Welcome to The Sanctuary Fishery Blog!!!! Here you will find regular updates from catch reports to fishery management,angling tips to weather conditions. For the keen wildlife enthusiast like ourselves,updates on local wildlife & rare sightings can be found. In a nutshell if your an angling addict register your email address for the latest.
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Posted: 4th May 2018
We have slowly been moving over to Fb with little snippets of information on a daily basis seeming to be of my interest these days than a lengthy blog. I think from this point onwards we will start to copy & paste the FB posts onto the blog, this will give you more of a frequent blog but not as long winded for any customers who dont use FaceBook. We are now 5 weeks into the season and big fish are coming out each week, multiple infact and the fis…
Posted: 9th Apr 2018
It's that time of the year once again when anglers are greeted and the doors for fishing are open. It's been a long wet winter indeed, so we are really hoping the Spring sunshine will push away those grey skies and we start to see more of the sun, which seems to have fallen out of the sky! The green is just starting to push through with iris forcing their way up around the lake margins and the trees are just breaking into bud & leaf. The swal…
Posted: 14th Mar 2018
We are now fast approaching a busy season ahead and I will start the blogs again once the doors are open, but keep your eye on the Fb page for regular weekly updates. The welcome packs will be sent in the next week via email but I want to make it clear while groups are organising travelling arrangements that the times for arriving and leaving have changed now both lakes are open. 7 ACRE LAKE: Arrive at Midday (12.00pm) on the Saturday and off site f…
Posted: 1st Nov 2017
Well the season has now come to a close and it's been a very successful year for us regarding what the lakes have produced, along with the progression of the larger lake opening and new customers being greated and welcomed to the fishery. I have been updating FB multiple times each week, so I feel like I'm repeating myself with the blog if I'm honest. With regards the future, maybe social media is the way forward but I will discuss with our regulars …
Posted: 8th Oct 2017
Well the fish keep coming at the moment and once again I'm chasing my tail. I will give you the update from 3 weeks ago for both lakes and it's a great to see the way the lakes have performed after the summer. This week has to be one of the best regarding numbers of big fish for the 7 acre lake and Steve in peg 5 just may have had the best fishing he will ever experience in one week. The fishing was patchy at times for the others lads but 3…
Posted: 24th Sep 2017
We have once again just had another fantastic weeks fishing on the 7 acre lake and lots of surprises are now being thrown up with the weed dying back by 80%. We have had no one fishing the 15 acre lake this week but we have exclusive bookings for the next 3 weeks so looking forward to seeing how the fish behave. We had 3 chaps booking the smaller lake who have been here a couple of times in the past a few years ago, so it''s always enjoyable to catch…
Posted: 24th Sep 2017
We have once again just had another fantastic weeks fishing on the 7 acre lake and lots of surprises are now being thrown up with the weed dying back by 80%. We have had no one fishing the 15 acre lake this week but we have exclusive bookings for the next 3 weeks so looking forward to seeing how the fish behave. We had 3 chaps booking the smaller lake who have been here a couple of times in the past a few years ago, so it''s always enjoyable to catch…
Posted: 11th Sep 2017
First of all I need to apologise for lack of updates this year....we have been flat out with customers, but the work load on the large lake has just consumed me. I will quickly speed through the last months fishing on the 7 acre lake just to bring you up to speed. The fishing has been very patchy due to weather this year, but also you have to take into consideration each group require something different from their fishing, holiday and even…
Posted: 14th Aug 2017
Talk about where do I start....there is so much going on at the moment and we have two weeks left before the larger lake opens for business and we are right to the wire regarding everything being ready for the day, Its going to be close that is for sure but when did I not like a challege!The second shower block is up and functional, it still needs a lick of paint etc but the main thing is the services are in and working and everything is as it should …
Posted: 8th Aug 2017
Playing catch-up again...and this weeks blog is from two weeks ago! We had a new group of 3 guys this week along with a chap who came when we very first opened so it was great to see Shaun again after quite sometime. Julian and Son, William fished side by side and Matt dropped into Peg 4 covering the open water. We had a massive cooling down this week after the hot summer and the fish did respond for the first half of the week and were actively lookin…
Posted: 27th Jul 2017
The fishery has been closed for two weeks, a little down time with the family is just as important as the fishery and it' been nice to relax for a change!! Last week we had 3 newcomers to the fishery, and after the two week break both I and the chaps hoped the fish would have started to look for a free easy meal! You may not be aware of this chap if you don't float fish anymore, but in his "Field" excuse the pun he is the best in the business regardi…
Posted: 2nd Jul 2017
I will condense the last two weeks into this blog so we are back up to speed. The weather has been very warm again and at times touching 38oc in the shade! This saw the fish spawning again for two days, making the fishing once again very tricky. This is all I seem to be typing for the month of June, but the weather this season has been less that consistant and the whole spawning process should have been long completed and the fish back on the feed aga…
Posted: 22nd Jun 2017
Well the hot weather continues with bouts of spawning on and off over the last month and the two chaps this week gave it 110% which was great to see. Both chaps have not been to the fishery before and when they arrived I could have sworn Chris was Rod Hutchinson in his younger days....a dead ringer for sure and "Hutchy" was his name for the week. Richard also took me back down memory lane pulling a tub of pops-up out of his bag that he reckons …
Posted: 16th Jun 2017
Well it's been an interesting week to say the least and one of stark contrasts between the two lakes. To say the fish have been showing on the 7 acre lake is an understatement, at times you would have thought the lake contained 300 fish because they were showing everywhere.We had a new group arrive this week with the group fishing the smaller lake and two anglers venturing onto the 15 acre lake, this is the first time we have let anyone fish the lake …
Posted: 13th Jun 2017
It appears we have a few small patches of weed present in the lake, dotted around pegs 3,4,5. Nothing to shout about and not visible on the suface, but these short defined areas seem to be a major feature at the moment. The fish are still behaving a little moody and not venturing far from where they spawned, and it seems they keep returning to the weed to browse over the top feeding on naturals. I keep seeing plumes of clay coming up from th…
Posted: 7th Jun 2017
Playing catch up once again at the moment and the fish have been showing signs of spawning once again over the last few weeks. We had another 3 regulars on the lake this week and they had a wonderful view of the carp most of the week with so many fish crashing out and cruising around under the surface, it was hard to believe it was the same lake when you're used to seeing very little. The water is still clear, which the fish seem to be loving but with…
Posted: 26th May 2017
At last the fish have started spawning this week after such a changeable season so far with the weather. The spawning lasted for two days until once again the weather flipped on its head, after highs of 29oc this week which seem to kick start the fish into spawning, on Friday a storm rolled in with cold rain lashing the lakes sending the temps plummeting and putting a very abrupt end to the frolics! Most of the spawning took place on the near margin …
Posted: 19th May 2017
Time for another blog to bring things up to speed and the chaps last week once again worked hard and Simon was rewarded with the largest fish of the week at 50lb 8oz. Its funny because he had the fish on Sunday morning from the far bank in 3, this is the first fish off that area this season and normally it's a productive spot, but this year they have not been visiting it for some reason! That was his last fish from there and he had to change…
Posted: 16th May 2017
It's been another very unsettled week weather wise with the heavy rain arriving at last after a very dry period, cold, warm you name it, we had it this week. The wind again playing a strong role in keeping temps low and this in turn reduced water temps back down to 14oc from 16oc. The fish seemed to be at both ends of the lake once again and the man of the match has to go to Spencer this week. Last year Steve had a brace of 50s, and this time the tabl…
Posted: 7th May 2017
Please bear with me for playing catch-up....I will post another blog in the next few days. I'm flat out putting the footings in for the new shower block so it's all hands on deck! We had 4 regulars on the lake a couple of weeks ago working hard for their fish and testing Cockney Roger in Peg 1, which is the first time in 10 years of him coming. Once again fish sitting in Peg 5 but when they did start to move, Simon in Peg 3 would pick …
Posted: 26th Apr 2017
This week has been one of stark differences, very simliar to the weather we are experiencing each week at the moment like never before. One day is full sun and 20oc and feeling very spring like.....the next is down to 0oc with ground frost in the morning and a biting cold wind all day so its making life tough going. Steve had the session of his life in Peg 5 this week, the other boys had to work very hard to try and pick off odd fish, no one blanked …
Posted: 17th Apr 2017
Well the second week's over and some lovely fish have graced the bank but they have not come easy. The natural food is playing a huge part in the puzzle so far this season, combined with the high water temps for the time of the year so the fish are starting to think about getting ready for spawning! They are not ready to go but instinct will be kicking in which partly explains why the fish seem to be grouped up in tight areas. Besides the above the r…
Posted: 11th Apr 2017
The doors are now open and our first group of 3 anglers on the lake have enjoyed the first week after the winter draindown, and it has been a very interesting week indeed. The water is very clear now after the silver fish and tench have been removed and the abundance of natural food is quite unbelievable. The lake margins are teaming with tadpoles, sedgefly are hatching from the emerging caddis fly and the whole lake surface is covered in midge p…
Posted: 6th Mar 2017
This is an update regarding bait quantity for both lakes this year. We have maintained an upper limit of 25 kg per angler per week on the 7 acre lake. This allowed 20 kg of boilie/pellet & 5 kg of particles per person. After the drain down and harvesting of the fish, removing 1.5 ton of unwanted fish we now have a stock of 180 carp in the 7 acre lake.I have added a futher 36, very young fast growing scaley C3s from the stockponds which are pr…
Posted: 28th Feb 2017
Well it's been a while.....I guess that's become the norm of late, but most of you know I have been updating FB, so you can see more pictures and videos of what's going on instead of just a single picture on the blog, it's far easy to upload little snippets as well. Yesterday I finished grading the young stock fish I bred in 2014, I have also segrated 6 fish for breeding this summer so all the work regarding carp is finished for now. I only have the …
Posted: 24th Dec 2016
Over the last few days I have had chance to breath and the work is now complete regarding the draindown on the 7 acre lake. I have had to tidy the place up after so much going on but we can now kick back for christmas and start again in the New Year on the 15 acre lake! I won't drain it this year but i need to crack-on regarding the swim's, with all materials on site its just a case of getting on with it knowing that the 14 ton digger will be doing mo…
Posted: 13th Dec 2016
Sorry for the lack of updates since the doors closed at the beginning of November but we have been gearing up for the lake drain down. It's been 3 years since we last drained and graded the stock, and we have never left it this length of time before, normally opting to drain every 2 years instead of 3. The whole reason for doing this is to reduce the biomass of the lakes, which in basic terms is to control the number of fish in the lakes. A volume of …
