Fishery Report
Cowley lake
Posted by Alan Bright (Fishery Manager)
Posted on 5th January 2011

This season has seen better fishing on the lake due to the raking of every swim during the spring and summer months .My thanks to Mark Radcliffe for helping with this work which took up to 2-3 hours to complete and was done at least three times a week .On the fishing side mark had tench to 5lbs plus silver fish in a bag in excess of 40lb+. The first club match at Cowley was held in June  on a very cold day which resulted in a very hard match with most anglers just trying to get a bite the eventual  winner catching two tench .A new member to the club this year on his first visit to the lake had a few tench to 5lbs and said he lost one that might have gone at least 10lbs he also said he saw what he thought was a golden tench. One of the regular members who fishes most weekends caught an estimated 7-8lb eel one of several caught this season, the same member also caught a 20lb+ carp which is now proves that large carp do exist in the lake. Lots of small skimmers, roach, rudd and perch have also been caught. The small carp introduced in the spring have yet to show but by now will have started to put on weight an I hope will start to be caught next season .No pike have been caught this autumn at the time this report was written .The lake is being treated each month to try and stop the spread of duckweed next season .The weed will still be raked out of the swims every week from spring until autumn making most swims fishable. So all in all a much better season on the lake for those members who persevered on what must be our clubs most attractive but under fished venue. And lastly I would like to thank those members who have visited the lake during the season for keeping cowley litter free which helps to make my job easier.

Posted by Alan Bright (Fishery Manager)
Posted on 12th October 2009

The fishing has again been hard on the Lake but the few members that have persevered have been rewarded with the odd Tench and Silver fish.

After various meetings at the lake with Chris (the Treasurer), myself and a professional fishery management company the weed treatment has had to be put on hold as there are no chemicals on the market now to deal  with this problem as the E.U has withdrawn these products. Some of you who read The Angling Times may have read about this a few weeks ago.  However, the club have purchased two Aspen Lake Rakes which I have already used to clear a few swims. This new rake will, I hope, go someway to solving the weed problem.  The Duck Weed unfortunately is another story.

Part of the programme is to clear the bank of some of the overgrown trees we are at the moment getting estimates from tree surgeons.  Once this work has been completed we hope that it will produce a better air flow over the lake and disperse the duck weed.  We will be installing an aerator in the lake during the close season which will oxygenate the lake when required and also help with the disbursal of the weed.

The Committee at the September meeting drew up a 3 year stocking programme which will consist of an introduction in March 2010 of 2,000 8 – 10 inch Carp and 4,000 mixed Silver Fish.  These fish have been ordered.  In 2011 a stocking of 500 1½lb Carp and in 2012 a further stocking of 2lb Carp.  The Committee feel this is the only way to get this fishery up and running. The Tench will still be there for those who want to fish for them.

The Committee hope these actions will make Cowley Lake the first class fishery we know it can be.

Posted by    Chris Gadsden
Posted on    29th June 2009

Cowley lake opened on the 1st of April 09  for it's first full season as a new society venue.We always new it would take time to develop as it had become very overgrown over the last few years. Phase one started last year and has continued into 09 with swim building, plus some stocking with skimmers and Roach. The swim building thanks almost exclusively to Alan Bright is near completion. This May has seen some partial treatment of the severe weed problem we have faced,.As a committee we are exploring every legal way of dealing with this frustrating problem. But there is no reason why you cannot rake yourselves!
Phase two [next year] will be to continue to get on top of the weed and address the cormorant predation we experience in the Winter time.If we can create some fish refuge sites we will continue to restock.The environment agency have been approached for advice on this matter, and we intend to apply for funding from the Colne Valley Angling Conservancy As for the fishing I have heard a number of members complain that the fishing is poor! Cowley is not an easy venue, But it must be remembered IT'S A TYPICAL CLEAR TENCH LAKE! You need to get up early or fish late.Member James, who lives on a boat next to the lake studies his quarry fishes at the right times and has good results! I myself averaged two Tench per session last year [I also live adjacent to the lake] and enjoyed good sport from Oct to Xmas with the Pike. It is early days with Cowley and we hope that in a few years time it will be a first class fishery.
Posted by    Alan Bright
Posted on    4th December 2008

Now that our first season on the lake is coming to a close we can look back to some reasonable but not prolific fishing, this was due to the weed growth that took over the lake during the summer months. Members who were prepared to rake their swims were rewarded with Tench up to 5lbs,
Carp and Bream have also been caught although I have no reports of sizes.
Good bags of Roach and Rudd have been taken, with Pike also being caught with fish to double figures reported. I hope they do not grow fat on the 1500 small bream and 200 chub that were introduced into the lake in October.

Work is still in progress on the permanent swims around the lake , 18 so far have been completed with another 12 hopefully ready for the new season.
The lake is to be treated in March to kill off some of the weed which I hope will encourage more members to fish the lake.

I would like to extend my thanks to those who have helped me with some of the hard work involved to get this fishery looking as good as it does, and also to Frank and Helen who bailiff the lake when I am not there, Frank also cuts the grass on his ride on mower.

I am sure this could become our premier fishery providing fishing on a very attractive and interesting lake.
Posted by    Chris Gadsden
Posted on    23rd July 2008

Cowley has been a very busy venue for the last three months, Alan Bright and his team have done a brilliant job and have completed two thirds of the permanent pegs, and erected our tool shed.
On the fishing front the lake has been very weedy and we would encourage all members to rake your chosen swim, many members do this a day or two in advance.  The big surprise are the big eels, I know of at least six that have been caught up to 3.5lbs.  Also a number of terrapins have been spotted and one or two even caught (watch your fingers and use forceps when unhooking before safely returning).
Most Tench have been caught on the pole with a few on the waggler, corn, red maggot and worms (naturals) seems to be the bait.  There are Rudd, Perch and some Roach to be had if you fish up in the water, but it has been mainly Tench early and late in low light conditions.  On cloudy days that have been warm with a light breeze the morning feed has lasted longer Tench have been by far the dominant species, with a number of bags up to 10 fish, but 2 or 3 fish is the norm in the 4 - 5lb class.
A few Bream and 1 or 2 Carp have also shown.