Lychgate Fishery

Slabba Dabba Doo !

Colin didn’t actually need this skimmer as his 32lb 10oz was well in front but was absolutely worth the picture. At a level 9lb it’s a very, very, big bream, awesome, just remember that they go bigger in there !!!

A good turnout saw everyone catch a few fish on a generally really day. Sam sat and fished for bites on maggot and pinkie over a canal groundbait and had almost 10lb of silvers up to @ 4oz. He fished a heavier elastic just in case of bonus fish which never materialised but bumped little fish throughout the day have cost him probably an additional 5lb for what was an already busy day.

The ide, perch, bream and chub are working their way through the tiny fry and as their numbers drop, more and more fish will end in the net.

There will be another silver match on Tuesday if you want to try for these bream otherwise it’s next Saturday, for which there are already 5 booked on.

The Secret Squirrels are on the silver pool on Thursday so please do not set up on there.

Well done Colin.

The beginning of the end ?

Following our recent announcement, we wanted to provide a little more information, as we know many of you have questions about what the changes mean for the future of the fishery.

Firstly, we would like to thank everyone who has taken the time to contact us, whether that has been through messages, phone calls, comments or in person. It has been clear to see just how much the open matches have meant to so many people over the years. We are incredibly privileged to have been the venue you chose to spend your time at, and we are truly grateful.
As many of you know, open matches have been a huge part of Partridge Lakes for more than 15 years. We have been incredibly proud to host them and are grateful for the support, loyalty and friendships that have been built along the way.

The decision to bring our daily open and OAP matches to a close was not an easy one and certainly not one that was made overnight. A number of factors have contributed to the decision, including changes within our own team, with some of our long-standing match organisers moving on to new adventures, alongside the way open match fishing has changed in recent years and increasing costs to run the matches.

We would also like to reassure everyone that this change relates only to our daily open and OAP matches. Club matches will continue as normal (organisers you will receive an email this week with information on booking coveys), private match bookings will continue, day ticket fishing will continue, and Gold Memberships remain unchanged.
The A-Class Junior League 2026, Guru Commercial Masters, Guru Celebration Of Young Anglers, Fish North Qualifier in August, Over 50s Fishing Masters in July, The Club Match Championship - will all still be going ahead.

As part of these changes from Monday 15th June, Coveys 1-4 will become available for day ticket anglers and Gold Members when not reserved for club or private match bookings, allowing more anglers the opportunity to enjoy these lakes.

We fully appreciate that many anglers will be disappointed by the end of the opens, and we completely understand those feelings. The support shown over the years is exactly what has made this such a difficult decision.

Whilst this chapter is coming to an end with the last match on Sunday 14th June, we remain incredibly proud of everything that has been achieved through match fishing at Partridge Lakes and would like to sincerely thank everyone who has been part of that journey.

Thank you for your continued support.

The Partridge Lakes Team

Wednesday carp

A bit of a change around yesterday, “let’s put pegs in that don’t normally get fished down around the islands”.

Result - Glyn wins, again !

Glyn has drew peg 11, a narrow peg to the end of an island but some open water and a massive right hand margin.

Torrential showers have put paid to any huge weights and a red letter day but a similar number of fish for everyone and another good match. Chris Dyde on peg 9 has had no numbers of fish move onto his margin line in the last half hour but losing the first doesn’t help the cause and then not correcting the mistake on the next put in put paid to his chances as he sat biteless for the last 20 minutes, so close, again !

1st Glyn Davis, peg 11 - 83lb
2nd Chris Dyde, peg 9 - 74lb
3rd Robin Duffy, peg 13 - 67lb

Still asking for the weekend, Saturday silvers or Sunday carp. I’m absolutely amazed that nobody is really fishing for the tench and bream. These are, literally, some of the biggest bream you will ever see and the tench sport can be nothing short of spectacular.

There are still memberships available, £125 for 12 months day fishing. Secure and peaceful setting, great fishing, your own access to a beautiful bit of countryside.

Harley, quite rightly, is really pleased with this one !

Moved into the bowl from the cabin lake a couple of years ago (incorrectly) we have watched and waited for him to make a mistake and take a bait ! It finally happened on Sunday evening. Well done Harley.

The fish has been eating something during that time because he’s put on almost 4lb - just not hookbaits ! He’s now back in his proper home, The Cabin Lake.

Looking for names for the matches at the weekend. Colin Chapman will be running the silvers on Saturday
Tony Blackwell

Jon Courtney is running Sunday
Gary

No Shep or Yoey on Sunday as Shep’s got to save up a bit now having to pay for losing to Yoey the last 3 weeks, Yoey is going away to spend his collection of £1 coins.

It seems that the fish are beginning to respond more to the routine of a few people on the banks. We have now had 2 Saturday and 2 Tuesday silver matches, plus the more normal Wednesday and Sunday carp matches. Attendance’s are mixed but with 5 already booked on for this Saturday, I’m still hopeful of a couple more. The fishing has not been straightforward but the fish are there and with 18-27lb winning the four matches so far, it’s not been too bad for the winners, at least ! It’s also been obvious that the fish have been at the opposite end of the lake to Jeff Robertshaw so you are in with a better chance of catching if you draw away from him !