Posted: 24th Oct 2016
Well what a week its just been concidering we are now late in the season and only one week away from closing. I guess when any group book the lake they are hoping for all the elements to aline and this week was just the case for the boys but more so for Matt in Peg 1. Once again this Peg has produced the goods and he really could do no wrong making it look easy at times!! This was the first time the 3 chaps had been to the fishery so they were expecti…
Posted: 24th Oct 2016
Well what a week its just been concidering we are now late in the season and only one week away from closing. I guess when any group book the lake they are hoping for all the elements to aline and this week was just the case for the boys but more so for Matt in Peg 1. Once again this Peg has produced the goods and he really could do no wrong making it look easy at times!! This was the first time the 3 chaps had been to the fishery so they were expecti…
Posted: 16th Oct 2016
Well the chaps this week have had it all thrown at them! Father & Son tackled the lake this week but with Dad going down with a bout of Flu when they arrived he was struggling to keep warm with the huge drop in temps...days later David his son followed suit and it really put a dampener on the best part of the week. I set up a heater in the kitchen to keep them warm, with Son David ( both called David to make it easy for myself) slept midweek …
Posted: 9th Oct 2016
I guess your thinking what the hell is the title all about? well I guess the only one who will know is John from the group last week!! We had 3 anglers booking the lake with Bez coming here a good few years ago along with two new anglers. Now I have seen a few groups come and go, and once in a while you come across a group of lads who are just as keen on their food as they are fishing....but this chap was something else. Each morning while I woul…
Posted: 2nd Oct 2016
Another week comes to a close amid highs & lows, but overall it's been another good weeks fishing for the chaps apart from my well loved John Wilson special float rod getting some serious breakage this week:( Regular angler Dave booked the lake with another two new anglers, Dave opting for Peg 5 along with Justin Timberlake dropping into Peg 3 and adopting the nick-name Oliver after rustling a few Bad-boy meals for the boys this week keeping …
Posted: 26th Sep 2016
The days are still pleasant at the moment with temps reaching 26oc some days, but the nights are starting to cool off and dropping into single figures at times. This makes way for those lovely misty mornings with the lake steaming like a warm cauldren and the damp dew glistening the spiders webs along the lake margins! I also notice the animals behaviour changing at this time of the year, and with the equinox now upon us the change triggers …
Posted: 19th Sep 2016
I just had the feeling the lake was going to explode into action with the fishing building each week with some very good catches over the last month.....but this week all hell broke loose with the largest catch of the year, with 16 fish over 40lb+ equalling another simliar catch at the start of the season, it shows the fish are now putting weight back on and looking very good indeed for the final end to the season! We had two regulars this week who h…
Posted: 13th Sep 2016
Well it's been far too long in the making for many reasons indeed but the 15 acre lake is going to be open for business starting in April 2017. We have not taken any bookings as of yet because of wanting to be sure we were in a position to do so.....but we can no longer hold off and it's time to open the doors and it will be an on-going process. How it will work is both lakes will be run separately with a gated access closing one off from t…
Posted: 11th Sep 2016
Well a bit of salt on your balls goes a long way i've been told!!! A couple of the regular chaps this week have been trying out a new bait and from the results it appears the fish seemed to love it! Once again Kev & Bod fished one end of the lake while Dave & John fished the other leaving 3 free this week. The fishing is now picking up each week and we are seeing good catches with the late season cooling of the weather....we have a couple of v…
Posted: 4th Sep 2016
Well what a great weeks fishing we have just had......the weather is just on the turn, we are still experiencing very high temps for the time of the season but the cooler nights are helping to make it a little more bareable even though it's still in the 30s each week. The fish have sensed the change and are starting to feed, they are hard on the naturals at the moment with masses of bubbles frothing the surface each morning at dawn break. We had 2 reg…
Posted: 23rd Aug 2016
Just catching up with the update from last week and it has been very up & down. I think despite the second heatwave this year with temps soaring up to 37oc the lads fished the lake with 100% effort, but conditions being so hard make it very hit and miss. Just to give you some idea we are now into our 10th week with only 5 mm of rain falling and the French news reported this week its been the driest/warmest July for 35 years.....despite this I have…
Posted: 14th Aug 2016
Another week comes to a close and we had 4 chaps fishing this week who came way back in 2008....so it was interesting to hear how much the fishery had changed and progressed overtime and they thought it had matured massively and looked bigger than they remember!! Now I'm sure they won't mind me saying that they look to enjoy all aspects of their holiday and its not just a tick-list regarding numbers of fish that count. They did mention a couple of pbs…
Posted: 7th Aug 2016
At last we have had a change in the weather with a heavy short downpour on Thursday this week signaling the first of any rain for 8 weeks! We had a mixed group this week making the lake booking, with Mick, Paul & Steve opting for swims 1,3,5.....followed by Julian dropping into 4 to accomodate his marquee arrangements for himself and Sally his wife, but I honestly think it was for all his tackle and BBQ equipment!. We also had young Finn…
Posted: 1st Aug 2016
It's been a busy few weeks and the title of the blog will be explained. The 15 acre lake is still in full swing.....all the paths and pegs are now roughly marked out with thousand of tonnes of earth being used to raise the path way along the full length of the lake which is half a mile long!!! Early in the season and when the lake is full it can be very damp so the plan was to raise the main access paths to keep access clean, dry and functional for th…
Posted: 18th Jul 2016
Well we are running behind again so I'm trying to bring the blogs up to speed. For the first time in years we decided to close the doors for two weeks and have a family holiday........time to recharge and put my young family first, so off to the beach it has been for the last two weeks. After the last blog we had 4 chaps arrive being two regulars (Dave & Jim) and an old friend Wayne who we haven't seen for 8 years! with his son ( Andy). The f…
Posted: 26th Jun 2016
We are well into summer now and the weather is still very changeable indeed which is making the fishing very unsettled. The chaps this week worked hard for their fish but when you're battling the full moon combined with temps rising and falling from 20oc-34oc you can see why the fish are not wanting to feed hard. We peaked with the hottest day of the year on Thursday with temps of 34oc air temp in the shade...in the direct sun I dare say you could hav…
Posted: 21st Jun 2016
We have had two new chaps fishing the lake this week and it's been a funny old week after the floods but as the week wore-on I started to see signs of feeding fish and in numbers too, only down side was they were showing at the far end of the lake away from the chaps in pegs 1 & 2....sometimes you have to go to the fish are if you want to catch!! The fish are showing signs of maybe spawning again with the young males being caught w…
Posted: 14th Jun 2016
Well it's been a crazy few weeks and I'm only just catching up being two weeks behind. After the previous blog regarding another weeks great fishing including a brace of 50lb+ fish we have had to deal with the worse floods France has seen for the last 100 years. It was the speed in which the flood water rose in a 48 hr period after 40+cm of rain fell in that time, filling the 15 acre lake to the brim over night after the work carried out earlier this…
Posted: 31st May 2016
Its been another great weeks fishing and the chaps this week set 3 new pbs this week so they could not have been happier. Mat who organised the group came many years ago when we first opened, so it was good catching up again and the 3 lads joining him could not wait to get down to the lake and start fishing. The fish once again moved on the Saturday change over and it was Scott first out of the blocks catching on the first night and I was greeted…
Posted: 22nd May 2016
As they say in France Ooh lala.....it's been another week of great company with 3 regular chaps and to say I was pleased with the number of 40s this week is an understatement!! The lads did the usual split opting for swims 1,3 & 5, with Kevin making the choice of Peg 1 with so many fish moving down on a fresh wind from the week before and plenty of fish showing and bubbling while we looked around on the Saturday. Joe had had good results in P…
Posted: 16th May 2016
This is a small test email to confirm the pictures are now uploading on the blog....one of the 50lb 8oz mirrors from last week. Photographing more big fish this morning for Giles in peg 5....thats 3 new pbs this week for the chaps!! Back soon Team Sanctuary…
Posted: 15th May 2016
It's been another memorable weeks fishing for the 3 regular chaps with all 3 setting a new pb and if the weather had not flipped on its head by Monday they could have emptied the lake!!! The wind had swung around on the change over smashing down the lake into Peg 1, with Steve the week before having his luck in Peg 5 with a brace of 50s the fish had decided to move on the new wind and Simon in Peg 1 this week had caught 10 fish which had suffered 6 ho…
Posted: 9th May 2016
So far so good, this season has started very steady each week with some wonderful catches for each group. The weather has now turned for the better and we are starting to see more seasonal temps at last. It was still very cold for the start of the week for the chaps....this had rolled on from the week before so naturally the fishing had slowed down with a clear divide with small fish feeding first, followed by the larger fish starting to move aro…
Posted: 5th May 2016
Another week has passed with regular guys, Karl, Mark, Paul & Roger gracing the bank and it's been a not stop barrel of laughs all week, despite having icicles off the end of our noses most evenings! Talk about a tempeture drop with the wind swinging to the north, feeling like it was blowing straight from Antartica and giving us a low of -4oc midweek and a hard ground frost every night. The week before the roach started spawning in the margins and…
Posted: 28th Apr 2016
Playing catch-up from last weeks catch report and it has been another blistering weeks fishing with a few new pbs for the chaps, 3 out of the 4 anglers caught upper 40s and this week the fishery produced the most number of 40s ever, with 15 fish over that mark including a 49, 48, 47, 4 x 46, 45, 44, so plenty of upper 40s growing on and more chance of a 40 than a 30lb now!!! 15 fish over 30lb+ including 3 x 39lb+, 3 x 38lb+ 37, 36. The total was 54 fi…
Posted: 20th Apr 2016
Well another great weeks fishing and the 3rd week of the season has now come to a close, made up of a mixed group, but all regulars and they have fished together before. The lake is really coming into its own and I really hope this season continues, if we get a good steady season weather wise it could be one of our best. The lake produced 2 x 50s this week with a fish of 55lb for Lee in peg 1, along with Chris taking a 54lb 8oz on the last evening fr…
Posted: 10th Apr 2016
Well it's been very quiet over the winter on our behalf, I have been updating FB page randomly but posts have been few and far between. I have been working flat out right through the winter on the 15 acre lake, cursed with many problems at the backend of 2015 with the machine, losing months of valuable time when the weather was perfect. Beside the ups and down I have just pulled off the lake bed this week, with the 7th island complete a…
Posted: 27th Oct 2015
Well the season has offically ended today, and it's been fanstastic to end on a high after such a brilliant season. When you go back through the catch reports as a fishery owner I could not have asked for a more consistant year, with nearly every week fishing steady and producing plenty of 40s week in and out, with a sprinkling of 50s, but that's all set to change for 2016!! In the past we have had blistering fishing weeks, with lo…
