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The Wels Catfish
Description
The Wels Catfish has a long, scaleless body like an eel, with a large head and mouth. The inside of the mouth has rows of 100s of tiny little velcro like teeth on the top and bottom of its jaw, these are used to hold its prey before passing it to the two sets of crushing pads at the back of the throat. It has six barbules, two long ones on the upper jaw for detecting its prey and four shorter ones on the lower jaw. It has a small almost pointless looking dorsal fin whilst the anal fin stretches backwards until it almost reaches the tail.
The colouration of the Wels can vary from fish to fish but normally they have dark eyes with a dark greeny black body with creamy yellowish sides creating a mottled effect. Albino looking catfish are sometimes found but are very rare, these have red eyes and a yellow/creamy colouration to its body.
How to catch a Wels Catfish
There are various methods to tempt the Catfish, one is to ledger deadbaits consisting of Roach, Rudd, Carp, Tench or eels. From the information i have found it is best to look for any likely feature that the Catfish would patrol like marginal shelves, deep holes, old stream beds and snaggy areas and place your bait here and wait.
Livebaits are another top favourite, fishing with the above fish baits but alive! The bait can be presented just below the surface using a dumbbell rig or if possible a weak link tied to the opposite bank. I have been told this method produces very violent takes, so make sure you are by the rods at all time!
Worms are a very underated bait and can be devastating if fished just off the bottom, only to be used at night though as every other fish in the lake will want to eat them during the day.
The most common bait to be used on most commercial fisheries at the moment is the Halibut pellet. The pellets come in various sizes and are best fished with a few large pellets on a hair rig over a bed of smaller pellets.
Location
Catfish like to hide away in dark quiet places until they are ready to feed, which is not very often. Look out for overhanging trees, weed beds, lilies and hollows under the bank, a bait placed near any of these areas is a good bet. Anglers do say that when a catfish is on the feed it will come to you and will not be a fussy eater either.
Wels Catfish uk record
62lb (28.123 kilo’s) 1997: R Garner from Withy Pool, Henlow, Bedfordshire.
Recommended Catfish Venue
Carpenwater, Clacton-On-Sea, Essex, England
Contact Phil on
01255 479918 or email to Carpenwater@btinternet.com
Source: www.welscatfish.co.uk
Many thanks to Phil at welscatfish.co.uk for kindly allowing UK Fisherman to use this article.
UK Fisherman would be delighted to here from you if you would like to comment on any of the fishing articles or if you would like to submit an article of your own.To do so, please visit the CONTACT page.
CARP FISHING WITH MARC - By Marc
Seasonal Changes 2006 - Part 2
Thinking About Baits
Welcome to part two in which I’m going to talk about baits & the successes I have had of late.
In the late eighties I never bought used shop made baits. I allways rolled my own & I’m sure many of you will appreciate just how long this takes. Many hours I spent in the garden shed after getting banned from the kitchen mixing, rolling & boiling boilies. Yes pre-made boilies have come along way since then but I just preferred making my own on the basis that I had control of what went into my final bait, colour, flavour levels etc.
Most of my boilies were made from BFM (big fish mix) with various flavours/colours, until I stumbled across the amazing flavour of cranberry. This flavour was & still is today a top fish attractor. I did mess around with maple too but it just didn’t match cranberry.
As you maybe aware BFM is a brownish red colour & with a small amount of red robin a lovely dark red colour was formed. Red, purple & brown are apparently some strongest colours found in the carps colour spectrum - worth remembering!
I wasn’t heavily into particles at this time, a few tiger nuts, sweet corn & hemp were used occasionally and I had massive confidence in my boilies so I stuck with them.
During my brief encounter with marriage I had to sacrifice a bit of my carp fishing, the long hours bait making was one of the first to go & my over night sessions were cut down too. The birth of my daughter Annalise really limited my time on the bank, but as many of you dads will agree is a well worth sacrifice.
This was when I really had to find a pre-made bait that lived up to my expectations!
Friends & magazines really made my decision easier; everyone seemed to be raving on about Mainline baits! So my next trip to the tackle shop saw me leave laden with 10 kilo’s of Assina8 (freezer boilies). They looked good, smelt good & tasted great, yes I eat my boilies. Not regularly honest, but I believe if I like them the carp will too.
