Teillats August 2009

I started getting excited the moment the phone went down on Owner Si Haldane back in June when I'd managed to secure a place back to Teillats for another crack at those massive Commons! Unfortunately I'd be going it alone this time as my partner in crime was unable to fork out for what would've been our third trip together already this year, a year which will stand out in my memory for many years to come. Six trips to France, one to Redmire (and catching!), the most fish out of my Syndicate and not to mention one out of the local ressie!,....this year will certainly be a vintage year to remember.......yes I'm now Divorced!

I'd been keeping a close eye on the weather and the very few reports back from the lake which were mainly from the Forum......for what ever reason, the web-site is well behind, not only on the lake reports but also from a rule perspective......more on this later as I want to set the scene on this particular trip and on those previous trips I'd been on which were a mixture of blanking and the odd fish or three. Essentially the draw can make or break your trip depending on the conditions and the mood of the fish, I'll elaborate.....each previous year bar one during mid-Summer I've witnessed high pressure resulting in fish being grouped up in Bays or one or two particular swims.....the one year we had low pressure, the fish were well spread out with the vast majority of Anglers catching a reasonable number of quality fish. This trip was to be consistent high pressure so getting into one of the Bays looked a good bet.....it turned out to be a reasonable assumption, although which Bay? With the closure of the Crescent, due to the abundance of thick mussel strewn weed, the swim affectionately named; "Shithouse Bay" looked a great option and became my no. 2 choice as "New Biffo's" will always be my no. 1....until I blank in there of course!!! No. 3 was "Nice Andy's" which was next to the closed Crescent with No. 4 being the "Bailliff's Point"....just needed a good draw!

The first picker came out with the last ball.....unlucky for some No. 13! He would have to take what's left! Next ball out.....No. 1! Bollocks! That's New Biffo's gone! I had the 5th pick and pulled out ball no. 5! Excellent! The House of Poo Bay was mine.....staggered that nobody fancied it from the first 4 picks....oh well, at last a good draw!......just needed to get the mountain of gear around the other end of the lake, crack open a Strongbow in the warm sunshine and get fishing....Happy Days!

Home for the week - The Shithouse Bay.

Saturday's at Teillats is normally a write off for me although the previous year I had one and lost it within an hour!....hook pulls can be a nightmare here as the mouths are softer than your average carp coupled with the fact that the weight of these fish are above the average size! I'd pre-loaded each rod with 20ft of 45lbs Quicksilver attached to 16lbs Big Carp Fluorocarbon, 2oz running rigs with 18" of 15lbs HiQ2 rigs with an "A" bait and Cell snowman critically balanced on a D-rig.....these were instantly "pubchucked" with Solar nuggets and forgotten about whilst I took my time, relaxed and then slowly set-up base camp in what was now a glorious mid-Summers day that would continue right through the week...God help those on the Field Bank!

I hadn't fished this swim before so was keen to get the boat, fish finder and prodding stick out to have a real good poke around to build a clear picture of likely spots and where to avoid the treachorous weed which was not only in front of me but also on the far bank where the Crescent was closed. I literally had the priviledge of fishing around 75% of that end of the lake! The remaining 25% was unfishable due to the weed....God it was thick and menacing with those razor sharp mussels that would make short work of any mono, lead-core or even heavy braid! This would surely be the best test for my Quicksilver and I would need to fish locked up so that no carp could get a head of steam up.....only a big cat would cause me a problem!

I soon found a few nice spots.....two fairly close to the left hand marginal tress in 9ft of water on gravel and one silty area in 15ft of water and not too far from the underwater world of weed in front of the plateau near the Crescent. I conservatively scattered a few mixed handfulls of "A" bait and Cell along with a mix of pellets that covered the spots and reeled in for dinner....this would be the first and last time that I'd reel in for dinner as I like to team up with my neighbour and ensure that my time here is utilised to the max! I'm convinced that bite time for us is in sync with bite time for them and the less swim disturbance around 5pm and 9am the better.....Just one bite here can be the fish of your dreams and I always have a "keep it in the water" policy just in case the General's Mate at 80+ fancies a nibble while I'm fetching my pie, beans and chips!

A quick drink and a few cracks with Jake and I'm back to the swim for my first sortee of rowing my traps out for the first night on my own....ie usually my partner in crime holds the rod or rods whilst dropping baits out....but this time I had to improvise.....using fluorocarbon can be a nightmare with an open bale-arm with line spooling off and able to tangle with anything in it's way! To overcome this I routinely submerged each reel in the margin and removed each bobbin and rotated each hockey stick and let the line pass on top of the buzz bar opposed to through the alarm! I also made sure that the snag leacer knot had passed through the tip ring before having the confidence to row out 150yds to the furthest spots! This takes alot of patience although I was soon into a routine and was soon comfortable doing two at a time in the dark.

