Mirror Pool Fisheries - Carp Fisheries in France

Newsletter No. 5

Apologies for the delay in giving a review of 2005 and update to the 2006 season.

Not that you have been left wondering what was coming out of Meadow Lake in 2005. It seemed that in every carp magazine you opened there were reviews and catch reports on the huge carp being caught weekly out of Meadow Lake .

For a 10 acre lake, Meadow Lake now holds an incredible number of large carp. The lake average has pushed up to well over 30lb with large numbers of 40lb and 50lb carp being caught on a weekly basis.

In October we were delighted to receive confirmation that a carp of just under 58lb had been caught. On sight of the photos we saw that it was a huge framed fish, perfectly proportioned, with no gut on it. It has all the potential to continue to grow and we have high hopes that it will push over 60lb this spring. Together with the 60+ catfish who also continue to grow at an exceptional rate to now over 90lb, this makes Meadow Lake one of the most exciting lakes to spend a week fishing.

Not only is it exceptionally pretty and peaceful but it has the most stunning stock of fish to make all your dreams a reality. For those of you that are joining us this year we look forward to seeing you again. I know from all your phone calls you can't wait to get back to the lake again. Never mind, the wait is almost over! For those of you who are joining us for the first time, I won't spoil the anticipation. You can't explain it; you need to experience it yourself to understand.

See you all soon.

Newsletter No. 4 - September 2004

After a slow start to the season due to particularly cold conditions the fishing took off for Stephen Leas’ and Stan Voucher’s party on the 17 th April with 3 forties including a 40.4 common, 10 thirties and 10 twenties plus 5 catfish to 46lb. The following weeks fishing continued in the same vein with Richard Beard and Adam Golden catching three thrities and fifteen twenties together with 10 doubles and catfish to 55lb.

With warming weather Paul Lloyds party of 4 anglers had a superb week with 80 carp including 3 40’s to 49lb, 19 30’s including a 39lb 4oz common plus 5 catfish to 44lb and grass carp to 28lb.

The week of 8 th May saw Andrew Johnson’s party of four enjoy a catch of sixty carp including 5 forties to 48.8lb, 16 thirties and 14 twenties. Favoured methods were the method or Dynamite sticks with maple 8 or M8.

Also fishing that week was David Russell and his two colleagues who had a great weeks fishing with 32 carp including 3 forties to 46lb (common), 10 thirties and 11 twentied together with 4 catfish to 54lb.

The week of 15 th May took off for Paul Vardigan’s party of six with over 2,205lb of carp caught. One of Paul’s colleagues had 1 forty, 5 thirties and 5 twenties and two cats to 40lb. Hockey went equally for the carp and cats finishing with 8 carps including two thrities and two twenties plus 7 catfish to 55lb.

Ross had the biggest overall weight with 800lb made up of 3 thirties, 13 twenties, one catfish and two grass carp to 29lb and the additional bonus of some large tench including a 7.8lb and 8.0lb.

Vardy weighed in a catch of 507lb with two forties of 46.6lb and 46.8lb, seven thirties, 4 twenties and one catfish.

We thought that week would be hard to beat but the following week Mike Evans’ party of four caught 142 fish with 9 forties, two of those commons, 23 thirties, 31 twenties and 8 catfish to 56lb.

The week beginning 29 May produced a cracking result too – two anglers netting 87 fish, 6 of them over forty and 12 cats to 56lb. Excellent stuff!

On the week beginning 5 June, James Watson’s party of four caught 59 carp with both James and Joe Fen catching two 40s, with the three largest being over 46 and one being a Common closely followed by Lee Fen with one 40 at 41lb together with a total of ten 30s, 13 20s and 19 catfish to 56½ lbs.

They were followed on to the lake by Tony Murphy’s part of six anglers with another great result catching 69 fish in total, including five 40s evenly spread between the anglers. Only Terry Monteith didn’t manage a 40, however he was compensated by his largest carp at 36lb 8oz. Between them they also caught 17 30s and 19 20s to round off another fantastic week.

Newsletter No. 3 - September 2003

The carp in Meadow are growing at a great rate. The shallow nature of the lake together with the natural food and the pellets introduced during the winter has led to a pleasing increase in the average weight of the carp. The carp now average just under 30lbs and are in pristine condition.

The season started out with a bang. Large numbers of carp came out in April. Dean Seymour and his brother Gary accounted for twenty-two carp including two 40's and seven 30's. The following week accounted for forty-three carp of which eighteen were 30+. The week after that forty-six carp were caught with four 40's and eleven 30+.

The fishing continued in this way through May with 40lb+ carp and 40lb-50lb cats caught most weeks. We then saw the beginning of the heatwave that has hit France this year. The hottest, driest summer in recorded history with daytime temperatures over 40oC in the shade. As one angler told me"I recorded 128oF on my thermometer and I fried an egg on a stone on the ground in 20 seconds!

