CarpForum Thread : Abbey Lakes : Carp Fishing Forum




[Log-In] or [Register]	Advertise to thousands of anglers a day! Click HERE to see how



Home	Search		Help / FAQs	Rules / Usage

Who's Online	Member List	Articles	Gallery	Weather

New Posts: 0

Abbey Lakes
[Log-In] [Register]

ru12

Posts: 149

#115 19 Apr 2012 at 6.20pm

In reply to Post #114
13. Often overlooked, 13 is actually a brilliant place to intercept fish that are sneaking around the point via the deep channel to get into the finger bay and up to 14. The channel is quite wide and starts maybe 5yds off the bank out to a range of 20-25yds and rods placed at the mouth of it can wangle a serious amount of fish when conditions are right. Markers to aim at are the first and third Poplar trees along the spit of land for left and middle rods with your right aimed 10-15yds off and 15yds back from the point.

14. Either incredible or incredibly frustrating in equal measure?! IF the fish are in here, massive hits can be on the cards! The single biggest haul I witnessed at Abbey last season came when another friend, Jeroen, managed to bank 87 fish in a 10 day spell including 'Shoulders', 'Bruno' and 'White tips' within 24 hours!! Having said that, if the fish aren't present you could suffer a very boring stay, one plus point being 14's a magnificent sun-trap so at least you'll have a better tan than everyone else lol! A good starting point would be to grab your Polaroids and stand on the concrete inflow pipe up in the corner and just watch the water along the no fishing bank for an hour or so when you arrive, you'll soon know whether they're there or not?! If you see 1, there'll be more! The swim should be split into thirds.. The first third as you look out hasn't ever produced a fish to my knowledge???? The middle section is a massive gravel bar that runs from the point opposite 13 all the way up to 40yds short of the no fishing bank, the final third is the deep channel that runs from the first Poplar tree opposite, down to the point.. My suggestions would be to place a left hand rod somewhere between the inflow pipe and halfway along the no fishing bank (if the bottom has been cleaned) maybe 5-10yds off it? Your middle rod should be aimed just shy of the branches of the tall tree right in the far left hand corner of the swim where the no fishing bank meets the far one, the depth here is just over 9' and is where the channel shelves up to meet the flatter part of the bay as it swings in to your left. My right hand rod used to be aimed at either the first or third Poplar along dead opposite where you stand and was normally fished between 5-10yds off the far bank dependant on weed growth, having said that, some people faired better by dropping just a little shorter and placing their rigs where the channel started to raise up to meet the bar?! Decisions, decisions..

15. Another with what appears to be at first glance, a small area of water but another that can upset the apple cart if the fish are present! This is another belter in the Summer, fish do spawn in the corner next to the road bank between Heron and Fox and spend long periods here during the daylight hours! There are too many (small) spots to mention so it'll all depend on what you can find out in front with your Marker rod and/or Echo sounder as it can get pretty weedy. Another feature here is the sunken road that runs out to the Island from the road bank.. It's a useful border to split your water from 17's opposite but the drop off just your side of it is a handy area, relatively weed free and it goes down to 16' from the 4-8' of the road!

16. This has probably the easiest spots to reach on the lake, there is a huge gravel area right in front of the swim ranging from 15-20yds off the Island all the way back in to within 25yds of your bank! It is also an easy chuck to the Island from here although it's not quite as deep down this side of it so you can spook fish off by having lines running through the shallow water if you're too close?! To your right there will usually be a weedbed (the one I mentioned from Peg 10's brief) and baits fished in the little channels around it can also pay dividends!

