Mar 2006

New Loo!, 1st Mar

With the Big Fish in, our friends couldn’t wait to come and fish the new lake. With the pressure on, the Drive & Survive Shower Room & Toilet was finished in the nick of time.

Mar 2006

Our First Fishermen, 1st Mar

Early March, Ellis, Mitty, Lou & Ollie arrived in a pick-up, crammed with tackle, bivvies and bait; they had just enough room to fit themselves.

Having had just enough time to set-up their bivvies, the Heavens opened and for five days and five nights, the rain and wind hardly let up. Ollie’s bivvy gave up the battle on the second night and self-destructed. I lent him mine, but his clothes and bedding were soaked. We hung his stuff from every available hook in the Farmhouse, but without central heating, it just wouldn’t dry.

Ellis was unperturbed by the lake forming inside his bivvy, and just bucketed it out every morning. How he didn’t drown, I do not know.

The lake was still stone cold from winter, and the icy wind and rain wasn’t helping. Two days of watching the rain through the fly-screen past before Ollie latched into his first fish of the week - a stunning 31lb 8oz Common which he named ‘Mr Honions’.

Having had no luck with bottom baits and having tried just about everything else, Lou had a bit of an experiment and tried popping up a big lump of French loaf about 5’ off the bottom of the deepest part of the lake by the sluice. This paid off dividends as he landed his PB – a big fat Mirror of 30lb which is now known as ‘Lucky Lou’.

Fed up with the weather, I showed the lads around the local area on a few evenings. We hit a couple of bars and restaurants in Loudeac and La Chéze, and they met up with some friends they had made on the ferry over, and a good time was had by all.

Final fish of the week was to come on the second from last day, when Mitty netted a Mirror of 30lb 8oz, which unbelievably turned out to be ‘Lucky Lou’! On the last night, we had a ‘Film, Beer & Curry’ evening. The boyz supplied the tinned curry (luverly nuked) and beer, and I supplied the films, after which the lads crashed out at the Farmhouse and managed to dry out a bit.

Despite all the wind, rain and soggy socks, the lads all had a great time, three of the four leaving with new PB’s, and have said they definitely want to come again – at a warmer time of year though!

Thanks Lads Lee

Feb 2006

Initial Heavy 1 Tonne Stocking!, 1st Feb

Having discussed our needs at length with Simon Horton of Horton Management, we went ahead and placed the order for our first stocking of Lake Lauren at La Gléhias.

The main stock of 68 new Carp went in with a good mix of Mirrors and Commons without a hitch. Initial heavy stockings are always filled with at least a little apprehension, with the health and welfare of the fish always paramount. How the lake will adapt to such big changes are always a concern.

So far so good….