moorsey

Try to always bear in mind that most [if not all] of the "TV" fishermen are paid to write that they use all of their sponsor's tackle ................ even if they don't actually use it. It doesn't take too long to tie up some terminal rigs with leaders, clips, swivels, tubing etc etc, for the camera, when what is actually being fished with bears absolutely no resemblance.

Hi Dave We removed the small males in order to reduce the "frenzy" at spawning when it was common to see 7 males attached to one large female and the damage caused was horrendous. Since then we haven't lost a single fish at spawning time but we do still see numerous fry survive so our regular vidanges look as though they will need to continue into the future unfortunately. In fact, this year we want to remove most of the catfish to allow the perch and bass to multiply. Keith

Just to keep you all in the picture, we have now seen 96 forties banked already this year [that's on top of the 24 fifties] so we hope to see 50 fifties and at least 150 forties by the end of October and then we can carry out another vidange in order to re-balance the biomass. Can't wait to see some "proper'uns" in 2012 LOL. Keith

It will be good to see you again mate. Next year is filling fast now mate. Amazing how some big carp generate lots of new interest LOL. Keith

Catch report for end of week 8 21st May 2011. A very strange week with more carp lost than landed due to a multitude of reasons but the banked fish consisted of:- 17 twenties [including 5 of 29lb+] 20 thirties [including 6 of 39lb+ which would all have been forties before spawning] 2 forties 5 fifties [51lb 6oz common and mirrors of 51lb 12oz, 53lb 8oz, 54lb 4oz & 56lb 1oz] Totals for the year to date:- 85 twenties 247 thirties 77 forties 23 fifties [14 different carp]

Catch report for end of week 7 [14th May 2011] the week during which the carp decided to spawn. 8 twenties 30 thirties 14 forties [48lb 10oz mirror & 47lb 13oz common] 3 fifties [54lb 12oz, 55lb 0oz & 57lb 7oz, all mirrors] Totals for the first 7 weeks:- 68 twenties 227 thirties 75 forties 18 fifties Spawning is now done and dusted and I am expecting to see some of the smaller [20's] caught at the start of this week as it is normally the males which switch back on to feeding before the females. Keith

Sorry mate but I can't agree. I had to kill a large carp which was tethered to a "properly tied" lead-core rig which had already lost the lead so it wasn't the angler who had done anything wrong ............... other than using lead-core in the first place.

Right catch report as promised. This week we saw the following carp banked:- 16 twenties 23 thirties 7 forties 6 fifties [mirrors of 52lb 0oz, 52lb 2oz, 53lb 10oz, 54lb 14oz, 55lb 2oz and a common of 52lb 8oz] The totals for our first 6 weeks are as follows:- 60 twenties 197 thirties 61 forties 15 fifties [273 carp in total over 30lb in 6 weeks]

I'll update this with the year to date results but, unbelievably, the same angler, Simon, called me last night to ask for some pic's of his fourth fifty at 52lb 0oz for the week. Some angling eh? Keith

Yet another fifty out at lunch time today in the shape of The Half Linear at a very accurately weighed 54lb 13oz. Five fifties this week so far.

It's impossible to say really because individual fish grow at differing speeds but we do seem to have the entire stock growing "en masse" so to speak and I'm sure it's because of getting rid of the silver fish. We are planning another drain down this autumn so that we can sort them out again and remove the smaller catfish [probably only leave in 10 or 12 of the bigger cats] and that should see some more big weight gains for 2012. So far, in less than 6 weeks, we have matched last years totals for fifties [13] and have blitzed the totals for carp over thirty pound by seeing about 260 landed so far.

As long as we have space you're always welcome mate. Keith

Hi Jamie Look forward to seeing you out here again at some time in the future mate. Just to whet your appetite a little more we have just seen Graham Pollard bank "The Pipesmoker" at a new lake common record of 52lb 8oz. Keith

Thanks mate. Incredibly, one of our current anglers, Simon Morris has just completed a hat-trick of fifties in less than 30 hours fishing. He has banked "The Eighteen" at 55lb 2oz, "Clover" at 53lb 10oz and "Chunky" at 52lb 2oz. There has also been another huge fish lost at the net by one of the other anglers so the big girls seem to have their hungry heads on today. Keith

7 different ones mate.

We have just completed our fifth week of the 2011 season so, as it also coincides with the end of April, I though it as well to give some catch details of the season so far. The lake has produced the following carp:- 44 twenties 174 thirties 54 forties 9 fifties [50lb 7oz, 52lb 0oz, 52lb 6oz, 52lb 10oz, 53lb 8oz, 54lb 0oz, 54lb 6oz, 56lb 0oz & 56lb 10oz] Since I started trying to type this report we have just seen one of the new anglers bank "The Eighteen" at a new best weight of 55lb 2oz making our tenth fifty of the season.

Cheers Martin I now find that the Kung-fu panda's fish wasn't "The Eighteen" as I first thought. "The Eighteen" was landed this morning at 52lb 0oz and I now know that the 53lb 8oz fish was "Cut-Tail". At least I got "Clover" right and at 54lb 4oz she remains our biggest carp this year so far. Take care mate and hope to see you soon. Keith

Rather than start another thread I though it better to continue this one with a few updates. This week so far has seen the following numbers of carp landed. 37 thirties 13 forties 2 fifties at 53lb 8oz and 54lb 4oz. We are struggling to find fish below thirty pounds this year. Keith

I love watching threads about float fishing because someone will always mention "the balance" of the shot to the float. I would hazzard a guess that those same anglers then revert to fishing bolt rigs with the heaviest lead they can cast.

Yes to both situations and much more sensitive than most other set ups. Just use light leads so that they don't plug into the silt. Keith

Hit a nerve have I? I have my own lake but after carp angling for over 43 years [coarse angling for even longer than that] and fishing some of the English circuit waters during the 70's to 90's I wouldn't consider myself a day ticket specialist. I was merely asking how many of these 50's and 60's that you suggest are everywhere, you managed to catch. I fished the Saone for a few years and my best out of that river is 40.02 lb so no monster and took a lot of hard work. There lies the rub. Most anglers have one week's holiday per year and want to use that to give themselves the best chance of catching some big fish. The river Saone, Seine or Chanty/Orient don't offer that kind of fishing.

And some "pay lakes" aren't puddles with anglers sitting shoulder to shoulder. I also note that you say the public lakes all hold 50+ and 60+ carp but don't tell us how many you caught. I live in France and have fished some of the public waters in the past and have met some proper muppets so you pay your money and take your choice but shouldn't start condeming others for wanting different things from their fishing.

Not necessarily so in France.

Personally I would go back to very simple rigs and find out what the normal tactics [that aren't working] are. Generally you will find that there is a common theme [loads of bait or just bags] which regular anglers tend to get locked into. If you then do the opposite the results can be stunning. Be lucky.

I'm afraid I have never seen any French fish farmers nor lake owners using pellets.