Fishing eShop

korda-logo

gardner-logo

shimano-logo

FISHING BOOKS


FISHING DVDs




Fishing Diary - 5th August 2007 - Loxley Fishery

This trip to my local pond was delayed for two weeks due to my son's car being in for repair. Eventually he decided to borrow his mother's mini so that we could get out fishing. Two lots of tackle squeezed into a mini is no fun and it was just as well we did not have far to travel.

The day was brilliant sunshine and very warm right from the outset and immediately we arrived we could see carp cruising just below the surface. The side of the pond that reputedly has the best pegs was being used by a group of match fishermen, so we opted for the opposite side where plenty of pegs were available.

The day was so hot that it was not long before I had the brolly up so that I could sit in the shade and not roast. It was also not long before I realized that if fish had a sense of humour then these fish were definitely trying to wind up the anglers who were trying to catch them. Dozens of carp could be seen in front of every swim, and everywhere on the pond. The fish, however, were parading and not feeding.

There were fish surfacing around the lily pads, rolling on the surface, jumping out and splashing back in. But no bites. Other fish were displaying the same behaviour near the margins. Wherever one chose to cast it made no difference, the fish were frolicking everywhere but not feeding. Typical hot day behaviour.

I'm told that the water depth at Loxley is not much more than two feet in any part, and as I had previously had success at this venue with the Method feeder, decided on the Method, even though the fish were "on top" I reasond that in such shallow water the fish would never be far from my bait, and hopefully could be enticed to feed.

This turned out to be a bad idea. Next I tried floater fishing with dog mixer biscuits and a controller float. There was no interest in this either. I then tried what I thought might be my secret weapon. This was a new type of bagging waggler from the Nisa stable. It is a small surface Method feeder that is not buoyant when loaded with groundbait. The idea being that initially the feeder will be on the bottom, but as the groundbait comes off the feeder the float's buoyancy will lift it up through the water column, until eventually it reaches the surface. At which stage the feeder will still contain some groundbait. So, by this means, the entire water column was fished. This did not work either! From watching the matchmen opposite I could see that nobody was having any success, it was going to be just one of those days.

Eventually, in the mid afternoon, the carp started to feed and I took out a couple of small, two to three pound, carp. These fell to my original tactic of the Method feeder. But, just as the sport started to pick up, it was time to go.

My only consolation on an almost blank day was that on the way home we could call in at the best chippy in Sheffield, Codrophenia, on Walkley Bank Road.



Loxley Fishery peg 7


The picture above is Loxley Fisheries peg 7, which is said to be one of the best pegs on the pond. The day described above is not typical, and the sport is usually much better if the weather is more conducive to fishing. I recently fished peg 7, casting a Method feeder between the two beds of lily pads just in front of the peg. Red sweetcorn was the best bait on the day and it accounted for some fine barbel, along with a few carp. Every time the feeder went in the water surface began to boil with fish activity, exciting stuff!

If you fish Loxley be sure to keep a hold on your rod and react quickly to bites, as the barbel in particular will go like rockets into the lily pads and snag you big time. I have had several barbel get into the pads and once they are in there it is like being hooked into a slab of concrete. Great sport if you can get among the barbel.

The barbel are still fairly small but what a fight they give you! When they have matured and grown bigger you will need some serious tackle to get them out!



The map below is centred on Loxley Fishery's car park. Zoom out to see the lake, etc. Click the marker to get directions.