Posted: 18th Oct 2015
Well we are now fast approaching the end of the season and we only have a couple of weeks left until we close, it will be digger work up until Christmas on the 15 acre lake, let's pray the weather hangs in for me!! We had 3 on last week with Rich & Paul being regulars along with Adam making the 3rd angler for the lake booking. The lads spread out covering most of the lake and it started off well with the sun shining and the fish feeding in short …
Posted: 14th Oct 2015
We are playing catch-up once again from last week, with 3 new chaps visiting the fishery hoping to enjoy the peace & tranquility alongside a few nice fish to Boot. Colin opted for Peg 1 with Brothers Andy & Rob splitting up in Pegs 3 & 5. The weather has started to turn very quickly of late, with the sun feeling very warm indeed when it came out, but in the shade it felt very cool indeed. The fish also had no pattern this week, coming…
Posted: 5th Oct 2015
Well, I will have to compile two blogs together this week due to playing catch-up after a few very busy weeks on the machine, trying to make headway on the 15 acre lake while the weather is holding out. Talking of weather, two weeks ago for Graham and his group the weather was still very warm in the day with a couple of storms that week, blowing a few trees down around the lake, but still nice for the time of year. The lads did have a good week with …
Posted: 21st Sep 2015
Well it's getting better and better this season with another fantastic weeks fishing for the 3 chaps. This week we had regulars Ray & Steve again, along with the young wipper snapper "Wayne". Ray opted for Peg 1, Steve in Peg 5 & Wayne taking the middle in Peg 3, big mistake!!! The chaps either side of him had the poor lad running backwards and forwards like a lap-dog, & he must have run a marathon last week with all the fish the…
Posted: 14th Sep 2015
Its been a strange week all round for many reasons, the regular boys are as nutty as a fruit cake, but the fish seemed to be feeding in strange fits & starts, combined with Ghostly happenings in Peg 4!!! The better fish do seem to be still up in Pegs 4 & 5 for another week running but John in Peg 1 worked hard getting his rigs on tight little spots, which caught him 6 fish on the first night. I got the felling he was just ambushing small grou…
Posted: 8th Sep 2015
Running a tad late with the update but it's been all go this last week. What a great weeks fishing the two chaps have just had last week and for two booking the lake they seemed to cover plenty of water, and made the most of their fishing. It was funny the way the fish split this week with most of the better fish staying up in Pegs 4 & 5, and the stockies down the other end of the lake, or it could have been Steve was just the better angler:)…
Posted: 31st Aug 2015
Morning All, Just catching-up from last weeks fishing and its been a quieter week but vey enjoyable all the same. I'm flat out on the 15 acre lake bed at the moment, its been quiet with updates because the machine went down over a month ago due to a major part breaking, its been a stuggle to get thing back up and running, costing me some very serious dry …
Posted: 23rd Aug 2015
It's been another great weeks fishing and Craig the chap in Peg 1 decided he was going to catch a carp on a a boilie he has had soaking in his "special" dip for 26 years, yes thats right 26 years!! I think sometimes carp will pick all manner of items up, not just as a food item but also being inquisitive and mouthing an item out of curiosity. In this case with the "special boilie" it could be any of the above, but this brings me onto the touchy subjec…
Posted: 16th Aug 2015
Its been another busy week but the larger fish have been elusive this week. To be honest its been such a consistent season so far, but it had to slow down a tad at some stage and the fish have started to push into areas of the lake that they feel safe and can find a little peace. The regular lads this week dropped into Pegs 1,2,3,4 leaving 5 free which has been the second week on the trot, this has given the fish a place to rest up free from line…
Posted: 13th Aug 2015
It's a late update with us only just catching-up with last weeks update which I have not had chance to post. The weather has just broken today with a quick heavy shower breaking the air temp of 36oc+ again last week and it really is turning into a blazing hot and dry summer so far. The big machine died on me 2 weeks ago and a major part has been sent back to the UK to be repaired and hopefully we will be back on the machine next week if all…
Posted: 2nd Aug 2015
Well the dry weather continues and we did have our first drop of rain this week for the first time in 11 weeks, but it was no more than a couple of mm to wet the flower beds!! The lake is holding its own so far this summer and we are just about keeping the lake full but it looks like storms are set for this week so lets see what happens. The fishing once again has been vey good for the time of the year, weights are on the low side as to be expected …
Posted: 26th Jul 2015
As I type this a little rain has arrived being the first shower we have had since May, & I mean not a drop. The ground is starting to crack and the grass looks scorched from the prolonged heat, but somehow I have managed to keep the lake at max level which has been nothing short of a miracle considering I have the big lake empty which is naturally trying to draw water from the full lake next door. The fishing once again has been very good in…
Posted: 19th Jul 2015
Well the clue is in the title, scroll down to the picture and all is revealed!! This has to be one of my all time favourite pictures from running the fishery over the years and it was purely down to Julian losing his footing (zero Alcohol involved), while photographing a 46lb fish that was obviously too big for him to handle!! Just to clarify the fish remained in the cradle so was safe, but somehow he fell backwards onto his head, pulling his back out…
Posted: 12th Jul 2015
Lack of updates? I know!!! Sorry for no blogs over the last two weeks but the fishery has been closed. We had made plans for this in 2014 to allow myself 1 week downtime working on the machines for the big lake project, followed by a much needed family holiday for all "Team Sanctuary" to unwind and recharge our batteries. So after a week of oil and grease, it was sunshine and saltwater, and straight back to business this week with a group of 4 an…
Posted: 28th Jun 2015
We have had two chaps book the lake this week exclusively and it could not have turned out better for the time of the year. Chris & Martin came here 2 seasons ago, returning this year in June thinking spawning could catch them out but it was far from that with the fish feeding hard and the first 3 days they were knackered with none stop action!! The chaps opted for Pegs 2 & 3 being close at hand to help each other and enjoy the week, but…
Posted: 21st Jun 2015
Well its been a fantastic week of fishing and great company and its always a pleasure to meet new customers that are like minded and can teach me a thing or two for a change!!! We had husband & wife (Steve & Rachel) book the lake this week exclusively and they were looking forward to a week of total tranquility, along with appreciating the whole ambience of what the fishery has to offer. Now I have never been obsessed about bait, leaning more…
Posted: 14th Jun 2015
We are running a couple of weeks behind at the moment, so apologies for the lack of updates. Its been a busy month with anglers and getting ready for the 15 acre lake project once again. The 14 ton track machine is having a full overhaul at the moment, ready to go on the lake bed in the next month, I just hope the storms don't keep hitting us, making the work ahead more difficult, but on a positive note the storms over the weekend have turned the…
Posted: 1st Jun 2015
Well its been another enjoyable week with steady weather and the two lads who booked the lake catching a few and breaking a long standing pb!! The fish have still not spawned yet with the up and down weather this season, but they are ready with a few females this week looking tubby and the males are milting. The lads used just a boilie approach this week with no other feed, but the chopped baits did seem to help, and produced a few extra fish. W…
Posted: 24th May 2015
Its been an enjoyable week once again with another group of regulars, every week so far this season have been regulars with a good 75% of our business booking again and again which is always a pleasure. It's great to see friendly faces and also confirms we are running the business professionally for them to return each year. But this week we had a new face join the group who I quickly named Timmy Mallet after I caught him moving swims and ad…
Posted: 17th May 2015
Well its been a stunning week of sunshine, with the hottest days of the year this week touching 32oc+ for a couple of days running!! The fish are really thinking of spawning now and its the main thing on their mind with eating being put on the back burner. The carp spawned at the start of the week in the stream bordering the lakes, followed by the carp in the 15 acre lake kicking off midweek and thrashing the water to a foam. The carp moved in number…
Posted: 12th May 2015
Well we seem to have bounced back after the flood and I have drained the excess water away and the big lake is drying once again. The rain continued for the new group of regulars when they arrived but the temp had climbed massively despite the rain it felt very warm. The lads had a good start with all 3 of them catching on the first night with a brace of 32lb and a 39lb 8oz the lads could relax knowing they had a fish in the bag. Over the course of Su…
Posted: 3rd May 2015
Well Mother nature has thrown her weight around this week and give us the full force to what she is capable of and it can be quite scary. We had such a good week with 40 fish landed the week before too 51lb+ but as the lads rolled off the drive and the new chaps arrived the rain had already started and the temps dropped from 26oc, to coming close to zero for the first part of the week. The weather can be very localised in France depending on the geogr…
Posted: 26th Apr 2015
Well another week comes to a close and the weather has been kind once again with temps touching 26oc by midweek and water temps at 18oc the fish must be thinking it was winter two weeks ago and now it's spawning time!!! Not yet girls just slow things down a little we are not ready yet. The fish did move around and start to push out from Peg 1 after holding up there for the first few weeks, but Dave still took 6 fish by the Monday including a bra…
Posted: 19th Apr 2015
Well another week comes to a close and the weather has swung 180 degrees and we have been blessed with mid summer temps on the Wednesday. Topping out at 26oc in the shade, it's hard to believe the Wednesday before we still had frost on the cradles at 11.30am!! The fish seemed to be still grouped up in winter mode and with this massive temp increase they will be shocked with not knowing if its Spring or spawning time, the fish are nowhere near re…
Posted: 12th Apr 2015
Well another week has passed and it's been a very enjoyable week as always with one of our regular groups from sunny Shropshire. The weather has been very testing indeed for the first part of the week, remaining cold with the continuing easterly wind leaving hard frosts most mornings and keeping the temperature of the lake well below the seasonal average. By midweek the wind swung around and it was glorious full sun with no finer p…
Posted: 6th Apr 2015
Well the first week is over and some nice fish have been caught, but by God it's it unseasonal weather at the moment. We have had some changeable weather for the last 3 years but I did not see this one coming. The begining of March was beautiful with temps in the upper- teens, with myself mentioning to Jayne my wife that we are set for a hot year ahead if it stays like this. But after the eclipse the weather seemed to turn on its head. What had me&nbs…
Posted: 29th Mar 2015
Well its been a long while since the last update apart from regular pictures and small snippets on Facebook over the last few months. We have been working hard getting ready for the season opening with 65 ton of gravel lining the pegs, paths and parking area last week. Also I have decided to use the dye this season to control the weed. We cannot have another season like last year playing havoc with the balance of the lake and making the fishing very …
Posted: 9th Jan 2015