I had some really good catches on this bait but something was missing. The carp loved the bait but often got bored & would start feeding in the silt around the boilies? I started asking questions, having thoughts about this to myself. I think it was a match angler friend who suggested loose feeding maggots & cutting down the amount of loose boilies offered. God did this work, the carp went crazy, the water was fizzing with activity & they readily picked up both baits. This is when I stumbled across chopping the boilies & feeding them with the maggots, yep I had cracked it. Bearing in mind this was during the nineties & I did get many a strange look from other anglers as I sat there chopping boilies into a bucket & mixing it all with maggots. Maggots are for Roach, Rudd etc aren’t they?
I skipped the introduction of the Activa8 although some of friends caught very well on them. I stuck with my current bait until Maple8 was released. This boilie was so close to my BFM bait I just had to move on to it.
There comes a time when every angler has to raise his targets & move on to new venues, I had six great seasons on Furnace Wood syndicate & Buckhurst Park Estate lakes, with me moving homes too made finding new waters easier.
This is where I found out about a 10 acre lake, little pressure from anglers & stocked with carp to mid thirties (Lake View). This was also around the time when I heard about a new bait from Mr Hearn, ‘The Source’ & I was lucky enough to get a few kilo’s before they hit the shop shelves. New water & new bait? After a few investigating walk rounds of my new water it was becoming clear that the few anglers who did fish here were getting smashed up the likes of sweet corn, hemp & maggot, this got me thinking about particles more.
So here I am sitting in front of a new piece of water, armed with ‘The Source’, a bucket of halibut pellet & a bucket of particles (sweet corn, maize, hemp, tares, chick peas & a pint of maggots). I was expecting too much on my first visit but after plopping the marker round around the swim I found three likely areas, one in the margins, so many still today forget how productive the margins can be. I love fishing the margins, you can guarantee your presentation is 100% & your baiting up is bang on.
I had very good night, very little sleep, an aching arm & two sacked up carp, I don’t usually sack for fish for more than a few hours but it was so close to day light & wanted to get some good pictures. I asked the first day angler on his arrival to assist me in accurately weighing & photographing the fish. He did look a bit bewildered with my request but agreed. On removing the first sack from the lake my new friend Gary asked how many fish were in the sack, I could only laugh & said “One Bro”, there was no reply until I transferred the carp from the sack to weigh sling then came his reply “Bloody hell, how big is that?” “The small one of the two” was my answer. The scales swung round to 24lb, pictures taken by a very excited photographer & the carp safely returned with the use of my floating mat ( I prefer to return big fish safely with the use of the mat, just in case they flip/wriggle).
The second sack was hoisted from the lake, I knew it was bigger, just how much I was unsure. On seeing the carp my friends comment is unprintable! The scales pulled round to 29lb 10oz, my heart sunk a little I was sure she would go thirty. Photographs taken, carp returned safely & friend asking all sorts of questions.
A year later Gary has become a total all out carp angler & has broken the twenty pound barrier, a very happy moment for both of us.
During the summer of 2005 a friend of mine bought two smallish waters (Hunters Lodge) & I was invited for a session in exchange for some work he wanted done. We only had rumours of twenty pound carp to fish for & we found some of them during the next few months.
I now had three new waters close to my home, not 100% sure of their total carp stock.
The start of 2006 I found myself using particles more & more, I changed boilies again due to ‘The Source’ becoming so popular (Top Bait). I was still catching lots of fish but the edge had gone, so I switched to Richworth’s ‘Multi-plex’. A truly worthy replacement to my last boilie.
My particle mix had now evolved big time with no less than 15 different pulses, seeds, nuts mixed within it. Four different sized, flavoured pellets were also introduced to the final bucket of goodies. It didn’t look very good but it smelt great & tasted even better. The safest way to get this bait into the swim was using a spod even though my bivvy has been covered with splatters & spills from casting out.
I was lucky enough to fish a swim with shallow clear water within the margins. I introduced a few handfuls under an overhanging bush & watched. After a short wait the water fizzed into a cloudy mess, the carp loved this stuff big time.
I added two more ingredients to the mix during the late summer - mashed up sardines & aniseed extract. The extra smell & oil content meant I could now use the mix as a sort of ‘Stik mix’ (oil based baits don’t melt pva bags/mesh).
To this day I’m still catching well on the baits.
