Mirror Pool Fisheries - Carp Fisheries in France

March 2006

We have had a busy winter at the Pool. As we close up the fishing at the end of October each year, it gives us five months, not only to rest up the fish but also to make enhancements to the fishery. This year was no exception; we wanted to make the fishing more comfortable for our customers. On the west side of the lake where a stream runs alongside, the anglers have to bivvy up on the far side of the stream with the stream between them and their rods and having to go across the a bridge to get to the rods. Not ideal. So this winter we brought in a digger and laid pipes in the stream and backfilled over it by taking soil out of the lake, giving us the additional benefit of deeper margins in front of the swims for landing fish. This gives us lovely flat banks to bivvy on and with no stream to worry about in the middle of the night.

The work is now complete; the land levelled and seeded ready for our first customers of the year. This will save everyone the embarrassment of an angler dashing out of his bivvy in the middle of night to the call of an alarm, forgetting the bridge in his panic and falling in the stream! Believe me, it has happened quite a few times in the past.

It's an exciting time for us – only a few more weeks to go until we see the first anglers on the water after a five month break. Apart from weekly feedings of the carp to keep them strong and healthy, we haven't seen a fish out of the lake since October. As part of our policy to rest the fish as much as possible, we do make a point of having no fishing on the lake at all until we re-open in April. Frustrating for us, as we are desperate to get our rods out on the lake, and as the carp have been growing at an incredible rate since we stocked the lake four years ago.

2005 saw the average weight in the lake push up to over 28lb and there are over 100 30lb+ carp with approximately 10 of those well over 40lb. Following on from the winter feed, I expect a few more of the big thirties push over the 40lb barrier this summer. We have the benefit of knowing our fish stock and their genetics, having stocked Mirror Pool, Millstone Pool and Meadow Lake with carp from the same fish farmer. In all those lakes, the carp have continued to grow into the fifties and sixties, with probably the largest concentration of big carp to be found in a group of small water fisheries in France.

The weather is now warming up. The fish are rolling in the shallows waiting for you. For those of you that are joining us this year - many for a return visit to your favourite fishery; and those for your first trip - we look forward to greeting you and for you to take home many memorable moments and photos of large carp to treasure.

Warm greetings to you all.

Catch Report for Mayflower Pool June 11th -18th 2005

Summary

Number of anglers 3
Number of fish - 73
Fish details –
3 forties (44lb Common, 44lb and 42.04lb Mirrors)
18 thirties ( All mirror)
41 twenties
10 15lb – 20lb and a 7lb common!!

Total weight – 1866 lb

Click on image above to view photos of this session

We arrived at Mayflower at our allotted time on the Saturday; two of us returning from last year and one new angler, to be greeted by Bernie and Elaine. After being told the rules and regs by Bernie and having had our rigs checked, two of us headed straight for the “Point” swim as it is a double swim with the new angler choosing to fish the bay swim opposite the lodge.

All nine rods were in by 5pm with Bernie warning of us of “slow” fishing the previous week. The beauty of Mayflower is there is so much more to enjoy than just the fishing and so we were looking to “ease” our way into the week with maybe a quiet evening before really fishing the lake hard the following day. Fat chance!! By 8pm (that’s it 3 hours!!) we had had between us, 8 fish and one missed fish with 3 thirties to 35.01lb and the rest being twenties! We soon realised why we look forward to this so much and why we use Mirror Pool fisheries. Fortunately that evening no more fish graced the bank and we all slept well.

Sunday The “slow” fishing Bernie talked of was now here with us and by the time we sat down to enjoy our evening meal we had only had a further 5 fish all over 25lb up to 29lb 4oz. (there are not many places where the fishing is slow and 130lb of carp hits the bank in a day!!!). Whilst eating a very annoying bleep kept occurring on a rod fished about 100yds out in a bay to our left. What ever was playing with our boilies was not as hungry as we were as so we ignored it. These slow spasmodic bleeps continued until my fishing partner decided to “hit it”. Ten minutes later a 42-04oz mirror was on our unhooking mat and a PB was achieved. Really slow day! One hour later and a screaming run from the same bay sounded an angry fish. It was my turn so I hit it and had the customary fight you always get at Mayflower Pool. My colleague waited with the landing net and as it lifted its head we realised I had hooked a common carp. Nice in anyone’s fishing report but this one was truly a fish of a lifetime for me. We weighed it and I now had a PB of a 44lb common. 9 months of planning and waiting and the rewards were just getting better!.

Monday Heavy thunderstorms greeted us as we spent the day laying in our bivvies to avoid the lightening and the rest of the time hitting and playing fish. On Monday alone we banked 11 fish between the 3 of us with Matt getting his PB of 35lb 2oz. In the space of 48 hours fishing all 3 anglers had PB’s. Just awesome.

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday The fishing remained fairly constant with a further 36 fish including 9 thirties being caught. Tuesday evening was again memorable for me because every fish after the 44lb common was an absolute bonus fish. A run at 9-30pm produced for me another nice mirror which swung the scales around to a whopping 44lb again. I had equalled my PB with no sign of the fishing slowing.

Friday It was always our intention to leave the lake on Friday evening at some point and head back to reality!. Matt on his first trip was having none of it and fully intended to fish to Saturday. Friday produced 10 fish to 36lb 4oz between us. Having fished the lake previous year we were noticing real weight gains with the fish and it is clear Rob Green at Mirror Pool Fisheries is true to his word as these fish really are packing on the weight.

Later that evening the next week anglers arrived at the lake and after agreeing to let them have a look around they decided to set up bivvies and install their week’s food content in the fridge whilst removing some of ours!! The next morning one tried to use the shower with Matt in it!! Come on you carpers out there, most of us get one week at this per year and expect to be given just that – a week! Hotels in France are cheap so whilst we are all eager to get fishing spare a thought for those who still there and don’t turn up until it’s your turn!! It’s the least you can do. This definitely took the edge off of our week but I refuse to let it spoil what was an awesome week.

Overall Nutrabaits Trigga was our preferred bait and did us proud, as did Rob and Mirror Pool fisheries. We had an awesome week apart from the jokers who came expecting an eighth days fishing!!

There are loads of websites promising “Big Fish”, others beautiful surroundings, others great facilities. Mayflower Pool delivers the lot.

Thanks Rob for a great week and also special mentions for the bailiff Bernie who checked all the rigs and kit and paid regular visits to see us but at all times maintained a smile and let us have “our trip”.

Fantastic

Nick Sansome