Happy New Year to all and I hope you enjoyed the festive period and had chance to put your feet up! We have had a quiet, relaxing Christmas with plenty of good food & wine and a nice warm log fire to keep us all warm. I have been plodding more this winter instead of working at warp speed, with no major works to be completed I'm cutting and burning overgrown vegetation and trees around the pegs and banks and will resurface the paths and pegs befor…
Posted: 9th Dec 2014
Evening All, Well better late than never as they say!! My New "British Wildlife & Angling Artwork" blog has gone live along with the New Facebook page. Click on the link below for the blog and you can access the Facebook page via the blog using the icon on the right hand side of the main page. http://entwistle-wildlife-art.blogspot.com…
Posted: 4th Dec 2014
Well things are very quiet down in the valley this week, the fish are still active and showing late in the evening but with a big drop in temps of late to around 3oc at its peak things are slowing down. I'm still feeding the fish every other day and will reduce the quantity depending on water temps. Lots of trapping taking place at the moment with both Coypu & Muskrat moving around so by the end of the winter I will have reduced their numbers to n…
Posted: 27th Nov 2014
Evening All, and once again sorry for the very long delay. There has been many an issue over the last 5 weeks but I will not drone on too much with this blog. The site has been down for a while with the company who list the site contracting a virus causing all manner of issues. But we are back on line now and I can start the blogs again. I have also only just returned from the UK after a death in the family of a man who will be sadly missed. My uncle …
Posted: 23rd Oct 2014
This update from last week is a little late so apologies, it's been busy with only a couple of weeks left to the end of the season and the weather remaining mild until now, we are hoping that the bad weather will remain at bay for just a couple more weeks!! What a fantastic group of new lads we have just had, they really were enthusiastic about all things aquatic & carpy, so it was great to talk about fishery management for a change and also pick…
Posted: 13th Oct 2014
Well what a contrast this week from the stunning weather we had and great fishing the week before. The lads arrived on the Saturday to glorious sun & T-shirt weather only for it to fade away it to one of the most changeable weeks you could care to mention. We have had it all this week from high winds felling trees into the lake, combined with over 3" of rain on The Thursday having me running to the sluice outlets to try and grapple with the rising…
Posted: 5th Oct 2014
At last the fish have decided to play ball and come out of their summer hiding places and start feeding. I would say this week was the first time over the summer I have seen them keen to look for anglers bait & combined with the lads fishing well it was a fantastic week. With less places for the fish to hide and I presume a drop in the natural food reserves the fish seemed active in most areas of the lake with bubbling and crashing to be found bot…
Posted: 30th Sep 2014
It's a late update so I will try and bring you up to speed with what's been happening over the last week, but before I do we need to settle the score about the Wildboar rumours that have been talked about of late!! Coming into Winter the Boar are on the move because of the intense shooting all over France, but seldom do you ever see one of the creatures because they are so frightened of human interaction. As you all know anglers love to embelish …
Posted: 22nd Sep 2014
Well another week comes to an end with another rollercoaster unfolding over the course of the week. The lads did spread out fishing Pegs 1,3,4 & 5 for most of the week but Paul did move from 5 to 2 on the Thursday which did pay off for him. The fish were very active at the beginning of the week with lots of crashing day & night but that did fluctuate each day with some days being quieter then others. Richard in Peg 1 lost a fish on the Monday …
Posted: 14th Sep 2014
It has been a glorious week of weather with the sunshine feeling very warm at times, and you could almost be mistaken for midsummer. The fish this week once again proved very illusive but could be seen clearly throughout the week. The pattern did change with the fish becoming very active and crashing on Sunday & Monday night, making way to fish cruising around inbetween the weed beds in Pegs 1,2 & 3 for the first half of the week, and the…
Posted: 8th Sep 2014
At last the warm settled weather has arrived which has been absent all summer and it has been a refreshing change for both the anglers, myself & the fish to feel a little warmth!! Tony & Richard did have a little cat & mouse this week with only the two booking the lake and the fish playing hide & seek, they kept very low all week with nothing to be seen through the day very much, only crashing out well into the night shift. The fish se…
Posted: 2nd Sep 2014
We have had a hitch with the Website over the last few days which has prevented updating the blog, apologies! Also if you have sent an email over the last week had not had a reply, please resend because we may have not received it. The boys from Macc made it again last week with Barry & Billy dropping into Pegs 1 & 2 as usual, Arther went into his beloved Peg 5 & Pete took Peg 4. The problem was the fish had plans to stay d…
Posted: 24th Aug 2014
We have had a mixed group this week comprising of Kevin, Claire & Willow the dog, along with two new guy's, Martyn & Ian. Now, Kev & Claire have been before so had a clear idea of how to tackle the lake. Marytn & Ian are France veterans and have been coming over the channel for 30 years+ but are used to fishing the large wind swept puplic waters, which can be very different that a small pressured venue. I think good bait does make a d…
Posted: 17th Aug 2014
What can I say that I haven't already said this season? you guessed it more bloody rain, I'm not one to moan, far from it, but this season has been terrible to say the least. The fishing over the last 7 weeks has been far from great, with every previous season by August time the big hits have started. Mark, Neil, Keith & Kyle are regular chaps who know ourselves and the fishery well, but they had to battle through a tough …
Posted: 11th Aug 2014
This morning had a very faint hint of Autumn in the air, with a cool, fresh start to the day combined with a heavy dew on the grass, and I hope the Carp are sensing a slight change in the time of the year!!! It's a full moon tonight so I would expect most of the action this week to take place in the daylight hours, but I have been proved wrong before now. The Bovril Brothers left with 3 out of the 4 taking a new pb but the fishing…
Posted: 4th Aug 2014
Well another week comes to a close and the group of 3 new guys who booked the lake went home with new Pb's under there belts!!! The fishing was patchy this week and lots of fish could be seen feeding in Pegs 2 & 5, but with no lines in there all week the fish seemed quite happy to stay put. I'm sure the lads won't mind me saying that the relaxing and social was an important part of their holiday, with the guys enjoying the atmosphere and…
Posted: 28th Jul 2014
I'm Back, still alive and kicking so don't worry. My wife had returned to the UK last week to visit family and enjoy a well earned break, so I was left with our twins boys for the week giving me the total run-a-round to be honest!!! It's been a very strange summer with the fishing being very inconsistant through June & July. There has been many reasons for this but the amount of fish hooked and lost has affected the overall numbers each week. On …
Posted: 15th Jul 2014
It's a late update which I apologise for but I have only just managed to swim back to the house!!!! What a week we have just endured, with 10 days of rain hammering the valley and giving us cause for concern to build an Ark!!! The two chaps who booked the lake explained at the beginning of the week, they had choosen July for a change hoping for some sunshine instead of grotty weather on previous French trips, well bloody Hell God give them a brea…
Posted: 8th Jul 2014
Well last week was cut very short with Mike leaving at Dawn on the Wednesday for urgent business needs but managing to bag a last night mid 20lb+ mirror from Peg 1. The week total ended with 4 fish only due to the week being cut short because we both felt signs of fish bubbling seemed to be increasing and a few more fish I'm sure would have followed. The best fish was the 38lb Mirror that put up an epic fight, followed by a 36lb 14oz, 31lb and 25lb 1…
Posted: 1st Jul 2014
Sorry for the late update and I've been trying to catch up with the jobs around the land over the last few days. Along with rolling my quad down the spit on the big lake last night which I won't go into!!, other than it's been a full engine strip down today to get her back up and running, well done you donkey!!!! It was a funny old week just gone, with the fish being very active and bubbling in the centre of the lake most of the week, but n…
Posted: 25th Jun 2014
Well it's been very warm over the last few weeks with a day of rain this week cooling things down a little but still 25-28oc most days. It has been a dry year so far with very little spring rainfall, but the lakes are holding up at top level so far. The weed has sprung up over the last 2 weeks which we have not seen for a good 4 years now. I did preempt this a little after removing all the Tench in the winter that have been keeping the water cloudy, …
Posted: 16th Jun 2014
We took the decision to close the doors this year for our first holiday in 7 years of running the business. The business has had our full attention from the start but with our young boys coming of age a well earned holiday was needed, so apologies for the lack of updates. The lads who left on June 7th finished on 13 fish with the best going 43lb. 3 fish over 40lb+, 7 x 30lb+ (to 38lb+) 3 x 20lb+ (to 28lb 8oz) and a handful of stockies not c…
Posted: 6th Jun 2014
Well this week could not be more of a contrast than the previous!! The fish spawned a couple of weeks ago as you know, followed by last week being a great result with the fish turning on the feed and a bonus of nearly all the fish coming out in the daylight hours. Well this week has been very different and I thought it would have been another big hit? The chaps this week arrived being led by Simon who came a couple of seasons ago, they had a 32lb…
Posted: 1st Jun 2014
Well what a cracking weeks fishing the chaps have just had, considering the fish had continued a little with the spawning and normally there is a lull afterwards, as the fish try and regain some strength after thrashing the lake water to a foam!! We had two lots of two fishing this week, of which father & son (John & Rich) only fished from 09.00am in the morning till around 21.30pm, opting to stay in our friends Gite each night. This turned o…
Posted: 27th May 2014
After the Trio of 50lb+ fish last Friday it was all change this week with the temps peaking at the change over weekend, triggering the fish into spawning first light on Sunday morning. It was a real shame for our group of 3 regulars arriving only the day before but nothing can be done when this scenario unfolds and the lads got to enjoy watching some big fish spawning right in front of Pegs 2,3,4,5 in the near margins for most of the day. Guy in …
Posted: 18th May 2014
What a week we have just had, highs and lows, ups & downs but a very magical ending to the week. I already commented on the weather midweek and it didn't get any better until the final few days. The cold N/E wind was biting, along with the hail, rain and lack of Sunshine the temps felt more like late Autumn and we all prayed for the sunshine. Ray in Peg 1 was catching slow & steady throughout the week with a lot of fish holding up in fro…
Posted: 14th May 2014
Well here we go again, the weather has turned on its head and the fish are perplexed what to do. This Spring has been very dry with no rain fall but the April showers seem to have arrived late in May, along with some very cold weather for this time of the year. When the lads arrived this week the fish were crashing in Pegs 4 & 5, also fish had been clouding the bottom up very close into Peg 3 also after no one fished it the week before. Peg …
Posted: 11th May 2014
Well back in play was not just the fish playing ball, but myself fixing the lake dunked camera!! Happy days. The weather was more settled this week but the fish are really wanting to spawn more than feed, with the males milting on the mats and the females looking very plump with mature eggs and swollen vents, telling me as soon as conditions are perfect they will commence. The fish on the 15 acre lake have spent two days in full swing of their sp…
Posted: 7th May 2014
A few days can make all the difference! with the weather proving to still be one of the key players. The lads this week have not done much different than the week before, even down to fishing some of the same spots, but with the sun shining and the fish moving, it's a very different story this week. In fine style today I made myself look a right plonker!!, when Richard in Peg 5 gave me a shout while I was cutting the grass, he wanted me to take a few…
