Weekly Report - 3 September 2020

Getting back to the weekly reports – after the hot spell and now that the weather has turned cooler, the fishing has picked up dramatically with some good bags being caught, notably a 3 fish limit of 10.4lb which included the largest fish of the week at 4.12lb caught by Simon Price.  Second largest fish of the week was caught by David Goldsmith weighing in at 4lb, closely followed by a fish of 3.9lb caught by John Inch.  Most successful flies at the moment include damsels, daddies, buzzers, montanas, cat’s whiskers and sedges.  Even though the evenings are drawing in, there are some really good rises and good fishing to be had!

Tuesday 8th September marks exactly 1 year since we opened the gates at Brick Farm Lakes - to mark to occasion and thank you all for your support, we will be offering a free ticket upgrade on all tickets, for example if you buy a 3 fish ticket then we will upgrade it to a 4 fish ticket for free. This offer is only for Tuesday 8th September and excludes voucher purchases.

Thank you all for your support over the last 12 months - here's to looking forward.

Weekly report - 20 July 2020

Cooler weather and even some rain has helped and the water temperatures have dropped slightly.  Fishing has been good, with lots of fish coming out.  On Saturday 18th Peter Johnson had 3 fish and purchased 3 additional fish ending the day with 6 fish to 3½lb all from Spring Lake.  On 16th Mr Clarke enjoyed a successful day catching his 3 fish including a lovely rainbow of 4lb 13oz.  On 12th Lee Holden caught his 3 fish from Brick Lake with a total bag weight of 10lb 4oz including a 6lb rainbow, caught on various flies in the changeable conditions. 

In general buzzers are still working well down deeper and when the fish are coming up in the water both damsels and montana have proved to be fruitful. 

During the day we are seeing various rises when the cloud comes over.  Most evenings have seen fish rising consistently in all lakes, with some great sport being had on the dry flies including Sedgehogs and Snatchers. 

Weekly Report - 6 July 2020

Yet again we had a strange week weather wise - it started off a little better with some cooler days and then the wind really picked up and was gusting in all directions providing for some challenging casting.  Again Spring Lake seemed to be the general favourite amongst our anglers wish the majority of fish early in the week being caught down in the depths.  However the last few days have thrown everything you would think into the air and literally blown it in every direction possible.  As always Damsels have been catching and also small buzzers, but blobs and boobies have proved fruitful too, particularly at the far end of Brick Lake.  Despite a recent quiet spell, Well Lake has started to produce some catches again in the last day or so, notably on a retrieve with a fast stripping action.  The largest fish for this week was a 3 ½ lb rainbow caught by Mr Richardson from Brick Lake on 3rd July despite it being a windy day.  3 other 3lb fish were caught by Lee, Nigel Hayden and Tim Smith. 

Weekly report – 29 June 2020

Last week was a funny one weather-wise which reflected in the fishing.  Earlier in the week it was very bright and warm, which whilst nice for the partners who came along to enjoy the scenery, it did reflect with the fishing being more challenging - this is where fishing to the conditions is really important.  Spring Lake is 24ft deep so the fish will be down at 18ft +.  Fishing deep with a slow retrieve proved to be essential for a good catch, particularly using black buzzers on your main fly, with some catching on a Daddy at the top of a very long leader!  As always blue flash damsels proved popular, particularly in the evenings.  Again our Saturday morning 5am early opening proved popular and well received with several anglers catching well before the usual 7.30am start!  The end of the week has brought some cooler weather, cloud cover and slight winds which has reflected in the fishing somewhat picking up.  The forecast for the following week is looking to continue on the cooler and cloudier side so there should be some good fishing.  Despite the warmer weather we are currently still managing to get a stock in weekly so as always there are plenty of fish to be caught! 

MAY UPDATE

WE ARE NOW BACK OPEN!

As of 7.30 on the 13th May we have been able to reopen with additional safety measures in place. Please read the new notice board on your way into the estate, you cannot miss it!

We are currently faced with difficult times given the Covid-19 pandemic and in line with Government restrictions and guidelines from The Angling Trust and the Institute of Fishery Management, we unfortunately had to close our gates to the public in March.  As angling has being included in the first lot of UK relaxations we are now open and are looking forward to seeing you get back to the bank and enjoy some fresh air.

The last few weeks or so for us have been filled with maintenance, predator checks and fishery improvements (there are certainly worse places to be isolating!)

The Lodge itself has been cleaned and treated (with the “help of the children as I am sure you can imagine).  It took a few days between cleaning, sanding and treating, and the window frames are still to be done, but I’m sure that once you see it you will agree that it is much softer and almost blends into the surroundings.  Even Alfie enjoyed “painting” the railings with water! 

