Aug 2011

What a difference a bait makes, 1st Aug

Recently Lac Du Villefond has started to sell its own range of house baits. The process of finding a bait that met the requirements of being fresh, good for the fish, competively priced, and actually catches fish was a difficult assignment.

After many avenues were explored it seemed that the boillie situation was going to be a lost cause and people would need to continue to bring there own boillies all the way from England. Fate had other plans and after a group of lost anglers stopped at an English house to ask for directions to the lake they discovered the house they knocked on was in fact a bait manufacturer only two miles from the lake and who had just moved to France.

After a meeting with the Bait manufacturer it was quickly realised that what we was looking for had landed literally on our door step and the experience and wealth of knowledge this guy had was not only clear but also opened my eyes to what goes into bait as he had worked in the largest bait companies in England.

A deal was made and all that was left was to test the bait on the lake, the bait had caught on many other lakes and taken many monster carp but Lac Du Villefond often proves a whole new ball game.

A week when no anglers had booked the lake was chosen and this was to be a baptism of fire for the new house range. Recent trends had seen the fish turn off boillies nearly all together with all the constant pressure. Many “Big” named brands had remained in the freezer and fish only falling to the sneakier angler armed with maize etc.

With a field tester on the bank we didn’t have to wait long to see the first fish landed. The weather was over 100 degree’s so night time saw the first buzzer scream into life and a 40lb mirror graced the bank. The fish had recently spawned for a second time so the fish was very spawned out and so was every fish banked in this session despite there great size.

Saturday morning saw a 39.12lb mirror fall to the new bait.

Next Sunday night at 4am saw a 40.06 mirror then at 9am a 39.8lb mirror. The fish had found the big bed of boilies and the field tester kept feeding just boilies and the fish seemed to love them.

Monday at 5am saw a 42.12 mirror grace the bank followed by Tuesday day at 3.30 a 45lb mirror known as Rose.

By now the field tester was wondering if it could be possible to keep this monster average size up for long and 1 hour later he had his answer. An 18lb grass carp seemed so tiny in the unhooking mat.

Wednesday night saw the return of a big carp at 36.8lb and then at 9am a slightly smaller 24lb carp made an appearance.

Thursday John the owner, his brother in law, and son also joined the field testing and that night John had 7 takes and landed 3 x 30lbers to 37.8. Including a first for the lake with all 3 rods hooking a fish at the same time! Steve had 2 x 32lbers and His son had 3 x 20lbers.

The original field tester topped his short week off with a 34lb mirror & a whopping 45.4lb mirror.

May 2011

Friday the 13th produces TWO 50lb commons!!, 13th May

Arthur smashes past Big John to take the title of biggest fish in the lake.

Arthur came out at a whoping 53.06 and a spawned out Big John at 50.02 .

Both 50+ fish came out off the same spot about half an hour apart!

Apr 2011

Big John shows his face two times in one week!, 12th Apr

Big John the common came out to Paul Tolley beating the lakes previous best weight by a few ounces , topping the scales at 51.08lb.

And then he came out to Paul Tolley again later in the week!