Angling Lines News Report – July 2004
Last year’s heat wave is now no more than a distant memory and so far this summer has been anything but hot. Indeed during June and July it’s more often been a case of donning a fleece than taking in a few rays. As for the fishing… that’s been pretty good and reports of some very good catches have been filtering through.
River Ebro
Report from Andy Shattock, venue owner.
Despite temperatures in the high thirties and dense weed beds on much of the river we are still producing the goods for customers. The bigger carp are more difficult to locate but the wild river carp of the Ebro are still giving a great account of themselves. Heavy prebaiting with maize in clear patches is paying off but you have to hit and hold fast to avoid them burying themselves in the weed.
Catfishing on the other hand has been sensational. Just this week has seen 21 fish caught by customers including cats of 96lbs,114lbs and 148lbs. The majority of the rest were between 60 and 90lbs a piece. Perhaps the most stunning fish however was caught by Heiko Winter, our catfish guide. A magnificent 100lb + albino. (Photo attached).
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Customers are enjoying the hospitality and the great weather and are fishing early mornings and evenings, spending the afternoons by the swimming pool with long cold beers or something similar.
The next few weeks, up until the end of August sees the major fiestas in the local towns and villages. A great time to combine the best river fishing in Europe with a fun packed week of Spanish hospitality and celebration.
And once the weed dies back and temperature drop to the mid twenties the winter carp fishing will take of big time with multiple bags of fish averaging mid twenties highly possible. October, November, December and January is the peak time for this incredible action so when everything is quietening down in England and France why not come a little further south for your big cap winter action.
Show me the River Ebro
Laroussi
A new Angling Lines venue, Laroussi is set in the suburbs of Le Mans , not far from the racing circuit. This fifteen acre gravel pit has been set up by a young French couple Medhi and Calorine Daho and really is a delightful venue to fish. Facilities and swims have been prepared extremely well and the fish stocks are equally impressive, consisting of around 250 to 300 carp to 51lb, with an average size of 25lb+. Other species include sturgeon, grass carp and a solitary giant catfish. With just seven pegs and a maximum of twelve anglers there’s plenty of room.
Recent feedback came from French angler Bernard Moteau. During a short 4 day session in July he took 10 fish; 2 x 22lb, 2x 24lb, 27lb 8oz; 30lb 8oz; and a 35lb 2oz mirror. He also banked three large sturgeon; 2x 37lb and one at 38lb 8oz. His tactics consisted of spodding out a carpet of pellet at 50 yards and fishing PVA bags and pop-ups over the top using Activ 8 and Richworth Bioplex boilies.
Show me Laroussi
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Goncourt – Great Lake
| Our opinion is that the Great Lake is the jewel in the crown of the Goncourt complex, but it receives very little attention, anglers preferring the smaller Saules and Traque. Angling Lines Director, Gareth Watkins, and his son William and Simon Horton fished the Great Lake for two days in late July and they had the whole 50 acres to themselves! They fished the point, intercepting the carp as they moved between the two halves of the lake. The key to success on this water is finding the fish, after that they are not hard to tempt, but there is a lot of water out there and you could effectively be a mile from the nearest carp. The lake bed is made up of a host of gravel bars and silty holes and is a veritable roller coaster. Gareth takes up the story; |
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“Our first night was quite and the only signs of leaping carp were way out of casting range. Personally I don’t like using a boat as I always feel it disturbs the lake too much. I prefer the margins and close range fishing, which despite the immensity of the lake is still a deadly tactic. Simon proved this during our stay by taking a 30lb fully scaled just inches from the bank. We had had just one take the first night resulting in a 33lb mirror. During morning coffee we noticed a very coloured area straight off the end of the point… a spot I had ignored until then. I needed no telling as to why it was coloured up…..feeding carp!!!! Hurriedly I moved my rods onto the area, casting Fruitella boilies 50-70 yards to the coloured water. A few freebies were Cobra’d out. Barely an hour after recasting I had a screaming run that resulted in a magnificent 37lb 8oz linear! We went onto land 13 carp from 15 runs. Fish of 30lb, 31lb 8oz, 33lb and 37lb 8oz topped the catch… all in just 48 hours fishing! Don’t be put off by its size, it’s a superb carp venue and the fish are just out of this world”.
Show me The Great Lake
Show me Gareth Watkins article
Les Burons
This delightfully pretty four acre lake in Normandy has been a very good find and so far all our customers have found it to be everything they could have wished for. We first felt we had found a real pearl when our good friend Paul Fletcher returned from a week in May with over 30 fish under his belt including a good number over 25lb. Since his trip catches have gone from strength to strength and many excellent carp have been landed. Here’s a few highlights;
Paul Dean caught a total of 28 carp, biggest 32lb with 21 carp over 20lb. They commented; “Everything a fisherman and his family could want, from great fishing to great hospitality. The food was fantastic… all in all the best holiday of our life!”.
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Dave Cheesman’s party had 13 x 20lb+ including 2 x 30’s. “A great lake with a friendly family atmosphere. Good old fashioned hospitality was there the moment we arrived until the moment we left. No problem too big and no request was too hard too fulfil. Lin, Rob & family were perfect hosts”.
Show me Les Burons
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