The first night was mad! Not from a fishing perspective, although a few lumps were out, but there was a party going on somewhere near the river.....fireworks, singing, shouting, loud music,......it was going off!!!! I was knackered and in much need of some sleep after all the travelling through the night, the 2hour delay we had, the Strongbow, the sun, some red wine and could feel a serious headache coming on when out of the blue I awoke to the welcoming sound of my receiver! I was out of the bivvy in a flash and into a plodder from one of the marginal tree spots......after a carefully played and spirited fight the first fish of the session was a 25lbs Mirror which looked like it had a few old war stories to tell as it displayed a serious battle scar on one of it's cheeks.....I was off the mark and pleased to open the account so early on......hopefully this will be the smallest.....and it was!

Old warrior - 25lbs

It was soon Sunday morning so I made an early brew and sat and watched the sun and mist and carp out in the lake....a truly special time that I would repeat each and everyday of the trip, I was lucky to have plenty of fish in front of me! I gave my receiver to Ed my neighbour whom was making his first visit to France, and went to fetch breakfast. Ed was also off the mark with the long Common at 63lbs! What an unbelievable first fish to have......just goes to show how awesome this water is....Well Done Ed! All the lads on the trip were sound and All put in the customary tenner for the biggest fish which Ed had one hand on.....staggering to think just how many fish are over this mark! More on that later!

The first night done a few fish and looked promising for the week....Bullseye was out at 50lbs from the field bank, a 40+ had been out from Nice Andy's, Ed's 63, a few Cats and plenty of cut-off's!!!! Jake made a point to All of using Quicksilver and I must've told most on the way down.....even still, people ignored this and lost God knows what......yeah you can convince yourself it's only cats BUT truth is you don't know.....trailers have always been a problem at Teillats NOT just in the extreme case of the weed this year.....so the simple moral of the story is....USE A SNAG LEADER! I've found 45lbs Quicksilver to be adequate.....if you find a better one then all the better......don't risk it!

Back to the blog....Sunday was hot and I spent alot of it watching the water and drinking beer and sunbathing and generally enjoying being alive! I'd noticed that fish were very close to the top and soon had a zig out amongst them to see whether I could tempt one!

Fish close to the top......surely they would take a Zig!?!?!

I know for a fact that back at home I would've been licking my lips in anticipation of a few takes but out there it seems that any bait on top or close to the top appears alien to them....really weird!... but I would persevere nevertheless. It soon became apparent that takes in the day were going to be few and far between due to the schorching temperatures. The day passed by too quickly and I was soon back out in the boat and topping up the spots with a good mix of soaked seeds, pellet, boillies and chops......I've done well abroad this year with T1 cow cola, tuna and sweetcorn soaked with the seeds and pellets so was confident in putting in a liberal amount this time......I was soon into some early night action!

Getting bigger - 32lbs Mirror

40.08 Mirror

Ed was kind enough to assist with weighing and taking some snaps whilst continuing to have some quality fish himself.....fish of 49m and 48c were backed up by a few 30's.....Nice Angling Mate! Not a bad way to pop your cherry in France methinks! The following day was kind of a Groundhog day where I'd been up most of the night rowing out baits, playing fish, setting up due to trailers, drinking tea watching the mist and sun and carp, having breakfast,......when all of a sudden the sequence was broken by a War Cry of GET IN THERE!!!! Must be one of the Commons was my immediate thought! I grabbed the camera and ran down to where the whoooping and a hollering was coming from......New Biffo's to be precise! Chris had started off slowly with only a 23m, small cats and a few cut offs.....he changed to 45lbs Quicksilver that I supplied him after his complaints and that night he had a 79lbs cat and then followed it with the most awesome sight in 27 years of carp fishing I've ever seen.....

The Digital Common - 73lbs 3oz!

The width of this fish has to be seen to be believed....simply jaw dropping! The whole episode was surreal beyond belief and a memory that is firmly etched in my mind forever! This is why I do this I thought......this is why I spend all my hard earned money and invest so much time away from family and friends for moments like that.....one day this will be me struggling to hold one of the biggest Commons in the World......I wish!!!

Back to the Shithouse! I'd taken loads of photos and drank a few celebratory beers on Chris' behalf and focused on my night ahead......there's still five bigger than that I thought and it's only Wednesday!!!! That night was probably the busiest night of the week for me with only one carp, (a 37M), to show for it.....it was busy for all the wrong reasons, cats, trailers and a bream.....I was in and out of the boat and bivvy all night and by the morning I was shattered.....I tried sleeping in the day but it was far too sweaty in the bivvy so I had to make do with Zig fishing and drinking beer! Life's a bitch! Jake stopped by for a smoke and a chat when out of nowhere I had one bleep and a nod of the rod on one of the 13ft Zig rods! I was in! Four days of persevering had finally paid off but having such a small hook and a long 12lbs Zig was not going to be easy to land! Luckily Jake was there to assist.....the fish kited and pulled line from the loose clutch...I didn't want to lose this one and I knew it wasn't a cat or a bream!