Just to be a bit different I have fished some of the particles from my mix on the hair & the results have been amazing, the bigger fish seem to prefer small particle baits placed just off the baited area.
Up to this date I have safely landed fifteen different twenties, one thirty & numerous doubles from three venues.
I am sticking to my particle mix for the coming season but I’m looking into a new boilie for the coming season.
I hope you have enjoyed my latest article & found it useful. If you contact Paul @ Uk Fisherman I’m willing to share my mixes in more detail with you, but I recommend experimenting yourselves. There is nothing better than making your own bait mixes & catching big-time.
All the very best & tight lines as ever
Marc
UK Fisherman would be delighted to here from you if you would like to comment on any of the fishing articles or if you would like to submit an article of your own.To do so, please visit the CONTACT page.
CARP FISHING WITH MARC - By Marc
Seasonal Changes 2006 - Part 1
With runs drying up, Mr Carp getting harder to find & the winter weather becoming even less inviting, it was time to start thinking, debating, putting a few changes into my coming seasons quest.
I decided upon three areas of my fishing that needed a bit more concentration, modification etc. Terminal Tackle, Location and Bait. I chose these three points as like many other anglers we become lazy, “It worked last time, why change it”, “Everyone else is using this”. It’s so easy to fall into complacency but a few little changes can pay off big time!
I hope from reading this article you can pick up some ideas which may help you put a few extra carp on the bank.
Part One: The End Bits !
Terminal Tackle? Where do I start? We are bombarded by magazines, videos & crammed shelves full of all the latest gadgets & gizmos at the local tackle shop.
Don’t get me wrong I have tried, tied some of these space age rigs & had some great results, but I prefer to keep it simply with a few modifications.
Lets start with hooks, this past year I have switched to using Korda hooks, the wide gape & the long shank X. These hooks are incredibly strong & stay sharp even fishing over gravel, stone etc. The wide gape I have found to be perfect for fishing against weed & snags. They seem to be like a magnet in the carp’s mouth, absolutely brilliant. I have used other brands of hooks with a few problems, opening out on the bend, snapping at the bend etc.
Hook links have become a bit of a fashion accessory to me, manufacturers bring a new one out, I gotta have it !!
I prefer soft hook links, in various lengths, but I’m decreasing them in length.
During a visit to one of my local lakes, I had a quick walk round, visited the four other anglers in situ & got the same response from all of them “Its hard going Marc” not exactly what I wanted to hear!
This got me thinking & after a few searching questions a pattern emerged - they were all using hook links from 6”-9” in length with loads of freebies scattered around.
Rather than just getting my rods & casting to the hot spots I sat there for while, smoked a cigarette, deep in thought. I proceeded to take my rods out of the quiver & cut the long hook links off. I tied one rod with a link around 3” long & mounted a single 14mm boilie. The next rod I tied a link around 2” & mounted one piece of glugged maize & a small piece of yellow foam above it. The third rod I kept to the normal pattern I had been using in the past. All three rods had a small pva bag of chopped offerings attached & cast out to the likely spots.
I was hardly settled into my chair when the maize rod was off, not a monster fish but a carp all the same. I made another pva bag up & cast back out to the same spot (I all ways mark my line whether day or night). I had literally resat back down & poured a coffee out when the maize was off again, two runs in less than thirty minutes of fishing - this time an upper double graced my mat & the attention from the other anglers was growing. The nearest angler kindly did the photographs for me & as I slipped the fish back into the water the single 14mm boilie rod leapt into action, I was in again, another small double laid on the mat.
On returning the fish, the owner of the fishery popped over with two other anglers, all with the same question “What bait you on then mate”? I replied “Two fish on maize, one on boilie” there was a bit of head shaking going on in disbelief from the other anglers as they departed to their swims.
I went on to catch another four carp that day all from the short hook links, not one of the other anglers asked me about my presentation, just about the bait?
As I mentioned earlier I try to keep my hook links simple, eighty percent of the time I use the knotless knot with a small piece of tubing near the bend of the hook & a piece of heat shrink of about ¾”. The heat shrink I like placed opposite the point down the hooks shank & about ½” above the eye with a slight bend towards the point.
I have also been using a micro ring on the hook replacing the tubing - this does increase the weight of the hook towards the point & aids in hooking/turning of the hook when entering the carp’s mouth.
