January 2022

We have had some lovely weather of recent, and some lovely fish to prove it!  We are enjoying the crisp mornings and the fish are responding well to the fresher water – they’re hungry for all sorts, from hot headed cat’s whiskers and the ever popular blue flash damsel to buzzers and even the odd fish has been caught on the dry!  The fish are generally higher in the water, but intermediate lines are still giving an attractive presentation too. 

Newick Crown Fly Fishers visited us for a group day early in the new year, and Mr Mace caught an 8lb 9oz Brownie on a damsel – celebrated by him buying a round of beers for his group from our fully stocked bar.  That said, our 2022 diary is now open and we are beginning to get some bookings for group days, so if you would like to visit with some friends or for an event, please give Danni a call in the Lodge on 01323 832615 to make sure we have everything in to cater for you!

Other notable catches of recent include:
W Matthews - 4lb 2oz
J Smith - 4lb 5oz
M Doherty - 8lb 12oz
P Clarke - 9lb 12oz
P Clarke - 5lb
P Clarke - 4lb 2oz
P Mason - 10lb 8oz (brownie)
J Lutkin - 10lb 12oz
D Innes - 4lb
D Wellman - 5lb
M Burnage - 5lb 4oz
A Fretwell - 4.12oz (spartic)
A Wood - 4lb 8oz
N Wiles - 8lb (brownie)
R Tayoll - 4lb 8oz
Y Southern - 4lb
M Farley - 5lb 4oz

Also, 4 year old Harry Nicholas was in charge of the retrieve and caught a great 3lb (rainbow) from Stag lake!

December 2021

Firstly, sorry for the lack of updates recently! Unfortunately, due to one thing and another we have not been very good at keeping the website updated. I think a new year’s resolution needs to be at least a fortnightly update on here! However, we do update the Facebook page and Instagram as and when things happen so this is usually several times a week, if you are on social media please do give us a like or follow!

We are now well into the winter period however the weather is somewhat sporadic still as it has been throughout the autumn. The leaves have finally dropped apart from the odd oak and the weed has died back considerably. We are having some fantastic fishing now the lakes have all cooled down with some fantastic larger fish too. Stocking is still weekly to keep the fishing as consistent as possible and we have now started to stock Spartic trout too, these are a cross between Arctic Char and Brook trout.

As for maintenance this time of year, things do change direction a little. The mower and strimmer have been put away for the winter but the chainsaw, loppers and shovel have come out. Now the leaf has all dropped and we can see what branch reaches where it is an ideal time to work round all the swims giving them their annual trim and tidy.

Notable catches in the last two weeks include the following:

P Clarke – 5lb 8oz
R Burt – 4lb 2oz Spartic
P Clarke – 7lb 8oz Brown
C Fagg – 4lb
D Kitney – 4lb 8oz
D Turner – 4lb 12oz
R Burt – 5lb 2oz
J Barker – 5lb
Pat – 5lb 15oz Brown
Matt – 8lb 14oz Brown
C Nunn – 7lb
B Black - 8lb
A Wood – 5lb 4oz Brown
R Barker – 4lb
W Thomas – 4lb
A Franks – 8lb 10oz

Mr P Clarke had a fantastic day on the 12th catching his 6 fish for a total weight of 20lb 8oz including a 7.8lb brown and a 3.8lb Spartic.

In general, the fish are far more active again now and can regularly be seen chasing fry. As a result of this the ‘cat’s whisker’ has been fishing very well as has the old faithful ‘blue flash damsel’ in both the olive and black varieties.

June 2021

Once again hello from all of us here at Brick Farm Lakes. We are suddenly in June and the weather is warming up and the days are getting longer! As a result of this and the unusually cold April, the flora seems to be growing faster than ever and everything is now a very lush green. All the water based plants are looking fantastic with the rushes and reeds that were planted on Spring lake last year starting to develop and spread. The usual weed in brick lake along the western bank is back but we are keeping this maintained as much as possible so as to keep the areas in front of the stands as clear as we can. This weed is absolutely full of natural pond life including damselflies, dragonflies, pond skaters, snails and water beetles and therefore drawing the trout closer to the margins. Phil has even invested in a wet suit so he is not so limited on the depth whilst trying to cut the weed!

We have a pair of Canada Geese that have decided that Spring lake is a good place to raise their 4 goslings so please give them a little space whilst fishing. They don’t appear to be causing any issues and are happy to move out of your way if given a few seconds to do so.

Graham has enjoyed getting the mower back out and is regularly keeping everywhere looking neat and tidy.  We will also now begin to start stimming around the lakes however generally we like to do this in sections to maintain a varied level of growth and therefore insect and fly life around the estate.

