Oak Lodge, Rayleigh.

[Hit It Hit It Hit It]

Has anyone fished Oak Lodge in Rayleigh, Essex? I'm looking to fish this lake soon for cats and i'm after any information on baits, swims, rigs etc.

Cheers.

 

[Tippin on the bar :)]

I've heard that most of the cats in there have moustaches and onions round their necks............ if you catch my drift

The guy that owns it is a nice guy though.... Terry i think his name is.... or is it Tony..... hmmm one or tother!

Only Flukey anglers need apply to Oak lodge

 

[Hit It Hit It Hit It]

I hope you're not suggesting i use Brie as a bait?

 

[Budgie Burgess]

Ah "Joke Lodge" home of the fastest growing catfish in the world.........100lb in four years is absolutely amazing....What a terrific favour that place did UK catfishing eh? And yet another case of the good old EA being really on the ball and safe guarding our fishing and upholding the law.................would write more about this great and wonderfully managed fishery but got to pop up to casualty to get my tongue surgically removed from my cheek.

Then again things may have changed? Did the mysterious Mr Bond ever show up?

 

[Hit It Hit It Hit It]

I'm not sure if things have changed or even if it is morally correct to be fishing such a place for the reasons you mentioned, but the temptation of a large cat this side of the channel has proved too much to resist.

So who is 'Mr Bond' then? Not James?

 

[Budgie Burgess]

Used to be the on site fisheries manager and "caught" the "record" breaking 100lb+ fish.Disapeared a few years ago.The Lord Lucan of the angling world!

 

[Hit It Hit It Hit It]

Oh right. Have you fished this venue before Budgie? I'm after any tips if you have any re; bait, swims, rigs etc.

 

[Budgie Burgess]

No Ive not fished it! Gladly give you tips on bait,tackle,methods etc for catting in general but would first need to know what the rules are re live baits etc.

 

[Hit It Hit It Hit It]

To be honest i don't think there are any rules regarding live bait. I'm fishing it with a mate of mine and we done a bit of catting last year with some success, my best being a 26 1/2 cat which i caught on a popped up sardine section just off the bottom. I used about a 12inch hooklength of 35lb Quicksilver to 15lb mainline on a running lead, with a size 1 ESP raptor hook.

I was thinking about using something similar this time around. What do you think? We have also heard that the large 21mm Halibut pellets work well there with 2-3 on a hair rig, fished over a bed of pellets. Have you used anything similar before?

 

[Budgie Burgess]

My favoured method is a live bait fished on a "Poly Ball Rig" catchs at all thge cat waters in all the countries Ive fished.-

http://www.anglers-net.co.uk/rigs/specialist.htm

If livebaits are banned I use leeches (which imitate a live fish any way!)on the following rigs-

http://www.anglersnet.co.uk/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=4;t=001790#000025

Just scroll down till you get to the diagrams.

As for your tackle I think that 15lb line is fine in the UK and Quicksilver the besthook length.I would user a bigger hook though.Size is obviously dependant on bait though.The Cox&Rawle Uptide Exta hooks are very good in sizes 1 up to 4/0.

Not used Hallibut Pellets myself for cats but a mate of mine who works in Spain has used them with sucsess on the Ebro.Normally only lives have worked in Spain so the pellets must be good.

Ive caught on all manner of baits from live eels to giant boillies with every possible meat,fish bait going inbetween! but still rate lives then leeches as the best every where.

 

[Hit It Hit It Hit It]

Thankyou for taking the time to provide me with all that information Budgie, it's been very useful indeed.

I've found it difficult to get some good advice on the net for cats up until now.

I'll let you know how i get on at the 'Joke'.....apparently it's fishing well at the moment, so fingers crossed.

Cheers!!

 

[Budgie Burgess]

Yes good luck mate.

 

[Hit It Hit It Hit It]

Hi Budgie. I fished Oak Lodge last week and i'm pleased to say that i had some success by banking a 50lb Cat. The fish came right at the end of my 24 hour session, just as i had started to pack up, adding an even bigger smile to my face.

I caught it on a single 21mm Halibut pellet fished on the bottom after having no success with deadbaits or the Squid boilies that we'd brought along.

Although the lake was slow a guy a few swims down had caught a Cat during the night around the mid-twenties and had had a high double carp during the morning, so i was desperate to catch.

I'm really pleased as this fish nearly doubles my previous best of 26 1/2lb and i can't wait to go again.

As soon as i get the photos developed i'll post them up if i can.

Cheers for all your help and tips and i'll keep you posted as the season progresses.

Happy Cattin!

 

[Budgie Burgess]

Well done mate Im glad you had some sucsess.Things will only get easier as the weather warms up.

 

[Gary Knowles 2]

"I've found it difficult to get some good advice on the net for cats up until now"

I'm not having a go at you here mate but perhaps the reason is your asking questions without giving your name.

Most people now don't bother responding to people who don't give out there names as there are alot of mischeivious people on forums.

Yours sounds like a genuine query so if you do want more people to respond to your posts I'd guess you'll get a lot more feedback if you start posting under your real name.

 

[Steven Halverson]

I been over there recently, new to lake i heard all the rumours but like someone before said a big cat or carp is a big catch full stop, and yes i have paid a fortune to fish for alike fish in warmer climates and if theres somewhere down the road that i can do such a thing so be it. Back to question i fished the peg called PADS both times first was cat at 13 1/2 and early next morning smashed into 49lbs cat thank you didnt have to travel miles and miles to catch such a nice fish its great if there is a french influance so be it i like it. Thanks to the partners that own the lake they make you feel very welcome and breakfast aint that bad either lol. I was fishing with single hooks with single on 1 rod and triple hallebet on other and it was triple that sneared 49.

 

[Steven Halverson]

LOVED EVERY MINUTE OVER THERE TBH <nods>