I do use combi-link materials too; however I do prefer to use them when fishing pop-ups.
If I want a stiff rig presentation I use amnesia (fluoro) rather than combi material.
I have had some blinding results from single bait popped up 2” from the lead.
This season all of my rigs incorporate the kwik change links that are available from most fishing tackle suppliers; they simply speed up all the process of swapping rigs & getting fishing again.
Another change I made this season was my lead arrangement, rather than follow all the other anglers with the semi fixed lead I started using running leads, leads with a stop bead 3” up the rig tube & the helicopter rig, all with different sized leads. Yes some rigs do rely on a heavy lead to function properly, but this season saw me use leads only heavy enough to reach the baited area.
My rig tube choice has to be Korda, the sinking version; they make various colours, its always super smooth & supple. Tungsten putty seems to grip to it beautifully too. Above the tubing I will normally place a flying back lead with a stop of about 3ft-4ft on the main line. I find these little weights great for pinning the last few feet of rig down to lake bed.
For the last two seasons I have been loading my reels with the unrivalled X-Line - it sinks like a brick, its fluorocarbon based, casts well & has yet to let me down.
I hope upon reading this you may get some useful tips, ideas to try out yourselves & please remember to keep your rigs safe!!!
By the way I’m not a Korda consultant; I just love & have 100% faith in their tackle.
Next time I’m going to have a natter about the bait changes I made during the season 2006.
Tight lines Marc
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Description:
Skinz hookbait pellets from Sonu Baits are an advanced, skinned, hookable pellet type bait full of powerful fish attractants. The skin is full of soluble feeding triggers that go to work immediately once immersed in water.
The skin has an elastic type property that grips the hook and prevents the bait from falling off during casting or on the strike.
You can use Skinz Hookbait Pellets straight from the bag for a slow sinking bait. This is very effective when fishing on-the-drop for fish feeding off the bottom. Alternatively, they can be soaked for a few minutes. This produces a soft hookbait that can be hooked directly on the hook or hair rigged.
Review:
Spending most of my time fishing at commercial fisheries these days, I have come to rely quite heavily on pellets. I have also grown increasingly frustrated with my search for a soft hooker pellet that stays on the hook when cast even a short distance.
Well my search is at an end! Skinz hook pellets are far and away the best hook pellets I have ever come across. They can be used straight from the packet or can be pre-soaked for only 10 minutes or so to produce a much softer pellet. I did have some difficulty with the unsoaked pellets as it can be quite difficult to penetrate the hard outer shell. For me though, they really come into their own when soaked.
I tried them out at a commercial fishery and found that keeping the bait on the hook even when casting quite long distances is a doddle. These pellets really do grip the hook exceptionally well and the outer skin transforms when wet into a consistency I can only compare to cheese on a pizza....stringy but tough. The bait doesn't fall off the hook every time you strike at a bite so you don't have to re-bait every cast. I actually caught 4 fish using the same pellet which for a soft hookbait pellet is unheard of. All species of fish seem attracted to the Skinz Pellets. I caught carp to 10lb, roach, rudd, bream, crucians and tench in one day with the Skinz Pellets.
Believe the hype - highly recommended !!
Score:
Where to buy:
Skinz Hookbait Pellets are available from a wide range of fishing tackle outlets although UK Fisherman recommends you buy yours from Eccleston Angling Centre. Many thanks to Bun and all at Eccleston Angling Centre for supplying the Skinz Hookbait Pellets for review.
Click Here to Purchase
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I hope that you’re reading this article just after it’s published, as I have a feeling that some of the rods I’m about to mention will be sold out very quickly!
Internet stalwart, and clearance retailer for quality mail order fishing tackle, TackleBargains have been in touch today, as they are moving premises. Although they’re staying on the same industrial park and actually moving to a larger warehouse, the thought of moving so much stock at the hottest time of the year has got the boss, Dave, quaking in his boots! Ever the workshy so-and-so, he’s come up with the ultimate solution……discount the stock EVEN MORE and sell it before the big move takes place!
Please click here to view these bargain match rods on the TackleBargains site.
Here is a selection of the match rods on offer:
Masterline XL 12ft Match Rod - Plus Half Price Reel - Blowout!!!