The fish felt big and when it decided to go round to the weed mountain to my right, I had no choice but to get in the boat with Jake and find another angle to avoid being cut off there and then! We managed to row out beyond the weed and luckily the fish was still on....it came up and then went back down....it looked like a decent fish but we kept quiet trying not to lose it or fall in as I had to stand up due to the length of the Zig! By now we had a crowd gathered in my swim....they must've thought I had a biggun'! It wasn't but all the same pleasing to have one on this method in the heat of the day......at just under 30 I was satisfied unlike the moans and groans from my unimpressed audience!

They do take Zigs! - 29lbs 12oz Mirror

I was really enjoying myself with plenty of action each night and now managing one in the day.....Ed and I would battle it out for top rod....he was a couple in front on nine and I was ready for a productive night of carp! I was not disappointed, the first being a stunning half linear of just under 40 and then an awesome pb Common of 43lbs 4oz! Well Pleased with this one as I'd pulled out of a good fish previously at the net and was devastated as I'd vowed not to lose any on this trip but sometimes you just have to take it on the chin.....at least I wasn't getting cut off!!! Famous last words.....later on in the night I had an absolute belter on a rod fished locked up! Must've been one of those big cats as every other take was simply pulling tight and kiting but this fella was having none of it! I didn't need to wind down on him as the line was already taught and up in the water.....there was nothing I could do but hang on! It ploughed through the Crescents' underwater world of weed and cut me off on the IQ! Ferocious stuff! The Quicksilver done it's job although on closer inspection I had to change it as it was badly frayed by the mussels in the weed! Big Pussy.... I thought! Hoped! I soon got the rod re-tackled and rowed back to the spot and sat down in the moonlight with a beer in reflective mood and flicking through my productive nights snaps.....

Half Lin - 39.08

PB Common - 43.04

























39.12 Mirror

























The last day and night rolled round all too quickly....I decided to sleep under the stars and packed the bivvy away after dinner and was well prepared for a final night of carp action.....if only I didn't need to bring the flipping boat back that evening! Jakes had all sorts of problems with people leaving broken row locks and/or bait covered boats in their swims on the Saturday morning so he makes sure that the boats are back Friday night....this I had an issue with because all my takes were coming at night and I was only having more action when they were repositioned.....the inevitable would happen!




I took my boat back after dumping my remaining bait and dropping my rigs on the spots and sat enjoying the last evening's carp showing display to finish and the action to start. It wasn't long before the trusty left hand marginal tree rod was pulled tight resulting in a nice 32M.....with the tackle I had there was no way I could put this back out on the spot so cast this near to a spot that I'd been baiting up throughout the week and which had already produced a nice 36M. The next action came around midnight to the silt area....a nice long common 33lbs.....this brought my tally to thirteen. Again I had to make do with casting and that was the end of the action.....I'm sure I could've had another couple with the boat but hey ho.....there were five Anglers that blanked and I thank my lucky stars that I wasn't on that one again! Ed finished with ten and was more than happy....Chris finished with the biggest fish and what a fish it was....one I certainly won't forget...Well Done! The tally for the week was extremely low...only 37 although a good few of us left with pb's and most agreed that seeing the Digital was worth coming for alone!

33lbs Common and 36lbs Mirror



















The Lads!



















Until Teillats 2010.....All the best!

Adventure to Boux

I’d heard good things about Domaine de Boux from some notable Anglers whom were kind enough to pass on some extremely useful information about the feeding habits of its inhabitants. Upon arrival it was clear from the outset that this particular week in July would be a challenge…..the water was low and the weather somewhat “changeable”!!! Phillippe the Owner told us that the previous week had only done one fish to four Anglers which seemed incredible…..did they have any hooks or were we in for a tough time!?!?

The desired swims were a considerable distance from the waters edge but were also a good few feet drop down from the forest bank which was now raised…..the picture below illustrates this along with the thick MUD! Nice!

However, we hadn’t come all this way to whinge or moan……we wanted a few bites and a chance of a real lump and not to mention the fact that we were lucky enough to have the whole Venue to ourselves! We took advantage of this and placed H-blocks along the cleaned off spots on the far bank in 4ft with a good helping of Haiths Euromix accompanied with Maize, Sweetcorn, Tuna, Mini Pellets, Micro Pellets, Hemp Pellets, Hemp, chopped Boille, whole boillie, barrels and T1 Cow Cola…..very carpy indeed! We also placed markers in deeper spots at 8ft and 12ft to ensure we had all areas covered…..it wasn’t long before the fish started to give themselves away with crashing and bubbling all over the lake except anywhere near our markers….typical but not an issue as we were both confident and up for the challenge.

