Thirties galore at Orchid Lakes

OXFORDSHIRE’S Orchid Lake switched on in style over the Christmas break and Lee Barter was among the anglers to capitalise.

The Bristol rod netted two thirties and an upper double during a 24-hour session between Christmas and New Year.

Fishing the Pads swim on the 18-acre day-ticket water, Lee used homemade pineapple pop-ups to catch a fish known as Peaches at 32lb 9oz and Thomo at 32lb 8oz. His tally was completed with an 18lb 4oz common.

The 31-year-old electrician, who was on his first visit to the venue, said: “I was doubled up with my mate Sean Fehicy, and having arrived at about 9am we had six fish between us in the first four hours. Sean had a 26lb 4oz mirror, a 20lb 8oz mirror and a smaller one of about 14lb.

“The lake was pretty busy and it was clearly moving the fish about. I fished single hookbaits on chod rigs in open water and both the thirties put up really hard fights.”

Elsewhere on the venue Danny Coltman took one of the lake’s oldest warriors from the RH Snag swim in the shape of a specimen called Samson at 30lb 8oz.

The Derbyshire angler, who also banked an 18lb mirror, targeted a bar at 40 yards’ range during his two-night stay and fished CC Moore’s Northern Specials pop-ups on eight-inch-long KD rigs.