An incredible value match rod built on a natural carbon finish blank. Ceramic lined guides throughout with blue whippings , screw reel seat, cork/EVA handle. These rods have excellent mellow actions so necessary where mixed bags are expected. Supplied with a cloth rod bag.
For every purchase of this rod, we will offer you the chance to add the Elite 5 ball bearing Size 10 Reel by Lineaeffe of Italy PLUS a FREE 200 metre spool of quality John Wilson 3lb Co-Polymer line for only £12.47 which is half our normal already discounted price.
Normark Avenger 3000 13 - 15ft - Cosmetic Second - Save 60% - LAST FEW TO CLEAR
Normark have been at the forefront of Match fishing rod excellence for over 25 years. Quite simply, the best quality Match rods there are - and this is the top of the range model.
Fuji SIC guides, Fuji reel seat, 'AAAA' grade cork, super slim over-fit joints, the ultimate waggler and long range match rod.
The RRP on these rods is £450, and we have a very limited supply where the Normark logo has not been applied to quite the standard demanded by Normark - otherwise the rods are 100% perfect. The offending logos have been removed, so a nominal amount of re-finishing may be required in this area. These rods are supplied without a bag, and with standard 12 month warranty only (as the price is around £100 less than the normal trade, we can hardly expect Normark to honour the normal 10 year unconditional).
Masterline Ideal XL Avon Quiver System - Save 20% plus Free Reel
A superb and incredibly versatile all round 11ft rod. Designed by John Wilson and built on an excellent quality blank. Supplied with 2 top sections, one of which is ideal for float or swing tip work the other is supplied with 2 different strength tip sections for quiver/light feeder work. Supplied with a cloth rod bag.
RRP £59.99
While stocks last, we are including absolutely FREE, the Rapid GT De-luxe 3BB Reel by Lineaffe of Italy. Alternatively, you can upgrade to the 10BB Elite Reel by Lineaffe of Italy for just £10
The purpose built tool for handling carp on commercial waters. This light weight smooth progressive rod is also the perfect choice for heavy stick work for chub and barbel.
- Powerful action with forgiving tip
- Light weight guides maintain action
- Comfortable power hump reel seat
- Suitable lines 4-8lb
- Manufacturer's unconditional original owner's lifetime guarantee
John Wilson Signature System Trotter - New 2005 - Save £30
Highly adaptable specialist trotting rod, which comes with an 18" extension enabling it to be fished at either 12ft or 13ft6". Ideal for an wide range of venues, from the smallest stream to wide fast flowing rivers. Innovative spacing on the first three guides above the handle make this rod ideal for fishing with a centrepin, but equally suitable for those who prefer a fixed spool reel. With its crisp but forgiving action, the system trotter has been designed for use with lines of up to 4lb, so ideal for Dace, Roach, Grayling, and Chub.
RRP £125.00
UK Fisherman would be delighted to here from you if you would like to comment on any of our reviews. To do so, use the comment box below.Alternatively if you would to submit a review of your own or submit an item for review at UK Fisherman, please visit the CONTACT page.
Description:
Quick change beads enable you to change your hooklength instantly and also act
as a shock bead when fishing a running feeder. Simple to use and totally
reliable they are perfect for stillwater and river styles of feeder and bomb
fishing.
Review:
Being from the old school of fishing, I very rarely used to use little gadgets like the Korum Quick Change Beads...in fact I very rarely used to use hooklengths at all.
All that has changed nowadays, not only as we become more aware of fish care in general and constantly stive for things that make our lives, and our fishing that little bit easier.
The Korum Quick Change Bead is one such device. Although it at first appears quite fiddly to use, this is not the case at all. Simply tie your main line to one end of the insert, hook your hooklength over the other end and push the whole thing into the bead casing. If you need to change your hook length for any reason, pull out the insert, remove the old hooklength and replace with another.
Everything the manufacturers claim about this ingenious device is true. They are simple to use and totally reliable (they’ve been thoroughly tested in extreme conditions and will never let you down). I fished with them for a day at a commercial fishery and cuaght carp to over 10lb with no problems at all. Retailing at around £1.99 for five, they won't break the bank either.
Score:
Where to buy:
Korum Quick Change Beads are available from a wide range of fishing tackle outlets although UK Fisherman recommends you buy yours from Eccleston Angling Centre. Many thanks to Bun and all at Eccleston Angling Centre for supplying the Korum Beads for review.