Rigs were kept simple with 2oz running leads straight through without any leaders onto fluorocarbon d-rigs with an array of baits to try and suss out what they wanted……these were boated out two at a time with the use of the fish finder to ensure we knew what depths we were dropping onto. Although I like to use the markers for topping up spots…..I generally fish off of these and vary the distance throughout the week in order to trick the more cautious prizes.

It seemed to take all day before we could settle down and enjoy a well earned beer or three…..Lee’s a dab hand with the wok and with the use of the powerful 3 burner Coleman stove, we were soon tucking into a delicious Thai chicken stir fry…..we would sleep well tonight! It wasn’t long before the eyes closed when the first rod was away……we had a policy of spreading our rods out so that the action was shared but we fished our own rods and rigs/bait…..don’t like the idea of sharing fish as I like to roam about when I get a hunch and wanted to avoid any unnecessary conflicts, so taking it in turns was not on the plan and we always have a wager for the biggest fish!

The first fish of the session came to Lee’s rod on the 4ft middle spot across to the far bank…..it was a good start to have one over 30lbs and evidence that the advice we had been given was accurate…..Happy Days!

31.08 Mirror

I’d not had the best start to my session and am always grumpy when driving through the night and then setting up in unsuitable conditions and then having to boat the mountain of gear over and then finding one of my very expensive reels was in bits and pieces! Not happy and then to add insult to injury I had a splinter on the most awkward part of my foot that I couldn’t remove!!!……so it was nice to get my first take and put all my complaints to the back of my mind!

Only a 22lbs’er but very welcome and off the mark….Lee had another two during Sunday and another 30+ in the evening whilst I was making do with 20’s landing 3 to 25lbs…..I then decided to change to a 6mm plastic Solar Top Banana bait as my 22 mm’s “A” baits were attracting all the smaller carp and it seemed like the bigger fish wanted to pick at smaller items….again the advice was spot on.

22lbs Mirror

30.12 Common

25 Mirror

30.04 Mirror

Sunday was over in a flash and I was now feeling slightly better although still hobbling around with a now swollen foot…..Lee had plenty of sympathy….not!....and was now also hobbling around as he cut his own foot on a razor sharp swan mussel….oh the joys of Carp fishing….all we needed now was some inclement weather…. which duly arrived in the form of heavy thunderstorms and flash floods and scary lightning! To say we were petrified would be an understatement as we were still getting takes and winding them in under the water…..this was dangerous and begs the question of insanity and I feel extremely lucky to be alive to recall the tale. It was lucky that we were used to wading out through the shallower water to land the fish and was able to keep the rod submerged…..looking back We should’ve wound in the rods and got some much needed shut eye but at the time we thought it would pass quickly and not last for over 6 hours!

The tactics were now working well with small plastic hook baits fished on and off the spots which were constantly topped up with the “Munga”…

31 Mirror

36 Mirror and 38 Mirror

It was soon half way through the trip and we were having a blast despite the weather and all the issues with health and equipment…..I’d stupidly left my fish-finder in the boat which was now submerged under water, Lee lost a section from my prodding stick and lost one of my landing net blocks and then my weigh sling handle decided to break!!!! This adventure was straining all the gear and putting us through a stern test of trying to keep cool……it’s times like this when you appreciate your Mates as with sleep deprivation and being uncomfortable trudging through thick mud and constantly being damp is not for the feint hearted although the fish, food, drink and banter kept spirits up and we were perversely enjoying it!

At last the sun shone on Wednesday but with this the action dried up and we both struggled drinking beer in the sun and eating fresh baguettes with soft cheese thick ham and olives….hhhmmmm….it’s not all about the fishing and we were soaking it all up and the mud and bivvies were drying out. Thursday morning was glorious sunshine early doors so we took advantage of the photo opportunity and the fish duly obliged with non stop action…….

Rowing out the baits

37 Grassie

31 Common

More heavy rain and thunder storms ended the week with the dreaded packing up looking more and more daunting! Literally everything needed washing and cleaning so we began Friday night whilst there was a break in the weather. On the fishing front we had managed over 30 fish with 12 30’s to 38 but no big girls so we were a little disappointed as we had fished really hard and well with small critically balanced baits as well as large 22mm’s “A” baits on the deck but could only find the smaller residents. We persisted with the sound advice all week and fished at 4ft where we had the majority of fish but we also had good fish from the deeper spots and fishing single baits to bubblers. Would the final night bring us a lump or two??? Sadly not although I did have a few heart stopping moments when two mid 20’s ripped off early Saturday morning!

