So much for South-west France. Think we are snowed in!

Happy Xmas to all our fishermen and friends from myself and Kim. Look forward to seeing some of you at the lake next season. XXX

Dear All This is to provide some information on the 2018 season. The website will be updated shortly to reflect this. For the 2018 season, we are planning to run the lake slightly differently. In particular, we are running it on a much shorter approximate 15 week season with a closed period for a month around spawning and giving the lake rest weeks on a regular basis. From a personal perspective, whilst we will be in France at times, we intend to be based in the UK for the most part. Our neighbours (whom some of you already know) will be acting as caretakers/bailiff’s etc. The main changes will therefore be: 1. Except when we are at the lake from mid-August to end-October, you will have the lake/property to yourselves. This can either be exclusive lake hire + fisherman’s apartment at a weekly rate of £1250.00 or exclusive lake hire + entire house/fisherman’s apartment at a weekly rate of £1750.00. 2. We now have an Otter fence around the entire lake and so you will now be totally private and secure (otters are becoming an increasing problem in France and we wanted to act now). 3. Except when we are at the lake, we won’t be offering a food package (the adjacent campsite has a bistro and may be able to provide take-aways by prior arrangement). 4. We will continue to be provide all large items tackle. 5. We will continue to provide bait. With the exception of hook baits, our baits must be used. The rules will remain virtually the same. The one new rule we intend to introduce is that we are wanting the fish to be unhooked, weighed and photographed in the water. It’s to reduce the risk of stress and is surprisingly easy to do – we have waders etc. Occasionally this won’t be possible e.g. when stalking along the deep water bank but it’s easy from the main fishing bank. Essentially we just want everyone to be sensible with our fish. We also intend to adopt a maximum of 3 anglers with 3 rods or if 4 anglers, a maximum of 2 rods per person. This is again to limit stress but will also improve catches – our record ever catch for the lake in a week was by one angler fishing 3 rods and days only. Weeks will be let on a first come first serve basis with the following weeks available at present. w/c 31st March w/c 7th April w/c 28th April w/c 5th May w/c 12th May w/c 16th June w/c 23rd June w/c 14th July w/c 21st July w/c 11th August w/c 22nd September w/c 6th October w/c 20th October If anyone is interested in any of these weeks either e-mail or message us and we will forward the booking form. We will hold a booking for 48hrs to enable a deposit to be paid. We won’t be taking any bookings for the 2019 season yet. It is our intention to offer weeks initially to groups that have fished with us in 2018 with any remaining weeks being offered at the end of the 2018 season. Charlie & Kim

Jim finished his holiday with four more fish, a mid teen common and mirrors of 27lb 12oz, 30lb 6oz and 34lbs. His fourth trip to the lake and another great catch. I wasn't there for his last day so don't have the exact total but I think it's 29 fish including 9 30's and 2 40's. Sweetcorn was again his successful bait - more than 65kg's of it along with smaller amounts of boilies and pellets.

Another couple of fish for Jim yesterday evening with an original upper teen common and a 34lb 4oz Mirror. Biblical rain today has slowed the fishing with just a small original Mirror so far. It's stopped now so maybe a fish or two this evening.

Another good fish for Jim this afternoon with this long 33lb 8oz Common. A really hard fighting fish and one with a lot of growth potential.

Four more fish for Jim over the last day or so, the best a 28lb 4oz Mirror. Also a really stunning old original Mirror of 19lb 4oz which is a fish that I have never seen before. Others were a mid-20 Mirror and mid-20 Common

Jim finished his first week with this 26lb 12oz Common. He's already had one this morning with this 42lbs Mirror. That's 17 fish so far with 5 20's, 6 30's and 2 40's. 4 of the 30's were over 37lbs so should be pushing towards 40 soon.

Another great day for Jim yesterday. A Common and two Mirrors for over 102lbs. Last fish of the day was this 34lb 12oz Mirror.

Another big common for Jim this morning - 38lbs 2oz. Not one I immediately recognise so will have to look back through the old photos. I think another one that is piling on the weight.

Another good fish for Jim yesterday evening with this Mirror of 30lb 4oz. He also has a small original Common yesterday.

What a fish. Jim with his pb Common at 41lb 12oz. It's a really distinctive fish which has a piece missing from it's tail and was last caught a couple of season's ago in the mid-30's. An amazingly strong fish. The fish really seem to be packing on the weight.