17. Not a fave for me I'm afraid, see 15's brief and fish it in a similar manner is my guess?!?!

18. Love it!! The tightest swim on the lake but it again has loads of features below the surface, there's obviously the shelf at the Island's base, a few dips and humps, gravel and silt pockets and you also have access to the back of the gulley and the deep hole if nobody is in Peg 9! Markers for 18 then, left hander in line with the 3 tiny bushes to the left of Peg 7 on the far bank at a range of 40-45yds to a gravel bed. Middle rod aimed at 9 and dropped either at the same distance on to gravel or slightly longer to the deep hole off the Island and a right hander to the third small (6') bush in from the right of the Island, drop this a rod length off the Island where you should be between the Island shelf/lakebed and a small 10yd wide weedbed (that does rise to just under the surface!)

ru12

Posts: 149

#114 19 Apr 2012 at 6.19pm

In reply to Post #113
7. Funny Peg this?! Can pay to fish short, can pay to go long lol! Fish show in this area an awful lot so just keep 'em peeled and you'll know soon enough. There is a lovely gravel patch no more than 10yds off the bank in front of the small reedbed to your right though which shouldn't be ignored! Out in front it's worth fishing as tight as you can get to the weedbeds that sprout up here n there, these'll be at a range of around 60-80yds in 7-10' of water.. One thing of note, if you are going to encounter any Crays in Heron, they'll most likely be here during the Summer?!

8. Read as per 7 but with the ability to push just that little bit further out due to the lake widening as the far bank turns towards Peg 18 and the bay behind the Island. There is a big gulley and 2 bars that run from 3 rod lengths off the Island back towards the point at 19 that are worth finding with a Marker rod! The depth change here is from 13' to just under 16' in the channel.

9. The one Peg that has true bragging rights to access the Island and the channel that passes in front of it! There are 2 deep holes offset at either end of the Island that need to be found without fail! I've had a lot of success by fishing 5yds left and 5yds back from the Island as well as by putting a rod into the channel directly in front of the Island (as stated, about 3 rod lengths off it) and a friend of mine had an amazing run of big fish from a deep hole he found just out to the right of the Island. The depth change here was from 15.8' to 16.9' and the patch is apparently only 4-5' across but it certainly (continually) produced the goods throughout the Winter for Remy, his list of fish from the spot was big in itself, the amazing thing was the fact all bar one went 20kg+ (44lb or more), the biggest was the 'Unknown' mirror at an all time high 62.05lb! If you're struggling to find that or a(nother) clear patch for your right hander then can I suggest flipping a small pva bag just out in front of the tree that borders the swim, this is a spot that has always served me well when it's a bit tricky. The depth 10yds off the tree is between 9-11' which is more than adequate to bring them in close and allow them to feel comfortable holding up there too..

10. This swim was so under-fished through 2011 that the reeds and bushes actually grew across the front of it!! It is of course open but in recent times there has been a large weedbed in residence that comes to the surface about 25yds out and continues all the way across from the point opposite to the Island and as a result it has been largely ignored!

11. What can I say, if Carlsberg did swims.... This is probably the most productive swim on Heron lake, it's far from the easiest to fish, let alone fish well but it throws up biggies time after time and does the numbers too! There is so much to go at here I'm going to leave you all to make up your own minds but rods aimed at the tall tree to the left of 13 at 70-80yds, a middle rod dropped 15-20yds to the left of the point after aiming at the tall tree above the L/H side of 14 and a right hander dropped 15yds directly off the point won't go far wrong! If there's nobody fishing in 12 the mind boggles as there's all sorts of nooks n crannies down the bank to your left!!

12. Only for the brave!! This Peg is probably the weediest on the whole Complex, it is also the shallowest part of Heron and is the place they'll be queueing up to spawn in when the time comes! It has recently produced 'Shoulders' at a weight just shy of the magical 80lb barrier and is another that throws up the bigger fish as I'm sure they feel at home tucked away beneath one of the many weedbeds that lie out in front of the swim and up tight to the reeds to your right hand side. Accessing this area is a tricky, tricky cast at best due to the overhanging trees, especially in Summer when things are in full bloom! Again I'm going to bottle it and leave you all to make up your own minds on how to fish this. It's safe to say though that I'd completely ignore it until such time as they allow the use of rowing boats again as there's no point potentially harming fish just for the sake of hooking them!!

