Caroline's January Report
FIRSTLY… Happy New Year to all of you! Here at Brick Farm Lakes we hope you enjoyed a healthy and happy Christmas and now that things are returning to normal we can consider some serious winter fishing. Can’t we?
As time marches on without so much as a backward glance we need to carefully think about the coming year and, in particular, the winter season ahead. January, February and March can be cruel, dark and depressing months for many of us and it takes a good dose of enthusiasm to venture out at times. Of course, we need to consider our health and safety. There are days when the roads are challenging, the weather dreadful and snow and ice cover the ground. These are undoubtedly the times to tuck up indoors with a tasty casserole and a bottle of port. No one wants a bout of the flu or a nasty accident after all! However, in between the bad days we do have some respite with sunny, crisp mornings and still, peaceful winter days and these are the times to relish and embrace with open arms. I recall having the roof off my old car on a day like this in February, yes I had a hat and coat on but to feel the winter air was wonderful and did me a power of good and gave me a much needed physical and mental boost. So, with a warm hat and coat we do not need to hibernate until the spring. Fishing is a marvellous way to quietly enjoy the winter wildlife during this unique season in our yearly calendar. Personally, give me an icy puddle and a sprinkle of snow anytime and I’m a “happy bunny” as they say. This may sound weird to many of you sun-lovers out there, a bit odd, but it takes all sorts after all! At Brick Farm Lakes a day’s fishing can reveal some wonderful moments… the Kingfisher patrolling the bank in front of the Lodge… the Heron standing, sentinel, in his favourite spot beneath the oak tree… the Grey Wagtails lined up along the roof… a flock of geese flying noisily overhead… a heard of deer galloping into the cover of the wood… pheasants, squirrels, moorhens and foxes going about their daily routines. If you take the time to take a stroll through the little wood, you will see the thick holly and Spindle berries and along the banks of the little stream the Wrens and Goldcrests flitting and darting around. In the sheltered spots you can glimpse the first of the snowdrops poking through and I even once witnessed the rare sight of my own shadow, magnified against the foggy hillside beneath a beautiful rainbow… a “Brocken Spectre” it is called apparently, or a “Brocken Bow” or “Mountain Spectre”. WOW!!!! So, let us grab our rods and go out and experience the winter countryside in all its glory. They say that the BIG fish come out to play in the colder months and who knows what we will see along the way.
At Brick Farm Lakes we will continue to stock through the winter months with top quality fish and will look forward to seeing you in this New Year of 2019 for some marvellous fishing. Our new “SPRING LAKE” is filling fast and, all being well, we hope to introduce a few trout in the early part of spring, so watch this space!
Flies at the moment are a bit of a mixed bag as they say but black is STILL the most popular choice of colour in the trout’s eyes, as indeed it has been for a long time. As I write buzzers are still catching and some truly lovely fish have been landed by some lucky/skilled anglers.
Tight lines from Caroline and Annie for January.