Details of your catches:

35 carp to 43lb 6oz

Your best tactics/bait/rigs:

Lake owners baits

Were the facilities what you expected?

Yes, very clean and tidy

Were you happy with them?

Very happy

Would you recommend the venue to a friend?

Yes

Would you recommend the services to a friend?

Yes

General Comments:

Bears Lake, France – Carp Fishing Holiday Review 🎣🇫🇷

Just returned from a fantastic all inclusive 50th birthday carp fishing holiday at Bears Lake in France, and we honestly couldn’t have asked for a better trip. We flew from Stanstead to Limoges, with a short 45mins drive to the lake via the lake owner.

Between four of us, we caught an incredible 35 carp, (lost at least 10 fish) with the biggest going to 43lb, with plenty of good-quality fish throughout the week. All fish were in great condition and really gave a good fight.
The lake was in great condition, albeit a small algae bloom, which didn't impact the fishing. Most of the lakes in France are struggling with no rain for months, some lakes are only half full, but Bears lake was only a few inches down. The lake provided some brilliant fishing, a fantastic social layout, with plenty of action throughout to keep us busy.

A special mention has to go to Martin, the lake owner, who was absolutely amazing from start to finish. He was friendly, welcoming and always on hand to help whenever needed, which made the whole experience even more enjoyable.

We also opted for Martin’s food package, and it was fantastic. The food was plentiful (similar to Desperate Dan portions, just missing the cow horns), very tasty, all home cooked, and a real bonus after a long day (and some nights!) on the bank. It made the trip feel like a proper holiday rather than just a fishing trip.

Overall, Bears Lake is a fantastic destination for anyone looking for a great carp fishing holiday in France. It's advertised as 3 fishermen, but Martin kindly allowed 4. Brilliant social fishing, a lovely setting, excellent food and a genuinely top-class host in Martin. When it comes to football, don't tell him your name Pike (especially if you're a spurs fan)!

35 carp, a 42lb and 43lb p.b on the first morning, great food and great company — what more could you ask for?

If Calsberg done fishing holidays, this is it !

We’ll definitely be looking at coming back! 🎣🇫🇷

Details of your catches:

Just returned from a fantastic week at Bears Lake.
I only fished for 5 of the days, no nights.
I had 19 Carp
2 x 40+ 1 was a new PB Mirror @ 46lb 5oz
4 x 30+
7 x 20+
6 x high doubles

Your best tactics/bait/rigs:

I found keeping it very simple with ordinary bottom bait rigs did the trick.

Were the facilities what you expected?

It would help to have a little more light in the flat, especially lamps. A microwave & hair-dryer could be useful too.

Were you happy with them?

Yes

Would you recommend the venue to a friend?

Yes

Would you recommend the services to a friend?

Yes

General Comments:

Martin is a fantastic host and cook! He actually wants his guests to have a fantastic time & nothing is too much trouble. He was so accommodating around the times we preferred to eat! Thank you for a brilliant Carp Fishing holiday Martin!

Details of your catches:

My son Oscar and I caught 30 fish over the week, ranging from 15lb up to 48lb 6oz, with 16 fish over 30lb. We had 13 thirties and 3 forties between us, so it was an absolutely fantastic week’s fishing.

Your best tactics/bait/rigs:

Baiting a spot and gradually bringing the fish into the area seemed to work best for us. Once we got the fish feeding confidently, the action really picked up. Listening to Martin’s advice on areas, baiting and tactics definitely helped us get the most out of the week.

Were the facilities what you expected?

The facilities were excellent and had everything we needed. Having use of a boat was a big bonus, and the apartment was clean, comfortable and had good Wi-Fi, which was really useful. The shower was always clean with plenty of hot water and everything was well looked after.

Were you happy with them?

Extremely happy. Everything we needed was there and the facilities made the week comfortable and enjoyable, particularly when travelling with my son.

Would you recommend the venue to a friend?

Absolutely. I would highly recommend Bears Lake to friends and fellow anglers. The fishing was fantastic, the setting is beautiful and Martin couldn’t have been more helpful. We enjoyed it so much that we have already booked to return next year.

Would you recommend the services to a friend?

Yes, definitely. This was the first time I had used Angling Lines and I was very impressed with the service. Being able to speak directly and easily to someone who understands angling and knows the venues makes a huge difference. The whole booking process was straightforward and I would happily use Angling Lines again.

General Comments:

Martin, the owner of Bears Lake, was an incredible host. He freely gave Oscar and me advice on the lake, the fish and the tactics, and is clearly an extremely knowledgeable angler as well as a brilliant chef! The food package is unmissable - everything was freshly cooked and absolutely delicious.

The whole trip was fantastic and one Oscar and I will remember for a very long time. The surrounding area is beautiful and the accommodation makes it much more than just a fishing trip. We enjoyed it so much that we are already booked for next year, when we will be bringing my wife and daughter with us as well. Bears Lake is a very special venue and we cannot wait to return.

Details of your catches:

6x40s
10x30s
16x20s
1x catfish

Your best tactics/bait/rigs:

Martins bait

Were the facilities what you expected?

Yes

Were you happy with them?

Yea

Would you recommend the venue to a friend?

Yes

Would you recommend the services to a friend?

Yes

General Comments:

Three anglers 15yo boys, mostly day time fishing, one fished over night.
We were collected by Martin at the airport and paid for the tackle hire plus food package. We all had an amazing week start to finish, the boys loved every second of it and Martin went above and beyond to help us during our stay. He was always there to give the boys advice and anything we needed he was happy to help. He ran us around to the local village/supermarket/pharmacy -what ever we needed he made sure he was able to facilitate to make our stay as easy as possible.
The food package was well worth the money and it was AMAZING! The portions were huge and more than enough for the day. We’d bought snacks for lunch time but none of the boys were hungry after a huge breakfast!
There was a fridge onsite full of drinks to help yourself to and settle up at the end of the week.
The tackle hire was great value for money all pretty much brand new and also included reels. Martin was really helpful in telling the boys where to catch and what to use. All the boys caught pretty evenly when they fished and even had a triple take at one point!
The lake up the road was great fun, about a 20 min walk or 5 min drive.
We also went to the campsite just above us (about a two min walk) for a drink on an evening which was fantastic.
Martin himself was such a good host throughout and so easy to get on with.
This was one of the best holidays we have had and I would take the boys back in a heartbeat.
Thank you Martin for everything!