The Forgotten Lake - Martin Noble

The Forgotten Lake

Martin Noble

With waters becoming increasingly busy from anglers I try my best to search out quieter places to fish. A couple of years ago I was lucky enough to find an old estate lake which had almost been forgotten about and managed to secure a lease in which I could run the water myself. Of course the first thing I wanted to do once the paper work was signed was to get on there with my rods & see what lurked beneath the surface.

Old Estate Lake

A place of beauty!

The lake is only a small little place, no more than an acre in size but with depths exceeding 15ft or more, hidden away deep in a thick wood where the only sounds that can be heard are from the abundance of wildlife & birdlife. I already knew the lake held some fairly decent carp as I had seen them sunning themselves within the fallen tree snags when I first discovered the place.

I decided to do an over night session giving me 2 days to see what I could try and catch. I got to the lake around 9am with all my gear and before even thinking about setting up I quietly walked the banks to see if I could see any signs of fish. Within minutes I came across 6 upper doubles sunbathing on top amongst some old fallen trees in the water, what a lovely sight! Great to see but there was no way I could fish for them there surrounded by sunken trees, they would just instantly snag themselves & it wouldn't have been fair on the fish.

Carp Sitting in the Snags

I quietly moved on trying not to disturb them to see what else I could find. As I got nearer to the far end of the lake I could see some larger shadows moving tight to the far margin. With a clearer area of water I decided this would be an ideal place to fish. I quickly got the gear & set up keeping as quiet as I could not to spoke the fish on the far bank.

Seeming these fish had barely been fished for I decided to go with a Hi-Vis White Pop-Up presented on a blow-back rig & a little PVA bag of pellet & broken up Shoreline Baits GLM Redbull Boilies and a few grains of corn to add some colour.

The first rod I put inches from the far margin just to the right of where I had seen the shadows of the carp moving, the second rod I put just in front of a thick bush over hanging on the far bank to the right & my third rod I put down to my left under some large over hanging willow braches, the sort of ones you would see on Redmire Pool.

Off the mark - 15lb+ Mirror

Traps set & I started to sort the rest of my gear out & get the bivvy up when suddenly the far margin rod was already ripping off! It had barely been in the water 5 minutes. After a good old battle a lovely old looking Mirror of around 15lb+ rolled in the net. A great feeling to see the first fish on the bank. After a few quick photos I slipped it back and got the rod straight back on the spot.

Since the disturbance of catching the fish I decided to put a little bit more bait across the far margin spot. If fish were there or visiting the area regularly I wanted to try & keep them grubbing around on the spot. I catapulted a bed of pellet, corn & crushed boilie.

Over the next few hours I watched the water carefully, enjoying the songs of the birds, often seeing fish moving along the far margins & also moving in & out from under the far over hanging bush so I knew I was on the right spots. Not much was happening to my own margin rod down to my left under the willow branches but I kept gradual handfuls of bait going in over the day, I felt confident this would be a cracking little spot once the light of the day had gone.

Another Mid Double Mirror

Around 1pm my right hand rod under the over hanging bush on the far margin burst into life ripping off to my right, I was quickly on the rod & into another carp. After a short battle another mid double Mirror was in the net. With 2 fish off both my spots I was feeling confident there was more to come.

The lake is located far down in the bottom of a large valley surrounded by tall trees so it starts getting dark a lot earlier than normal. Around 8pm the light was starting to fade when the far magin rod ripped off again. I hit into something that felt a little better this time. It was staying down deep and was hard to stop when suddenly it went solid. I kept the pressure on for about 10 minutes or so but nothing was giving so I let off the bail arm & some slack & lay the rod down in hope that the fish would free itself. After another 10 minutes had passed when the slack line suddenly tighten up, I quickly picked up the rod and was back into the fight & the fish which had freed itself.

After a lengthy battle a chunky Mirror came to the surface & slipped into the net. This one looked a bit better than the last 2. Another mint fish that went just over 21lb on the scales. A decent fish but I had seen bigger cruising the margins. After a few quick snaps I gentle put her back & got the rod back on the spot along with a top up of crushed boilie, corn & pellet again.