The path to the side of Brick Lake has been widened, flattened and is much more accessible.  The swims around Brick Lake have been cleared and are more casting friendly so hopefully this will make things more enjoyable now you are able to get your rods out again! 

Everywhere has been mowed and is looking nice and neat. We have also cleared huge amounts of weed from the ponds!  

There has been some good movement on the lakes and the fish have been regularly rising throughout the day. We have observed some great hatches of Buzzers, Blue Damsels and even some May Fly!  I posted a photo on Facebook of some lovely Coot chicks which are on Stag Lake and the children were thrilled that the Easter Bunny came out of isolation to hide some eggs for them.  We have been doing our best to make sure that everything is healthy and neat for your return and have scared a few cormorants off and thankfully the fish are still in great condition (sorry – that’s an isolation perk of ours in having the lakes, but it’s not been for pleasure – purely stock checking!)  The early morning checks certainly aren’t hard work when there are such lovely views awaiting. 

Now we have been given the go ahead to open again, there will be social distancing measures in place and we ask that at all times when you are on site you keep a distance from other anglers.  We are operating a 1 in 1 out system for the Lodge and ask anglers to use the outside toilet facilities rather than indoor as access will be to the log book only.  We won’t be serving any food until cafes and restaurants are given the OK to reopen so please bring a packed lunch with you can still enjoy a day out. We do have some confectionary available such as chocolate bars and flapjack. You will still be able to make use of the free tea & coffee we offer to anglers, but in order to limit the use of the kettle we will happily make drinks for you.  For those of you that would rather, we are happy for you to telephone us from the car park and we will complete a ticket for you and can take payment over the phone – we just ask that you call us again before you leave so we can complete the catch report on your behalf.

Stay safe and we look forward to seeing you again soon! 

February Report

It has now been nearly 6 months since we took over Brick Farm Lakes and we are beginning to feel more relaxed and are certainly getting excited about the plans we have going forward!  Our efforts so far have been focused on general maintenance and putting in place the stands on Spring Lake, but there are some very exciting ideas in the pipeline so watch this space! 

Since we took over, the pricing structure has changed and we hope you will be pleased to hear that the cost of the tickets will remain at what they are for the foreseeable months of 2020 and we have no plans to be changing them any time soon. 

Obviously the weather over the festive period has been very wet but thankfully the lakes have coped very well.  We have regularly cleared pipes of debris and leaves, but the onset of some recent frosts has brought the danger of ice – please be extra vigilant when arriving at the Lodge as there is some water freezing across the car park.  So far the lakes haven’t frozen but who knows what February, March and beyond may bring! 

Brick Farm Lakes Christmas & New Year Competition

32 anglers joined us for our Christmas & New Year Competition on Sunday 5 January for a morning of fishing followed by a bowl (or 2) of homemade soup (lots of well-deserved compliments to Linda on her homemade Potage Bonne Femme which went down really well).  Prizes were up for grabs for biggest single fish, heaviest bag and smallest fish and naming no names (David Calder, David Goldsmith and Nathan Goodsell) we had a few happy anglers on their way with trophies and vouchers.  Thank you everyone for coming along, although the fishing was hard going it was a successful day nonetheless. 

Spring Lake

Following several weeks of extremely rainy and wet weather, Phil, Graham and 2 friends (Mark & David) worked tirelessly getting all the stands built and in place.  It helps that Mark is a carpenter so had the right tools for the job, but fuelled by plenty of pizza & homemade sausage rolls and cakes they got all 16 stands built and in place in just 2 very wet January days!  Two of the stands have been built in keeping with the suggested specifications of the British Disabled Angling Association so we hope that these provide additional space for our less mobile anglers to be able to enjoy the beautiful new lake.  We will be creating a parking area close to Spring Lake so those benefiting from these accessible stands won’t have too far to go.  We are now regularly stocking Spring Lake and whilst it is not fully stocked, the fish are in there and it has been fishing very well. 

Ladies Day (Trophy & Prize for Winner)

Danni will be hosting Ladies Day on Sunday 26 April 2020, so ladies get in quick if you fancy getting together with other females who enjoy fly fishing.  We will be fishing in the morning followed by “Ladies only afternoon tea” from 1pm with a selection of homemade sandwiches, quiches, scones and cakes!  Please pre-book asap (by phoning the Lodge or sending an email) as numbers are limited to a maximum of 16.  Ladies will be fishing on Spring Lake, whilst the rest of the waters will remain open for all anglers.  The Lodge will be reserved for the afternoon tea between 1-3pm.  Gents – don’t forget that you can still grab a bacon roll and your drinks out on the decking though!   