Posted: 4th May 2014
Well what can be said about this week other than miserable, I really felt for the guys who had to put up with weather more like late Autumn than Spring. They arrived on Saturday to be met with rain, only to leave with it breaking the following Saturday and in turn putting the fish to sleep for most of the week. With over 50mm of cold rain this week the lakes are overflowing the monk as I type. John took a couple of fish on the first nig…
Posted: 28th Apr 2014
Another week comes to a close with high & lows along the way but the end result being another productive week. The weather has played the biggest role, being very similar to the week before with a frost one night and cold winds, then midweek absolutely roasting. The fish seemed to be concentrated in Peg 1 which was the case for Rob the week before, and Dave capitalised on this early in the week. The water has remained quite clear and it's evident…
Posted: 20th Apr 2014
We have experienced very changeable weather this week which had a remarkable effect on the fishes behaviour but the outcome was a very impressive catch report. One of our regular groups had been split on the way down because of a vehicle breakdown, but luckly for Dave he had insurance cover which saved some of his bacon, covering hotels and a replacement vehicle, but they had to stay put in a hotel until Monday, resulting in arriving late on…
Posted: 13th Apr 2014
Before I type up last weeks report I wanted to share a letter left by Graham a couple of weeks ago when we first opened for this season. I was a little taken back to be honest because the big dafty is not the kind to show any emotion other than a wind-up!!! DIVINE INSPIRATION Before our arrival to The Sanctuary Fishery we stayed the Friday night in Bourges, a beautiful town stooped in history. After feeling a little unwell on the Friday night I was …
Posted: 6th Apr 2014
It could not have been a more cracking start to the season, not just the fishing but the weather has been bliss, signalling the start of Spring in full bloom. I think when the chaps arrived the fish had just started moving and waking up & starting to look for food in earnest. The bulk of the fish seemed to be shoaled up in front of Peg 3/4 and as the week wore on with the sun starting to penetrate the upper layers increasing t…
Posted: 23rd Mar 2014
From the picture below you would think looking out from the wooden cabin that the blue sky was late spring, and it has felt so in the sunshine this week. But this evening we have been hit with a very moody hailstorm with temps dropping to 3oc and feeling very different than earlier this week. It's set to be coooler for the week ahead, but the forcast is picking up towards next weekend just in time for the start of the season which will …
Posted: 16th Mar 2014
Its been sometime since the last blog so please excuse, we have been back to the UK for the annual visit to stock up on supplies for the business and catch friends and family up which is always a highlight for us. A good friend has been continuing the work at the fishery while we were away and the lakes and fish are all in good order. We have returned to the most Glorious sunshine touching 20oc some days, full sun and feeling a a little warmer than p…
Posted: 2nd Feb 2014
Over the last couple of days we have had a break from the grey wet skies of the last couple of months with the sun breaking through. Just to see a little sun combined with gaining another hour before nightfall tells me we are on the other side of winter. I could hear the Chiffchaff calling away in the naked landscape which always gives that warm feeling of Spring around the corner. Don't get me wrong, if the wind switches to the east again combined wi…
Posted: 22nd Jan 2014
I have had a breather today while tidying the lakes up and removing all the equipment used on the drain down.The weather has taken a huge nose dive today with a very hard frost and temps down to -4 this morning. It has been a very wet 12 months as you all know back in Blighty, which has made it a very messy job over the winter. I guess a lot of people wonder why I bother to drain the lakes so I will give you a rough idea what it has entailed…
Posted: 21st Jan 2014
Happy New Year to all and we hope you had an enjoyable festive period!!! It's been sometime since the last blog but I have only just returned the fish back into the lake after the draindown totalling 8 weeks right over Christmas. It's seen highs & lows, but has been very successful indeed, combined with the weather favouring me throughout the draindown, which has been a major stroke of luck. There is so much to mention that I will spread it out o…
Posted: 10th Dec 2013
The final Oak leaves are falling this week signalling that the depth of Winter is truly upon us now, combined with the cold clear skies the colours can only be described as beautiful in their own right. It's a quiet time of year with the lakes being void of anglers, but the Wildlife too is either in a deep slumber or having migrated to warmer pastures for the Winter period. Apart from the abudance of White Egrets cashing in on the lake draindown bount…
Posted: 26th Nov 2013
Evening All, we have been lost in Space now for a good month after the end of the season and that has not been by design. We have had a problem with the site stopping all access to the content management system so we have not been able to update the blog, sorry about that. We have been given the gohead today, so I thought it's time to fill you in about what's taken place recently. It's been a consistant year throughout for most weeks, combined with g…
Posted: 28th Oct 2013
We have just had the new clothing arrive this week and I have added them to the website. The first batch of 100 garments have been sold with the promotional offer, but we knew they could be improved. It's very difficult delving into a new area without making mistakes along the way, and we had major trouble in this department. We found the hoodies to be on the smaller side than a standard garment, also inconsistences with the Embroidery and s…
Posted: 27th Oct 2013
The second to last week comes to a close and the weather has been very mild to say the least but with some heavy rain on and off all week. It has caused havoc with the back bay work for me and I even managed to get a massive "Case" tractor and 10 ton trailer stuck for the second time this year which went down like a lead ballon with the farm!!! If the rain stops I will be filling the backbay in the next 10 days and it's looking fantastic. My…
Posted: 20th Oct 2013
The weather has been a massive stark contrast to the previous weeks weather, which was very mild and lots of fish showing and feeding. The week felt like winter with only the fog on the Sunday morning holding back our first frost. Before I touch on the fishing this week I need to mention a Rig issue that took place a couple of weeks ago. Due to one thing or another I have not had chance to mention it but a fish was trailing a rig …
Posted: 13th Oct 2013
What a great weeks fishing the lads have had this week with the first part of the week being mild and the fish feeding hard for the winter ahead. All the lads had 40lb+ fish and each Peg produced throughout the week. I'm not sure if the cold end to the week was the issue but 3 out of the 4 lads had back problems over the week, they said is was all the big fish they were lifting, I think they were just a bunch of Geriatrics!! Now not forgetting S…
Posted: 9th Oct 2013
We have two regular lads on this week fishing with two "New comers" from Liverpool & Wales. Colin & Bez are loving it down there this week and in Famous Liverpudlian style everything is Boss!!! They have seen more fish crashing over their spots in the first 24hrs than they have seen all year on a tough Northern water back in Blighty so they have been like a pair of kids in a sweet shop.The fish are very active late evening time and throug…
Posted: 6th Oct 2013
What a change in the weather this week from the previous, the temps have been slowly dropping over the course of the last 4 weeks and most of the animals including the fish have sensed the change and have started preperation for the winter ahead. Two weeks ago we had a couple of days of very hot weather which was unusual for the time of the year, but this week we have had some very heavy rain indeed with over 2" falling on the Saturday chang…
Posted: 6th Oct 2013
What a change in the weather this week from the previous, the temps have been slowly dropping over the course of the last 4 weeks and most of the animals including the fish have sensed the change and have started preperation for the winter ahead. Two weeks ago we had a couple of days of very hot weather which was unusual for the time of the year, but this week we have had some very heavy rain indeed with over 2" falling on the Saturday chang…
Posted: 29th Sep 2013
It's been a great week all round from a fishing perspective, company, great angling and most of all a learning curve for myself too that these fish are getting in on the bait almost straight away and they "Are Doing You" so to speak, if your rigs are not working efficient. Each week a new group of anglers arrive as keen as the previous weeks group, all hoping for a new PB, along with some steady sport over their weeks fishing. All we want for ev…
Posted: 29th Sep 2103
Just a quick update in relation to the 15 acre lake progress. I have attached a picture of the main Island in the far bay that has been completed today. I have kept the Island a long slim shape so the predominent winds from the West & East run down the length of the island instead of a round shape that probably would lose its shape over time with the wave action crashing against it. There is around 35 yards at the back of the Island from the far b…
Posted: 22nd Sep 2013
What a huge change in the weather we have had this week with it turning much cooler along with some very heavy rain for the first 3 days of the week, with no less than 40mm of raining falling on the Saturday night and you guessed it, the back bay flooded once again!!! I have been pumping the water out and managed to get the digger back on the 15 acre lake bed on the Friday so I lost a complete week which is not ideal so late in the year…
Posted: 16th Sep 2013
We have just been informed that a customer has sent 3 seperate emails that have all bounced back from the website. We have been in touch with our web managment team today to let them know the issue. If anyone has sent an email of late and have not had a response please be aware of this issue and just give us a call on 0033 248 74 90 16, or send an email direct to [email protected] Many thanks for your patience if you have been trying to…
Posted: 15th Sep 2013
It's been a crazy week from start to finish with the Heade Brothers and Dave & John with us for the second time this year. All I can think is they put something in the water in Stoke-On-Trent, because talk about insane in the nicest possible way is all that can describe this week, and somethings will be left unmentioned!!!! Now each session for the lads is a swim change on every visit and somehow whichever swim the Heade brothers drop in they see…
Posted: 8th Sep 2013
Well another week comes to a close and our Regular Chap "Tony T" this time teamed up with his good mate "Tony" and like always was a pleasure to have here along with a good bit of angling all round, with the week building steadly. Tony dropped in Peg 1 with anticipation running high, with the string of good fishing down this end of the lake this season. Tony T opted for Peg 3 as his base camp for the nightime fishing, then moving throughout the day to…
Posted: 1st Sep 2013
Well the best came on the last week of August and I had said in the last Blog that August would set on fire like every year, but this time it was a little later than normal. This year has seen everything around 1 month behind, in relation to the very cold wet Spring, and even now the Apples and other fruit on the trees are far behind picking than a normal year, and this is likewise with the fishing. The fish this week were looking …
Posted: 25th Aug 2013
Well another week comes to a close and it was a good weeks fishing with the Fabulous four again. Barry ,Billy ,Pete & Arthur come each season and have a good session each year, but no boats allowed did put Barry on edge a little, but he soon realised they are not needed to catch here and he can put a rig in the water without landing in the trees if he tries!!!! Joking aside the lads were catching every 24hrs and the fish once again had the sa…
Posted: 18th Aug 2013
