the dreaded dreamlakes

[terrynutkins]

hi you carpys, i have been to dremlakes twice in the past 5 years and looking on the forums it seems to of gained a bad!!! name now for number of reasons, being baliffs or anglers, i paid my deposit and im goin june 20th 2008 with two mates who have never been, has anyone been recent and know what its like now? and is there bait restrictions now? im on lake 2 and any good pointers for my session be appreciated tight lines keep em whistling in the wind!!

[david01]

How did you get on? I have booked to fish Dreamlake 2 in Sep and am really looking forward to it.

Thanks,

Dave.

[jamesah]

personally its the last place in france i would fish. its the magaluf of the carp fishing world.

[paulmlpss]

Ive read some bad things about it like the baliffs getting drunk and playing loud music and even one of them dropping a fish whilst standing up with it

This is only what ive read but im sure someone who has been will know more

[icemaster]

Spoke to some guys when we where coming back from last last month who had been there, they seemed happy and had a number of 30's and 40's, I think they said they fished lake 1 but only half the lake was catching. Sounded really expensive, I think they said they had paid around £700 each all in for the trip. For that money you would have hated to be one of the guys that blanked!!

 

It's the same with everything, they advertise and the website is pretty good, most of us are pulled in by the fact we can catch a 50 or a 60, rather than the conditions and surrounding that we are going to be doing it in.

 

For me Dreamlakes is a no, there are lots of other smaller, friendly and exclusive places to fish in France

[Guest fenboy]

As pointed out to me by a lake owner in france ,why if dream lakes is so good ,do they contantly run ads saying " another five tons added to dreamlakes" as he rightly pointed out you do not constantly restock a water that has a fit and healthy population of fish ,the amout they are getting trough means there should be a pile of them now comming out of the water !!

[carperdude3d]

my mate went to dream lakes last year and had 1 fish .. a 19lb cat . he was gutted lol i was speaking to him yesterday and hes booked again for this august for some reason hes going on lake 2 this time last time he was on 4 i think

[david01]

Well, I returned yesterday from my week's fishing and I have to say I loved it!

I think it is only fair to share my experience of the place and maybe dis-spell some of the rumours spread around.

I booked up a trip for me and a mate on the strength of their adverts and didn't really know much about the place. We had booked lake 2. We decided on the 'drive and survive' option as I didn't like the idea of being cooped up on a coach and also wanted the option of having my car so I could go to the shops etc.

The total cost of our trip was £787 but that also included optional travel insurance at £20 each and 10kgs of bait at £90. So without the bait and insurance that was £325 each. The cost also included the ferry, for which there was a £7.50 fuel supplement. Personally, I don't think that price is too bad.

We arrived at about 5 am and chatted to the anglers that were finishing their weeks fishing. All those that I spoke with had enjoyed their week. We were last out of the swim draw (sods law) and watched as all the swims that I fancied were taken. There are 30 swims and there was 17 anglers during our week which is 1 less than the maximum. We chose swims 11 & 13 which are in the middle of the lake. I was in swim 13. Unlucky for some?

Well, not for me! I started catching within 6 hours and basically the swim carried on producing for the rest of the week. I ended up with 46 fish. 5 forties (although my mate brought one of these in as I was already playing a fish on another rod), 12 thirties and most of the rest being 20's (5 being doubles) Good fishing by anyone's standards. Just for the record my PB is a UK caught 43lb 4 oz and I have had numerous fish over 30lb before so I don't class myself as a novice.

After I had booked the trip, I started some internet searches and was shocked at what I read...the fish are scabby, they kill catfish by pouring petrol down their throats, the bailiffs are w***kers ets etc. I was a bit worried but needn't have been.

Most of the fish I caught were in good condition. One 43lb fish had a parrot mouth but you can find those in most waters over here. The bailiffs were great, willing to help out where necessary and pass on their knowledge. As for the catfish issue, talking to the bailiffs, it is true that they were keen to remove the catfish as they feel they are detrimental to the development of the carp. To me, this is called fishery management. The catfish that were caught were to be transported to another lake down the road. That is what we were told and can only assume it to be true. I certainly have no reason to doubt them and saw absolutely no bad treatment of these fish at all. In fact, I didn't see any catfish caught but spoke to some lads who I think passed one or two over to the bailiffs but i am not sure of this. I only caught one catfish myself, a small fish on the last night but as it was the middle of the night and hammering down with rain I just put it back.

Negatives?..well, it depends what you are after in your French fishing holiday. The swims are a little close together it has to be said. It didn't affect my week as there was a gap either side of me but I could see it being a bit tight if someone had moved into swim 12 between my mate and I or into swim 14, but it didn't happen. The changeover time is not very user-friendly either - 7am. I assume this is to accommodate ferry times but packing up at 5 am in the rain and darkness is not a great thought and it was one of the reasons why I chose to drive myself. We chose to leave on the Friday to avoid this. Other than that, you can nit-pick over other things, the swims are lined in concrete so it is not a 'natural' type lake but if you are looking for natural then go and fish one of the big reservoirs or lakes. As I said, in my opinion it is a top spot for a French carp fishing holiday. The other lads we spoke with were top blokes who were after the same thing as us, good fishing with a holiday atmosphere.

In summary, I think it is a great place for a fishing holiday and don't let the internet b/s put you off!

[david1951]

Posting withdrawn by me, perhaps a little too harsh!!

 

 

Perhaps? I think maybe an apology is in order too.