ru12

Posts: 149

#113 19 Apr 2012 at 6.18pm

In reply to Post #112

KenTownley

Posts: 30593

#112 19 Apr 2012 at 5.23pm

In reply to Post #110
Wow, Rupert. Great posts. No excuses now if the guys don't catch

jez240373

Posts: 6360

#111 19 Apr 2012 at 3.48pm

ru12

Posts: 149

#110 19 Apr 2012 at 2.53pm

In reply to Post #109

ru12

Posts: 149

#109 19 Apr 2012 at 2.50pm

In reply to Post #108

ru12

Posts: 149

#108 19 Apr 2012 at 2.49pm

In reply to Post #107

ru12

Posts: 149

#107 19 Apr 2012 at 2.36pm

In reply to Post #104

musyd

Posts: 3

#106 19 Apr 2012 at 1.12pm

In reply to Post #105
hi i am going to abbey on 26/may fishing heron lake, anyone got any tips on swims? cheers.

Mowgli1983

Posts: 2192

#105 19 Apr 2012 at 11.42am

Ru, it's great to see a bailiff who really knows his stuff and gives honest and practical advice. All I can say is you are going to be inundated on here!!!

I am going out for 10 days in September. My (first!) question is, at that time of year, are takes mainly at night or in the day on Heron? I was basically wondering if it responds well to lines being taken out and the swim being rested at the off times and the fish being unpressured for part of the day? Not many people like to do this when they pay x amount to come to a great venue and fish everyday, but I have done this on recent holidays to quite good effect.
Cheers

Wenners

Posts: 601

#104 18 Apr 2012 at 11.05pm

In reply to Post #103
re the swim guide, that would be awesome Ru.

stevefishalot

Posts: 879

#103 18 Apr 2012 at 9.32pm

In reply to Post #102
Thanks mate i owe you one

ru12

Posts: 149

#102 18 Apr 2012 at 8.48pm

In reply to Post #101
No worries chap,

Please see post #82 below for a swift guide to (what in fairness are only my) preferred spots in early summer. Failing that I'd settle for 18 as there have been an awful lot of fish showing in the area between there, 19, 6, 7 and 8 over the past few months. It has a decent change of depth, a few patches of gravel, a gulley and a bar or two to seek out, as well as the shortest chuck to the island!
This swim does have good form through may/june though as a lot of the fish choose to spawn in the shallows to the right and they do shoal up in readiness, so it's one to watch.
The only downside to 18 is that it does get VERY weedy and last year I only found it fishable through the same period by fishing what's known as a 'chod-anoster' i.e 6-8" straightened sections of 25lb fluoro about 6-10 feet up the mainline, hardly practical but if you attach the lead helicopter style via a very light (2lb) mono and then bind it with pva string/tape prior to casting it'll hold for any distance you may need in that swim yet will break free, usually on the strike but if not, very soon into the fight, leaving u free to play the fish in the normal manner!

Please note.. Going to try and draw up a swim by swim GUIDE to fishing both Fox and Heron over the next couple of days so it'll be here as a point of reference for anyone that wants a rough guesstimate as to how to go about tackling the complex in the future....

Regards,

Ru

stevefishalot

Posts: 879

#101 18 Apr 2012 at 7.50pm

In reply to Post #100
Cheers ru, im not planning on fishing peg 1 just wanted to know to help get my bearings, thinking more around the island on any bank really or is there a best peg to be in, going may 12th will see where the fish are when we get there, is there any areas they hold up in?
Cheers steve


	Page: 49 of 57




Stickies General Discussion Sponsor Posts/Updates CarpForum FishIns Tackle Reviews Rigs Bait Catch Results Venues (UK) Venues (Foreign) Classifieds FAQs and Help Feedback to CarpForum NON Carp Stuff	Consent Preferences Advertising disclosure
© Copyright 2002-2025 - www.CarpForum.co.uk	contact : webmaster@carpforum.co.uk