Lake Heritage Enduro Pairs Match 2009

 The Lake Heritage annual Enduro Pairs Match has just taken place on the Lake. Again, the match was fully subscribed due to the reputation the fixture is gaining, and also the amount of quality prizes to be won.

During the draw for posts, the talk amongst the anglers was that post 15 would be the one to produce the winning weight. Post 15 regularly produces large hauls, and is a consistent area of the lake. The anglers gathered at the base for the group photograph, and also a drink and a bite to eat.

The match then got underway, and alarms were sounding within fifteen minutes. Fish were being landed from all areas of the lake, apart from the fancied post 15. Surely it would spring to life soon and perform as everyone had expected. The conditions for post 15 were perfect. Obviously the fish didn't read the script, because the competitors in this swim blanked the match while all other anglers were hauling.

The pair in post 2 took an early lead with four quick fish to 34lb 1oz. Post 5 then began to haul them back with with three fish landed. During the late afternoon and through the night, the anglers situated in post 14 in the woodland put together a strong run of six fish on the bank to fire them into the lead. Fish were also taken from posts 4, 5, 7, 11 and 12.

The next morning brought about an unusual quiet spell with only a handful of fish landed. This, however, did not last long. The lads on post's 6 and 7 began to have fish showing in their swims. The change in wind direction had started moving the fish. Carp began leaping over baited areas, in classic carp style, just like you read about it in books. At that moment, a buzzer sounded from the other side of the lake, and after a long fight, news spread of a 45lb 4oz fish banked from post 3. The match was still wide open.

With all the fish showing in the shallow bay encompassing post's 6 and 7, the pairs must have been feeling confident as long as the conditions remained in their favour, and sure enough, the runs became consistent. Post 6 produced five fish within three hours. Post 7 then followed up with a gorgeous 46lb 12oz mirror.

 The lads in post 6 then began their run of fish which would ultimately see them crowned Enduro Pairs Champions for 2009, landing fish after fish. The competition for second and third started to become the big battle with at least six teams in contention.

 During the second night and early the following morning, post 14 produced another three fish to secure second place. None of the nine fish landed from post 14 were any of the bigger residents of the lake, but with seven 20lb+ and two 30lb+ fish to 39lb, it was enough for a place.

The last couple of hours of the match saw the anglers in post 6 consolidate first place with one 35lb+, and one 45lb+ fish landed within fifteen minutes of each other. Once again, Lake Heritage produced the goods for the twenty six anglers taking part in this annual match.

Also landed during the course of the competition were a number of the other species stocked into Lake Heritage. There were various Sturgeon to 44lb 10oz, and four Grass Carp to 21lb 14oz.

With the match now concluded, it was time for the presentations. Finishing in first place with a total of 440lb from post 6 were Cedric Brun and Jerome Becker.

Second place went to Mr. Hemery and Mr. Aime with a total of 211lb fishing post 14 in the woodland.

Third place, fishing from the new platform swim of post 9, were Mr. Defreitas and Mr. Lemigre with a total weight of 145lb.

Biggest fish, weighing 46lb 12oz went to Nicholas Petit and Eric Aubry fishing from post 7.

The total weight of fish landed during this fourty eight hour match was an unbelievable 1,460lb. A stunning performance from Lake and anglers alike.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone involved in the organising of this event. Also, a big thanks to every angler who took part in this extravaganza.

Working Party 2008 Update.

We have now had a number of anglers visit us for the 2009 season, and they have kindly given us feedback on the work which has been carried out on each swim during the 2008 working party.

Feedback has been extremely favourable with all anglers commenting on the quality of the fishing areas. The reconstruction of each peg was brought about because of the adverse weather experienced in the area during the spring of 2008. As you may have read in a previous Lake News article, all swims are now constructed of either wood boxed areas on the bankside, or purpose built pontoon stagings in the shallows of the lake. Every swim that is sited on the bankside now has a substantial backfill of gravel to combat any potential wet ground, and is topped off with wood chippings.

As an addition to the swims, we now have a bivvy permanently sited in each location. No angler, whether you fly, or drive and survive, need bring their own bivvy. No matter what the weather, you can simply arrive and unload your equipment to your allocated bivvy. Getting drenched while setting up is now a thing of the past at Lake Heritage.