Chunky 21lb+ Mirror

Beautiful Sunset over the lake!

With the light fast fading the clouds in the sky started to pick up the highlights from the falling sun which produced a beautiful sunset, the sound of the birds in the surround woods slowly starting to quieten down for the night ahead.

About half an hour had passed as I sat there soaking up the beautiful moment & surroundings when suddenly my right hand rod was away & I was in to yet another fish. After a scrappy battle I landed a cracking looking long old lean Mirror of around 13lb+. This fish although smaller had alot more character, hopefully some of the larger residents in the lake might look as lovely as this fish! 

After a few snaps I quickly got it back & got the rod back on the spot before it was to dark to get the accuracy right.

I put the kettle on and gathered my thoughts, not a bad start to the day with some nice fish on the bank on what looks to be a promising little water. I was excited to see what the night would bring & if any of the bigger girls might show!

Cracking Old Character!

As the night set in, the temperature dropped slightly & the whole place went dead silent, you could of heard a pin drop it was that quiet, quite an eerie feel which I've never experience at other lakes I've fished. 

About midnight the moon started to rise above the tall trees letting beams of light down onto the lake & my swim. This place was getting more magical by the moment!

I decided to get some sleep & tucked up in my sleeping bag & nodded off at the thought of what monsters might be lurking under the surface.

Around just after 3am my own margin rod under the willow branches went into meltdown, as I woke I saw my rod flying off the alarm as it was getting wrenched to the left. I flew out of my sleeping bag and grabbed the rod, the fish stripping line off the reel as it powered up the left margin under the over hanging brances.

After finally managing to get the fish to turn I slowly started to gain some line back & get it out fighting in the open water in front of me using only the moonlight to see what I was doing as I didn't want to spook my swim with my head torch light. 

After getting it in the net & on my mat only then did I turn my head torch on to find a beautiful dark Common laying in front of me. Another pristine upper double!

I quickly got the rod back out & topped the area up with a bit of bait & got back in the sleeping back as it had got a lot colder now with the clear sky. Not much happened for the rest of the night, I think the drop in temp probably put them off a bit.

I woke up early & decided to have a wonder about to see if I could see fish moving about around the lake. It wasn't long before I came across a group of 4 fish cruising along together, the biggest around the 20lb+ mark.

They didn't seem to be feeding, rather just cruising about but they were heading up towards my end of the lake so I decided to stay put.

By around 9am the sun was starting to rise above the tree line bringing the lake back to life with colour & warmth. I could start to see fizzing around my spots so I knew the fish were on the feed again. Hopefully the new day might bring something a little larger this time.

About an hour passed as I watched the water carefully when the far margin rod was away again, quickly on the rod I was into something which felt a little better again. The fish stayed deep & was slowing pondering around in the open water. Eventually after a 10 minute battle a long lean Mirror was in the net, this one looking a little better in size!

23lb 7oz Long Lean Mirror

The Mirror went 23lb 7oz on the scales, biggest of the session so far, it was a long old fish & had a lovely colour to it. If this was the sort of fish that was stocked in the lake it made me even more excited to see what else the lake was hiding!

A few photos & I put the fish back and got the rod back on the spot. I think the disturbance of fighting this fish spooked the swim a little & it went quiet for the next few hours which I didn't mind as I got to sit back & enjoy the surroundings and wildlife for a while. This truly is a magical place, not just the fishing but the whole surroundings!

Early afternoon came and not a lot had happened since, I was just thinking maybe to try a couple of new spots for the last few hours when my right had rod had a few bleeps. I position myself ready to pounce, suddenly the line tore off the the right & I was into another fish. This one didn't feel quite as big this time, splashing about on the far bank. After a short battle it was in the net, and what a stunning little fish it was, probably just over the 11lb mark but was the prettiest fish by far, a heavily scaled Mirror. I was over the moon with this fish & this was another glimpse into what this cracking little water might hold.  

Cracking Scaly Mirror!

Early afternoon I decided to call it a day, I had caught more than I ever imagined I was going to on my first session, I cant wait to get back down for another bash & see if I can find where some of the bigger girls are hiding! 

Martin Noble - Noble's Fishing