Moulin-de-Gassas, Part 1
Thursday, 7th.June
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.
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 cabin we cross the river via a series of tiny (and precarious!) foot-bridges.
Like last year, Chris and I have the whole lake to ourselves and we saw immediately we arrived that there were fish moving in front of the cabin, I decided to approach the fishing differently this time. Last year the form was to fish straight to the island margins, but I realised during the week that lines going straight out from the bank right across the lake acted as a kind of ‘barrier’ across which the fish were very reluctant to cross. The net effect of this was that it effectively restricted the fish to the area the other side of the island - ‘my’ side of the lake more or less being devoid of fish.
This year I decided to use a ‘stealth’ approach, fishing at short range, with my lines (to an extent) ‘hidden’ by the lily pads on my bank. By keeping access to the whole of this side of the lake - the two ‘channels’ at each end of the island being the routes by which the fish get to where I am fishing - I am hoping I can catch fish throughout the week without them spooking off lines through the water.
I’m fishing over the top of the sparse lilies onto a bed of sweetcorn onto which a few ‘Webb Baits The Chronic’ boilies have been thrown out. One bait is a snowman presentation, the other, a pop-up on a Withy Pool rig - and no sooner is the snowman in the water than a jittery take results in a fine 29:04 mirror. We’re off the mark! Plan working!
One of the original stock of carp left when Peter and Madeline took the place over.
08.00
Rods in. We are off to a local market. Good opportunity to rest the swim until we get back.
Eymet is a typical Bastide town in the Dordogne. Lovely just to walk around and admire the half-timbered houses, stop at a bar and have coffee; a bit of shopping in the market etc.
11.00
Back from Eymet (a lovely medieval town with a great market in the town square) and the rods are ‘on the dance-floor’.
One rod is fishing a snowman on ‘the lily spot’ in front and the other two rods are down the margin to the left. One is a snowman, the other a pop-up a Withy Pool rig. ‘Chronic’ boilies have been thrown out on both spots along with a top-up of corn. The margin rods are in conformance with my ‘stealth’ approach, the pop-up a speculative offering as I suspect they are less successful on here than bottom baits for some reason but we shall see.
13.15
With several fish seen moving over against the island, I have somewhat relented with regard to my ‘stealth’ approach and cast one over towards an overhanging tree. At the very least, this does not ‘block off’ the far channel and fish can travel through there without any lines in the water scaring them off. Still fishing baits on the ‘lily spot’ and one down the margin to the left. Distance to the island mark = 13 wraps.
15.00
Tactical change. Margin rod down to the left withdrawn and now partnering the rod on the ‘lily spot’. Both rods lobbed at 5 wraps onto corn and a light scattering of boilies.
18.00
Having ‘got out of the blocks’ so quickly this morning with the 29, great things were expected, unfortunately it just hasn’t happened. Very few fish have been spotted this side of the island although I’ve seen plenty the other side. I shall make it my mission to have a go on there. Better to give myself a fighting chance there than sit near the cabin blanking all day long.
20.10
Langoustines for tea, bought in the market today in Eymet. Nothing to write home about; wouldn’t bother with them again. Threw most of it away, just ate the flesh inside the body; the rest is all head and claws. Why do folks make such a song and dance about them?
Moved round opposite the island fishing the same marks as last year but with one exception. Took the boat across and dropped a bait by hand just off the far bank under a tree. If anything aught to produce a bite this should. Absolutely prime for it.
Other baits cast to the far trees on the island and into the channel between the island and the bank. All baits look cock-on for a bite.
21.10
There were a couple of bleeps on the long range rod - the one I had positioned using the boat - and the bobbin pulled up tight. No line being taken but on the off-chance a fish was attached I lifted into it.
As soon as I connected, the rod was pulled down irresistibly as something big and heavy made off. It tried to get back down the channel but there was so much stretch in the line I was able to hang on and stop it. The fish however turned right around and made off up the lake to my right behind a large bed of lily pads which spelt grave danger. If I could get down the lake to the right I could net it in ‘safe’ water but first I had to pass the rod around the tree near the boat pontoon. With Chris’s help this was achieved but not without hanging on to her as she over-balanced whilst leaning out past the tree to take the rod! The fish took this as the cue to wrap itself around some lily stems and I at first thought that I’d lose it. Some judicious heaving and hauling however freed it and I eventually netted a football-fat mirror of 25:04.
There are two strains of carp in Moulin-de-Gassas. This is one of the new stock that Peter has introduced - but there are some old originals left (the first one I had, the 29) was one such. Different to the new strain, the originals are long, skinny individuals that go like the clappers when hooked and seem voracious - repeat captures in the same trip are common.
