News at Hideaway

A visit out to the lake by Terry the owner early season to check on the lake, make some decisions on maintenance work and take over some replecement items needed for the forthcoming guests resulted in some lovely pictures of this very tranquil lake. The lake also gave up some very nice carp to the younsters there... see below.

Hideaway Stocking

Thursday 21st February saw me on the banks of Hideaway Lake in Normandy for the stocking of a new batch of Carp. The day started early at Michel Bigot’s Fish Farm where the fish were netted, weighed and loaded into the tanks on the truck.

The lake had ordered a batch of some seventy fish ranging from upper doubles to mid thirties and one sturgeon. Thirty six of these fish were in the 17-21lb bracket. Twenty four fish ranged from 22-26lb. Finally the larger fish included carp, both mirrors and commons, from 27lb to 34lb. In all there were seven thirties from 30-34lb plus seven others from 26-27.5lb. The total was 74 fish. Finally there was also one sturgeon of 33lb stocked.

These fish, added to the existing stocks, should ensure that anglers enjoy some excellent sport at the venue this season. As a bystander and the photographer I can honestly say they were immacualte carp as I think you will be able to see from the photos & video.

Unfortunately August was a very unproductive month at Hideaway. High temperatures, thunder storms & constant changes in pressure took their toll. Both carp and cats were very uncooperative no matter how persistant and versatile the various party of anglers were.

Tom, Jamie and Chris struggled but stuck to the task, taking three nice carp and a 39lb 12oz cat, with a couple of losses. Wife Dawn and daughter Georgia amused themselves by catching half the roach/rudd in the lake!

Paul and Kim Hunt must be the unluckiest couple to arrive at Hideaway. Whilst full of praise for the venue and the hunting lodge, he arrived after smashing the front of his Jaguar car only two hours before. I really felt for the guy, only one take all week - he was using 45lb braid, catfish pro hooks, 50lb catfish mainline braid & he still suffered an abrasive snap-off - he was understandably gutted (the monster from the deep succeeds again).

Phil and Sharon Woodcock and Wayne Kettle, nice folks from my neck of the woods in England, arrived next. Phil the most experienced of the group blanked, bless him, hooked into a big one but lost it. Sharon had two carp to 21lb 14oz. Wayne, the lesser experienced (he'll tell you that) smashed his P.B with carp to 25lb 3oz! Well done to him.

September arrives and Cornish men do what only Cornish men can do (pardon the pun). Roy, Jim and Mick fishing.... Wendy and Sue, attending to their needs! Jim (Kernow) Brown: 20 carp to 26lb 2oz (no pasties) + 3 baby cats to 8lb, 6 losses including 1 unstoppable catfish. Mike Fisher: 10 carp to 22lb 6oz + 1 baby cat of 5lb, 3 losses. Roy Woodhatch: 3 carp to 26lb 4oz In my opinion these guys worked hard and used all their water craft skills. They did their homework and acheived optimum results from what has been a very disappointing month.

My congratulations to them. Pete, bailiff

Woodhatch and Sunny Cornwall

Following previous week's success Hideaway continues to steadily produce.

Gary "golden" Thomas and angling friend Terry Hart (not Hearn), fishing daytime only, managed to tease out 23 carp to just over 27lb plus a cat of 30lb 8oz - the outlet end of the lake being the most productive, "tutti frutti" flavour rather than fishmeal being their approach to more carp capture than cats, which obviously worked.

Had they night fished who knows what their total would have been, with six losses between them including 2 snap-offs they were happy with their results and thats what matters!!

I hope to see them again. Good luck guys. Pete (bailiff)