by Bridget Keep

Ros lake shot
Roseau during calmer weather conditions

I made a trip to the French carp fishing lake le Roseau in northern France in early March and the rain was horizontal as gusty winds swirled it around making conditions extremely tough for any angler.

After nearly 3 months of none stop rain pretty much across most of France the lakes were brimming over the top with water and I could have opened a mud spa on the banks!

I had called in to check on the progress of the new facilities at the lake and discuss the coming year with Christophe and Aline the owners… The new facilities involve 2 extra toilet and shower rooms on site… I must say I was quite impressed!

The plumbing and shower cubicles were all in and the only bits left to finish are the decoration and tiling. It will make a real difference to the anglers. Its planned these showers will be open during the daytime leaving the original toilet & shower open throughout the night.


One angler there at the time was very happy with the facilities of the old toilet block! He had been washed out literally by the conditions and had sensibly adapted the little portacabin shower room into a new bivvy, it’s little heater being a godsend (These were certainly the actions of an older and wiser man!) Unfortunately though he was definitely not going to catch from there!

Was he bothered? – funnily enough no…

He took great pride in the fact that he had come out solely to bring his grandson who was ‘keen as mustard’ and was still out there…

I looked out into the squall- Had he caught? I asked.

Well yes, he’d had a few… including a 27lb, 37lb and a forty!

I wanted to meet this young man who clearly was in the ‘Ray Mears category’ for survivalists – so I thought I’d walk around and take a look- Was he huddled under a brolly? Clinging to his bivvy? Mad as a hatter?…No he was stood out with his rods open to the wind and rain -constantly by the rods and changing his tackle and tactics.

A rod beeped stronger than the rest and somehow he knew which one to pick up (they were all beeping in the winds) His wet face came to life as he struck into the fish-and his mate ran for the net. Only a bream this time but… watching him made me realise (and I really should say something profound at this point) but some people are just plain mad! Just how ‘into’ his carp fishing must he be to do all that with a smile…

I rewarded him with a bag of the new Quest Liver B8 before I left very grateful to get back into the warm car and beat the living daylights out of the elements with the windscreen wipers instead. I wonder how he got on with that?

Bridget

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