Old Lake
As its name suggests, Old Lake is the oldest lake on the Les Quis complex, dug shortly after the Second World War, around 1949. This mature gravel pit spans approximately 11 acres and is surrounded by heavily tree-lined margins, which the carp frequently patrol. The lake offers a variety of “carpy” features to target, with plenty of opportunities for both casting and stalking.
A Rich History and Fishing Environment
The Old Lake features a large expanse of open water, alongside a smaller bay of about 2 acres, separated by a narrow 20-meter channel. This gives anglers the option to target different areas, whether you’re fishing open water or casting to the hidden gems in the margins.
There are seven swims on the Old Lake, each offering diverse angling opportunities. Every swim has both open water and margin fishing options, ensuring that whatever your preferred method, you’ll have plenty of variety.
Fishing Features and Tactics
The average depth of the Old Lake is around 12 feet in the open water, with the margins dropping off steeply, often offering 4 to 6 feet of water just beneath your rod tip.
The carp in Old Lake are responsive to most carp fishing tactics and rig presentations, but it’s always wise to speak with Bob for the latest tips on rigs, bait, and tactics. These can vary depending on the time of year and the weather conditions (check our tactics, hints, and advice section for more info).
Lake Bed Composition and Feeding Behaviour
All the lakes at Les Quis were originally dug for gravel extraction, and Old Lake is no exception. The lakebed primarily consists of sandy gravel, which ensures your presentation is rarely compromised. While the bottom is fairly uniform, there are a few humps and bumps to be found, and careful plumbing will help you locate these spots. Between these humps, you’ll find a thin layer of silt, but it’s not deep, and the carp happily feed both on the gravel and the silty patches.
To maximize your chances, it’s worth experimenting by fishing both types of bottom and seeing where the carp are feeding at any given time. Remember, the carp will feed where they want to eat, not necessarily where we’d like them to!
There are approximately 300 carp in the old lake.
There is a good head of both 50lb commons and mirrors and an obscene amount of forty and thirty pounders that will regularly pull your string.
There are also a few very big grass carp lurking in the depths with the biggest of these going just shy of fifty pounds. Just beware that these grass carp have a reputation for going berserk on the bank so make sure you have everything prepared on the bank before you take them out of the water.
There are also some very large Wells catfish present which have been caught to well over a hundred pounds and if you hook into one of these beasts you are in for one hell of a battle.
