A recent 48hr social on the very popular Carp Society Horseshoe lake in Lechlade with fellow Nash consultant Alan price proved successful for a first time visit to the lake.

 It’s a place I’ve always wanted to fish but somehow never got around to.

The fish in Horseshoe are renowned for their stunning scale patterns so when Alan Price suggested a session I was right up for it.

The morning of the Friday bank holiday Big Al arrives and I’m at the end of the driveway with my gear ready to load. The traffic is kind to us and it seems by the time we have a chat about the lake and how the weather outlook seemed spot-on we arrive at the gate. 

A quick catch up with bailiff Miles who tells us it’s been fishing patchy then Alan takes me around some of the swims. Being a bank holiday the lake is very busy as you would expect,, after about an hour we decide to fish Summer bay, its turning into a real nice bright day and Al’s got a hunch that they will turn up here later. We’re basically fishing off the barrow so if it’s not looking good by late afternoon a move won’t be a problem. I put two rods on a spot at about 48yards TG active bottom baits tipped with maize Size 7 Fang X combilink with a Nash kicker is my weapon of choice. I’ve had a mix made up from the day before of TG flake and whole boilies Slicker hemp Nash small pellet mix maize and a few dollops of ace cards ‘The Bite’ and it smells great. I put 3 spombs over the 2 rods. The flake makes life so much easier the pellet mix gives me various sizes and i love that the slicker hemp isn’t smothered in salt, if I want salt its at my discretion and volume. I’ve got another rod on a zig in case the fish are up in the water.

    I don’t think it was even an hour when I spot a few fish cruising over my spot and before I knew it one of the rods was away. There’s always an added buzz when you get your first take from a water you’ve never fished and this was no exception,,, a pretty fully scaled Mirror rolls over the net cord and I’m buzzing it’s not Hugh but it’s a start and the pressure is off. Alan takes a few snaps and back it goes.

  Alan wasn’t wrong either shortly after more fish arrive with a few under the snags to his left, he’s fishing as close as is safe and locked up.

Shortly after I get another take but fishing two rods close together it’s picked up the other line and soon after the hook pulls, but at least the fish are about…. wasting no time I get the rod back out and top up the spot.

We decide the area is worth staying the night and set about putting up the bivvys. After some food Miles (bailiff) pops around for a chat before leaving to go home.

Before it gets dark I find a spot a bit further out for the Zig rod, I put a few spombs over it and then start getting ready for the night ahead. Just as the light starts to drop I get another take the fish kites to the left but before I can get control its dumped the hook #barblesshookssuck. Let’s hope the night brings better luck for us both.

Zzzzzzzz….nope not a beep for either of us so I’m going to have some breakfast and give it an hour or so before I plan my move.

After speaking to one or two of the anglers in the same bay it seems as though the fish may have moved on not long after my last run the evening before so my mind is made up I’m not going to be happy sat on my rods here for much longer,,, then i get wind of an angler that’s had a few in winter bay and with that I reel in the rods jump in the van and make my way around to Witney Bank I find a perch and just watch the water in for awhile.

It’s not long before I see an angler lift into a fish on the far bank it’s more than I’ve seen in summer bay this morning so a move is on.

As I pull up back at the swim big Al’s clearly had something his woohooing and fist pumping is a bit of a give away lol, a 17lb mirror for his efforts and well deserved.

I’ve still got my mind set on a move and it doesn’t take me long to pack down and load the van, I’m moving to winter point its got a lot of water to go at and after setting up the bivvy and making some fresh rigs I find a nice spot covered in light silk weed for the rods just in front of a weed bed.

The weathers slowly taking a turn for the worse the wind is starting to pick up and before I know it there’s literally waves hitting the bank. After a bit of drama with the bivvy almost blowing away due to the pegs being in loose gravel I double peg and pray the wind doesn’t continue or get any stronger.

I’ve set my alarm for first light so it’s an early night.

The only alarm to wake me was in fact my clock the following morning and I’m a bit disappointed to be honest. I wake myself up with a coffee and as I’m watching the water I see a fish nut out just past my spot then another right over the spot. Almost an hour later and still nothing so I decide to re-bait the rods and top the swim up with my mix. About half an hour later I get a vicious take on the middle rod, at last I’ve got a bend in the rod and the fish is not happy I’ve interrupted its breakfast, it gives a cracking fight but soon enough it’s in the net. A stunning looking mirror tips the scales at just over 19lb.

As I’m re-wrapping the rod the other gives out a few bleeps and by the time I’ve sorted the rig out I’m starting to get a few liners so I decide to hold out on putting the rod back on the same spot for a minute. A few minutes later the bobbin lifts up tight before ripping off but after a sort fight I loose it. Wasting no time I put the two rods back out Spod some mix over them and start to slowly pack the bivvy down Alan’s coming to pick me up soon so fingers crossed I get another chance. The rod I’ve had in the channel to my left is the first to come in I haven’t seen any signs of fish so it’s the first to go back in its sleeve.

The rest of the Spod mix goes in the margin and no sooner the swans are on it the middle rod rips off another mirror only a mid double but it looks like the fish have shown up just as its time to leave but I’ve enjoyed my two nights and will defiantly be returning. The few lads I’ve met and the bailiffs have been really helpful. The lake is well maintained and the pegs are generously spaced. There’s clean toilets and even a shower.

Day tickets are available from the office during open hours.

www.horseshoelakelechlade.com

Call: 01367 253959

Emai: Info@horseshoelakelechlade.com

Postcode for SatNav: GL7 3QQ