Winter Wonderland

As most have you know, I've stopped doing blogs on a regular basis because posting photo's up of fish as they're caught or when I get sent them on Facebook seems to get a much bigger response. I prefer it that way as well, as it is more current. But not all my anglers follow Facebook, so I will continue with blogs every month or so to round up what's been happening.

October was the best month last year to be on Mustang, but this year I was disappointed with how the fishing went. The water temperature crashed from 17 degrees to 11 degrees in just six days and it really slowed things up. However now the water temperature has settled, Mustang is fishing and has fished really well in November. If I remember last November was slow, especially compared to October, so things are the other way round this year.

I dug Mustang Lake to be good in the winter months, 6ft pretty much flat all over with just one deep area. There are no features for the fish to hold up in and now the weed has vanished the carp have to keep moving around the lake. When carp are moving in the winter they're very catchable and that is the case on Mustang at the moment. You only need to fish over twenty or so boilies in the open water to get a bite. Small PVA bags full of boilie crumb or old school stringers are working a treat. The anglers keeping it simple are making it look easy when the fish switch on. Nash Amber Attract, Mainline Cell are good winter boilies and I've seen several carp caught in the last two weeks on both.

If you want pike action then bring plenty of sea dead baits and enjoy the sport. I watched two lads have over 12 pike in a morning the other day. Three of them were doubles as well. Please just look after them on the bank and get them back in the water quickly as they're not as tough as many anglers believe.

I will finish off by saying I'm pretty confident there are over 100 twenties in Mustang now. It really is becoming the lake I set it out to be when I started the project five years ago. As I write this no one is on the lake, it's a pukka day and I saw three carp roll in the morning as I walked round and planted a tree. I might even get my rods out for the afternoon.

 Hope you like the pic's

Stunning Twenties

The water temperature has dropped very quickly this year and the Mustang Carp are showing a preference  to lighter beds of bait. A scattering of 30-50 quality boilies over a rod is what has accounted for most fish and there has been some stunning 20s banked since my last post.

The last couple of bites I've had on tuitions have come over a few handfuls of Monster Squid, so I think it is the way forward in the next month. Most fish are coming from the middle of the lake 20 - 40 yards out.

I have manged to get hold of a few pic's, but missed out on others as I've been away a fair bit,so please if you could send me any photos it is really appreciated. As I know a few of you reading this have had some good fish, but no worries if you want to keep them quiet.

There has only been two pike anglers down in a week and they both had six odd fish to each. I think the biggest was around 13lb.

Hope you like the pics

Pike Fishing Next Week

A quick blog just to let all the predator anglers know the Pike fishing season on Mustang starts next Monday 1st October.

Last years pike fishing offered hectic sport with many anglers banking over 10 fish in a day. Static deadbaits are all you need, sardines, herring etc will produce the goods. There are lots of doubles in the lake, last year five different pike were caught over 15lb and the biggest was 17lb. I'm hoping after a summer of munching roach and baby pike we will have are first Mustang 20lb pike this winter.

To avoid deep hooking runs must be hit straight. And please only fish for the pike if you're confident at handling and unhooking them. If not, please fish with a friend who is experienced at dealing with them on the bank.

Here's a few pike caught last year, hope you like the pics.

Low Pressure

Great conditions today with this big Low pressure system we have over us at the moment. Only one day angler on Mustang as I type this so I hope he can make the most of it.

Over the last couple of weeks the fishing has been hectic at times and slow on other days, I think the fish are just adjusting to the cooler weather we have been having. Some cracking twenties have been banked from all over including a leather and a scattered linear, which are new twenties.

Tight beds of baits are working best. Nash Monster Squid boilies, Tails Up Pro Fish, Mainline Cell/Grange, Premier Matrix, are all very good on Mustang at the mo as the carp feed up prior to winter.
Bright hookbaits and PVA bags fished over the top will get you bites in the open water.

As many anglers have noticed in the last two weeks the bottom weed in Mustang has nearly all gone now, because the carp have ripped it up. I know some anglers (including myself) prefer the weed and others don't, but I'm sure we will get some fresh weed growth next spring/summer I predict a very barren bottom this winter, which is really different to last year.

I hope you like the pics

Cooling Down

It feels like autumn today, really cool, great conditions - a complete contrast to the melting hot weather last week.

Mustang has been fishing okay, but I think the weather has made things a little patchy at times. Different tactics seem to be working depending on conditions. A 27lb common came out the other week and at least another five "new" 20s have been caught since my last post, so they're still stacking weight on. Most bites are still coming to quality boilies like the Nash Monster Squid or Mainline Cell or Grange. But Pellets and corn are still very good on the right day. I would also say small hook baits are producing most bites.

The fish should really be feeding up now and from last years results the next two best months on Mustang are coming up - so I hope that is repeated.

I hope you like the pics.