mattgroves

I'm off to France this weekend

Might see you there in the next couple of months, I'll be doing a few nights there while the close season is in effect on my main water...

Thanks all. Tunnel booked.

We're comparing ferry vs tunnel, and one of the restrictions on the tunnel option is that we are limited to 3 cubic metres in the van. Makes little sense. The van is the same size regardless of what we put in the back, weight makes a difference, but its's quoted as a volumetric limit not weight. Has anyone ever fallen foul of this this and been shunted on to the freight service? How are they going the measure the volume of 3 people's tackle anyway??

I remembered seeing this a while back: http://www.bidwells-hanson-portfolio.co.uk/lot16b.html For sale not lease, but not an outrageous amount of money...

We're booked onto Juvanze Blue next year, anyone been and care to share any info on the lake?

Chaps - I'm off to Bluebell for a 48 hour social this coming weekend, won't be fishing one of the hard lakes (leaving Bluebell, Sandmartin and mallard) and was wondering if anyone's been there in the past few days and if they had a view on how the lakes are fishing and the conditions (weed for example). I'll be calling them on Weds to check things out but it's always good to get first hand info!

do you pay a premium for a van on the tunnel as you do on a ferry?

I'm looking at venues for next year and a few offer their own boilies (some also supply 'branded' boilies), I'm sure these vary from one venue to the next but I'd like to hear peoples opinions/experiences... Also, does it really make a difference that the fish are accustomed to the bait? or is being a bit different (with a quality boilie like mainline/nash) the way to go?

Which Club/Association is that?

It's named after an Olympic sailor: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Merricks The elephant man was Joseph Merrick.

That's the thing, between work and family I have little time, really limited to a cheeky overnighter midweek, so that limits location... Enthusiasm waned as I'd hit the target, I'd put in a lot of time and effort (relative to the time I have available) so it was elating to actually get the twenty, but then I just struggled to find more motivation after that... Will, as you say, be grabbing by the horns again this season, new targets, more confidence, should be a good season!

any of you guys getting onto Merricks again this season? Just done my renewal paperwork!! Walked around the lake over the w/e with the family, the weed is all but gone, thinking if it's been cleared by the sailing club?? Which in itself is a double edged sword - less weed is good, more boats is not so good ....

Having it to myself is appealing, but it's still nice to have a cuppa or two along the way. There is also the "intel" element But, yes, nice to talk to someone about it!! The lake is in leicestershire (https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?ll=52.694381,-1.101663&spn=0.005482,0.016512&t=w&z=17), it's available on the Council season ticket and contains a relatively small number of decent fish (heard estimates ranging from 40-90 fish in the (approx) 14 acres). I fished it for the first time last season, was hard going for me (first year on a 'proper' lake, and it was very weedy, a very steep learning curve!) but managed a few fish including my target of a twenty (had a 23lb 12oz fully scaled mirror!) after blanking the first 5 nights I did there! Looking at setting a target for this season, thinking 3 x twentys would be a good place to start, there are rumours of the lake having a couple of thirties but they are only rumours and you know how those can go!

really? no-one here planning on Fishing Merricks this season? Will be lonely on the bank then

went for a walk around Merricks with the family today, saw a few fish including a couple clearly over 20, the weed that choked almost half the lake last year seems to have all but gone - does anyone know if the sailing guys have had it cleared? It looks like it's been removed as opposed to dies off, also, some of the bouys have moved...

Photos available here: https://picasaweb.google.com/117052281589693263603/LeMonumentFishing2012?authuser=0&feat=directlink

Looking ahead to the coming season and giving some thought to my targets, I achieved my target of a 20 from Merricks last season in August and quickly lost motivation after that (target hit etc). So, thinking of rejoining and going for 3 twenty's or maybe moving on to murphys (on the CWWC ticket) or maybe Lakeside (which is really convenient for the office). I'll be mostly fishing mid-week overnighters again, so would prefer the lower stock of Merricks (took me 4 or 5 nights before getting a fish last year!!) as I'll need to getting some sleep for work the following day. I don't know a huge amount about the CWWC water, but have fished Lakeside a few times... Anyone have any input for me?

it's now over a week and I'm still grinning!!!!

Had a great week at Monument. Only 2 of us fishing, my mate Mark had 10 fish (all twenty's) to 29lb 14oz, I did slightly better with 17 in total, 10 twentys (to 29lb 10oz), 6 thirties to 33lb and the new record of 48lb 4oz! See: http://www.carp.com/carp-forum/viewtopic.php?t=53618&highlight= Photo's to follow

Only just stopped buzzing after this fish (caught almost a week ago on a trip to Le Monument in France). I actually upped my French PB 3 times in under 24 hours, 29, 32 and then this beast! To get a lake record is something I'll probably never do again, and with my Fr PB at 48lb 4oz I can't see this being bettered for some time...

I absolutely guarantee I have! Hoping it's something not too vital!!

We'll have landed in France and will be driving to the venue!!!! Getting rather excited now!

Fun! I will be getting a map as backup to SatNav. Thankfully my SatNav is built into the car... (I already have the address saved as a POI, not going until May, I must be keen/excited!!!!!)

Yeah, unleaded for the Coleman was something I hadn't quite worked out, was thinking more about the fumes ruining bait, but now you mention it the car filling with fumes and exploding (A-Team style) as I spark up a duty free driving off the ferry would not be a good day out!