Here are a few photographs of the lake with bivvy's erected on the swims.

This photograph shows the backfilled area of Peg 1.

Above, are Pegs 4 and 5. Both swims have been sectioned with timber and backfilled.

You can also see the connecting pathway. Peg 3 will also be connected to this pathway

in the near future.

Here we have one of the newly constructed pontoon swims, Peg 8.

This construction is typical of every woodland swim.

As you can see in the above photograph, getting down to your rods simply requires two or

three steps. Each step is nice and large to enable the angler to get to the rods quickly.

Catch Report of the Year 2008

 Lake Heritage runs an annual catch report competition which is open to all anglers who fish our lake.

Response to the competition in 2008 was good. Lots of our visitors took the time to submit detailed

reports of their catches. One submission however, was head and shoulders above the other entries.

Nick Farrow and Jim Davison submitted to us, what can only be described as a diary of their week.

The time taken, and the detail contained within the report, were first class. Not only were baits, rigs,

tactics and fish weights recorded, but also stories and anecdotes describing moods whilst sat around

waiting for the alarms to sound. The two lads spent time walking around the lake at various times of

the day, including dawn and dusk. Some of the photography was superb. The fish weights, by their

own admission, were not massive, but these two guys clearly enjoyed their stay.

Congratulations to Nick and Jim for winning the 2008 catch report competition. For their prize, they

have decided to take a substantial discount on a full lake booking for 2009. We look forward to seeing

you again this year, and meeting the rest of your party.

Here a just a few of the photographs submitted as part of their report.

Lake Heritage Work Party November 2008

With the generous help of a few volunteers, we have just carried out a major development project on the banks of our Lake.

The working party was split into three seperate specific tasks:

• Vidage of the stockpond
• Development of the Woodland swims
• Construction of two extra fishing platforms.

The stockpond project has been run by Lee. Three years ago Lee hand picked somewhere in the region of three hundred small Carp to introduce into the small stockpond adjacent to the main Lake on our complex. Lee has personally managed the development and feeding of these fish. During the Vidage, two hundred fish were selected. The fish were stocked at sizes ranging from six inches to 4lb, and, incredibly, these fish have now been transferred to the main lake at sizes ranging from 15lb to 28lb. This means that the stock level of the main lake is in the region of six hundred fish.

The following pictures show a small insight into the workings of the Vidage.

One of the local residents controlling the stockpond valve.

Paula got stuck in and got her hands dirty too. Here she is netting a few stragglers.

Mick and Lee controlled the transfer of the fish from the catchpool, to the main lake. Here, they selected the fish to be transferred.

Lastly, a view of some of the fish.

The next stage of the working part was to improve angler comfort. Lake Heritage has suffered this year with the wet spring weather. The banks of the lake were at times, very muddy. It was therefore dicided to rebuild the swims. All of the swims have either been shuttered with timber and filled with gravel topped off with wood chippings, or have had purpose built staging pontoons constructed in the shallows of the swim. 

Mick and John concentrated on the woodland swims, which required digging out, shuttering with timber, and filling in. Mal and Matt took charge of the construction of the pontoons. Lee was the extra pair of hands that helped out whichever team required assistance.

After a lot of hard work, the swims are now complete, and ready for anglers.

The next set of pictures show what was involved in the upgrade of the woodland swims.

Mick putting the finishing touches to the bivvy area of a swim.

John levelling out the steps down to the fishing section.

Here we have one of the swims ready to be filled with gravel and topped off with wood chippings.

Lee filling in with gravel.

Here we have the story of the pontoons in pictures.

Mal getting the timber down to the swims.

The framework prepared, and ready to be set into the waters edge.

Putting the spikes onto the stakes.

Sinking the stakes into the lake bed required a good team effort, a boat, chest waders and a big hammer.........

Putting the finishing touches to the platform.

Matt taking a well earned break.

The working party was not all work and no play. The evenings and nights were spent fishing and having a few beers. Everyone on the work party caught fish. Mick with Carp to 39lb, John catching his first Sturgeon and Carp to 31lb, Mal and Matt both breaking personal bests with Carp to mid thirties. Pictures of these fish will appear in the catch report section as and when we get them.

We would like to take this opportunity to give a big thanks to everyone who gave up their time to help on this project. Your efforts are very much appreciated, and we look forward to your visit in 2009.