CUDMORE FISHERIES National Angling Centre

CAT REPORTS

Cudmore Catfish Heaven!

Cudmore fisheries is known nation wide as a top match venue, home to the sky sports Fish-O-Mania final and host to the Go Fishing show each year, but after a chat to fishery boss Cyril Brewster he informed me that Cudmore had a lot more to offer the specimen angler and invited myself and fellow predator angler Nathan Brotherton down to fish a 24hr ticket for the resident cats, we were not to be disappointed!

Wed 20:30:
Having worked the late night opening at Stapeley Angling Centre we arrived at Cudmore just before they shut for the night and had a mad rush to get everything set up before dark, this included catching the live baits we intended to fish with through the night. (Cudmore allow use of live baits for cats as long as they are caught from the lake you are fishing on and must be stored in purpose made live bait nets not keepnets, you can use only silverfish and perch which are in abundance in all the lakes.) Everything was set up Nath using Dumbbell rigs on the surface and I used Polyball rigs fished about 1 ft off the bottom.

Wed Midnight:
Up to midnight all was quiet on our pegs with just the occasional 3 or 4 bleeps then nothing, but our hopes were kept high with a 45lb’er caught elsewhere on the lake.

Thurs 0:500:
First light saw both of us catching more livies and changing the baits on the rods with roach between 4-5 inches ideal, by 7 nothing had happened so the kettle went on to brew up.

Thurs 07:15:
Just as the brew was made my left hand rod screamed off and the battle started, every time I managed to gain some line it would turn and take back more line flat roding me several times, when it finally rose to the surface I knew it was a PB and after swearing at Nath to make sure he netted it first time it slipped over the net and the battle was won. We quickly unhooked, weighed and had a couple of pics then back it went at 41lb on the nose it was a PB for me, my hands were still shaking from the adrenaline of the fight so I went down to the on site cafe and bought bacon sarnies for breakfast.

Thurs 08:00:
Breakfast eaten and the kettle back on to make a fresh brew as the first one was cold thanks to the first cat and then a one-toner from the right hand rod signalled I was in again, were we ever going to get a brew? This time in shallower water the fight was much more hectic stopping it going round the island was the main priority with its tail out causing a massive boil in the water it was heart stopping stuff but again managed to slip the net under it and it was mine. Weighing in at 39lb 12oz I was just short of a brace of 40's but I didn't care I was buzzin!

Thurs 10:00:
Things had gone quiet for a bit so Nath swapped to bottom baits instead of the Dumbbells as they didn't seem to be getting any attention, about 10 minutes after winching out his left hand rod a superbly vicious take had his rod bouncing out of the rests another arm and back breaking battle commenced and 10 minutes later I returned the favour and netted a PB for Nathan of 42lb 12oz

Thurs 11:15:
Not long after Nath had sorted himself out and winched out the bait his right hand rod screamed off, these Cudmore Cats were on the feed good and proper with bottom baits doing the business pictures and weighing done this one took the scales round to 37lb 2oz. All went quiet for a while but neither of us minded we could of packed up there and then and would of been more than happy with the session.

Thurs 14:20:
Cyril Brewster came down to see how we were getting on as the news of the catches had filtered back to him, we were just talking about what a prolific cat water he had when my left rod rattled off again, this time it didn't feel so big with it coming in quite easily, then it woke up and ripped 40yds of line off my reel with a tight clutch it sounded like I had left my bait runner on, then all went slack a few expletives were said then i reeled in and the rod bent double again, the fish had turned and swam straight back to where it was hooked as quick as it had swam away, about 10 more minutes of gaining and losing line went on until finally Nath netted for me another PB of 41lb 14oz, a brace of 40's I was on cloud 9. Cyril just smiled and said "told you we are much more than a match venue". He was not wrong.

Thurs 15:15:
Since the last fish I had lost another on its first run and as i had to be off by 4 I had started to pack the Bivvy down when I had my last run of the day this resulted in my smallest fish of the session at 38lb 2oz a brace of 40's and a brace of high 30's in one session what a cat venue this is.
Later on after I had packed up and gone home for a shower to de-slime myself Nath had called me to let me know he had had another at 39lb 12oz so between us we had had over 280lb of catfish from 7 fish in a 24hr session! Cudmore is open to all to have a go for these fish but sensible tackle must be used as these fish fight like demons, decent carp rods and bait runners are fine but main line needs to be a minimum of 18lb mono or a good braid of no less than 30lb.
A good sized landing net is needed ideally of 50in but with a minimum of 42in and a proper unhooking mat as these fish are long and a decent set of scales as I was informed that the cats at Cudmore are to be had bigger than the ones we caught. The terminal gear is where you need to go specialised but with a good selection of Catfish gear available in the on site shop run by Stapeley and plenty of free advice on how to get the most out it you should soon have a Cat of your own on the bank.

For more information on Cudmore Fishery phone (01782) 680919
or E-mail: frank@cudmorefishery.com