Well the picture says it all really!!! 40lb of Grass Carp saying no to the camera lens and leaving Adam in Peg 3 bewildered. It was another great week of company from one of our regular groups, and the fishing was quite good too. All the lads were catching every 24 hrs, with the main feeding spell being late evening 20.00pm-23.00pm and through the night time too. The days have been very quiet of late with the fish feeding when the air temp just starts…
Posted: 15th Aug 2013
With a drop in temperature giving us lovely misty mornings when the lake water temp is warmer than the cool air, the fish are now moving onto beds of bait at last. This weather is so typical of August, and you can feel that slight nip of cool air in the evenings down in the valley, which always seems to be a trigger for the fish after 2 months of very hot weather, and it's now time for a few fish to grace the banks I think!!!! After last week when the…
Posted: 11th Aug 2013
Well it's another week over, and a few more stories to tell!! First of all we just wanted to say what a cracking group we have just had, newcomers here and not just good anglers but good people to boot, which makes the job so worth while. Kev & Alex booked the lake along with Clare joining the group for a week of rest and sunshine, along with my new mate "Willow". She was a Big, black labrador who was the easiest dog in the world to win over with …
Posted: 4th Aug 2013
Well it's just been over 12 months since the new website went live and we are just under 30,000 clicks so far on the blog!!! I can appreciate that a percentage will be other lake owners in France and also our regular guys clicking on each week wanting to keep informed of how things are going. That's around 500 clicks each week so it just goes to show that it's all been worth while. I still believe the main ingredient for running a successfu…
Posted: 28th Jul 2013
Well it's been another week of great company and a few fish on the bank despite the unreal weather. Ben came with his Dad and Rob like last year but with another group member in the shape of Big Dave, with size 15 feet this guy lived up to his name and he could almost walk on water like a Moorhen over lily pads!!! What a great angler and I have not seen someone work so hard for a long time, he was like a cat on a hot tin roof depsite temps peaking at…
Posted: 21st Jul 2013
It's been another great week of laughs and mocking, but the fishing side of things has not been great. To be honest Paul who comes each year is more of a good friend these days who never fishes hard at all, and truly knows how to enjoy his holiday and the finer things in life!!!, albeit being a good angler. The 3 lads who booked the lake enjoyed the intense summer sun and as they called it "A Pint Of Rough cider" direct from the local cider farm,…
Posted: 17th Jul 2013
Hot, Hot, Hot and getting HOTTER!!!! It's been the hottest day of the year today touching 34oc in the shade and being 30oc+ every day this week in the shade. The fish and the lads seem lethargic and talk about sleep. Mr Guest comes here each year and is a man who enjoys the sun and the special experience that The Sanctuary offers, but he really is catching up on his beauty sleep!! The first morning I came down with breakfast he had set no B…
Posted: 12th Jul 2013
Well it's been red hot all week and set to continue through next week without a cloud in the sky. The Brummies have all caught fish and fish over 40lb+ for each of them which is good going considering the conditions. Once the fish settle down after spawning which can take a week or two, they start feeding again even if the weather is warm, I think they have adapted to their environment and you rarely see them swimming around the surface like you …
Posted: 9th Jul 2013
Just a quick email in relation to issues with contacting us. We have had 4 different enquires over the last week requesting spaces available, but we are unable to reply as there are no contact details, this applies to the booking form too. If you don't put your email address and contact phone number on the form we cannot get back to you. It's very important you fill this information in via the website contact page/booking form, any prob…
Posted: 7th Jul 2013
Well another week comes to a close and it's been a week of laughs and good fun all round. Phil in Peg 3 seemed to be the most consistent taking the 3 fish over 40lb+ by fishing pellet and boilie off the tree line at the base of the far bank slope. I think his little and often approach combined with not fishing to close to the far bank played a part in his success. Paul never landed the Zander he was hoping for but did have a screaming run on the Roach…
Posted: 5th Jul 2013
Where do I start with this blog? We have had a few stories over the years of running the fishery but these lads have taken the Trophy on many levels. The comedy of errors is just hilarious and far to long too list, but this little story will give you an idea!!! Keith & Phil are brothers with Steve and Paul making the 4th anglers of the group. They went to the supermarket on Sunday to stock up ready for a BBQ that evening. Now they blame being tir…
Posted: 2nd Jul 2013
As promised this update is all about Rigs with the Pro's & Con's of Rig choice at the Fishery.This is not about "Teaching your gran how to suck eggs" but the information has been gathered from careful observation over the last 7 years of running the Fishery. My main worry with hookpulls is the mouth damage more than the reduced catch rate, or anglers potentially losing the fish of a lifetime. I think more damage is caused to the Car…
Posted: 30th Jun 2013
A great week has been had by all with the fish playing ball and a laugh a minute with the new group. Picture Tom, 10 stone wet through and looking like a skinned Rabbit sunning his body in the summer sun down at the lake!!! You could not meet a more cheeky chap modelling himself on Liam Gallagher but looking more like Steptoe and Son!!!!!What a Legend. Well he played the dangerous game of moving swims after a few days when he was catching!!!!! S…
Posted: 27th Jun 2013
Well things are really starting to improve each day with another 16 fish landed over the last few days. Some fish were still spawning late last night, and in the early hours, but the bulk of the fish have completed the task. It looks like it could be the bigger fish that are the last to go, which seems to be the norm with the larger fish taking that bit longer to "come into" condition. Fish to 39lb 12oz and lots of fish in the 32lb-33lb bracket and s…
Posted: 24th Jun 2013
Well it looks like the spawning is finished, and if not the majority is over now. After the frolics last Sunday the rest of the week was very quiet, as if all the fish had melted away into the depths with very little to be seen. I have seen this pattern time and time again, when after the spawning has finished there is a slience when the fish are almost catching their breath like a mother giving birth I guess. After this lull the feeding starts a…
Posted: 18th Jun 2013
Well after last weeks escapades the fish started spawning again on the Sunday after the last group left, this carried on a little on Monday and there are still groups of fish milling around together, and swimming in lines down in Peg 5. Have they finished is anyone's guess, but there will be a big hit for someone soon once they decide to start feeding again. It has been very stormy this week so far, with temps approaching 30oc and feel…
Posted: 16th Jun 2013
Well another week has come to a close and once again the fish are not playing ball. The last 3 weeks have been very up and down due to the constant change in the weather, confusing the fish with water temp fluctuating massively. It seems from the females caught this week that some have spawned with very flat bellies followed by other fish that are still very plump and waiting to get on with it. I think because conditions changed abrutly last week the …
Posted: 11th Jun 2013
I have not updated the blog for a while due to little to report being honest.The 2 chaps last week had to work hard for their fish but also enjoyed the peace and tranquility that is always present here regardless of the time of year!!! After the big spawning on the Thursday night it was very quiet afterwards, with the fish laying up with very little signs at all for most of the week. Jeff stayed in Peg 1 for the week after moving from Peg 2 …
Posted: 6th Jun 2013
Well the answer to last weeks hard fishing became apparent just after the weekend, with the fish on the 15 acre lake bursting into spawning mode followed by the 7 acre lake starting on Monday. It seemed to be the young stock fish getting things going again, followed by the larger fish thrashing the water to a foam in the early hours down in Pegs 1 & 2. Jeff relayed the story this morning when around 2.00am it was like somebody had flicked a switch…
Posted: 2nd Jun 2013
Well what an absolute killer of a week, and the worst we have seen here at the fishery since we opened the doors 7 years ago. Sometimes you can analyze the lake and fishes behaviour until you tie your head in knots, but the top and bottom of this weeks results is the crazy weather we have been experiencing all winter/spring. We had a nice day on the Tuesday but not enough to counteract the massive drop in water temp. The cold rain has continued this w…
Posted: 28th May 2013
Well we have had a fantastic encounter over the last 24 hrs, which the picture attached shows it all its glory. Yesterday we had one of the warmest days of the year with a beautiful sunny day giving us all some much needed sun on our backs!!! The lads had mentioned there had been an Owl hunting the grass bank behind Pegs 1-3 early in the morning, and this had been mentioned by the previous group the week earlier. But late morning he ret…
Posted: 24th May 2013
At last we have done the first 50lb+ fish of the season, which seems to have taken a few months, but never too late. I deliberately fed them nothing over the winter to make sure all fat reserves were utilised, and the fish were fighting fit which all anglers have commented on, but this held the weights back a tad for the start of this year, which reiterates our Ethos of "Quality over Quantity". I'm sure once the year progresses we will be se…
Posted: 19th May 2013
Another week has passed and it could'nt have been more enjoyable. It was a family affair, with Geraint, his brother "Big Lewis" and Dad Alun pitting their wits against the fish. The lads came a couple of years ago and it was great to see them again because there are'nt enough people in the world as genuine as this group, top lads all round. Now the "Meat Monster" in peg 4 had put a few extra lb's on since we last saw him, and I'm not t…
Posted: 12th May 2013
It's all about the Pink Pop-ups said the Pink Panther!!!! I've seen some bright pop-ups over my time but these bad boys burn your retina out. Spencer, fishing peg 3 seemed to be getting his fish using these bright baits on top of a bottom bait, Snowman style, but over the course of the week he changed his bait more times than I've had hot dinners, and it did turn out well for him. The fishing was a week of highs and lows for not the first time t…
Posted: 6th May 2013
Here is John's 41lb from last week, not sure what happened on the last post!!!!! …
Posted: 5th May 2013
Sacre bleu!!! Is all I could say to John in Peg 3. After delivering his breakfast he turns round and comes out with " What is that bird singing all night, it needs shooting" I reply "it's a nightingale you plonker", and I would not mind but he is a keen bird watcher!!! So that gives you and idea what was to come with his Mad brother (Crackoff Dave) in peg 4 who decided to do a bit of nature watching and star gazing for 3 days forgetting to but a…
Posted: 3rd May 2013
We have just had the arrival of our first batch of the new clothing range, this will be an ongoing venture with more designs to follow that will be in Limited Edition runs to keep it fresh and original. We have chosen to use The Sanctuary Fishery emblem which has been our original design from the start. The left breast logo on the T-shirts and Hoodies is embroidered to give a real sense of quality and durability, this will last the…
Posted: 28th Apr 2013
Just a quick one, I have been down to the lake this afternoon with Bod in peg 1 telling me about his epic battle. He has just hooked a fish to the right of the monk after he was sat next to the rods and his middle rod went into "melt down", being pulled off the rests. He picked the rod up and with the drag locked-up, the fish kited across the front of the monk grating his line as he held on. After a lengthy fight the fish is guided into the net only f…
Posted: 28th Apr 2013
What a weeks fishing!! The lake has fished it's socks off this week but before I tell you all about it there is a story that cannot go untold. Mike & Dave who are regulars brought a 3rd person along this time which was Darren in Peg 1. What a weeks fishing this chap had with over a dozen fish in his net within the first 24 hours, he was onto something special. After the drive and being up all night he looked exhausted and explained he had pr…
