Andy Spreadbury's Fishing Blog

Tuesday, 19th.June Bough Beech, White House Point 11.45 Survey, with a rapidly dropping water level: Distance: 17 wraps, depth: 34 feet, temperature: 20C Distance: 12 wraps, depth: 18 feet, temperature: 20C Temperature in the edge: 21.4C I got this castable thermometer on eBay but I think the problem with it is, is that it’s so fast reacting, that by the time you’ve reeled the thing in, you’re getting an ambient reading instead of what is at the bottom of however many wraps you are at. Fine in theory. You cast the thing out, leave it a little while, reel it back in and you can tell what the temperature is at the bottom of your spot. Wrong! It's so fast reacting, that by the time you reel the thing in, it's showing the ambient temperature in shallow water. 12.30 All rods on the dancefloor, fishing single 18mm ‘Pokernut’ boilies; no snowmen, pop-ups or anything else - just the boily out of the bucket. For an explanation as to why - read my Blo...

Moulin-de-Gassas, Part 2 Monday, 11th.June 08.00 More overnight rain (and a forecast of more to come) has forced us into fishing from directly outside the front of the cabin. One rod is short, on the lily-spot; the middle rod way over to the far corner at the entrance of the channel. This looks to be my best chance of a fish and I am quietly confident this will produce at some point. The left-hand rod is fishing at 12 + 3 wraps to one of the trees on the island. Light rain is falling and although it has put a damper on things - we’re fishing, and that’s never a bad state of affairs! 09.30 Lost fish!.. A drop-back on the long range rod cast to the far corner and a fish is on! I got it as far as the lily-pads where I had to give it a bit of ‘welly’ to get it through - and the hook fell out! The unfortunate thing about these lilies is that although it is possible to get them through it, unless the hook-hold is extremely solid, a certain number of fish are going to b...

Moulin-de-Gassas, Part 1 Thursday, 7th.June Moulin-de-Gassas nr. Lalandusse, in the Dordogne, France We flew to Bergerac where our charming hosts Peter and Madeline Bartholemew picked us up at the airport and drove us back to "The Moulin". The lake is right next to the river Dropt (pronounced "Dro".) 07.00 I’ve got a hangover this morning. It’s true, I disgraced myself somewhat last night by having too much to drink - but I blame our fantastic hosts Peter and Madeline Bartholemew for plying me a confection of Champagne, Merlot, Chateau-Neuf-du-Pape, and several sorts of Brandy and Whisky. “Here, try this; this is a nice one!” So I’m feeling the worse for wear this morning as we make another start at the angler’s paradise that is Moulin-de-Gassas. The Moulin Moulin means "Mill". Peter and Madeline who own the Moulin have the job of controlling the height of the river by raising and lowering the gates at the weir. To get to our ...