All in all a good week and an Adventure that we enjoyed no matter what Mother Nature threw at us and with all the bad luck with the equipment and minor cuts, splinters and bruises…..it was good to go home still friends and in one piece……Until the next adventure…Cheers!

Moorlands Magic!

I had heard of Keith Moors from way back in the day when Oxfordshire had seen it’s first forty landed and of course the Keith Moors Knot, therefore I was particularly intrigued when “Moorsey” began posting on the Carpforum where his popular French fishery thread receives great praise indeed. I found Keith’s email on his website and sent him an enquiry about the kind of fishing that I mostly enjoyed and if it was possible to cater for my ideal preferences….for example…like many, I dislike crowds, I like the observe, walk and stalk approach, I don’t mind “Wintery” challenges, although peace and tranquillity are a must to de-stress from England’s rat race; I’m not that bothered about food or showers as I’ve survived hygienically on quite a few adventures to France before and anything other than a decent size lake containing a few decent size fish would be a bonus.

Keith kindly replied attaching a backlog of newsletters explaining that his main Season runs from April to October although March was sometimes a very productive Month, pending fishable conditions like the lake not being frozen over. So that was that and the ferry and all inclusive monies were wired through there and then and I began to count down the weeks until the 7th March 09, yes it was a tad early but I’d have the Venue to myself and I was relishing the prospect of some early Season action right up until the “big freeze” kicked in and continued right through most of January and February ….Bugger!

As luck would have it though, the end of March was surprisingly free which also meant that I would now have my Partner in crime Lee England in tow and would also have the new and exciting “A” Bait that Jay Rider had been developing to pick up on the way down to Dover…..Perfect! The forecast looked just right for that end of the week with the previous and first Group of the Year landing some nice fish to boot. All that remained was for us to get there in one piece, which turned out to be too close to the mark for my liking.

The minute we left Calais it tipped down and I mean proper rain, the kind where the wipers are on full speed for ninety percent of the time and when you add this to the fact that I stupidly opted for the 1.15am ferry to get there in time for breakfast Saturday morning, you can appreciate that we were simply just happy to get there to re-tell the tale in person….going passed those slow moving extra long vehicles and having to put your foot to the floor due to being blinded by spray with a flask full of black Nescafe, a few tins of Redbull and half a packet of Pro-plus down the hatch, was not a very relaxing journey and certainly not recommended for the feint hearted…next time will be a leisurely Friday daytime stroll for certain!

Nevertheless we were “buzzing” to say the least and were soon making our way through the quaint and picturesque Villages en-route before turning right at the two Conifers and the white post box that pinpoints the winding track leading to Keith’s gates where he greeted us. He then showed us into the “Gravel Bar” and introduced us to his lovely Wife Jan and youngest Daughter Sharon whom had a much needed freshly cooked English breakfast ready and waiting for us that was washed down with plenty of OJ and infinite Tea! Spot on.

At this point I’d like to elaborate a little on the food package that totally blew us away. I mean Lee is a fussy eater that will only eat quality tucker and I’ve been around the Globe and back quite a few times staying in top quality Hotels and eating in prestigious Restaurants and We can both honestly say that the home-cooked food at Moorlands is as good, and in many cases, far better than the Gourmet style dining we usually enjoy…..no jars of Ragu or tins of stodgy Puddings served in the Gravel Bar I can assure you!….. I’m certain the girls could easily make a successful Restaurant business…no wonder Keith used to be a Fat Bastard tad overweight!

Back to the Fishing…..after a good chat with Keith and with the timely easing of the rain, Lee and I decided to fish into the moderate South-Westerly pitched up in the “Oaks” and “Royal Box” that both command a nice portion of the lake. Lee called Heads and opted for the Royal Box that did look particularly good on the wind, he probably regretted that decision just after dinner when one of my ultra safe running rigs baited with a single “A3” white boilie ripped off resulting in a lovely looking 22lbs Mirror…..how things would change! He did open his account as well on the first night with a 20lbs Moggy, but action had been put on “ice” so to speak when the heavy frost appeared, followed by a big Northerly hacking it’s way down into the Southern-arm….if this keeps blowing we’ll definitely be in for a challenging week I thought!

22M












Oh well, I did say that I like a challenge although the very minute I drove through the gates of Moorlands’ I fell in love with the serenity of the place and was just happy to be there in such natural, tranquil, and scenic settings that also contained an abundance of wild-life…like Black Woodpeckers, Red-Kites, Owls, Tree Climbers, Foxes, Wild Boar, Kingfishers, etc etc….although the finest part was the warm relaxing feeling that Keith and Co provide by simply being themselves i.e. genuine courteous hosts whom have made a “Chocolate Box” home out of their successful Venture….I just hope and pray that a Carp Anglers Heaven meets the same pre-requisites.