Notable catches of recent include the following:
F Bloomfield - 5.12lb
R Barden - 5.9lb
N Cepulis – 7.7lb
R Davis – 9.12lb
T Tyrrell – 8.3lb Brown
B Hussey – 9.12lb
D Goldsmith – 8.4lb Brown
M Emery 7.11lb Brown

The log book is showing that Blue Flash Damsels and Montanas remain the most successful flies. Cats’ Whisker seems to have quietened down a lot now as expected due to the increase in water temperature. However, for this same reason we are seeing regular hatches throughout the day and dry flies such as small Claret Hoppers and Shuttecock Buzzers are producing well, especially in the evenings when it cools slightly. We have even had some Mayfly hatches on both Stag and Spring lakes! 

May 2021

Here we are, finally back to a near-normal in the way of fishing.  With travel restrictions now lifted some of our regulars who travel a little further have been able to visit us rather than simply seeing the photos on social media of those who live closer to us with their great catches.  Also the return of club competitions has shown groups including Eastbourne & District Fly Fishers Club and Sussex Police Fly Fishers return for their greatly missed friendly competitions.  The kitchen is once again open, albeit for outdoor dining only, but that does mean that our ever popular bacon & egg baps are back on the menu!  Since my last report fishing has been great with some really lovely and hard-fighting fish being caught.  Successful flies include the usual Blue Flash Damsels, Cat’s Whiskers if we have a little rain and some wind, black & green and black & orange.  Don’t be afraid to use buzzers, particularly with droppers, as this really is providing some fantastic sport with fantastic results at the moment.  With the evenings a little longer we are beginning to see some rises, particularly on Stag Lake so some good dry fly fishing can be had in the right conditions. 

Most notable catches of recent are 15yr old Benjamin Gipsom who landed a gorgeous 9.12lb rainbow, and Tim Tyrrell with a lovely 9.7lb rainbow.  Fish over 5lb go in the lakes every week so there is always a chance you could claim the top spot.  This report’s leader board spans a longer than usual timeframe but we will be getting back to normal again with weekly or bi-weekly reports resuming: 

Benjamin Gipsom 9.12lb
Tim Tyrrell 9.7lb
Mr Franks 9.6lb
Peter Clarke 9.2lb
Peter Sandgrove 9lb
Des Watson 8.13lb
Brian 8.11lb
Mr Walker 8.6lb
Peter Buss 8.5lb
Chris 8.4lb + 6lb
Dean Burgess 8.4lb
Nerijus 8.2lb + 7.10lb + 6lb
Caroline Cutmore 8lb
Patrick Bowles 7.12lb + 7.12lb
Brian Wood 6.12lb
Peter Finnis 6.4lb
Mr Bennet 6lb

February 2021

With lockdown 3.0 in full swing, many anglers are unable to make the most of the fantastic conditions of late – we have had some frost and since the thaw the temperatures have really improved and the fish are responding fantastically.  A few hardy regulars were rewarded well when they braved frozen lakes with not much choice of where to fish from, but the fish were keen for the fly and there were a few 5lb+ fish being caught during the challenging conditions. 
We are continuing to stock regularly, and it has been fantastic to see local people coming in as novice fly fishermen and returning each week with more well-earned confidence and the fish to prove it! 
In the last week there have been numerous fish caught over 3lb, with the biggest of the week weighing 8.3lb which was caught by Kevin, who incidentally is our new, additional, fly supplier.  There are now 2 cubes in the Lodge filled with flies so there is plenty of choice!  On the mention of flies – most successful at the moment are, as you would expect: olives, nymphs, blue flash damsels & cat’s whiskers, although there have been some fantastic catches on bright pink at times too! 

Report – 26 November 2020
Fishing has been very mixed in general recently – one day fish have been taking whatever has been put in the water where other days they are being much fussier, although generally a slow retrieve has been working with the usual suspects for this time of year in the guise of damsels, montana, buzzers & gold head daddies with fish still being caught at all depths.   Many of you will be pleased to hear that (unless the tier placing states otherwise) we will resume “normal” service of complementary tea & coffee for anglers as well as we will be back in the kitchen with the bacon and sausage baps on a takeaway basis as soon as lockdown 2.0 comes to an end next week.  Access to the Lodge will however remain restricted to the log book and fly table only. 
We are continuing to see plenty of lovely fish being caught –so many of which were over the 3lb mark so for this report I will just list those recorded over 4lb.  Most notable of recent is Brian Wood who, just days after a new Brick Farm record (since our ownership) smashed the record with a lovely 12lb rainbow.  Kelvin Hinton landed a brilliant 8.4lb and Sinclair with a 7lb take the top spots for this report. 

