Island Lakes, Theale Fisheries

Island Lakes, Theale Fisheries

Imagine a day ticket lake with Winter form add the Hinders Bait General Manager, a Fox Consultant and an event manager - what could possibly go wrong!

Steve and myself joined Craig Runham on a typically dark Winter morning with the inevitable cold misty rain in the air. As usual we were full of enthusiasm so the kit was quickly unloaded and using Craigs knowledge of the venue we got ‘base camp’ set up as soon as possible before the weather closed in in an area that gave us a good overall coverage of the lake.

Due to the cold temperatures and the amount of ice-cold water entering the lake we decided on fishing for a bite at a time as Craig opted for simple but uber-effective helicopter rigs baited with Nut365 pop-ups and a light scattering of betalin-infused Nut365 12mm boilies.

I used a similar approach using leadclips and the tried and tested Ronnie rigs over a scattering of CFood boilies and pop-ups treated with betalin and plum.

Over the next ninety-minutes apart from a couple of line bites we were still awaiting our first bite of the trip however, constant observation of the lake revealed a few signs of life on the far side. Acting on what we had seen we decided to throw the rods on to our barrows and head off to seek our fortune on the move and it paid off as within 20 minutes Craig was into his first fish of the trip with a mid-double scale-perfect Common. Despite moving a few more times we were not rewarded with any further fish so we decided to return to base, recast the rods and lightly spod the area to induce a bite through the hours of darkness and following an awesome BBQ curtesy of Craig, as the rain moved in, we retired for the night.

In the early hours Craig was in again with another low-double and as dawn approached a stunning twenty pound plus fully- scaled made exiting the sleeping bag much easier and what a stunner it was.

Breakfast was consumed, rods were rebaited and prepared and it wasn’t long before Craig was in again with another mid 20lb Common sporting its Winter finery.

The rest of the day was a mix of dropping temperatures, light showers and lifeless bobbins. As Craig had caught a few from his swim he remained confident of another bite but I headed off with the rods on the barrow again to try and tempt a bite from behind the island but no joy.

Thirty-six hours in and I was blanking but I still felt that I would get a bite so I changed the hookbait over to a Winter favourite – a tutti frutti pop-up but as the heavy rain moved in once again to break up the party even my confidence started to dip as we all hit our bivvies to shelter from the rain and wind once again.

The wind was battering the lake and blowing the rain horizontal as we all locked down our bivvies against the storm. As the clock ticked past 6pm my sounder box beeped and then beeped again but I put it down to the bobbins dancing in the wind but a third beep made me reach for my boots and as I left the shelter of the bivvy to investigate the occurrence the alarm went into meltdown and there was no time to grab my coat as I picked up the rod and it took on an awesome powercurve followed by that unmistakable donk donk and even though the battle soaked me to the bone I couldn’t hide the huge smile as the blank was over and a mid-twenty Mirror was in the net.

A quick photo call followed by a change of clothes saw a break in the weather so food was prepared as the wind blew away the rain clouds and a clear starry night moved in but with it came an extreme drop in temperature.

The wind continued to batter the lake over the coming hours bringing with it a freezing fog but shortly after 7am I was enjoying my second cuppa of the morning when out of the blue the bite alarm was singing once again and my second fish of the trip was soon laying in the folds of my net.

The fish was captured by Mr Clarke in digital and still formats and returned safely to fight another day. We had to be off the lake by 9am so we started to bring the session to a close but as we enjoyed a final cuppa together exchanging our highs and lows of the trip there was just enough time for Craig to add a final capture of the trip to bring our final tally to seven.

If you have the opportunity to check out Theale Fisheries Island Lake it is well worth a try as a great all year-round venue that is great value for money and don’t forget wherever you fish this Winter don’t forget the betalin – it is that Winter edge that fish can’t resist!

Look out for the VLOG coming soon for full details of how Craig approached the trip and some awesome Winter Carp all available to anyone on a day ticket.

Recap of the baits we used at Island Lake, Theale Fisheries

During our winter session at Island Lake, Theale Fisheries, we relied on a carefully selected range of baits that have proven their effectiveness time and again, especially in colder conditions. Here’s a breakdown of the key baits and why they made such a difference on this session.

1. Nut365 Pop-Ups

• Who Used It: Craig Runham
• Rig: Helicopter Rig
• Accompanied By: A light scattering of 12mm Betalin-infused Nut365 boilies
• Why It Worked: Nut365 pop-ups are a reliable year-round bait, but their effectiveness in winter is undeniable. The natural nutty flavor, combined with Betalin's sweet attractor, created a powerful scent trail in the cold water. This enticing aroma lured Craig's first fish of the trip — a stunning mid-double common.

2. Nut365 12mm Boilies (Betalin-Infused)

• Who Used It: Craig Runham
• How It Was Used: Scattered around hookbaits as free offerings
• Why It Worked: In winter, smaller boilies like these 12mm versions can make all the difference. Carp feed cautiously in cold water, so a smaller, more digestible food source increases the chance of a pick-up. By infusing the boilies with Betalin, Craig created an irresistible attraction around his pop-up, which brought several fish to the bank, including a stunning 20lb+ fully scaled mirror.

3. C Food Boilies and Pop-Ups

• Who Used It: Mark
• Rig: Ronnie Rig with leadclip setup
• Accompanied By: C Food boilies and C Food pop-ups treated with Betalin and Plum
• Why It Worked: C Food boilies are packed with natural marine extracts and amino acids, making them a consistent performer in winter conditions. The addition of Betalin and Plum created a distinctively sweet, fruity twist that made the bait stand out. This combination is perfect when the fish are more cautious but still curious.

4. Tutti Frutti Pop-Ups

• Who Used It: Mark
• When It Was Used: 36 hours into the session, after a dry spell
• Rig: Ronnie Rig
• Why It Worked: Tutti Frutti pop-ups are a certified winter classic. Their bright color and unmistakable fruity aroma grab a carp's attention even when visibility is low and fish are sluggish. After 36 hours of patience and no bites, I swapped to this classic bait, and it turned my session around. My alarm screamed to life, and I landed a mid-20lb mirror, breaking my blank with a big smile on my face (and soaking wet clothes to match).

5. Betalin (AKA Liquid Gold)

• Who Used It: Craig and Mark
• How It Was Used: Applied to boilies, pop-ups, and as an enhancer for free offerings
• Why It Worked: Betalin is a cold-water essential. Unlike alcohol-based attractors that struggle in cold water, Betalin maintains its potency, creating a strong scent trail. It’s no wonder we refer to it as "liquid gold." We infused both Nut365 and C Food baits with Betalin, giving our hookbaits an extra edge.

The combination of Nut365, C Food, and Tutti Frutti baits, all enhanced with Betalin (AKA Liquid Gold), provided us with a variety of colors, flavors, and aromas in the water. Between Craig’s tactical know-how and our bait selection, we managed to bank seven fish — a fantastic result for a tough winter session.