November Report

The last month has seen the onset of some heavy frosts, but with that has come some great sized fish for those hardy enough anglers who brave the cold, including a 5lb brown caught by Mary Carden.
We've hosted a few group Christmas days including Cinder Hill and Sussex Fly Dressers Guild when several good fish have been landed.
8yr old Tyler caught himself a lovely 6lb rainbow at the end of November.
We're also thrilled to announce that we achieved a rating of 5 when the Council came on a surprise visit to the lodge for our food & hygiene inspection.
Spring Lake is now full and we have begun to trickle stock it, as well as building some stands - we hope to open it fully by 1st March!

Tight lines and best wishes for the new year, The Axells

An Introduction to the New Owners

Brick Farm Lakes is Under New Management and we thought it was a good time, now that we are beginning to find our feet a little, to let everyone know a little about us and our excitement now we are running this fantastic trout fishery. 

We are a family unit comprising husband and wife Phil and Danni (together with our children Samantha and Alfie, and Phil’s parents Graham and Linda.  We have a longstanding background of fishery management and fish keeping having run Horam Manor coarse fishery for over 20 years.  We are passionate about fishery management and love the lifestyle running a fishery gives us. 

Since taking over the business, we have focused our efforts on repairing the stands around Brick Lake and Stag Lake, general mowing and tidying and filing the potholes on the roadway down to the fishing lodge.  Danni has undertaken a food safety course and is planning some exciting home bakes as well as home cooked food which can be enjoyed alongside the roaring log burner in the lodge this Winter.  Food will be served all day and there is no need to pre-order unless you are part of a group booking or have specific dietary requirements.  Bacon sandwiches will always be available if she hasn’t quite stocked the kitchen fully.  She is also in the process of obtaining a Personal Licence so we can get back to stocking and selling alcohol which some of you enjoyed in the past. 

Fish stocking is going well and we have maintained Brick Farm Lakes’ relationship with the existing trout supplier.  We ran an exciting competition on our opening weekend where we stocked a couple of albino trout which fetched a £150 voucher prize for the anglers who landed them.  One was caught within 3 hours and the other was caught the following day!  We have since stocked 2 more albinos which can bag you a free 2 fish ticket if you catch one!  We will have some more albinos arriving over the coming months and these will again be prize winning catches so watch this space.  We also have a new membership and loyalty scheme on the horizon where anglers will benefit from return visits so keep an eye on our Facebook page and website for more information. 

Notable catches since we have taken over include several 4lb plus and a lovely 5 ½lb Rainbow was caught in our second week of opening!  There have been some lovely full bags caught including 3 fish weighing in at a total of 10lb 8oz and 4 fish at 12lb.  We are stocking a 2lb minimum weight and are quickly learning what we hope to be the right balance of stocking levels. 

We maintain the ability for people to learn the art of fly fishing with our fantastic coaches.

Vouchers and tackle hire available. 

We look forward to welcoming you soon! 

Tight Lines, The Axells

Caroline's Report for April 2019

April showers, cherry blossom, extra hour of daylight, hanging out the washing, walking in the Bluebell wood and fly fishing, spring has truly arrived! The winter months are now firmly to the rear and we can all enjoy our return to the great outdoor life we crave during the long, dark days of winter. Yes we may still have the odd late frost this time of year but nothing to spoil the pleasure of gardening, walking the dog or sitting outside with our lunch and a cuppa or, of course, fishing.

This is the most fantastic time of year to enjoy this wonderful sport and an excellent time in our angling calendar to introduce a new angler. Teaching them the skills of casting, explaining the art of watercraft and showing them the insect life starting to emerge with abundance before their very eyes is a hugely rewarding experience.

Here at Brick Farm Lakes, in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty we are completely set up for the novice angler to start their adventure. The envied facilities here with our comfortable oak framed Lodge, three well stocked lakes (fourth to be opened soon) and quiet location provide the perfect venue to bring a partner or friend to get them started.

We have new rods and tackle bags to hire if you need to and we sell vouchers for fishing tickets and tuition if required as a gift. We have plenty of parking close to the lakes, CLEAN toilets, free tea and coffee and can even make you an egg and bacon roll for an early breakfast or lunch (up to 12am). We have a railed, wide, wheelchair safe platform in front of the Lodge which can be pre-booked for “Blue Badge” holders in need of a secure, safe spot to fish from – fly fishing is truly “open to all”! If you are thinking of bringing a youngster up to the age of sixteen, then please remember that they must be accompanied at all times and bare in mind that we sell a £40“guardian” fishing ticket to share four fish between you or if it is an adult with you, then we have the option of a “five fish shared” ticket at the cost of £48. They will need to wear a hat and glasses and don’t forget an Environment Agency rod licence is required. We do not permit, for safety reasons, total beginners to hire tackle and go out to fish for the first time on their own without an experienced “helper”.