The next day I reeled in for another superb Breakfast, Hot Shower, Call of nature (without standing up!), a fresh change of clothes, grabbed a couple of stalking sticks and followed the wind down into a swim called “Billy no Mates”. The blustery cold wind was rolling into the fenced off Nature Reserve ending with an inevitable Blank with no shows for the day either. To his credit, Lee did like the look of the “Pampas” swim and Dam wall corner where the wind wasn’t a factor. We decided to do one more night where we were bivvied up and assess a move in the morning. The night passed by without any action in my swim with Lee having one take and what a take it turned out to be!

39C PB













His PB last year was a 38.08 C…..this one would be close and it was, at 38.12 Lee had done his PB Common on only the second night….”Well Done Mate!….really glad we didn’t move now”, I mused. However, the action did dry up on the Carp front, and the Cats moved in and Lee had two on the bounce before Brekkie. The bitter Northerly continued throughout the morning on Monday so we decided to go on Lee’s hunch and moved round to the “Pampas” swim on the back of it. The sun came out and was quite pleasant particularly out of the breeze and Keith said that the water temperature was down after the heavy downpour and that the wind direction could stay for a few more day’s with warmer climes forecast for the end of the week.

The Eastern-arm could still be observed from my new vantage point and with the easing of the Northerly and the warmth of the Sun, I decided to reel in and stalk the holding pools. After a good look around the margins where I’d scattered five kilos of 14 and 20mm white balls the previous two nights and where I’d not had any takes from a couple of large’ish beds, it was time for a re-think…..were they spooking off the colour? Keith thought so and he was usually right being fully in tune with his back-garden, thus I would be foolish to ignore his description of the patrol routes and plateaus down the Eastern-arm that look like great spots in this silent bay and where a good stalking opportunity exists but only if they are down there of course.

Keith spotted me in the bay opposite one of the plateaus and wandered round to join me where we stood for a while in the warm sun chatting Carp and observing the water. We both could see a little milking up aside a drop off on the left hand side of the larger plateau and Keith thought he saw some movement. Not much longer had he gone when I’d repositioned one of my baits to cover a patrol route near the slightly discoloured water. Within minutes I was in! The fish didn’t appear to know that it was hooked and floated into the anxiously trembling net very surprised indeed! Yep, it went bonkers in the net and on the bank but at 34lbs and ounces, I wasn’t put out! Keith heard me shouting across to Lee to do some photos and came round to have a look and also take a few expert snaps on his “Tarty” camera….he recognised the fish immediately asking if it had a birthmark on one flank and sure enough it had…..a real Cracker that I owe to Keith’s excellent watercraft skills and knowledge….thanks again Sir Moorsey!

34M















That night Lee had a ton of action resulting in two more Cats to thirty, a twenty Common, a twenty two Mirror and a thirty three Mirror. He was certainly enjoying himself even though he had developed a terrible chesty cough probably brought on from the stresses of the semi-blind drive down through the deluge! Noisy Bastard! It was quite amusing though because I could even here him when he tried his luck one night up in “Billy-no-Mates” and I was seven-hundred and fifty yards away in the “Pampas”! He did say that the pitch black darkness had him a bit twitchy especially when the “Piggy Wiggies” in the Forest crunched through the undergrowth!

27M “Peach”














25M “Another Peach”













35M













We were fast approaching mid-week where the water temp had risen from 11 too 14 degrees and the mid-day sun was gloriously warm, shimmering off what was now a pukka wind for one of the big Girls…..a South-Westerly. Lee had done another move along the start of the Forest Bank and was taught the art of spotting and fishing to Bubblers by Keith….result equals another four thirties to thirty-six, this time a near Mirror PB. Yours truly was struggling a little although I did manage a forty two Cat, a thirty two Mirror and a Common just shy of twenty pounds that ran me ragged! I did hear that some of Keith’s fish are bionic and to not try and bully them…..this little Fella bullied me much to Keith and Lee’s amusement!

36M

















32M













Thursday soon rolled round and what a day it was….stunning blue skies without a breath of wind, ideal for spotting them feeding. Lee and I decided to ambush the fish as we believed that when we started catching fish, albeit Cats or Carp, the fish in the vicinity appeared to move out and could be found at either ends. Putting two and two together, Keith did say that this is why most people catch when it’s at it’s maximum capacity of Anglers….another big plus at Moorlands’ is that there’s plenty of room with clearly defined boundaries, especially when the pads are up and using the back drop of mature trees as natural markers.