Posted: 21st Apr 2013
What the Hell happened this week? What a contrast and there has been no better example of how the weather plays a massive roll in the Carps feeding behaviour, which I will explain further. We have been a good 2 weeks behind with the weather so far this season, and with the temps being so cold the water had only risen to 8oc the second week of opening, going of past records we are normally around 10-12oc first week and climbing fast as the days un…
Posted: 15th Apr 2013
What a week it's been weather wise!!! Graham,John & Dave have really had to battle the elements this week with the cold N/E wind blowing right through you for the first half of the week, and then suffering flood conditions for the latter part of their week. I don't think the fish know what to do with the conditions and they have not woken up from winter yet. Midweek we had 70mm of rain in 48 hours flooding the shower block out even with towel…
Posted: 10th Apr 2013
All our Regular Guy's who have been coming each year will relate to this Blog because The "Wookie Dog" has been part of Team Sanctuary Since Day 1. The Old Girl passed away today after taking a turn for the worse over the last 3 weeks. I don't think she ever fully recovered from eating the Poison last year and has not been herself since then. This morning she even made her last march down to the lake and sat outside Johns Bivvy in Peg 3, I carri…
Posted: 8th Apr 2013
Could not resist this one, not a perfect picture and one of the smaller fish in the lake, but what a peach!!!! Don't get better looking than this one. That's it for now and we will be back later in the week. Team Out. …
Posted: 8th Apr 2013
Here is the 49lb 9 oz from last week, peg 1 to great lad Karl. Weather still is like winter and the water clarity is nothing like I have seen at this time of the year, where is that Sun??????? Over & Out Team Sanctuary…
Posted: 7th Apr 2013
Well the temp in the Title is not a lie but the real Temp was "41oc BELOW"!! It has been bitter all week with such a cold N/E wind hacking down the lakes keeping the weather feeling like mid January more than April. Most nights it has been -4oc and not much better in the day with the sun shining very little. On the Tuesday we had almost a flash freeze in the early hours and it froze Pauls pop-up testing tank solid, which is a 4" deep rectangle, w…
Posted: 31st Mar 2013
The weather has been bitter for the latter part of the week and it has been around 2oc for most of the day on Friday with the odd flurry of snow and a biting N/E wind. The fish have slowed down a little, with the temp drop again and the water has started to become gin clear again in the margins with that lovely aqua/blue colour tinge to it. The lads arrived yesterday and all in good spirts despite setting up in freezing conditions and rain, we got al…
Posted: 27th Mar 2013
This week we have seen a couple of nice days of 17oc which has brought the water temp up to 8oc and really has burst the lakes into life. The fish are feeding well over the free feed that's going in each day and the water has become quite cloudy with the sudden change in fish activity, along with fish crashing and even spooking directly infront of the pegs while doing my rounds. I have just checked last years diary and we were getting temps of 20oc i…
Posted: 19th Mar 2013
I have just completed the Zander pond drain down and transfered the adults into their spawning pond for the spring. I lot of you will think what have Zander got to do with carp fishing because that's why you come to France each year to catch Carp. I have put all manner of subjects other than carp on the blog this winter and to be frank there is nothing going on with the Carp because they are getting their winter rest ready for the new year ahead and i…
Posted: 17th Mar 2013
Sorry there have been no updates over the last 3 weeks but we returned to the UK again, which is the first time we have done so twice in a winter since living in France. No doubt you all saw the weather on the news of the snow storm hitting France and Holland, well you guessed it, we were one of thousands stuck in the north of France heading home and with the car not moving a metre in 21 hours with 3 kids and tempera…
Posted: 9th Feb 2013
Well what a weeks it's been from the last update. I finished off with the draining of the Back-bay and harvesting the fish just before dark. I put all the silver fish into a holding pen ready for delivery the following day, I called it a night & with no less than 30 minutes before dark, the weather took a turn for the worse and I thank my lucky stars for getting the job done in the nick of time.On awaking the following morning it was buc…
Posted: 31st Jan 2013
In relation to the end of the last blog when I stated " Getting in with my waders on" I take that off the cuff remark back and it will teach me for being a smart arse!!! Well it's been a week of serious graft and I'm not shy pulling my sleeves up but god it's been hard going. The weather has now switched as they'd forecast and I have been moaning about the very cold weather and snow holding the back bay draindown up for a good two weeks, but now it's…
Posted: 27th Jan 2013
It feels like deep winter at the moment with the ever changing weather being very unpredictable each week, from snow to ice, rain with strong winds, but next week is forcast wet and mild? We shall see. I have been treated 2 mornings on the trot with a Barn Owl flying off the wood shed roof at the break of dawn when I let the "Wookie" out, he then glides over the field in front of the house circling the whole perimetre of the hedgerow, …
Posted: 16th Jan 2013
It's been very cold over the last couple of nights and this morning both lakes are covered with a thin layer of ice. I have slowed the draining down of the back bay while the cold sets in, but it's forcast to come back up to 4oc next week so hopefully I can get cracking and complete the Job? we shall see. I have attached a picture of one of the young Mirrors I netted yesterday from the back bay, and the aim was to breed a small number of selected fis…
Posted: 14th Jan 2013
Over the last week we have had another deluge of rain with over 70 mm falling in one night, which saw the lakes rise over 12", and the valley was filling up fast and looking more like another lake than grass fields. I have had the sluice gate open and clear of debris, and it's been a daily task to keep things clear and free flowing to get rid of the excess water ASAP. This has set me back a week, with the back bay only just maintaining it's level…
Posted: 10th Jan 2013
Happy new Year to all and we hope you had a great Christmas and New Year. We reutrned to the Uk for the first time this Christmas and it was a much needed break for both Jayne & I, but most of all for the kids to catch up with the family. We had such a cracking xmas with many laughs, beers & wine consumed, and a good catch up!! Now we are back in France and settled in again we are starting to plan the year ahead but need that …
Posted: 10th Dec 2012
I have just finished a Perch study drawing this evening which is available from the merchandise page of the website. It will be double mounted, ready for framing and is 40cm x 30cm size, on 290 gram art paper. Hopefully the pictures will do the piece justice so you can see the detail but if you require further close up images of each fish please feel free to contact me. It will be in the post for Christmas if anyone is looking for an or…
Posted: 9th Dec 2012
Its been quiet of late as we build up to Christmas and with the first flurry of snow a few days ago winter is truley upon us. With the lakes being nestled down in the valley they do benefit from the extra sunshine in the summer, but at this time of the year it's role reversal with the cold hugging the lakes throughout the winter and it is noticable as you walk from the house down to the lakes, you do feel the temperature decrease. I have not seen man…
Posted: 25th Nov 2012
It's been another busy week with jobs to do each day, but had a nice family day today and went fishing for a few hours in the evening with Gabriel my eldest Son. It was just a bit of fun on the float rod but we pitted our wits down on the stream first of all to try and bag a Wildie but the young man made more noise than a charging Rhino and killed the swim dead. I baited up again for a solo revisit and set off to check the stock ponds and wet a line i…
Posted: 20th Nov 2012
It really feels like a winter's day with the whole valley smothered in a thick blanket of fog and the temp dropping to 7oc for the last few days. The fish are still quite active and the 7 acre lake is now full to the brim again but the water is coloured due to the fish moving around. The stockponds are full and flowing out after their draindown and sterilisation and it's good to see water flowing here, there and everywhere for a change. The cranes ar…
Posted: 14th Nov 2012
Well one thing is for the certain the fish will not be bored this winter? With over 2 dozen CD's hanging off the predator lines over the lake they have a chose of Busted, Finding Rita and the best of Take-That (not mine) to keep them happy!!! It's been a week of cutting the trees back along the far bank and with the bait boat ban now in place I wanted to prune the trees back a little harder to prevent the fish hiding up under the far bank bushes. I h…
Posted: 8th Nov 2012
I've been working through my job list at a nice leisurely pace which makes a change for me, and enjoying these crisp winter mornings and lovely warm sunshine days if you're wrapped up and stay out of the wind!!! I even saw a couple of Dragonfly's over the big lake yesterday which is a first for this time of the year. The fish on the large lake are quite active with lots of shows over in the far bay, but the 7 acre lake is quiet after the doors have cl…
Posted: 4th Nov 2012
What a week!!!!!! To say it was punishing is an understatement but starting off on a positive, it's the end of the season!!!!!!! YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS. I think the family needs the break this time, and we are looking forward to tackling small jobs over the winter with no drain downs and more about recouping our energy for 2013. The weather was just too much of a change and sometimes Mother Nature has the final say, and this week was the case. The l…
Posted: 1st Nov 2012
It's all gone quiet is an understatement, the lake has closed shop this week with the massive temperature change. They did forcast this to happen and they were right this time!!! To go from 23oc the week before to -3oc this week at night and not getting up to 10oc in the day it is just too extreme. The water has gone gin clear over the last few days and the two lads have worked hard but to no avail which is a real shame for them. Odd fish showing…
Posted: 28th Oct 2012
BBBBrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr, it's gone cold & what a shock for the fish this will be. It dropped to -3oc last night with a very hard frost everywhere and the contrast from last week of 23oc max and T-shirts is stark. I do feel the two lads on for the last week of the season will find it hard going just because of the massive temperture change, but hey, anything can happen at this time of the year and some good fish have been coming out for the…
Posted: 25th Oct 2012
Well I had a nice surprise this morning while doing my rounds, at this time of the year the Coypu can be on the move as winter is encroaching and even though I now have the numbers reduced to nearly Zero, they will come up from the stream around this time of the year if allowed to do so. Well, I poked my head through the cage door and a Pine Marten was in there, no harm done at all because the doors just close shut and he is contained inside, but I tr…
Posted: 22nd Oct 2012
We are all still enjoying this crazy weather and today I was too hot in my T-shirt, what is going on? Dave in peg 1 has caught a tan in less than two days and the fish are enjoying the welcome temperature rise and crashing over most areas of the lake throughout the night. They are predicting a massive temp drop next weekend and back to normal seasonal weather so we will have to get ready for the change, and fish included. Dave in peg 1 is a…
Posted: 21st Oct 2012
What a week with so many ups & downs over the course of the week. The mixed group of 2 lots of 2 worked hard all week and even though 3 out of the 4 smashed their pb's, poor old Nick could not put a fish in the net. This has happened so few times I can count on one hand over the years of running the business, and believe you me angling ability had nothing to do with it. He fished his Nuts off all week but the fish did not want to pick up in p…
Posted: 19th Oct 2012