UK Fisherman would be delighted to here from you if you would like to comment on any of our reviews. To do so, use the comment box below.Alternatively if you would to submit a review of your own or submit an item for review at UK Fisherman, please visit the CONTACT page.
Pondwood Fisheries, Berkshire
Located in Berkshire, Pondwood Fisheries is the premier fishing facility for anglers of all categories with three coarse fishing waters, one of which dates back to medieval times and one which is in excess of 30 years old. In addition there is the Snake, a still water course dating back to medieval times which was opened for day tickets in 2002 after widening and extension.
Pondwood fisheries offer carp, roach, chub, perch, rudd and tench fishing as well as some of the best catfish fishing in the South of England.
Reader Review - Jason Barnes, Berkshire - July 2007
Just thought I would let you all know about a lake I go to called Pondwood Fishery. It is the only place I know about where you can guarantee to have an amazing day's fishing.
It has 2 lakes and a snake river. The first lake has an amazing amount of catfish and some big carp in it - it is the only catfish lake I know where you can guarantee to catch a cat in the day time. Some of the catfish I have caught (pictured below) are a 32lb 5oz fish and the other was 38lb 7oz. I have caught so many cats here it would take the whole site up to show you them all - like I said before, AMAZING !!
The second lake is great for the whole family. It has a lot of carp and anyone can catch in this one. I took my little boy fishing for the first time the other week and below is a picture of him with his first carp ... now I can’t keep him away from the place. So much for my peaceful weekend away from the kids ha ha !! But thats what kind of place Pondwood is - great family run lakes.
The last water at Pondwood is called the snake river which has carp, tench, roach, perch and pike. This is where I caught my personal best carp of 32lb floating bread of the top ... amazing !! I know it seems like I’m going on a bit but if you’ve been there you will feel the same way as I do. All this for a tenner a day ... can’t be beaten.
Uk Fisherman would love to hear from any other anglers who have good or bad experiences of Pondwood Fishery. We would especially like to hear from anyone connected with Pondwood Fishery who would like to comment on this review.
Paul @ UK Fisherman
Please note the views expressed on these review pages are not necessarily endorsed by UK Fisherman.
UK Fisherman would be delighted to here from you if you would like to comment on any of our reviews. To do so, use the comment box below.Alternatively if you would to submit a review of your own or submit an item for review at UK Fisherman, please visit the CONTACT page.
Frant Lakes, Kent
Located just outside the village of Bells Yew Green near Tunbridge Wells, around 40 minutes drive from the South London area, Frant Lakes offers mixed and specimen fishing on eight lakes set in 200 acres of parkland as well as a fifty swim section of the River Teise. They offer disabled anglers more than 20 dedicated swims with adjacent car spaces.
Reader Review - Jel Holyoake, Kent - May 2007
This may sound silly but what planet do some fishery owners live on??
I recently went to Frant Lakes off the A21 in Kent. I arrived at 2.45pm and wanted to single rod surface fish the 'snags' (speciman lake) until the complex closed, 7pm. I was told by the bailiff that I would have to pay for an entire day, £15. I told the bailiff it was only for a few hours but he insisted that the owners would not let me fish unless I paid the full price. As there were only 3 cars in the car park I could quite clearly see that the complex was empty, but my £7.50 wasn't enough.
Are they so detatched from reality that they can't understand that some people only wish to fish for half a day and that on most waters there is a half day ticket policy.
I went down the road to Elphicks where I was sold a ticket for £6 and had 20 fish. I like Frant Lakes, but I think I'm going to struggle to go back there, a place I have intermittantly fished over the last-at least 15 years when Les Bowman (the present owners father) ran it.
How times change. When Les knew I was coming down by train he used to pick me up from the station and chuck my bike in the back of his little white van with his alsation. They were the times when the complex was struggling for anglers and he was consistantly fighting the council for planning permission. I was also the person whom he asked to tell all my friends that Frant was back on it's feet years ago when they had a big fish kill after witnessing the first 20 out, they thought all the big fish were dead.
Sometimes the little £7.50's are better than the no pounds-no pence at all, and us people who get the odd half day off can fish at a fair price.
Score:
Editor: Definitley a lesson for fishery owners to learn there then ! Don't alienate your regular customers as they will vote with their feet. With so many "rival" fisheries in Kent, perhaps Frant Lakes need to re-consider their pricing policy.