The Ambush theory worked a treat with Lee bagging his new PB Mirror at 38.08….what a brute, looked like the magical 40 but maybe that was on its way! I managed to intercept a thirty one mint Common and followed that with a couple of Moggies to mid-20.

38.08M PB
















31C













Our last day came round far too soon and we were both determined as ever to keep on angling hard and smart to try and bag that special one that Keith so sincerely wanted us to have. Not many weeks go by at Moorlands without a forty plus Carp out although Lee had been close on several occasions. Maybe something was wrong? Was it the bait? Don’t think so because we were catching and the “A” bait does have something special about it. We did try beds of the CC Moore’s Tutti’s supplied by Keith without making any difference. You can tie yourself in knots over analysing instead of persistence in what was working, on this occasion it was two or three bait stringers or singles/doubles tied to fluorocarbon running rigs with no leaders, light leads and slack lines...pretty much identical to Keith’s set-up….Lee has certainly been converted. I’ve always liked running rigs myself and was converted completely when I saw how the Carp use the lead to their advantage on the excellent Korda underwater DVD’s…..if you’ve not tried it then you don’t know what you are missing….absolute screamers! If you pay attention you cannot fail to learn from Keith and he showed me how to tie an alternative to the widely used knotless knot, the Snail knot very strong and neat and won’t slip like the knotless version is prone to do….thanks again Mate.

Back to the last day….Lee was doing his usual few fish with Mirror’s of twenty seven and twenty two….the larger one being an absolute Peach!I on the other-hand was struggling to settle, covering showing fish and hunches without a take when Keith pointed out a large fish show out in the “Boneyard” swim. I quickly covered it and waited in anticipation for one of the “Screamers” that we had both been accustomed to most of the week. Three bleeps had me at the rod in a flash with my heart in my throat but with the Bobbin jammed at the top and the clutch not whirring away, I thought maybe I was having a rare drop back! I wound down and felt a very heavy resistance, and I mean heavy! Keith was soon at my side and commented that this could be what we have been waiting for all week……a biggun’!!!!

Ten minutes quickly turned into twenty with repetitions of rod pumps and clutch ticks…..thirty minutes soon turned into forty-five with Keith exclaiming that He’d not seen this kind of really slow, ponderous fight before….I could not get the bloody thing up or in! Was it the hundred and ten pound Cat? Was it the new Lake Record Carp at sixty plus or was it the first bionic fifty pound Common? I took my time even though the arm aching turned into wrist and shoulder ache! “Stop moaning” demanded Keith! “Sorry, but I’ve only ever had a fifty pound Cat on for longer than thirty minutes and this is approaching one hour! The fish seemed snagged as it got closer to the margin so Keith went back to fetch his waders and was soon in the water following the line to the fish……it was soon revealed what had happened and in hindsight was quite obvious….the ball of line and trailers must have been around eighty yards in length with a so called “safety” clip rubber pushed on to the hilt and a fake red piece of corn that the fish luckily escaped from only because I’d managed to catch the tether. It was a sad moment and a happy one because the fish was free. Please ensure you double check your rigs and lead arrangements with Keith before casting out, lead clips and leadcore will NOT catch you more fish….think fish safety first wherever you go!

The atmosphere soon changed when Keith, Lee and I stood and watched one of Lee’s rods rip off from the point on the Forest Bank. A screaming clutch signalled a Cat….several more bursts signalled a big Cat…….Keith’s face when trying to lift the net out of the water signalled another new PB for Lee! Fifty eight pounds of slimy overgrown tadpole had me in stitches, especially when Lee had to change his clothes for the photos…..little did I know that the smiles would swap faces as no sooner had I recast my rod, that was next to his, and I was doing battle with another big Pussy! Only forty-six pounds this time and they insisted that I put on Lee’s slimed up T-shirt to have a photo! ERRR! I do not like holding these creatures and was shocked after I’d changed my rig and fired it back out only to get another flyer almost immediately! No photo’s this time as it was only a mere Forty and ounces! What a manic hour! It certainly brightened the mood and we enjoyed a good chuckle with the two new Lads whom arrived for the next week….Lucky so and so’s….Lee prompted me to do another week and Keith said we were more than welcome but I simply couldn’t but as consolation…We have booked another visit for October….this year!

46 Cat














58 Cat













Lee managed a mid-20 Mirror and I had another couple of overgrown Tad-poles to thirty pounds before the reluctant pack up and fond farewells to Keith and Family. The final tally was forty fish, twenty Carp to just under thirty-nine with ten-thirties and ten-twenties with Cats to fifty-eight with three-forties….What an awesome beginning to an annual pilgrimage that we hope will continue for as long as possible…..Again many thanks to Keith, our new Friend and Mentor…..you are a diamond Fellla…..and to your Ladies for such fantastic food, drink and hospitality….the Sunday Roast and Bannoffee pie will live with me forever!

