Carp Fishing in France and the UK

Old Mill Lakes Lincolnshire - Oak Lake (Aug 2020)

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Wed, 02 Sep 2020 14:58:00 +0000

Had the unusual privilege of getting away for a weeks' fishing in the UK and also the opportunity to meet up with my good fishing buddies Damo, Mikel and Chiz for some "carp and japes".

Lincolnshire was the location - close to Mikel and Chiz, it was mine and Damo's turn to travel 'up norf' and Old Mill Lakes, renown for some big fish in Birch and Willow Lake but we were fishing the fairly new water 'Oak' lake of around 8 acres I would guess and featuring around 40 fish over the 30lb mark, 100+ 20s and the rest mostly doubles.

The lake is basically a big square in shape with 7 pegs running across two opposite banks (north and south banks). There's plenty of water to go out and your in no danger of getting in a mess with the chap opposite as he's so far away. Casting to the middle is doable with your best chuck but to be honest you don't need to be fishing out that far.

I managed to bank myself a corner peg in the north-west corner with Mikel in the next peg along to my left. Chiz got the corner peg in the north-east corner and Damo in next to him.

Tactics at Oak Lake

Being in the corner swim I had a lot of margin spots to go at, that was obvious. To be honest once I'd selected those spots I didn't change them all week. I had my left hand rod literally in the corner, about half a rod length off the bank next to some reeds. The middle rod I walked about 60-70 yards down the bank, dropping it in about a rod length out and then walked in back. I did this with the bait boat initially but found it wasn't an issue walking it down. Both of these rods I consistently baited up with around half a kilo of CCMoore Pacific Tuna soaked in Chorizo extract mixed with mixed pellet, each time I put it out.

My third rod on the left I decided I was going to cast to showing fish. Throughout the week this ranged between 15 - 40 yards out, I ended up scatter-baiting the whole area.

The Result?

Pretty good for me actually, catching steadily throughout the week I managed 12 carp, losing just 2, including a new UK pb mirror of 34lb (rumour has it it's the biggest in the lake), 2 lows 20s and the rest doubles. Mikel managed a new pb common of 32lb 13oz amongst his fish. Chiz had a stunning 32lb 12 mirror in his haul and Damo caught a number of high doubles and finally broke the 20lb barrier towards the end of the week.

Here's a few snaps:

Look what I found in the cupboard?

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Wed, 02 Sep 2020 07:21:00 +0000

Hmmmmm last post in 2009? To be honest I've totally forgotten I had a blog, and blimey how retro does it look?! It's positively ancient!

Perhaps I'll start this up again - there's lots to talk about but where do I start?

Tigers at Oxlease?

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 14:23:00 +0000

Sorry it's been a while since my last blog. I've had a series of blanking sessions that just aren't worth writing about and also an embarrassing trip to Tirley Court near Tewkesbury where my mate out-fished me 11 carp to my measely 2.

Hey ho!

Just thought I'd write about an up-and-coming 2 night trip to Linear's Oxlease at the end of September. I haven't fished the lake since the floods in 2007 but am hopeful of one or two decent fish. I'm already in the midst of preparing some bait to take: mixed particle, chilli hemp and some magic tiger nuts soaked in a molasses/csl syrup.

I have some good faith in these tigers, perhaps popped-up slightly with a piece of fake corn - let's see how they do!

Tirley Court Lake

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 13:23:00 +0000

Did an 8 til 4 session at Tirley Court near Tewkesbury yesterday and caught 6 carp to 17lbs. Quite a good venue if you want action but the rules are rather overkill (no boilies, no meat, no nuts, size 8 barbless hooks max, dip nets and mats, no groundbait) but cheap at £6 a day and you have a good chance of catching a few doubles.

The fish generally aren't in the greatest condition but I've seen worse, also there's the odd monkey there too - I mean person who isn't very good at fishing, makes lots of noise, can't read the rules and swears a lot. If you can tolerate them, you should be ok - you can hide over the other side of the lake. :)

Persistance pays off

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 07:30:00 +0000

After several blank trips down to Gardners I finally hooked into something half decent on Tuesday evening. Caught a pristine 15lb common on method and my special homemade boilies.

The weather has been a bit peculiar the last few weeks and I seemed to have been timing my visits a bit badly. I think I have this thing sust now - more fish to follow I'm sure!

The Fish are biting when the angler's away!

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Thu, 21 May 2009 20:42:00 +0000

Typical! I planned to join my neighbour Steve down at our local lake after work yesterday and ended up having to stay in work late and missed my chance. Steve did well though - 4 carp near or around the 10lb mark. 3 fish from open water which was strange seeing as though lake is covered by lilly pads. Well done Steve, my turn next! :o)

Learn by looking

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Fri, 15 May 2009 07:29:00 +0000

It's easy just to turn up a your local lake and drift over to your favourite swim, set up and start fishing but you could be making a big mistake. Just because it's your favourite swim and you usually catch there doesn't mean it's the best swim on the lake on that day!