Reader Review - Anne - November 2007
Half day tickets are available at Frant Lakes as my sons and I have used them since we first came to the lakes around June this year.
As we have football in the mornings at the weekends we have only ever used the half day ticket and have paid monies to many people in the ticket office. We have found both Mr Bowman and his wife to be most helpful and polite on this our first season of fishing. Bailifs have also taken the time to offer us advice and tips to make the most of our time at the lakes.
We would highly recommend these beautiful well stocked lakes and hope that the previous review has not put people off.
Score:
Editor: Just goes to show there are always two sides to every coin.
Uk Fisherman would love to hear from any other anglers who have good or bad experiences of Frant Lakes. We would especially like to hear from anyone connected with Frant Lakes who would like to comment on this review.
Paul @ Uk Fisherman
Please note the views expressed on these review pages are not necessarily endorsed by UK Fisherman.
UK Fisherman would be delighted to here from you if you would like to comment on any of our reviews. To do so, use the comment box below.Alternatively if you would to submit a review of your own or submit an item for review at UK Fisherman, please visit the CONTACT page.
DreamLakes, France
The DreamLake Complex, consisting of six mature, tree-lined lakes offers excellent carp and catfish angling on either an Inclusive Package or Voyage Self-Drive basis. Currently five of the lakes are open, the sixth housing a huge number of stock fish, ensuring future growth and development.
DreamLakes aim to provide anglers with the highest quality French carp fishing holiday. Offering the size and numbers of carp you would never hope to find in any English water, the peace and tranquillity of the beautiful Champagne countryside only serve to enhance the DreamLake Experience. DreamLakes 3, 4 and 5 are able to offer a great experience for anglers who want to do their own pioneering in France. Only four hours drive from Calais, and with the advantage of knowing that there is always someone on hand to give expert help and advice, you have the freedom to enjoy some really impressive ‘all action style’ carp angling.
Reader Review - Luke "crazy carper" Thomas - August 2007
DreamLakes !!! - Lake 3
We arrived in Relyon Car park, Dover, at 9.45pm ready and set to make our
long voyage over to Dreamlakes. We were absolutly buzzing by now and couldn't
wait to get over there and wet a line. The two 36 seater coaches arrived,
briskly picked us up, along with all our gear, and bombed off for the ferry
port. The ferry journey over was about an hour and a half and we got
ourselves aquainted with everyone we would be spending the week wit ... what a
class bunch of guys !
After 5 hours following the ferry journey we arrived at Dreamlakes, met by a
bacon roll and tea, coffee etc. How welcome it was ! The sun was just
starting to come up and it looked like it was shaping up to be a lovely day.
We managed to settle into our swims and get set up, wandered around for a
chat and then cast in. Our Bailiff for the week, Garry, informed us that the
lake wasn't fishing as well as it should and that the previous week, the swim
I was in had blanked. I was a little apprehensive but took the approach "it's
about time they were here" and got on with it. I knew alot of bait would be
the kiss of death so stuck with tiny bags of pellets with plastic corn as
hookbait and within 2 hours I was in to the first fish. It went like stink,
taking out 1 of my other lines and nearly snagging me up, until I managed
to get its head up and land it. The scales flew round to 23lb 10oz Mirror Carp
and a lovely first fish it was.
I then went the next day without so much of a sniff. I was starting to worry
a little now and decided that a change of bait was in order, something a
little more attractive and smelly than my tutti-fruitti pop-up corn ! This
new bait was to be Mainline's Pulse boilies which we had pre-ordered. That
night I was to reap the rewards as a 34lb 8oz Mirror Carp and a 31lb 4oz
Mirror Carp graced my net. I was over the moon with these as my change of
tactics had paid off and what fish to catch !
The following night using these tactics I managed a 34lb 12oz Mirror Carp, the
biggest yet, and was happy that what I was doing was right. It was clear now
that the majority of the fish were coming out at night and that my efforts
should be doubled for the hours of darkness so I could catch consistently.
The next day Bruce, Dean and I were talking about how it would be nice to
catch a lovely common as all the fish we had caught were Mirrors.
Unfortunatly that night Ii failed to catch at all and morale was lowering a
little.