This fish was in such great nick I think it must be one of the new stock Peter put in over the winter. There wasn’t a mark on it and it was absolutely immaculate.
Friday, 8th.June
08.20I’ve had a rod on the ‘lily-spot’ this morning since first thing, in the hope the fish which visited it yesterday morning will do so again today. Nothing. However, I have a plan…
Around the lake are a series of bins which contain pellets. When anglers are not on the water fishing, Peter circuits the lake, throwing scoops of pellets at each bin location, thereby feeding the fish. My plan involves finding a suitable bin in a fishable location and fishing near it in the hope the carp have become accustomed to finding food there and visit the spot habitually.
One of the bins Peter uses to feed the carp with pellets. In the distance, our cabin, right on the edge of the lake. Ah! Heaven!
09.30
While Peter and Barty (Peter’s dog, the wire-haired Pointer) were on their usual walk this morning, they stopped by and the subject of fishing on the island arose. Peter said he didn’t mind at all if I fished on there so here I am with a couple of baits out under the trees.
The island margins are the most obvious place to put a bait and both this trip and the previous trip I have made efforts to get baits as near to the trees as I can. This has been done by casting from the opposite bank or (as in last night’s episode) dropped from a boat. It makes far more sense and not to say a greater degree of effectiveness, to do it from the island itself and at the moment I am super-confident of fish. Already, line-bites indicate the fish’s presence and I am expecting a take at any moment. If I don’t catch, it will be because my clumsiness will have frightened them away.
10.00
There must be fish moving around the island because I am getting a lot of ‘liners’. There’s nothing to be seen however. Even though it’s barely three to four feet of water there, there are no visible signs carp are swimming along the margins (although they must be). The water is a thick, chocolate colour - if you know ‘Galaxy Milk Chocolate’ - it’s that colour. I can only put this down to the recent heavy rain in this part of the Dordogne. Peter has all the flood gates open and the Mill Pool below the weir is flooding the surrounding land.
This is more or less my standard bottom bait rig now. Tied from 18lbs. ESP 'Soft Ghost' with a 'Carp R Us' Mouth Snagger as a line aligner.
11.00
Repositioned one of the rods so it is fishing half way across the channel. I’ve seen bubbling here and have caught fish in the channel previously so I know they pick up baits there.
11.30
Tried something different. Catapulted sweetcorn half way across the channel, fishing two pop-up quarters on a little combi-rig. Hadn’t been out for five minutes before a Bream of about a pound picked it up. Guess what’s been eating all the sweetcorn I’ve been putting out?
12.45
Back from lunch, superbly prepared by Mrs.S. Saw a fish in the middle of the channel and bounced a rig off its head! Not surprisingly it didn’t go much on this and duly scarpered.
Water clarity is appalling. Even without the rain the water is always heavily coloured.
13.30
I’ve now got a zig out. I’ve now seen so many fish just under the surface, it’d be rude not to!
15.30
Because of the cloudiness of the water I have opted for a smellier bait than ‘The Chronic’ and gone for Sticky Baits ‘The Krill’.
Two fish brushed past the (now) surface zig and for a minute I thought one of them had got it in its mouth… But no, they both swam straight on by.
15.40
Again! A big fish came up and took the zig, turning down in a great swirl!… I’ve got to be in this time!… No. He’s spat it out…
Saturday, 9th.June
12.30
Late start today due to shopping in the lovely medieval town of Villereal. Today was market day and the town square was packed with stalls crammed with the most wonderful local produce. In the Dordogne, the soil and the climate are perfect for growers and here, Christine was in her element!
Fish could be seen cruising in and around the lilies, occasionally dropping down to have a dig in the bottom, sending up clouds of brown mud.
Back on the island I am fishing a different spot, out towards a bed of lilies. Now this should be an absolute banker; there are fish in here all the time and I at least know there are fish near the baits. I am trying something slightly different rig-wise.
Last year I had all my fish on just single bottom baits - but this year I have fished ‘snowmen’ with half a pop-up on top. I now have one snowman and one bottom bait out to see if it makes a difference. Distance is five and a half wraps.
13.20
Once again I am getting line-bites - but no takes. What am I doing wrong?
13.40
Success! A screamer on the bottom bait rod; a lovely little 12lbs. Common that absolutely ripped off with the bait. They don’t like the snowman! Who’d have thought it? I’ve fished the past two days with a presentation they don’t like.
Over to the cabin for lunch. Further trials with a single bottom bait this afternoon.
