News at Mas Bas Main Lake

Here at the lakes we have a running battle with Coypu so here's an update showing just what damage they can do! Every 2 years or so we have to rebuild the walkway between our beautiful lakes, because they have burrowed and collapsed areas the bank.

Coypu, cute but a real bankside barbarian, were imported from South America to Europe during the 20thC by the fur trade, released after becoming commercially unviable, they proliferated during the 60’ and 70’s and happily was totally eradicated in the UK during the 80’s.

Unhappily for us, it still proliferates in the wetlands surrounding lakes and rivers in France, burrowing deep into the banks and eating huge quantities of roots and stems they are the cause of enormous environmental damage. Producing between 1 and 13 young twice each year, they are a big problem getting out of hand extremely quickly unless regularly destroyed.

Here at Mas Bas, Lotus Lake holds a particular delight to these vegetarians as they are quite partial to lotus roots (the size of a banana) and are capable of diving and burrowing deep into the silt to dig up these luscious delights.

So Gilles has to literally rebuild the banks. Wooden stakes are driven into the ground and timber fixed onto their bankside edge. The space is then filled with huge amounts of soil and compressed to recreate a stable bank.

Apart from the upset they cause us as lakeowners, coypu (often mistaken for otters) are not attracted by rubbish and therefore do not come around the houses hoping for a freebie from the bins. They are seen generally at dawn and dusk either swimming across the lake or grooming on the bank, and as I said in the beginnning, looking really quite cute.

However, despite all our efforts of one thing I am sure, just like Arnie , 'they will be back!'

lesley Morland

Contemptible & Cute	First real visible signs of damage	The damaged bank breaks off
The ground caves in over the burrow	Gilles does battle with coypu	Repairs underway

Well, absolutely no complaints after such wonderful season's fishing.

This year we have seen the biggest catches since starting up in 2004 and coupled with fabulous weather (apart from the last two weeks of July when it was dreadful) all our visitors left with either great tans or long arms, often both and all but a few having broken their pb’s.

Take a look at Sander Beijderwellen's article ‘how to satisfiy 4 female creatures on a fishing trip’ he has some great photos of his catches…he was very busy.

This week the Main Lake welcomed two new arrivals, a lovely 25lb mirror and a very pretty  17lb 8oz red carp.

Lets hope they both settle in well to add even more excitement to next season's fishing.

Only 17.08... but look at the colour!	25lb

With the temperature still up around 20° in the afternoon, the south west remains the warmest area of France.

Making the most of this Indian summer Gilles decided to tackle a big outside job and called in Ivan the tree ‘hairdresser’.

He definitely made his mark on the trees around willow cottage, which were getting very tall and cut out too much light from this area.

Now we have to finish the task of clearing up before we tackle the next big winter job of emptying  the lakes and counting the stock.

Getting to grips with the big willow	Ivan in his element!	On the way up....

Great review by The Rangers Fishing Team in the Articles section here.