March and April 2012 : Catch Report

Following the excellent winter results on the venue, which saw a good number of forty pound fish banked, including two to myself, the big freeze that lasted over three weeks put an abrupt end to the feeding spree, and a downer on the fishing and any high hopes I’d have of a productive start to the main season.

One or two of the anglers who had been here in January were keen to get back. This was the case in point of two you Dutch lads Gert- Jan Wijnhorsdt & Sjoerd Wildschut,  who fresh from success in January were back in early March once the lakes were unfrozen.
Fishing the sampe tactics that had been successful to others and to myself they used PVA bags and pellets on the plateau of the Tortue Lake, and in the deeper water of peg 13 to back 8 carp to 17kg in four nights.
The second week of March saw my good friend Andy Lears and three of his friends, Tim, Mark and Chris on the venue. Andy returned to peg 11 where he had done well last May, Tim fished the next peg down while Chris chose peg 14 and Mark opted for peg 3 on the Croix Lake. This week sort of set the scene for the days and weeks to come, with fish being very localised. Andy struggled on 11 and eventually moved onto peg 5 where he was able to bank a few 20lb plus carp and a catfish. For Tim again the fishing was slow in the deeper side of the lake, but he did managed a PB mirror of 37lb 2oz.
Mark caught fairly consistently with fish to 31lb. Best result of the week though was to Chris on 14. He managed around 10 fish with the best being a new PB 42lb Mirror.

Quest Baits Special Crab boilies now available on site

For 2012 we have opted to supply the Quest Baits Special Crab boilies at the venue. I have known Shaun Harrison for a number of years and have entire confidence in his bait quality. As I was involved with Quest at the outset, it is only natural that I put my confidence in thee high quality baits.

I have both 1kg & 5kg bags in stock.

More info on the website: Croix Blanche Lakes Bait

 

Catch Report 5th June : 45lb Mirror Tops the Catch

Belgian carpers Rudi Bru and Pete Bleyaert got in amongst some superb carp and cats in a short three nighter in the company of their wives this week on the Tortue Lake.
As they arrived on the lakes they opted for peg 15 at the top end of the Tortue as there must have been 100 carp sunning themselves on the surface. The first 24 hours in the warm weather proved unproductive with just one small cat to show for their efforts. A change in the weather with a thunder storm and some rain soon put the fish back in the feeding mood and in the next few hours they banked several cracking fish.
Pete managed a lovely mirror of 45lb 2oz (20.5kg) as well as a 38lb 5oz (17.6kg) Common. Rudi not to be out done also landed some nice carp with a Mirror of 36lb 5oz and Commons of 24lb 5oz and 22lb 4oz.
The successful bait was the Proline Red Devils and a homemade garlic flavoured boilie. The flurry of action ended with the return of the hot sunny weather, and reluctantly they headed back to Belgium.

Croix Blanche Catch Report : Two fish over 20kg this week.

31st  May to 5th June

Two fish over 20kg (44lb) were landed this week in a carp bonanza that left everyone happy. With the cats in a very voracious mood of late the carp had been hard to tempt, but not this week. The weather was roasting hot but it didn’t put the carp off going on the munch. Andy Phillips opened the account with a cracking 47lb 8oz mirror from peg 14, while peg 10 followed suit 24 hours later with a 44lb mirror.
The catch of the week though went to Adam Lowridge on peg 11 who banked 18 carp including 8 thirties as well as cats to 37lb. In all 15 fish over 30lb were banked with catfish to 45lb.
Successful tactics were hempseed and boilies for the carp with Maineline Cell and SBS baits doing the business, where as pellets and boilies sorted out the catfish.
Most carp came at dusk to midnight or early morning, as the days proved hot and still only producing the odd welcome daytime catch. Surprisingly most of the cats were caught during the day.

For more photos : June Catches

Five tips for Catching in the Spring

by Gareth Watkins

1. Signs of moving fish:
   After a long winter and this year was cold, long and severe, the fish are just starting to wake up in the Spring as the days lengthen and the light penetration lasts longer.
   As the fish slowly move out of their winter torpor they won’t be moving very far. So any signs of feeding fish will certainly move you closer to your goal. If you see carp top, lump out, crash out or simply break the surface, get a bait out there, close by!! I wouldn’t recommend you bait heavily, but a PVA bag or a couple of spods should see you in with a good of a take.

Croix Blanche continues to produce big carp

22 November 2009

As the weather in France continues to remain mild the carp on the Croix Blanche lakes have remained active and have fallen regularly to anglers baits. Belgian carpers Paul and Pascal Rooseparck, on their third visit to the Croix Blanche venue, once again got in amongst the bigger venue residents. .

The run of excellent catches started in early November with Eric Dalenoord and a trio of forties and has continued well into the month with the latest haul of big carp.

Indeed Paul Rooseparck in just two night’s fishing managed six big carp the two largest topping the 40lb mark.

Fishing on the productive peg 13 on the Tortue lake Paul banked mirrors of :
46lb 2oz; 41lb 8oz; 30lb 8oz; 29lb 7oz and a common of 30lb 8oz.

Successful Winter Carp Fishing When the Cold Bites!

When winter and early spring fishing gets tough often anglers simply give up but for those who persist there are extremely memorable catches to be achieved, often quite easily. Catch more big winter carp right now…

Confidence is the key to fishing success for so many reasons and Kevin Maddocks did not refer to having a positive mental attitude and keeping sensibly warm in order to actually be able to perform and fish far better despite adverse conditions! Winter fishing is just as much about having fun as anything else in life and certainly should not have negative associations.

In fact the less negative thoughts you have about it the higher the probability you will create and exploit the maximum opportunities for outstanding and extremely memorable winter catches. As the scouts motto really says, being prepared is everything, and with good preparation you will be able to take full advantage of any opportunities and be far more aware of them too! Now it is a sobering fact that even in military service, many men perish through a lack of preparation as much as anything else, when in extremes of terrain and hot and cold conditions.