope you all have a good winter and look forward to seeing those of you that are coming next year, for those that aren't we hope you have a great 2012 and hope to see you in the future.

All the very best to you all.

Sue and Doug

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