Hope you’ve enjoyed reading as much as I’ve enjoyed typing and reliving….As always, be lucky….Jez.

PS Congratulations on all your PB’s Lee…..you fully deserved each one Mate.

Another “Peach” 30M

My First Redmire Carp

Some of you may recall “My First Redmire Experience” write up that I posted on the Carp Forum last February that has now been added to my Carping Memoirs Blogger site. This piece follows on with an ending this time that can only be described as unforgettable as I try to relay the excitement of catching “My first Redmire Carp!”

As always, I look forward to the beginning of each month to flick through the latest Carpworld magazine to see what Contributions have been made and to see if anything’s potentially an inspiring read…..I was not disappointed! Tim Paisley had a great time down at the Pool and his writings were second to none as He eloquently detailed his red-letter week with a number of stunning captures that twisted my arm to give Les Bamford a call to see if there were any spaces this coming January, February. I was delighted to find a space for a five day trip starting on Sunday 26th until Friday 30th….a proper winter special….Happy Days!

This time round I would be fishing with three others opposed to the last time when I was accompanied by Bill Livingston and my regular Carping buddy; Lee England….however, just to get a space at such short notice was a result and I’m sure the others would be just as buzzed up to be fishing at this Historic little Mire as I was!

Within a blink of an eye the time had come to load the car with the mountain of gear and provisions for the week….it’s difficult to believe just how much gear I take when I go for more than a long weekend session as this time round I had to do some work which meant power pack, lap-top, chargers, etc…I also just acquired a new Coleman triple burner stove that I wanted to try out before this years French adventures…..and what a fantastic purchase it proved to be….Fillet Steak’s, Pasta’s, Fry-up’s and a few bottles of good red made the long dark nights even more enjoyable!

Back to setting the scene…Les said that I could arrive a little earlier and have a chat with the previous Anglers to get it from "the horses mouth" so to speak opposed to disecting the catch reports….by the time I arrived the Fella’s had gone, not that I was late but they must’ve left early….anyway, I soon got out of the car and snapped the famous “Bernithan Court Farm” sign and the track leading across the hills and then down into Mecca!



The next day was Thursday….last chance of a stalked fish in the shallows…I was now deeply routine'd where I’d get up early, make a steaming mug of Tetley and head up to the Shallow’s before Breakfast. This time though, I didn’t want to spend all my time chasing “bubblers” so I waited until I felt the nip of the crisp chill before heading back to the WP to rattle a few pans together.

I carefully recast my Richworth Tutti Zigs ensuring that two splashes were seen before setting the other two bottom baits back on the unproductive spots. I settled down in my home and enjoyed Breakfast with Radio 5 for background entertainment.

I don’t know about you but when things are slow I end up looking at the tactics and methods that I’m using and especially with the loc-slide float rig, started tinkering with it in the form of a rig material change from green stealth skin too fluorocarbon….I was engrossed with the float rod when all of a sudden my TXI receiver started bleeping in my pocket! I immediately turned round to see the blue Delkim led full on and the mag-tech flying! The five foot Tutti Zig was away….I was on it in a flash and was soon doing battle with my first Redmire Carp!

When using ten pound double strength Zigs it’s not easy to gauge how big the fish are at first so I was so delicate with this fish that only really gave me a bit of trouble when it picked up one of the lines next to it….even though it was back-leaded! The silt really is deep. The fish eventually went into the waiting net at first attempt and I let out a big “Yessss”!!!!! followed by, “Terry, Terry, TERRYYYYY” He was having one of his “Siesta’s” but eventually turned up to do the honours with the weighing and photo’s….thanks Mate!




The Digi’s settled on 17lbs 01oz of stunning Common Carp….one that I’ve never seen before if that makes sense….ie I’ve caught literally hundreds of high double Commons elsewhere but none of them had the colours of this incredible creature…..it didn’t matter that it wasn’t a 20 or 30 or 40….the obsession I have for weights simply dispersed my head for this special moment….not easy to describe in words although Bill certainly understood and I appreciate the telephone call….thanks again Bill.

So there you have it….all that was left to do was to celebrate with some fine red-wine with Terry and enjoy my last night bathed in serotonin and to think about what to write in the catch reports without sounding too smug!

The last night and following morning passed all too quickly without anymore Action even though I changed all four rods to Zigs and Tutti’s! I actually would’ve felt quite greedy if I caught another although it was not be and I soon closed the gate behind me with a tremendous smile etched across my face….Thankyou for such great memories Redmire….until next time that is! Be Lucky….Jez Ritchie.