What a turn around with the weather, after all that cold rain plummeting the water temp by 7 oc it has turned full circle with a very strong Southerly wind and 22oc!!! You could not call the change and it reminds me of the last week of the season in 2011 when the same big warm wind whipped up and some very special fish came out. I think the fish and animals have not got a clue what to do, is it winter or spring?, do I eat or hibernate? Yesterday ther…
Posted: 15th Oct 2012
Well just a bit of info on the wildlife front which seems to be alive at the present!!! The rain subsided last night and even though the water temp has plummeted, Neil in peg 1 put the first fish on the bank this week with a stunning Mirror of 49lb 12oz!!! It was in lovely winter colours with a deep orange underside and tail, he also lost a couple due to a branch falling in from the storm yesterday, which I had to remove with the boat this morning. I…
Posted: 14th Oct 2012
What a week, we have had more rain this week than has fallen all year with 135mm over the last 7 days, it has made me realise how debilitating this wet weather can be and sympathise with my brothers for their moaning about the weather back in the northwest of England this year!!!!!! It's easy to take this wonderful climate we have here for granted and it brings me to a question a lot of new punters ask, "What is the best time of year to fish"? …
Posted: 9th Oct 2012
Just a quick test picture to check the blog pictures can now be added, this is one of the few pic's I have from last week which is not the biggest but a lovely fish. Roger is getting to old these days so anything a good 30lb+ he just put's in the cradle, quick picture both sides for my log, and then back they go. I think it's more to do with not wanting to get slime on that clean, pressed shirt!!!! Very wet and mild at the moment and the fish started…
Posted: 7th Oct 2012
A last minute booking for this week just gone was made up of one of our regular lads Roger, and two other chaps on their first trip to France. It was a strange week with ups and downs but I do think the weather played its part again over the course of the week. It's very mild at the moment and temperatures has been fluctating each week, with mild lovely warm days of 22oc+, it has also been dropping down to 3oc one night and then up to 15oc the n…
Posted: 30th Sep 2012
Another week of regulars in the shape of the Stoke Brothers arriving for the second time this year, and it is always a week to look forward to with plenty of laughs and a few tales along the way!!! Now John in Peg 4 I think is starting to lose his marbles, apart from putting things down and not remembering where they are, he "swears blind" he could hear a Delkim alarm going off behind his bivvy late Friday night. Now his brother Dave in pe…
Posted: 24th Sep 2012
The number 37 has cropped up again after the 37lb mirror doing battle for 37 minutes, but this time we have 37mm of rain on Friday, which is the very first drop we have seen for over 3 months. To say it has been another dry summer is an understatement, and once again the land is looking parched like Africa. The lakes have held up well with the weather conditions but the rain was very welcome, and the fish did respond!! The chaps all fished well …
Posted: 19th Sep 2012
It's half way through week 24 and the fish are now having a feed-up for the autumnal change. 24 fish landed so far and hardly any losses which is good to see, and all 3 lads have caught good fish. Mr Grants Group came here 2 seasons ago so they were very surprised how much the lake had matured and settled down after the major lake bed work that took place in the winter/ spring of 2009/2010, and I have to agree that the lakes have never looke…
Posted: 16th Sep 2012
Week 24 has now passed and the lads from Macc were great company once again and it turned out a good week in the end. But on a more bitter note before the catch report, Graham had a fish take him under the Willows on the far bank in peg 3, and he went out in the boat to sort it on the Friday. The fish had shed the hook but he said he thought a fish was tethered because they was a mass of bubbles erupting from under the bush when he was out in the boa…
Posted: 9th Sep 2012
Another week has passed and what a strange week it was with the lake turning once again on the flip of a coin on the Saturday change over. Mr Thompson one of our regulars arrived with Paul who came a few years back to pit their wits but it was a week of chasing? Tony has had the Grave Digger Common 3 times in as many years coming here, all on the same very unusual bait, but this time he brought something different and I'm not sure if it worked well? A…
Posted: 3rd Sep 2012
It was one of them moments that you had to be there because the timing was priceless.Keith from last weeks group had been talking with Mark & Neil in peg 2 when a single bleep on his bite alarm signaled his middle rod was about to "one tone" so he sprinted back to his peg. At this point Mark shout's down "Is all good" and Keith bends down to get something from his bivvy and replys with "I'm In" to get the lads going!! The timing was pure quality b…
Posted: 29th Aug 2012
To say the fish are ripping the bottom up is an under statement!!! I think it has been a long time coming that the fish are now in every corner of the lake and feeding hard on naturals & bait!! The change with the baitboat rules has turned things around much quicker than I had hoped and no doubt it's for all to see. The Liverpool lads are "having it away" now and they have worked the pattern out with baiting ,resting swims, & really are …
Posted: 26th Aug 2012
Well last week has been and gone with Kev & Jon who have come here for the last 3 years, enjoying another week of chilling out and bagging fish over 40lb each. Jon is a fantastic angler but I'm sure they wont mind me saying that it was just as much a week or recuperation along with bagging a few. They did relax for most of the week and did not fish "all out", but on Thursday when they got their heads on the game they landed 8 f…
Posted: 23rd Aug 2012
We have the last slot of the this season available for 2 anglers which is the week commencing 27th October-3rd November. It all depends on the weather at this time of the year but there is a chance of something very special being caught with the fish in tip-top winter colours & condition. If you're after a last minute trip please get in touch. The weather has just started to turn, and today has been 30oc in the shade instead of 40oc, so the drop …
Posted: 21st Aug 2012
After the Facebook mayhem with the Black & White fish resulting in the front cover of Anglers Mail, this week things have not cooled down to say the least!!! If anything it has hotted up?! The weather at the weekend has touched 40oc and it truly feels like you are walking into an oven, it's being compared to the summer of 2003 when so many people died in France due to the heatwave, and we are experiencing the same kind of temp but hopefully for n…
Posted: 19th Aug 2012
What a week, the weather has been red hot and today it's close to an historical high for this region of France, getting close to 40oc in the shade. The crazy thing is the fish are still on the feed and the lads had a cracking week with fish still coming out at the height of the midday sun when you would never think of catching!! You can never call this game. Young Billy Boilie had more big fish than Captain Birds Eye down in peg 1 & 2, teame…
Posted: 14th Aug 2012
Week 19 is now over and we are already into week 20 of the season, good job really because the big fellas from last week had "cleared us out" of sausages and if they had stayed for another week they may have eaten Wookie!!! It was another great week with good company and the week ended with 40 fish in the bag. Fish coming from all ends of the lake and all the lads landing fish. It was not a week of big fish which could have been due to a bait, w…
Posted: 8th Aug 2012
Just a quick message to say one of the groups has had to cancel their trip due to ill health and the week has now become available. If anyone is looking for a last minute trip this year, the week is normally a "prime time" week and commences the 29th Sept-6th Oct 2012, If you are interested just get in contact for more details. Week 19 is underway and it's still fishing very well, no massive fish of yet but the fish are just starting to recover after…
Posted: 5th Aug 2012
It's Monday morning and I'm going down to Peg 1 with the breakfasts for the new lads, "What are you doing?" I said to Ben "Talking to the rods mate", was his reply, "My Dad did it last night and he had a 31lb mirror!!" At this point I'm laughing my socks off because he is deadly serious, and then he says, "John And Rob in pegs 4 & 5 have been doing it and had fish, so I thought I would give it a go while no one was looking!!" I repl…
Posted: 31st Jul 2012
Week 18 and it's a new group on the lake, the fish are now starting to really wake up and I think a massive hit is on the cards anytime soon. 9 fish out so far with 5 on the bank last night with a 43lb 8oz being the best, along with 4 x 30lb+ and some tasty 25lb+ Grassies. If they keep the fish feeding on the beds of Pellet/Boilie no doubt a few more fish will be coming out this week. I have been down to the stock ponds this morning ch…
Posted: 29th Jul 2012
Another week has come to a close and it's been a fantastic week for many reasons and "interesting" but that's July for you!!. Week 17 was a new group of experienced Carp anglers with 15 french trips under their belts, but also on the bank each weekend back home throughout the year. The experience did show in their approach on tackling the lake. The 3 lads split in pegs 2, 3 & 5 and started baiting little and ofte…
Posted: 26th Jul 2012
It has come to our attention that the email link on the website hasn't been working properly, some of you have experienced your emails bouncing back and being rejected. This problem has now been resolved and we apologise if you've had an difficulties contacting us. Just a quick update, Fish still coming out and another 42lb last night, but guess what. They have been spawning again for the 4th TIME!! Unreal. Will update more at the weekend…
Posted: 24th Jul 2012
Week 17 is away and it's a new group of 3 making up the lake booking.They are fishing well but before I tell you more I will update the wildife info as promised. It's been a strange year so far with our usual raptors being more elusive this season, a pair of hobbys visited one evening hunting the dragon fly's but have not returned along with our resident female sparrowhawk going missing for a while. On the contrary the Kingfishers…
Posted: 21st Jul 2012
Week 16 has now come to a close, and after 4 years of coming back to the fishery the "Geordie lads" fulfilled their mission, with the "Black & White" fish falling to Tims rods in Peg 3. Once again this sneaky fish came out no more than 15 yards out, on a gravel patch and was a new spot from its usual peg 5 haunt, but at 36lb 5oz after spawning it was a promising weight!!. Like I have been saying for a couple of years now, …
Posted: 17th Jul 2012
This is a post for all our regulars who know all about the "Wookie" . Now to fill you in she is my side kick dog that does the breakfast rounds each day when I bring the full English Baguette down to the lads at their pegs. A Cairn Terrier/Wolverine, she is shaped like a keg of beer and every time she falls off the boat when we are out on the lakes she sinks like a sack of cement, she is a block!! Now, high on her menu is solid PVA…
Posted: 16th Jul 2012
It's time to bring the catch reports up to date, and the next two weeks were the low of the year. It was all a bit baffling at first because I thought the second spawning was the last, but it all came apparent on the 12th week of the season. The 11th week was a real head scratcher, and I did feel for the lads who have fished the lake two years on the trot at the backend of April, so they have always had some of the best fishing of their lif…
Posted: 15th Jul 2012
We are now half way through the season and it's time to catch up from where we left off on the old website. As you all know fishing can differ from venue to venue, and June/July can see some strange behaviour from the fish at the Sanctuary. Running the fishery for the last 6 years I have noticed there can be a lull at this time of the year for different reasons, which predominently revolves around pre & post spawning, but also the natural fo…
Posted: 14th Jul 2012
At last the new site is up and running!! We know it's been a long wait but hopefully worth it. We have kept the site traditional/"old school" to maintain our ethos, but with our own twist on things. Just a quick thank you to the Upsearch lads in Manchester for putting up with my tiresome questions, but the site says it all, first class. Also a big thumbs up to Matt Dunkinson, who put the films together, god knows how he did it wit…
Posted: 11th Jul 2012
Welcome to the Sanctuary Fishery's brand new website!…