Improve Your Coarse Fishing (UK)
Fairway to Heaven – Graham West
The prolific Biggin Lake sits on a golf course, but this is no handicap to Graham West who bags up carp on the pellet feeder
ANGLERS and golfers tend to stay well clear of each other. There’s no malice or ill-feeling between the two groups, it’s merely down to the fact that both enjoy their passion in completely different surroundings. Golf course fairways and greens are maintained to perfection and are no place for muddy boots and tackle-laden trolleys, while anglers would prefer to enjoy a day of bagging without the threat of balls flying over their heads at electrifying pace. Despite this separation being standard practice there is one fishery that is determined to prove that fishermen can happily chuck a feeder alongside those preferring to forcefully smash a golf ball towards the green. Northamptonshire’s Biggin Lake is located bang in the middle of Oundle Golf Club. It has all the hallmarks of an old estate lake, with large rafts of trees that are hundreds of years old towering above the venue. Beyond this wooded screen to the water golfers are busy chipping, driving and putting their way to a better handicap. There are no modern facilities that have become commonplace on the commercial scene, with car parking available in a pair of laybys that are a short walk from the bank. It’s at this point that you’ll do something that you’re unlikely to have done before – traipse all of your kit over a well-kept golf fairway. Each blade of grass appears to be have been painstakingly cut to the same length, with the smooth surface pretty handy for pushing an overloaded barrow over. With the 13th hole to your right, a quick glance to your left is required to check for golfers lining up their next shot. If there are any bearing down on you, it’s become an unwritten rule to wait out of their line of sight as they make their move before continuing. After all, how would you like lining up a cast tight to an island only for someone to startle you at the last minute? Once through the gate, the beauty doesn’t
“Fishermen can happily chuck a feeder alongside those preferring to smash a golfball towards the green”
disappear. In fact, it blossoms even more. Comfortable platforms have been constructed and the banks are in good condition to prevent anglers becoming caked in mud that would cause damage to the course. If that’s whetted your appetite then wait until you hear just how good the fishing is! Browns Angling and Preston Innovations backed Graham West was treated to a verbal description of what Biggin was all about and before I’d even finished he excitedly said: “When can we go?!” Without further ado, a date was pencilled in and off we went to see just how good this unique venue really is.
Tranquil delight
Having picked his moment to venture across the fairway, Graham was soon deliberating from where to launch his attack. This took a little longer than expected. “I can’t decide where to fish from – there are fish topping all over the place and every peg looks so inviting,” said Graham. After thorough investigation of numerous swims he finally settled on an area towards the top end of the lake. With feeder fishing in the forefront of his mind, it was clear as to why he had opted for this location. “There are no pegs on the far bank here and I am confident that if I cast tight over there will be plenty of carp to be had.” Fish to 30lb have been recorded although the average stamp tends to range anywhere between 3lb and 15lb. It’s not all carp though. Catch it right, and you could easily cobble together a big bag of roach and bream. This certainly isn’t is a deep water, with 5ft the maximum you will find in any of the swims. A Preston Innovations ICS Pellet Feeder was threaded on to the line with a short hooklength attached below before he started the session by chucking it within inches of the vegetation. Graham’s prediction that fish would be lurking nearby was immediately proved correct when the tip twitched as fish investigated what had been cast out. Rather than fish with the tip slack, he kept a large curve in it. It may have looked unusual but it served a purpose. “When you are fishing so close to the far bank the fish can only swim towards you once they have taken the bait and you wouldn’t see the bite with a slack line. “But when you have a curve in the tip it springs back and that is your cue to pick up the rod and play a carp to the net.” That is exactly what happened around 15 minutes in with a 7lb common the first culprit of the day.
Ringing the changes
Several others came by chucking to the same spot before the liners abruptly stopped. A couple more quick fire chucks failed to reinvigorate the action so it was time for a change. “When this happens the slightest of changes can tempt the fish back. The first things I do are plug the pellets on the feeder with a bit of groundbait and change the hookbait colour. “I use Sonubaits 50:50 Method Paste and the extra colour and flavour often produces well. Switching from a bright orange wafter to a brown one can also have a massive impact.” Sure enough, that did the trick and within 10 minutes the first double of the day – a stunningly coloured ghostie – was nestling in the net. As the hours rolled by, the number of golfers on the adjacent fairway down to the 12th increased. Such is the design of the course, there is no chance of being hit by a stray ball, with even the most erratic of shots landing anywhere close to anglers. The next change Graham made was to drop short of the far bank by a metre into deeper water. It proved to be another masterstroke with more carp and even a couple of quality bream taking the hookbait.
Biggin bagging
Each time Graham made a tweak to his approach it brought another run of bites and at the end of the five-hour stint he hauled out two nets full of fighting-fit carp, with a total weight easily more than 100lb. What was noticeable was the immaculate condition of the overwhelming majority of captured fish which was certainly testimony to the way the venue is run. “I’d heard a few whispers about just how good Biggin Lake is but I never expected it to be as prolific as this. “I’ve barely had any quiet spells and I have caught lots of stunning fish with four or five of them between 10lb and 14lb.” As Graham carted his gear back to the car he got into friendly conversation with a group of golfers who were enjoying a competitive round. It was the perfect ending to display the mutual respect between sports. Who knows, perhaps the Biggin Lake model could be replicated across the UK to give both sports something very special.
“I have caught stunning fish with four or five between 10lb and 14lb”