Details of your catches:

19 carp in total, including 3 x forties weighing in at 47lb 3oz, 42lb 13oz and 42lb 9oz. Also caught 3 x grass carp, biggest being 45lb 5oz.

Your best tactics/bait/rigs:

No comment left.

Were the facilities what you expected?

Yes

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:

Very difficult week, wind from North and -3 & - 5 °c in the morning but fishing not too bad at all...

Details of your catches:

18 carp from Swim 3, five being thirties included mirrors of 34lb 10oz, 31lb 3oz, 31lb and 30lb 15oz and a 30lb 15oz Common carp, 5 upper twenties, 5 lower twenties and 3 upper doubles.

Your best tactics/bait/rigs:

I started off using hook links of around 8 inches but realising that the carp were entering into winter mode, I reduced them to just 3 inch lengths. My rig was the Ultimate barbless hook rig with a very short hair. Due to the presence of some of the biggest crayfish I have encountered in France, and lots of them, all my hook baits were meshed with heavy armo-mesh. My choice of boilies were the new and very successful Quality Baits HG All Seasons. Due to the presence of so many Crayfish I baited heavily to feed them off by spombing out boilies only to a tight baited area. Most of my fish were caught off the baited area but the few that I caught on the area were on plastic boilies.

Were the facilities what you expected?

Better really as I was not expecting the toilet facilities provided in the caravan. The showers are about a 5 mile drive away in one of the local villages but again provide 2 basic but hot showers and again a WC. *Angling Lines note - We're very happy to say that Brocard Small now have clean and modern shower/toilet facilities onsite as of April 2014*

Were you happy with them?

Yes

Would you recommend the venue to a friend?

Yes. This is going to be a top water for Angling Lines.

Would you recommend the services to a friend?

Yes. I always do.

General Comments:

The swims are good double swims and are well spaced apart giving each swim a huge amount of water and margins to fish. Frank the bailiff is a top bloke, but be warned, he does like to check your rigs as he insists on maintaining the barbless hook rule. Also ensure that you have your work station ready before you begin to fish ensuring fish welfare. Prior to our arrival we were not aware of the Crayfish that were present and active in the lake. If I had been aware before our trip I would have taken hemp and Tiger nuts. Frank states that the lake will be netted in the next few weeks in order to remove the a lot of the crayfish, which should improve the fishing and also improve fish weights. The presence of the Crayfish encouraged me to fish even harder to catch the resident carp and I really enjoyed my weeks fishing and every fish felt like a massive result. With determination and hard work you can reach your aim. Most anglers that visit the Brocard lakes use bait boats to present their bait, but I am sure that my approach of spombing to a tight area and casting on and off the area increased my catch rate.

Details of your catches:

5 carp average size 25lb largest carp 34lb 5oz

Your best tactics/bait/rigs:

Very short stiff hair, meshed boilies to overcome the crayfish.

Were the facilities what you expected?

Facilities off site, but we knew this before we went. *Angling Lines note - We're very happy to say that Brocard Small now have clean and modern shower/toilet facilities onsite as of April 2014*

Were you happy with them?

Yes

Would you recommend the venue to a friend?

Lovely venue, I would recommend it.

Would you recommend the services to a friend?

Yes

General Comments:

I made a three of mistakes which cost me a lot of fish. Firstly I didn’t take any tiger nuts or particles, which would have been a lot better proposition considering the number of crayfish. Secondly I moved twice in hindsight I would have caught a lot more fish staying in one swim and developing it. Lastly I started off using too long a hair and the crays tangled the hook in the Arma mesh I was using. The venue holds some very large fish and I would love the opportunity to go back and fish it again given the knowledge I gained on my first visit. I would willingly spend a month on this venue, it is just a really special place.

Details of your catches:

54 carp & 9 grass carp in total.

Your best tactics/bait/rigs:

Non noted.

Were the facilities what you expected?

Yes

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:

Iddo Welles fishing swim 2 - '21,5kg Grass pictured below. Heading for 50 fish... Franck promised a bottle of wine Rob! Please deliver before saturday! ;)'