Don’t forget fly fishing is an inexpensive, lightweight, no mess, simple form of angling that can be used and adapted to fish for many species including carp, bass, pike and many more! It is ideal for ladies, the elderly and disabled and is a sociable, friendly and tireless way to fish, where strength and height are not an issue and your angling neighbour will happily help you along the way, coming readily to your assistance when called upon and it can provide company or solitude in equal measures and a meal for the table. Marvellous!

If ever there was a time to treat yourself (or a friend/partner) to a six fish ticket for the day then it has to be right now! The lakes are full to the brim, the water still cold and Annie has had some excellent quality fish of various sizes stocked for your enjoyment. A little tip, if I may be so bold - give yourself a full day to enjoy your time here. Too many times of late anglers have had to sadly cut their day short, having to dash off for home/work/children/dogs/meetings/shopping etc. etc. etc. Don’t feel guilty having a bit of “ME TIME”. I am including myself in this piece of advice, of course!! Where’s my purse?!!! Don’t forget Father’s Day is coming up fast in June so vouchers are always welcome, just call the Lodge and we can post them to you; simples!

Over and out now, and have a lovely Easter holiday this year of fishing trips and family fun. Annie and Caroline.

Caroline's March 2019 report

Looking out at the lake from the Lodge today it is a bit depressing, if I am honest. It is grey, dark, drizzly and downright dreary to say the very least… at least, I suppose it is mild but that does not go far to lift my mood.

Because of the copy deadline I am writing this report on February 6th, for a issue nearly a month away, which is a tad tricky at times to say the very least, again! By the time you anglers are reading this it will be a good bit nearer to spring, at least! There are times when a crystal ball wouldn’t go amiss, as exactly what the weather has in store for us in a month’s time is all but impossible to say. We could be in the grip of another “Beast from the East” or sitting outside in a T shirt with our morning cuppa, who’s to say, again!

However, even if I am not feeling a spring in my step then the birds definitely are and that’s a fact. They have been singing their hearts out this morning and there is certain busyness to their behaviour now. The 14th of February is rapidly approaching, Valentines Day for us, (oh dear) but, this date is know in the countryside as the “birds wedding day” and they are, without doubt, on time with their countryside calendar. In another spring time turn of events, our “stray” cat who had installed himself firmly next to the log burner for the entire winter is now showing signs of intense activity, leaving the warmth of the house at 10pm sharp every night when he hears the news coming on, (he is as fed up with Brexit as the rest of us) to wonder the village in search of a “new friend” no doubt. The dog is still not convinced! Say no more!

The trout are another matter again. Just what will be around for them to consider eating in a months time is by no means a given. There should be frog spawn in the margins, there could be bloodworm on the move through the layers of water and there will almost definitely be buzzers hatching, I walked through a swarm in the garden just this week! Damsel nymphs and others will be crawling around any day now with the longer hours and warmer sunshine on the water and it is definitely time to dust off your emergers! The fish that have overwintered and been lying low in the lakes throughout the cold weather will begin to feel the changing of the season now. They will notice the changing light, the rise in temperatures, feel the pull of the full moon and spring equinox and sense and see the new life around them. The spring time is, with out doubt, the best season for fly fishing! There! I have well and truly cheered myself up! Just the thought of standing on the lake edge, rod at the ready, a box full of new flies, nicely cleaned line and bacon butty in my bag fills me with excitement and anticipation for a wonderful, best ever, PB smashing season.

We have recently had a few days of being forced to close early with the lakes frozen but hopefully that is behind us now and we can get back to normal… apologies if anyone was inconvenienced. Well done to all the anglers braving the cold and indeed, for those who did, the fishing was excellent, with the majority of anglers catching their full bag. At the moment we are still running the £12 extra fish upgrade, in other words if you catch your quota too soon and wish to carry on fishing for a while you do not have to purchase another full ticket, just come into the Lodge a fill in a slip for an extra one fish ticket. 

This year, at Brick Farm Lakes, at some point, when the water is up to its optimum level, we will see the opening of our eagerly awaited forth lake, will see us continue to stock regularly top quality trout and will see us maintain a first class venue for you all to enjoy this marvellous sport!

Tight lines now for a wonderful springtime of daffodils and damsels, tulips and tadpoles, Easter eggs and emergers!

Annie and yours truly, Caroline.