Overnight temperatures dropped to –2°C, and with clear skies forecast, we knew ice was likely to be a factor before we even set off. On arrival at Sykehouse Fisheries, we parked up near the lakes and took time to walk the venue before making any decisions.
Stock Lake was our first stop. Pegs 7, 8, 9 and 10 all looked clear with no visible ice, although peg 11 in the corner didn’t appeal. Moving on to Twin Isles, pegs 3, 5, 7 and 9 were also fishable at that point, though several other pegs were already sitting under a solid ice lid.
Courtney liked the look of Twin Isles, particularly peg 5, but with this being a rover match everything depended on the draw. The draw took place at 8:15, with fishing scheduled from 9:30 until 3:30. Courtney drew position 13, which meant a long wait while earlier numbers made their selections. By the time her turn came, most of the pegs we had initially identified were already taken.
With plenty of vacancies still showing on Twin Isles, she opted to stick with the original plan and chose peg 5. We set off for the peg with a small selection of fishery pellets, and Courtney also picked up some meat after Ray mentioned that carp had still been feeding on it.
When we arrived, the situation had changed quickly. Pegs 3 and 4 were clear, but peg 5 had developed a thin layer of “cat ice”. Pegs 6 and 7 were already solid, all of this happening in the space of around an hour. The ice on peg 5 was thin enough to deal with, and I was able to break it cleanly in one sheet and push it away, leaving a clear, fishable area in front of the platform. The angler on peg 7 wasn’t so lucky and had to work hard just to clear an opening of about eight feet in diameter, which continued to ice over throughout the morning.
Courtney set up a simple winter arrangement: a 4 m A-Class whip, a 0.5 g Carbon Bobbie, and a size 16 hook. She also set up two rods — a 9 ft and a 10 ft — one with a bomb and one with a small banjo feeder. Bait-wise we had maggots, pellets, micros, corn and a few wafters.
She started on the whip, plumbing up to around an inch overdepth. Half a dozen maggots went in to kick things off, with two on the hook. Two minutes into the very first put-in the float dipped away and she landed a cracking 8–10 oz perch, which was a great start and proof that fish were present and feeding, at least briefly.
Unfortunately, conditions continued to deteriorate. Pegs around the lake kept icing over, including pegs on New Lake. One angler there found his peg completely unfishable and packed up without even unloading his trolley, despite it having been clear earlier in the morning.
Temperatures hovered stubbornly between –2°C and –3°C. Ice itself was manageable, but the cold wasn’t. Despite good clothing and preparation, the exposure took its toll, and by 11:30 am we made the decision to pack up. Courtney at least had the pleasure of releasing that perch from what had already become a frozen keepnet.
Walking back past Stock Lake, it looked almost inviting — no ice, bathed in sunshine, and deceptively calm. The first angler we spoke to told us he’d managed two fish for 20 lb, a reminder that winter fishing often comes down to one peg and one brief window of opportunity.
This wasn’t a match report defined by results, but it was a clear example of winter fishing at its most unforgiving — where sound decisions matter just as much as rigs and bait.