Blame The Baliff
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 break!! Not sure of the total rainfall but it most have been around the 100mm mark, with both lakes and stock ponds at max winter level which is a first for us in July. Alistair was consistent in Peg 3 having pick-ups each day and breaking his Pb twice. Poor old Dave had a really bashing up, losing many fish over the week due to all manner of events and damned, bad luck.
Mid week amongst the downpours I had called down to the lake only to meet Ali battling a fish which I stopped to help him with, after a few minutes I noticed it was a Grassie, when its small Chub like head popped up giving me the impression it was one of the new young additions, mistake number 1!!! As it draws close to the net we could see it was over 4 feet long proving I was clearly out with my first guesstimate!!! On the scales it went 41lb+ giving him a new PB grassie and a bashing up in the process!!! We all egged Ali to jump in with the fish for a few extra snaps in the margin, but as soon as he slipped in the margin up to his chest the Grassie decided it was time for a sharp exit as it powered out of the retainer sling!!!! Who was holding that? Me of course.
Well Ali followed it up with another pb Mirror of 41lb 8oz and Dave with a 38lb Mirror. The week ended on 14 fish with 2 x40lb+,9 x 30lb+, 3 x 20lb+ and 3 small stockies not included in the total count. A lot of fish lost this week with a good 15-20 fish lost due to all manner of problems which did effect the overall count.
B5 scoring this week along with pellet and a few bright toppers used snowman style.
All in all not a bad week with both chaps being total Gentleman, keeping their chins-up throughout the downpours!!
The weather broke this week making way for blue sky on Monday giving another group of regulars a chance to dry out and enjoy the sun. The lads have landed 2 fish of 37lb+ and a 28lb so far but once again to my surprise the fish were spawning away down in Peg 5 this morning, smashing the water to a foam till midday. This year the fish have surprised me time and time again, but even though it has made for some up and down fishing over the last couple of months, the fish are all in good shape and I still feel confident we will break the 60lb barrier next spring!!!
On the wildlife front we are enjoying the Turtle Dove down at the lake margins and the Redback Shrike feeding newly fledged youngsters with crickets over looking the lake. It's feeling like summer again today and the fish have spread out over the lake today so lets hope for a few more fish on the bank.
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