14.20
The rods are back ‘on the dancefloor’ and we’re just waiting for the next bite…
Isn’t it strange how just the tiniest alteration to the presentation can make all the difference? Just eliminating the ‘topper’ of the snowman and fishing a single, bottom bait has made the bobbin fly. My explanation is this:
The fish are not under great angling pressure and as such don’t have recognisable ‘fear triggers’ in the same way more pressured carp do. I think they only recognise plain, single boilies as food because that is what they are used to picking up off the bottom. More complex and different-looking items are strange to them, this is why they seem to ignore pop-ups as these baits off the bottom are not the same as the baits on the bottom they feed on.
All this proves to me that we often over-think our fishing far more often than we realise, when the answer to lack of takes is a really simple one and not a super-clever fandango rig or presentation we constantly search for.
15.00
Way-hay!.. We’re in again! This time it’s a fine 26 pounder - again to the single boily bottom bait. This really proves the point and I am now 100% convinced of the preference for the single bottom bait over the snowman.
15.40
Off again!… Sixteen-fourteen and we’re really rocking! No holds barred now - I mean to do some damage here. Bring ‘em on!
17.00
Last fish before tea-time. One of the ‘originals’ - a long, skinny, moth-eaten old thing that weighed twenty-eight pounds ten ounces. Although it has the weight, I’d prefer it to have the looks of the newer fish. Still, fish number four of this afternoon, making six so far. Can’t complain about that given yesterday’s struggle to even get a bite!
18.40
This evening we are back at the cabin fishing ‘the lily spot’ in front of the house. Chris thinks there’s a chance of a fish although I’m not sure. We’ll see.
Sunday, 10th.June 2018
07.30What a noisy night! The forces of Nature were unleashed as millions of megawatts of power were rent across the sky. Thunder and lightening of biblical proportions kept us awake for most of the night and this morning the river behind us is in flood and over the banks into the field!
We saw a fish jump on the ‘lily-spot’ near the cabin and I have put one rod out in an attempt at catching it. No more indications that he’s still about so might have cleared off. We’ll give it a while though.
09.00
Change of location. I am now at the top end where I have seen fish consistently both this trip and last year. It’s one of those areas they habituate because I don’t think it is much fished since it is furthest away from the cabin. (Although the far bank is technically a longer walk).
I am experimenting. In view of the fact the fish reject the snowman and only want a single bottom bait, I am doing everything I can to simulate the free offerings I am throwing out by using an ‘old school’ rig. I started using this rig back in the days when I first became aware of the newly invented ‘Hair Rig’ back in the 1980s. Mono hooklinks, nine inches long, size four hook tied at the eye, and a one inch ‘hair’ tied with braid to the bend of the hook.. This rig is enough to make a modern day rig aficionado collapse in peals of laughter but I think it has all the elements necessary to offer something totally stripped back, with nothing attached to the rig or bait which might detract from the simplistic approach.
09.45
Last night’s storms have really cooled things down; it almost feels too cold for shorts. I haven’t seen anything in the pads here this morning apart from a bit of bubbling which is probably Bream. I wish the sun would come out. We need a change to this cool, overcast weather. This is the Dordogne for goodness sake! It’s supposed to be the South of France!
10.00
Just seen the first fish to arrive in the pads - two fish, one behind the other - but they’ve gone straight through and out the other side. Still, fish about though; encouraging.
11.30
On the move… Round to the ‘mosquito’ bank - the place is alive with them - but fish are here and moving along the margin. I have dropped one in down the bank to my left and fully expect to get something.
Chris says I should stop moving about - “you’re just chasing shadows!” I guess there’s a kind of wisdom in that.
13.30
With lunch over, I am now back over on the island fishing out to my favourite spot to the lily pads. I’ve fished a couple of different areas this morning and have come to the conclusion this is the best location to ambush the fish which swim in and around the lilies.
The trial with the rigs continues for I am determined to see whether the ‘old school’ rig might offer some advantage over my standard ‘D’ rig (which is what I use for all my bottom bait fishing). Looks quiet out there at the moment but I know that at some point a take will occur…
14.00
Just had a take - or it could have been a line bite on the ‘old school rig’; either way it didn’t hang on. My first impression was that I was attached but now I’m not sure. Might have got the line caught under its body.
15.30
Things really quiet now; not holding out much hope of a fish. Without them feeding there’s no chance of catching anything, much less getting some kind of result with the trial.
18.30
I’ve called time on my activities for the day. After tea, I did a circuit of the lake and went and had a look at the inflow - where the water enters the lake and is fed from the river Dropt. It’s the colour of Galaxy Milk Chocolate again! I’m convinced this is having a detrimental effect on the fishing and explains why I had four in an afternoon yesterday, and not a thing today. More rain is forecast so this is bad news for tomorrow. We need the lake (and more importantly the nearby river) to settle down and stop discharging all this colour into the lake.
to be continued in Part 2...
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