Brian Wood - 12lb
Kelvin Hinton - 8.4lb
Sinclair - 7lb
Jim Pelling - 6.4lb
Russell Rikards - 5.4lb
Ron Dear - 5lb
Caroline Cutmore - 4.9lb
Pete Roberts - 4.8lb
C.Markwick - 4.8lb
Mark Denman - 4.6lb
B.Francis - 4.4lb + 4lb
Pete Ballard - 4.4lb
Danielle Adams - 4.4lb
Josh Wood - 4lb
D.Barton - 4lb

Report - 8 November 2020

We are certainly now in a more favourable season for trout fishing, and with the recent announcement of another lockdown we are pleased that the government agrees that angling is a solitary sport and there are no problems with social distancing so we can remain open!  We have had to make some slight adjustments for this current lockdown by way of not serving any refreshments from the Lodge.  This is unfortunate for some as I know many of you really enjoy our bacon rolls and a nice cup of tea, but it’s definitely great to be open as a fishery.  Access to the Lodge is still limited, and will remain so for some time, but you can still purchase flies and tackle and record your catches which help us with restocking.  We are still stocking weekly, and are continuing to see regular larger fish being caught.  We have a new record for Brick Farm Lakes since we took over last year – Peter Simmons landed a stunning brown trout weighting 10lb 8oz out of Spring Lake!  He caught it using a sinking line with a bobby which shows that the fish are still deep at times.  Other stand out catches of recent include Keith Farmer with a nice 9lb brown and Tony Benton who had a 9lb 13oz rainbow – both were caught on a competition day held by Kent Police where they cumulatively landed 27 fish with a total weight of 88lb 6oz and an average weight of 3lb 4oz! 

The Fishing for Schools event has been cancelled on 14 November due to government restrictions on competitions, and so we will be open to the public on that day as normal. 

Catches over 3lb 8oz for this report:
Alan Franks - 9.13lb
Tim Tyrrell - 8.2lb
Ivor Smith - 7.4lb
C.McWilton - 6.10lb
Tim Tyrrell - 6.10lb
Brian Wood - 6.5lb
M.Clark - 6lb
C.Mick - 5lb
P.Hunter - 5lb
M.Bristow - 4.8lb
D.Fullager - 4.7lb
N.Mold - 4.4lb
Tim Ashnom - 4.4lb
P.Clementson - 4.4lb
A Hurdle - 3.12lb
Mike Shine - 3.8lb
Graham Goddard - 3.8lb
D. McCabe - 3.8lb
Richard Larkin - 3.8lb

Report - 22 October 2020

October has seen temperatures remaining low.  The leaves are just starting to drop which has peaked the interests of some of the trout as they can regularly be seen patrolling the floating leaves hoping to find an easy meal amongst them! 
We are yet to have a frost but they can’t be far away.  The squirrels are frantically running around each day collecting the fallen acorns and stashing them ready for the imminent winter. 
Congratulations to Brian Wood for catching one of our prize Albino trout which weighed 3.6lb as well a lovely 6.1lb rainbow! 
Fishing has remained fairly consistent over the last couple of weeks.  All lakes are fishing well and producing fish most days. 
There have again been numerous large fish caught, listed below are again the most successful over 3½lb.  These include a couple of stand out catches, being Chloe landing an 7.8lb rainbow on her 14th birthday outing.  Also Mark Denman from Eastbourne District Fly Fishers caught a stunning 9.7lb brown from the far end of Brick Lake on a daddy long legs. 
We are continuing to stock weekly including larger fish most weeks and the odd albino mixed in which are still rewarded with a 2fish ticket for use on your next visit. 
Please note we have a Fishing for Schools event on 14 November.  This is a pairs competition and anglers of all age and ability are encouraged and welcome to participate.  If you are new to competitive fly-fishing this is an ideal opportunity to experience a unique event in a relaxed and informal setting.  We will be closed on this day for the private function – if you would like any more information please email r.p.barden@btinternet.com or call the Lodge for bookings. 

Notable catches: 
3.8lb – Peter Finnis
3.12lb – Graham Goddard and C.Smart  
4lb – C.Farley, Mark Donaldson and G.Manley
4.4lb – Peter Buss
4.8lb – C.Blackman and A.Mortimer
4.9lb – K.Lee
4.10lb Brown – Matt Robbins
5lb – J.Elkins
6.1 – Brian Wood
6.4lb Brown – Caroline Cutmore
6.4lb – W.Hardy
7.8lb – Chloe
9.7lb – Mark Denman

Weekly Report - 1 October 2020

We are now beginning to see some good amounts of rain coming through which will always be welcome in relation to pond levels following the recent dry spells, October has also brought with it a mass of Daddy Long Legs as can be seen not only from the surrounding areas, but also the log book with catch reports.

The last week or so has seen some very good catches including the following all over 3lb 12oz…

3.12lb – Mike Richardson, Rob Barden, M.Lane and Colin Cornford
3.14lb – Brian Brawn
4lb – I.Harris and John Lindley
5.9lb – Peter Finnis
6.8lb – Ashley Singer
6.12lb – P.Johnson
7.3lb – Dennis Wellman
7.4lb – Mick Pass
And fish of the moment goes to Derek Hill will a lovely 8.3lb!