advice on how to tackle a fresh lake

Hi everyone.
I'm thinking of having a go at a water that has just opened near to me but would like some advce on how to tackle it.
The lake is around 19 acres in size and was stocked with fish in 1995 but has only just opened to fishing.It contains various fish but what im really interested in are the tench and carp.There are some big fish in there but im not sure what aproach i should take with regard to baiting up and hook baits.
i plan on fishing one rod for the tench and bream and set up another one aimed at the carp.
Would i best going with a heavy baiting style or just cast around with maybe a method or pva?
Thanks for any advice guys.

It's always a difficult question without knowing the lake stock density etc. However you could try to bait heavily if you used something cheap like vitalin and corn or maize/pellets but I personally wouldn't pile bait in at this time of year, I've fell on my face too many times in the past baiting heavily on waters of which I know little. That said if you have the water to yourself you could always move if it doesn't produce fish.

My advice would be to initially spend a bit of time having a walk round, preferably with a marker float, then settle on fishinga few areas. Try and 'feed' a fewdifferent areas whilst you are fishing, eg asprinkle a bit of corn or some casters for a few hours to a swimeither side of you,before casting to these spots.

Be prepared to blank, possibly several times, if it hasn't been fished the fish may not be switched on to anglers bait, remember old faithful baits like worms andmaggots.

Thats more or less exactly what i was thinking EC. i know a few fish have been out in the last couple of weeks. biggest a common of 35lb 2oz but i dont know what bait has been going in so i was thinking of sticking to things like maize and maggots for hook baits with a feed of mixed seeds and grains.
Im pretty sure there wont be that many people on there when i go so i was wanting to, like you say have a wonder and plumb up to try and find a few features and maybe spot a few fish.

Sounds like the basis of a plan already. If you are fishing for tench and bream, be sure to ask the carpers how often and on what methods and baitsthey get pestered by them.

Maybe I`m talking twaddle but a very good angler told me when I was starting out to watch the wind as large lakes almost have `tides`and that is where the feed washes up??

You aren't talking twaddle at all mate, large lakes often do have a 'pull' and as such some food/bait will move in a certain way.

go on a quiet day with polorised glasses some bait and a marker float .

Use the marker float to find the depth of the lake and what the bottom is eg weedy , silt or gravel and any underwater features .

With the glasses use them to find the fish in the margins , don't forget to climb trees (if it's safe) .

With the bait find some quiet spots in the margins , look for some clear spots a chuck a few freebies in this will help you to find out what bait there feeding on.

i think ec has hit the nail on the head,but,why not try a third rod at your feet?

All sounds like good advice thanks guys.I have my particles soaking ready to cook flavoured with some nice tutti-fruity so just need to find some nice big feeders that will help me get some bait down once i have found some fishy looking spots.should be arriving at the lake about an hour before first light so will use the first couple of hours to have a wonder around and scout out the swims.

Really id like to find one with a close in drop off so i can fish the float for the tench then have a rod out on the bottom to any feature i can find for the carp.
I cant fish another rod as i only have one licence so will just set another one up for plumbing up and marker uses.
And dont worry EC i fully expect to blank. Its my norm!/forum/smilies/wink_smiley.gif