[Guest fenboy]

Glad you enjoyed your holiday, a few do as it happens!!! When it comes to fish welfare, drug free zone and non excessive use of alcohol, fails on all 3 counts I am afraid!! Not a smoker/coke snorter are you, when it comes to that, 1 of the most popular venues, sorry not an opinion, A FACT, the owner leads by example, not sure how many ounces a day he is on, but plenty, the anglers pay good money for the supply!!

 

I have heared a bad thing or too about dream lakes ,but I would think what you are saying verges on slander ! ,unless of course you have concrete first hand evidence .

I did notice though when I went to france this spring the dreamlakes bus was pulled in by customs ,this is appparently a regular occurance.

[Guest hairymary123]

Glad you enjoyed your holiday, a few do as it happens!!! When it comes to fish welfare, drug free zone and non excessive use of alcohol, fails on all 3 counts I am afraid!! Not a smoker/coke snorter are you, when it comes to that, 1 of the most popular venues, sorry not an opinion, A FACT, the owner leads by example, not sure how many ounces a day he is on, but plenty, the anglers pay good money for the supply!!

 

I have heared a bad thing or too about dream lakes ,but I would think what you are saying verges on slander ! ,unless of course you have concrete first hand evidence .

I did notice though when I went to france this spring the dreamlakes bus was pulled in by customs ,this is appparently a regular occurance.

 

Have to admire the ordascity.

[david01]

david1951, No, I am not a smoker/coke snorter. I do smoke cigarettes and I do enjoy a beer. Hence the reference to holiday atmosphere. I do not see the harm in having a few cans whilst on a fishing holiday. That is not to say I get drunk to the point of not being able to handle fish but I can't see anything wrong in having a few beers whilst fishing.

I have no vested interest in promoting Dreamlakes. Whilst there, I heard that they were going to remove the self drive option for Lakes 1 & 2. I don't know if there is any truth in this. I hope not because if they do then I probably will not return. If they don't then I will certainly go again.

[southend30]

Ok guys, not a french expert and am not going to go into massive detail. However for me dreamlakes was a good venue. i visited may 08, only been carping 2 years then, and was happy with 29 carp, 4 cats. Dont know what some people expect, we go to france to beat pbs and catch amounts of big carp in a week we cant dream of in uk. Well for me and others i know dreamlakes fits bill.

Oh and saying owner smokes/takes crack/coke is b...cks, for starters more than one individual owns dreamlakes, so got that wrong and main owner was there all week i was, i had breakfast and dinner everyday with zen(1 of owners) and he is top guy, not once was smoke/gear/snort mentioned or seen. I would pick up on it,trust me ive done 10 years security/doorman. Guys, be your own judge.

[redshack]

hi you carpys, i have been to dremlakes twice in the past 5 years and looking on the forums it seems to of gained a bad!!! name now for number of reasons, being baliffs or anglers, i paid my deposit and im goin june 20th 2008 with two mates who have never been, has anyone been recent and know what its like now? and is there bait restrictions now? im on lake 2 and any good pointers for my session be appreciated tight lines keep em whistling in the wind!!

HELLO every1

i've fished dreamlakes a few times in the past .I've had some great times

and great fish never had a problem till about 2 years ago and that was my last trip it was a joke . we were on lake 1 fish were dead in the lake not 1 we fished about 20 -30 out on day 1 2nd day

about the same. bailliff to stoned to do any thing . we had to walk 3 lake with all r gear for 2weeks . I made a phone call home to my wife so she could ring Graham who runs the trips and all he said was he had not heard any thing . 1 of the lads i went with on that trip has just been back and said it was back 2 old times great . so if u've booked go with an open mind because the fishing was the best about

[cowley1963]

I've fished Dreamlakes 1 five times. Up to two years ago it was superb, great fishing, great food and great bailiff's.

Then three or so years ago they had a massive fish death. They attempted to resolve this by trading cats for carp with a local French guy, pound for pound. Good in theory but in practise, the big cats being taken out resulted in a kitten explosion (no big cats to eat them). It was impossible to catch carp because the kittens were straight on your bait.

Head bailiff Matt and the gang have worked hard, painfully extracting the kitten's, albeit with the help of the hapless angler's over the past couple of years.

To say the staff are un-helpful has probably been true over the last couple of years. Because of the dip in action they have been at the sharp end of angler's complaints. Whilst these complaints have been justified, it's human nature I'm afraid to clam up under these circumstances, remember they work there, they don't own it.

Now, all the hard work has reaped its reward, and with the help of a boilies and plastic only rule, the action is now as good as ever. The staff, who were always excellent before, are now able to concentrate on the important stuff, like fishery management and making your holiday what you would expect.

So basically, it's had problems but they seem to be resolved. And if they are, there's nowhere better, in my opinion.

 

Cowley.

[david1951]

We all have our views and I am afraid I totally disagree with the last 2 comments! Though obviously a very successful commercial fishery and offering what it does, is unique! I am afraid it will only appear to a certain type of angler and long may they continue to choose that sort of venue, us connoisseurs wouldn't dream of going there, too much bad publicity and fishery management skills operated by the bailiffs, Dream on, trading cats for carp, I thought they were burning the cats, at least that is what was reported on another forum!

 

I personally have nothing against the venue, I have seen it, adjudged it to be nothing special compared with the venues I have been to which are not operated on the same basis i.e. with the all inclusive packages, you know, get [censored]ed on the coach, get [censored]ed at the lake etc. and worse!

 

1 question I ask every year when I see the same adverts i.e. another 3 or 10 tonnes of carp added, is WHY? They would be better saying nothing!

 

Better leave it at that! Good luck to the guys going there this year, if that is the venue you have chosen, you will probably enjoy it!