ralphj

I think lake one is supposed to be 16 acres you can probably reckon on it being nearer 14 (may be a bit deceptive) They have both done fish well into the 60lb mark and a lot cheaper than some english owned puddles that some people rave about. The bottom can be a bit silty in places but nothing to drastic as they were originally gravel pit's come quarries. On the down side they do have some sturgeon and if you catch them its not unusual to catch them three or four times in the week.

Nice venues still run by French I believe good value for money with some decent size fish in it. Which lake are you looking to book. I think most of them have fish over 40lb with a very decent average of mid to high 20's. You wont be wasting time catching too many doubles.

There is one near Angouleme but I think it only has carp to high thirties.

What time of the year are you looking to go?

Hi Rus, are you driving, if so how far are you prepared to drive. There are some nice lakes in the Limousin region of France where the weather is also a bit warmer late in the year. I have been to a few decent ones as I have family in the area. If you interested let me know. Ralph

If the owner says it hasn't been fished for 40 years then you had not done your homework as there are catch reports from last year on the website along with stocking from 2008 and 2009. This is a commercial water and not some rare find. D minus must try harder next time. You would be very very lucky to find any water that has not been fished for that amount of time, what with gypsy's and locals there are probably no such waters. Don't forget that if people have grown up in the area they all know these waters, even if they do look like no one knows they are there.

I do think that with all the professional information that you have on the net nowadays it is a bit strange that a lake owner posts on a forum asking for views, come advice on something that is likely to affect their business. With answers like the one above it shows that you need to take the advice with a very big pinch of salt If you have one guy fishing on a 1 and half acre lake is that not the same as 10 guys fishing a 15 acre lake. Surely the same amount of salt is being distributed per acre. I think you need to do a bit more homework before you get yourselves into trouble. Posting questions on a forum is very dodgy as everyone has their own opinion and they will always feel that they are right, better to ask someone that works inthe business and knows the answers than someone that thinks they do.

I don't think you'll find Neil doing a great deal at the moment. He may have problems

Hi Dave, another 2 to consider are Val Dore and Etang Brigueuil both quality waters with nice size fish.

Very well done Dave if a little late you will see I was querying coops statement, but its been sorted thanks

Hi Lenny, have a look at talking carp you will fin d some info on their (if the website is up and running sometimes I think it crashes) hope you find it OK. Great lake and great hosts Barry is a top guy.

Hi Gus, if you have not been to France before what do you consider to be big carp for some it maybe high 20's for other's it my be 60's or 70's or even bigger. What you have to look at is what you want with regards to big or small water, is distance a concern, do you want it exclusive there are many factors to consider. The best way to choose is by asking friends who have been away to places there is no substitute to recommendations. Adverts always look inviting that's what they are there for to draw you in but a personal view from someone you know who has been is always the best way forward. Hope you find what you want. All the best mate.

Is that right Keith you have only had approx 400 fish out this year. As Coops says over 1 in 4 being over 40lb and you've had 100 forties out to 200 anglers. That equates to just over 400 and only an average of 2 fish per angler?

Hi David I do tend to agree with you I posted on here a little while back that if you have to keep pushing your lake then you cant be that busy. There are some lakes on another forum that seem to have thousands of threads and posts, yet if anyone asks if someone can suggest a place to go the owners of said lakes come on and say we have space. I would have thought a decent lake would not have to keep pushing itself surely the fish and the service do the talking. I did get slated a little while back on the same subject but still maintain that until it was sold recently Maison de Lac Bleu did not sell itself on every forum nationwide it sold itself on what it had by word of mouth. Its the only way forward if your any good people will know about you the carp fishing fraternity has good jungle drums

Hi There, we we never did go in the end it got cancelled but i'm sure we'll be off there later in the summer or if not next year. We have a trip planned for France in September. Thanks for asking

I think you missed a very important part out of my original post Mrs Rushes, (is it not just that people have paid to advertise as they do on other forums) I appreciate your point about biggest is not always best but Keith had a good point also about not wanting to catch doubles and twenties so much anymore. Lets be honest the fishing in France craze started because the fish in general were bigger otherwise people would not be going over to start up fishing venues chasing the dream so to speak. People go to Spain on the Ebro to catch Cat's there are many fisheries in France that have Cat's but in general they dont single out fisheries solely for that reason, they will fish the Ebro for the biggies. It is probably correct that if people find a venue that they are happy with they will return year on year. But I think you will find that the waiting list and time you have to book in advance at these venues (Graviers and Rainbow) proves how popular they are. How many venues on forums are clambering for business week in week out. You see someone ask for a venue no more than 2 hours from Calais for example with fish over 50lb and over 10 acres. You have lots of venue owners saying, we have space we are a bit further than 2 hours perhaps 4, fish to 42lb and 5 acres in size. Nothing relevent to the original post whatsoever. I think everyone has a different opinion I was just stating that the three previously mentioned lakes are shall we say the Man Utd, Liverpool and Arsenal of the fishing world not everyones cup of tea but certainly the top of their division. With no need to promote themselves through paid advertising

Hi Mrs rushes, I think thats somewhat a wild statement suggesting that Richard handpicked the lakes, is it not just that people have paid to advertise as they do on other forums. As some of the best lakes in France never advertise Graviers, Lac de Couton (rainbow) and the late Maison de Lac Bleu. These are very well renowned lakes that survive through word of mouth and people trying to book two three years in advance. Im not knocking advertising but to say they are handpicked is surely a bit far fetched and misleading. I dont wish to offend you but it's my opinion.

Thanks a lot lads I'll get on to that. Appreciated

Hi, just asking for a bit of advice if poss. I am off to the Isle of Wight and wondered if anyone knows if there are any small lakes to fish there. Thanks in advance for any replies.

With all due respect John on another forum someone was asking for somewhere within 3 hours of Calais and you answered with this Hi We are in your distance requirements but from Le Harve....95% motor way. 11pm Portsmouth overnight ferry gets into France 8 am then a very easy drive 1st of Jan I know you always post on forums for business, but lets be fair and not criticise someone for doing the same thing.

Well said David, I'm sure if you put that many more fish in the Bio Mass would go through the roof and the fish already in the lake would suffer. If like you say the catch reports are to be believed then they must be very hungry fish with little or no natural food, putting another couple of hundred 30's and 40's will be catastropic. But hey each to their own I suppose.

Hello tony1971, with all due respect mate are you the owner of crete lakes, as the guy is asking for info about going to a lake in March and you come on here posting a link to another lake. He is looking to go in March to a lake he has chosen and asked about the weather conditions. Even the other lake owners on this thread have not tried to promote their own lakes. Stinks a bit to me mate!!!!!

Hi Berny and Gordon have had a look at your website but cant find any page with catch reports on. I noticed that you say a good chance of a fifty. How many 50's have you had out this year. Andy and Tracey are your catch reports up to date as I notice that you dont have any entries this year for October, are you closed for the rest of this year if not are you open in the winter. Have you had any fifties out this year.

Hi Tony1971 I dont think your promoting these lakes very well by saying they have been unfished for 25 years. The main reason for increased carp growth over the last few decades is that we feed them boilies so unless the owner has put bigger fish in the water since purchasing the lake then the fact that they have not been fished for 25years is not really a good thing. You will probably find that the original fish have reached their maximum weight and that some of the fish are stunted so will grow no more. If you look at fisheries with big fish most of them you will find have been farmed and put into the lakes. I may be wrong but I dont think you will ever find a surprise huge fish in a non commercial water. They dont grow that big on bloodworm alone.

What was the average stamp of the fish you caught and what was the biggest, Carp that is not cats.