We have found that when the weather is at its hottest, the grass carp came out more than the mirrors, whereas whenever we have a rare rain shower the mirrors come on the feed. The cats feed pretty consistently whatever the weather. When the weather is cooler, the carp were coming out at all ranges. With the high water temperatures (80oC) they are feeding more in the middle of the lake. Sweetcorn has scored well as has naturals such as maggots and worms as the carp are gorging themselves on the proliferation of natural food in the warm water.

To ease the strain of the hot weather we have bought a larger chest freezer for the lake so that anglers can store litres of cold water that they are consuming every day to keep cool. As a measure to ensure the health of the carp and maintain the fishing on the lake, an aerator has been shipped out from the UK and installed to increase the oxygen levels in the water.

We are in mid August now and hopefully a change in the weather will come. We haven't seen any rain since May and a drop in the temperature will be a welcoming relief. With the amount of natural food the fish have been consuming all summer, I expect the fish's weights to be at an all time high this autumn and even more personal bests to be smashed.

Newsletter No. 2 - September 2002

After Wayne and Becky's backbreaking work laying over 90 tonnes of gravel down the right hand side of the lake to allow car access directly down to all the swims, he thought that he would get a bit of fishing in to relax. Unfortunately as it was still February the lake obliged by freezing over for the next three weeks! It wasn't until April that he and I managed four nights on the lake while carrying out final work on the fishery. The weather was cold and wet but we managed 35 carp over 20lb with 9 over 30lb. We tried for two nights for the catfish but only managed one aborted take, the weather being still too cold (that's our excuse).

Once the weather started warming up the fish really made an appearance. Andrew Craven'a party caught over 100 fish. Forty pound carp have made a regular appearance but it is the huge numbers of 20 and 30lb carp that have brought smiles to anglers' faces week after week.

The catfish too have been making regular appearances to a surprisingly small number of anglers who are prepared to have a go for them - with two fish a night being the norm. The largest caught to date is 65lb. Come on the rest of you, are you really that scared of a big pussy!

We now have a chest freezer as well as the fridge, cooker, shower and toilets in the chalet. You have the choice now whether you bring frozen or ready-mades when you come to fish the lake. My preference is frozen with Mainline's NRG being the successful bait I used in April.

For those that like a bit of variety and enjoy some monster tench, the lake has produced a number of 7-9lb beauties.

More news from the fishery shortly. Wayne and I are fishing Meadow Lake in July for the catfish and hope that we can give you some impressive catch reports (if not I will blame the weather - too hot!).

Newsletter No. 1 - October 2001

Some of you may have noticed in this year's MIRROR POOL advertisements the announcement for the opening of Meadow Lake. Going back twelve months we were informed that Meadow Lake was then up for sale. It was an opportunity too good to miss. The 10 acre lake is in a valley surrounded by gently rolling meadows and trees. The other factor which excited us so much was that the lake had been stocked with a number of species including carp about twenty years ago by the previous owner and left unfished before we bought the lake.

Once the purchase had been completed and we owned it we were able to discover more about the lake. We took water samples from the lake and had them analysed by a laboratory. To our relief the results came back with the good news that it had a PH of 8, which is perfect for carp, together with high oxygen content and no pollutants. These results together with long hours of walking the lake in chest waders and in the boat with a prodding rod, confirmed large areas of silt and gravel patches and an average depth of 5 feet. With the deepest water at the dam of 7 feet. No snags and little reed were found throughout the lake.

We then knew that we had a very rich water on our hands with the potential to grow some seriously big carp as we had done in Mirror Pool. We didn't want to disturb the lake any more in the first year. Apart from stocking the lake with 150 big carp with an excellent pedigree we left it well alone. We had bought carp from this fish farmer in previous years and his fish had put on an average of 5lb a year in our lakes, so we had high hopes for the future.

A kitchen, shower, toilet block was built in a shaded copse of trees, alongside the lake and a boat bought for the anglers use.

We were then ready to make the lake available to anglers. What we didn't want to do was pressure the lake in the first year, so we restricted the number of anglers to only four per week. Bearing in mind that we didn't know what the existing stock of carp consisted of we held our breath and waited in anticipation.
Immediately the lake threw a number 20, 30 and 40lb carp to the lucky anglers who fished it.
Everyone who has fished there has raved about the fishing experience. Exceptional fishing in stunning surroundings in total peace and tranquillity, with only the sound of frogs in the background. As you sit in your chair gazing across the lake to the hills rolling down to the lake you see buzzards swooping around the lake in their daily ritual.

With the lake being so peaceful, with nicely shelving margins a lot of carp are caught from the edges. Simple rigs and methods have been the most effective with no need for heavy baiting.

Next year we are increasing the maximum number of anglers to six per week, which on 10 acres still gives masses of room for each angler. To compensate for the possible increase in pressure on the lake we are stocking another 120 big carp and twenty catfish. These fish are currently in one of our stock ponds and are being fed on a daily basis so that they will be fit and healthy when they are introduced into the lake in October. They will then be left unfished but regularly fed with our carp pellets until May 2002, when we will allow the first anglers onto the lake.

If you would like to be one of the first to experience the tremendous sport available at Meadow Lake in 2002 contact Rob after 7.00.pm on 01628 522 088, and remember, non fishing partners go free.