The carp side has also been pretty steady, no ridiculous weights but a good days fishing has been almost assured. 105-118lb winning, different winners, money spread around, along with impressive and close back up weights there are great matches to be fished. The matches are open to all, just book on to give the organisers a heads up on numbers. £20 for members and £25 for non members.

I want to thank these organisers again for their help in getting the matches going again, it can be a thankless task at times. Also thanks to everyone who is still fishing these matches for your continued support. It is my hope and target to get back to initially running them and at some point be able to fish them again. It’s been a very long 2 years so far, for me, without any fishing but it’s something that I feel I must do for my own sanity !!!

The help I’m getting around the fishery is priceless as far as I’m concerned, massive thanks from Alison and myself to those concerned. Thank you.

Look !

Tuesday silvers - tomorrow !!!

At a loose end ?

Alan Robertshaw and Simon Harper both asked if there was a silver match tomorrow.

There will be now - Please don’t let this end up as a head to head !!!

£25 non members
£20 members

9 o’clock draw

Bring 2 nets and suntan lotion. I will bring you all a cold drink, when I manage to get there.

Saturday silvers

A few more people fished yesterday and thankfully, a few more fish landed.

Following their spawning, more bream than tench showed this week but Tom Eades found a nest of tench and it was these that made up the bulk of his winning weight.

Fishing a worm hookbait, close to the lilies on peg 1, he managed to lose a few but after beefing up the tackle more were landed than lost !

The rest of the farm was a much closer affair, double figures for the majority and a bonus fish takes you from zero to hero. More skimmers of all sizes and the importance of landing the bonus fish today rather than losing them was apparent !!!

Next week is looking almost full, so fingers crossed for another good turnout of fish to match the anglers 🙂. Some will never understand the joy I have in writing “almost full” but I really appreciate the time people put in to run the matches while I’m unable. Obviously I would much prefer to be fishing them myself but it’s heartfelt gratitude that I say thank you to the organisers and to those who are fishing.

1st Tom Eades, peg 1 - 27lb 8oz
2nd Adam Duffy, peg 15 - 16lb 3 oz
3rd Mick Greaves, peg 5 - 15lb 2oz
4th Steve Norris, peg 7 - 12lb 10oz
5th Dave Armstrong, peg 6 -12lb 3oz

Well done Tom on your first Lychgate win ! Is it true that you only let Jeff Robertshaw take photographs of you ? And only on a Thursday ?!?

Wednesday carp

A bit of a deja-vu again wth a Glyn and Robin 1st and second again !

But in reality a very strange day.

Glyn seemed to accumulate his weight by catching steadily through the day. Robin hadn’t caught until the last 90 minutes and then couldn’t get in quick enough at the end. Ian followed a similar pattern to Robin. While the pegs that ran away with it last week, 2 & 3 really struggled for bites. Yoey was pleased as it allowed him to take another £1 off Shep.

I will give Yoey one thing, he is definitely consistent - that’s his 3rd £1 in 3 years 🙂

1st Glyn Davis, peg 8 - 119lb
2nd Robin Duffy, peg 7 - 72lb
3rd Ian Patrick, peg 13 - 55lb

Well done again Glyn.

Shep will be running the match this Sunday as it’s Jon Courtneys birthday - so you’d better be on your best behaviour ! Happy birthday to Jon.

Why the tench pics ?

Well Mick Greaves declined the carp match and decided to have a day on the silvers. And what a day it was for him. These are the fish that made it to the net. Always best to keep the little fish separated from these - many more and it will be a 3 net venue soon !

Adam is running this Saturday and there is still room. Lee Cosgrove is running the 30th and is almost full. These matches are open to all people.

Please message me if you want to get on.

Weekend round up

I hardly slept on Friday night because it was going to be the first silver match for 6 months, I was really excited and I wasn’t even fishing !

A few people booked on, some new people, the fishing had been brilliant, what could possibly go wrong ?!?

I’ll tell you what - fluff and spawning. I was gutted and still pretty disappointed now ! Pegs were chosen away from the fluff but as soon as the whistle went, the wind blew and pushed it around into the pegs. It was so bad that Adam and Steve reckon that they were only able to fish for 90 minutes.

I watched great big humpbacked dustbin lids spawning in the marginal reeds in a few places and everything else in the lakes were lining up to feast on the caviar. Not a chance of catching when things conspire like this.

Adam and Steve’s 90 minutes couldn’t have been too bad though because Adam weighed 13lb odd and Steve 12lb something. They were both disappointed because they have both been catching some fabulous nets of fish. Disappointments soon changed to amazement when after weighing everyone else in they had come first and second !

Adam will be running the match again this Saturday. Please book in, this is important because those not fishing the match look to see how many are booked on and decide where to fish from there.

Adam Duffy
Steve Norris
Dave Armstrong
Tom Eades

Sunday was not straightforward either with Steve Harris winning with 72lb and Shep second with 56lb. That 100lb down from the winning weight on Wednesday.

70lb is still a good days fishing but 100lb difference is a lot - just shows what a few bream eggs can do. The bowl and cabin lake both fished strangely too. This smorgasbord of food will not last very long before they have all gone or hatched and things back to normal.

It’s Jon Courtney’s birthday this weekend so he’s not fishing. If someone would like to take over this weekend please let me know.