April 2003 Newsletter
Hello all,
| How things change from year to year. After a number of years of cold, wet and unpleasant weather in the Spring, this year has been positively tropical by comparison. In fact there has hardly been a drop of rain to speak of since it snowed in February. We've been treated to a long stretch of sunny and dry weather for weeks now. This has had a positive effect on my own fishing, i.e. I've been getting out and fishing rather than dreaming for warm sultry days of summer. In fact we've even been getting the tan topped up, which is unheard of in March and April. Easterly & northerly wind's have been the only down side, often giving frosty nights and slowing the fishing down from time to time. |
Gareth
gareth@anglinglines.com
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The effect on the carp has generally been pretty positive though, as most lakes have been throwing up some great catches, despite the general lack of anglers. Have they been put off after so many years of uncomfortable and largely fish less springs?
Well you've been missing out this year guys..!!!!
So here's a brief round up of what's been hitting the banks on some of our waters over the last month or so................
Brionnais
| This lovely venue in a similar vein to the other sites got off to a flying
start. The first party of the year lead by Tony Underwood all had a fantastic time with a number of good fish. I'll let Tony take up a resume of his week from here as signed in the visitors book;
"Early March / April trips to France can be tricky with the weather, but despite ice cold northerly winds and high pressure, the fishing here was good. 2 fish to mid forties, 14 fish from mid twenties to mid thirties. Excellent fishing for the time of the year considering the frost. Party members Nigel Ainley and his children all catching well and enjoying the holiday. Paul Housley took an 36lb PB and other fish to 20lb+.
Jean-guy (the owner) is fantastic and very welcoming. Can't wait to come back here when the weather warms up a bit. Yes, we will all be back to this fabulous lake!"
The second party in April had a similarly good week. James Knight and his
family on their second visit have again enjoyed some great fishing. 32 fish, 2 x thirties, 37lb & 30lb 8oz, 11 x twenties to 25lb, 19 x doubles. Looking down the catch list in the visitors book James had a real purple patch on the Monday landing 2 doubles, 2 twenties and an upper thirty all in the space of 4 hours!
With it's luxury bankside accommodation and fishing of this calibre it is
sure to be one of the hot venues for 2003. Go to Brionnais.
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Tony Underwood - 44lbs 6ozs,
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Etang du Moulin de Passais
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This new venue got off to a cracking start for the very first group of anglers to fish the lake. Keith and Maxine have worked extremely hard to get the accommodation to the level it is now and they have done a superb job.
The first catch return is as follows:
29 March - 5 April: Total 51 Mirrors caught to 27lb 2oz. Their tactics
consisted of mainly particle, maize and nut hook baits as these fish are
virtually virgin and have not yet seen too many boilies. |
If subsequent parties can emulate this superb result for such an early time of the year, then the venue will be an extremely promising prospect. I can personally vouch for the quality of the food and the hospitality afforded by Keith and Maxine, as I dropped by for a couple of days early in April, following the initial group. A1 cooking and a nice drop of vin rouge to wash it all down! Go to Passais ...
Coelacanthe - Le Village
The warm sunny days during the first week of the month saw this star venue turn in some superb catches. The fish have been feeding in direct relation to the weather, going on the feed, as one would expect, when the nights were not as cold.
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The first week of April then, with it's milder nights, saw a bonanza for the
first group of anglers here this year. The hot pegs were 14, 15 & 16 which between them produced over 17 carp ... of which no less than nine were thirties, the largest going 37lb 4oz. (Peg 16 was the top swim).
Peg 3: recorded a fabulous catch of five carp 50lb 6oz, 37lb 4oz, 2x 36lb, 24lb plus a small catfish.
Peg 4: Saw an angler land a mirrors of 44lb, 32lb and 24lb.
The cold weather in the second week of April saw the action slow correspondingly, with only a few notable captures including 46lb 2oz and 36lb
and a 42lb catfish. Go to Village |
Domaine de Ribière
Following the extensive stocking over the winter we are all sure that this venue will be a very different kettle of fish, so to speak, compared to last year.
Early April saw a quick flurry of big carp fall to the French anglers fishing the water and one of the first groups to cast a line were fortunate enough to connect with some of the lake's larger residents. The series started on 7th April 2003 when a fish a fraction under 40lb (18kg) was landed to a young angler. The next day saw a second carper bank a 32lb mirror, with a third lump in
three days gracing the net of the third carp fisher's at 38lb 5oz. These fish I'm sure are only the first of many large carp to be caught this year. Coupled with the stocking of doubles from 2 years ago (all gaining in weight) the action should be good and the big fish frequent at this top venue. Go to Ribière.
Roseau
The small lake: a French angler, after only a few hours on the lake landed 41lb 8oz mirror. He fished single boilie over a bed of 500g of hemp.
Large lake: catch of the week again to a French anglers was 60 fish in 48 hours fishing. The smallest going 15lb 4oz and the largest 29lb 7oz. The biggest fish of the week on the big lake was a superb 35lb 2oz mirror.
Go to Roseau. |
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See you next month...
Gareth
gareth@anglinglines.com
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