They finally dragged themselves out of bed and they're reaction when they first saw it was un-printable. We made sure the scales were zeroed first ... weighed it several times ... and then photographed it ... all 47lb 10oz of it !!!!!
I was absolutely smashed, never did Idream I was to catch a fish of that callibur. Phil and Andy (Andy incidently is in the final of the Welsh Carp Masters and is a top bloke !) came round to congradulate and lend a hand. Thanks alot lads !
That was the last fish I caught, Bruce managed 5 fish to 42.08lbs (Common) and Dean managed 3 fish to 34lb 12oz (Cracking Mirror). So overall it was great !
Would like to give a special mention to all the other guys on lakes 3, 4 and 5 it was a great laugh and must do it again next year !
Get yourselves to Dreamlakes, its the place to be !
Luke Thomas
Crazy_carper
Score
Uk Fisherman would love to hear from any other anglers who have Dream Lakes in France. We would especially like to hear from anyone connected with Dream Lakes who would like to comment on this review.
Paul @ UK Fisherman
Please note the views expressed on these review pages are not necessarily endorsed by UK Fisherman.
UK Fisherman would be delighted to here from you if you would like to comment on any of our reviews. To do so, use the comment box below.Alternatively if you would to submit a review of your own or submit an item for review at UK Fisherman, please visit the CONTACT page.
Description:
This fascinating fish has been around for over 60 million years. The PRIMEVAL PIKE gives us an historical perspective and looks at pike biology and behaviour. Dedicated pike anglers show us their most successful baiting methods and we are treated to the joy of watching them land pike after pike of all sizes.
Highly Acclaimed angler and presenter Andy Nicholson joins forces with the British Museum and fellow expert anglers Ray Baker, Dr Bruno Broughton, Martyn Page, Vic "the rig" Bellars and Max Cottis to raise the profile of this ancient species and to make a compelling case for treating the pike with care and respect.
Chapters:
- History of the Pike - with Awyne Wheeler of the British Museum
- Fly Fishing For Pike - with Ray Baker
- Pike Biology & Behaviour - with Dr Bruno Broughton
- Dead Baiting - with Vic Bellars & Martyn Page
- Lure, Plug & Spinning baiting - with Andy Nicholson
- Mackerel as Bait - with Max Cottis
Running Time: approximately 105 mins
Review:
Right from the start I have to say that this is a cracking DVD full of interesting and useful information about the pike itself, it's history and habits as well as how best to catch one.
Before the DVD even gets to any fishing action we see Andy talking to Awyne Wheeler a pike expert at the British museum who provides loads of fascinating information about the history of this pre-historic fish. Another of the sections I found particularly enlightening was the section dealing with pike biology and behaviour. Bruno Broughton brings his vast experience to play when detailing the pikes feeding and behavioural patterns, vital information for any angler who wished to target this elusive predator.
By now my appetite was wetted for some actual fishing and I wasn't disappointed here either. Great care is taken to detail the methods used by the various participants and the following chapters of the DVD outline fly fishing for pike, dead baiting, lure, plug and spinning and using mackerel as bait for pike. The DVD covers nearly all the methods that can be used for pike fishing and I certainly picked up some really useful tips which will no doubt stand me in good stead this winter.
Throughout the whole DVD it is clear that those taking part are real enthusiats for the art of pike fishing and proper care of the fish they caught was something that was highlighted throughout.
There are some cracking underwater shots of the Pike splattered throughout this DVD and they really bring the whole "pike in their natural habitat" issue to life and make the whole DVD that much more enjoyable.
I would highly recommend this DVD to anyone who wants to find out a bit more about tactics for catching pike and anyone who is interested in the history of the fish we catch in this country. It is a well thought out publication that manages to create a fine balance between the history of the pike and the methods for catching them.
Score:
Where to buy The Primeval Pike:
The Primeval Pike is available to puchase from Beckmann Visual Publishing in either DVD or VHS video format and is priced at £16.99 for the DVD or £17.99 for the VHS.
To order this excellent DVD, visit www.beckmanndirect.com
A big thank you to Kelly Smith and all at Beckmann Visual Publishing for supplying UK Fisherman with this DVD for review.
UK Fisherman would be delighted to here from you if you would like to comment on any of our reviews. To do so, use the comment box below.Alternatively if you would to submit a review of your own or submit an item for review at UK Fisherman, please visit the CONTACT page.