I know this from experience. Setting up at Gardner's the other week I did just that! I didn't get a single bleep all session and on packing up I wondered round the corner to my mate's swim to find carp galore in the lilly beds right by his feet.

If only I'd checked that swim before I set up!

First fish at Gardiners Pool

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Tue, 05 May 2009 18:15:00 +0000

Went down for my first session at Gardiners on Friday evening - May 1st in fact. Weather was overcast and a bit damp which fortunately meant there weren't many anglers on the lake.

I already had an idea which swim to try - a sheltered bay to the right of the car park. The only swim on that bank as it happen due to the overhead power lines.

On good advice from my neighbour Steve, I chucked one rod down the left margin in between some lillies and an overhangin tree. The other - I cast out to the lillies straight ahead but wasn't particularly confident of the location.

On hand with a camera my marvelous girlfriend (who'd popped down on the way home from work) took the following shot of my first carp on my new venue for 2009.

The swan scarpers as my left hand rod bends round.

Giving it a bit of welly keeping the fiesty carp out of the snaggy tree.

Pretty little Mirror landed after a good scrap.

At 8lbs and in immaculate condition - a nice fish, from a pretty swim!

Boilies - the end result!

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 15:44:00 +0000

The recipe produced around a kilo of bait. I've made "mis-shapes" rather than rounds. The pic shows about half of what was produced.

a. cos it was easier
b. the irregular shape will catch me more fish

Really please with the outcome, however crushing the hemp by hand took some time - I might process it through a coffee or pepper grinder next time.

Right - on to trying it out on a new lake I've joined for the year. Gardners Pool in Frampton.

Wish me luck!

Initial Boilie Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 10:08:00 +0000

Having purchased 10kg of Dynamic Source base mix and some glug recipe No.1 will be (approx)

4 eggs
250g base mix
100g maize flour
50g desiccated coconut
50g 1mm response pellet
50g crushed hemp
25ml of dynamite source glug

Will let you know how I get on!

DIY Boilies

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 13:12:00 +0000

No excuses this time.

Plenty of freezer space.

And a bigger kitchen.

I'm making boilies myself this year - woohoo!

As I loved them when I first started carp fishing I've gone for the Dynamite Source base mix plus some of my own surprises.

I'll let you know how I get on....

3 different 40s out from Hooked in France

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 13:30:00 +0000

News from the underground suggests that this week (11th - 18th Apr 2009) produce 3 different 40s. 2 from the Natural (43lbs + 41lbs) and one from the Big Double.

Catch Report from Hooked in France Apr 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 15:00:00 +0000

Went during the first week of the Easter break this time and met up with not only the fantastic hosts Ian and Sue but also Mike and Mike Chisholm from the world this is Grimsby up-norf.

Had a brilliant time once again catching 16 carp to 42lbs and also drinking a rather large amount of "tea".

Tactics this time was Mr Snowman featuring a Pineapple nugget bottom bait popped up with a pineapple popup. This fished over a bed of mixed pellet and particle.

Anyway, here's my catch report:
1. Common 29lbs 04/04/09 at 10pm

2. Mirror 14lbs 04/04/09 11.45pm

3. Common 18lbs 05/04/09 06:00am

4. Common 26lbs 4oz 05/04/09 1pm

5. Common 25lbs 8oz 05/04/09 11pm

6. Mirror 28lbs 06/04/09 1:30am

7. Mirror 42lbs 06/04/09 1pm "Gobby"

8. Mirror 14lbs 06/04/09 3pm

9. Mirror 25lbs 8oz 06/04/09 10:30pm

10. Common 31lbs 06/04/09 11:00pm

11. Mirror 18lbs 07/04/09 05:00am

12. Mirror 31lbs 08/04/09 06:00am

13. Mirror 29lbs 08/04/09 11:00pm

14. Mirror 23lbs 09/04/09 01:00am (I couldn't get Mike Chis jnr out of bed to take the photo of this one)

15. Mirror 41lbs 2oz 09/04/09 11:30am

16. Common 15lbs 11/04/09 01:00

Hooked in France Carp Fishing Holidays in France

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Wed, 12 May 2004 15:12:00 +0000

Hooked in France Carp Fishing Holidays in France

Corr! What a tremendous, comprehensive website this is.

Record fish haul at Hooked in France

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Tue, 11 May 2004 15:03:00 +0000

The Lakes 7 year catch record has been broken!!!!

89 fish haul in one week is amazing. Imagine what the combined weight is? A summary of the fish caught is:

8 upper thirties

35 twenties (24 of them upper twenties)

the rest mid doubles.