Moulin de Gassas 2023

Introduction 

 I last fished the Moulin back in September of last year and had an extremely average result. Whether it was because the fish were not feeding hard or it was down to my own incompetence I don't know. I did however discover a strategy towards the end of the week that I hoped to employ next time; this is what I'm hoping to do in the next few days. 

 I found it was possible to walk a rod over the footbridge to the island and drop baits under the tree that overhangs the bank along which the Carp patrol. The margins of the Island are the most consistent spots on the lake and have yielded the most fish for me during previous visits. But I want to add another dimension to the session - not just catch as many fish as I can but try and settle issues around rig design that have bothered me for years. They involve "What is the correct configuration of hook, bait, and kicker to achieve the maximum rate of hookups?" Kickers and line aligners have been around for years and are validated by the 'palm test ' - drawing the hook across the palm to see whether the hook flips and turns and catches in the skin. This bares questionable relevance to actual fishing situations although if it gives confidence in the rig it's probably worth doing. 

However, if you test something like Steve Renyard's Basic Complicated Rig this fails completely. Yet the rig is devastatingly effective. 

 You don't need the Palm Test to validate a rig. 

 One situation I think does apply to the Palm Test is where rigs are intended to hookup in the bottom lip. Here, flip and turn seems to be effective and rigs which pass this test work. Steve's BCR rig works because more often than not the fish is hooked in the 'scissors' in the corner of the mouth. This is what I'm trying to do here. 

 When I was sea fishing (something I still like to do) I quite liked to go after Thornback Rays using two hook Pennell rigs. The problem with rays is that they are notorious for swallowing the bait and various schemes are employed to avoid this. Something called a 'Dongle Rig' is brilliant for this, employing as it does a single Circle hook which only takes hold on exiting the mouth. This is due to the shape of the hook with its exaggerated bend and point facing the shank of the hook. This configuration is approximated for Carp fishing by a stiff hooklink and the absence of a kicker, the angle between the hook shank and line being very pronounced. 

Like the Circle hook, the aim is to hook the fish in the corner of the mouth. My thinking behind this arises from underwater observations of feeding fish and there are lots of videos on YouTube illustrating feeding behaviour. The received wisdom has always been that a Carp sucks a bait into its mouth and tips up to the horizontal, levelling out and tightening to the fixed or semi-fixed lead thereby getting hooked in the bottom lip. This (I observed) actually happened with confidently feeding fish but the more wary fish fed slightly differently. 

 The fish, although wary, circled around the bed of bait and feed and were obviously wanting to eat it but seemed circumspect in trying it. Eventually they would either shy away or tentatively move over a bait and suck it in at close range. At this point some fish successfully blew the bait out, were spooked, and kicked away from the area. Other fish, on sucking the bait in appeared to sense or feel the hook (or some other trigger that caused them to spook) and shook their heads from side to side. Sometimes the hook was shaken out, sometimes not in which case they were off like a bat out of hell! The side to side head shaking invariably resulted in a hookup in the corner of the mouth. So that's what I'm looking to do. 

Kicker Rig tied to 25lbs. coated braid. Size 8 Longshank hook and a 3.5 ozs. in-line lead

So does a kicker help or hinder this? That's the first question. 

 The second question relates to the position of the boily relative to the hook point. According to where the boily is positioned, it can mask the point of the hook. If it is attached by a supple hair it may rotate around the shank of the hook. This suggests a stiff hair avoids this and accounts for the success of rigs like the BCR. 

Rigs like the D Rig where the boily can rotate around the D may or may not impair the hook point. The further away from the hook point the boily is, the less likely it is to be a problem. But if the boily is well off the bend of the hook will the fish suck the ensemble sufficiently far in to enable a hookup? So that's question two to be answered. 

 *** 

Moulin de Gassas, Wednesday, 17th.May 2023 

Moulin de Gassas - The Mill of Gassas
Peter and Madeline's wonderful property on the River Dropt in the Dordogne

 07.00 

Late start due to a late flight yesterday meant I only had a chance to set all the tackle up before going off to Peter and Madeline's for a lovely slap up meal. Hence, I wasn't able to start until this morning. 

 As per the plan, baits were walked out to the island via the footbridge and dropped in the margins in front of the tree. The third rod was dropped off at one of the bushes near the footbridge. In all cases some 15mm. Mainline Spicy Crab boilies were introduced on top of fishery pellets from the bins. 

Looking towards the island.
My favourite spots were under the branches of the tree and under the bush to the left.

 And oh my god it's away!.. 

 Straight into the fish and it's one of those stubborn fish that refuses to come to the net. I can't believe I have a fish so early in the session and I am astonished to see it's one of the bigger ones of the lake. I had a really hard time hauling it up the bank and on to the unhooking mat and fell base over apex transfering it to the weigh station where it registered 36-12 one of the biggest I've ever had from the water. 

36-12 Mirror - we're off to the best start!

Yippee!.. 

 Rebaited and back on the spots. First blood to the kicker and it was hooked well back in the mouth. 

 09.12 

A pause in activities… the bobbins have been zooming up and down like yo yos as fish graze on the pellets, picking up the lines in the process. It's a job to tell what is a bite as I left one alone thinking it was a line bite but when I checked the bait it was out of position. 

 There's a fish moving under the bridge! Its tail is out of the water! 

Not an uncommon sight - fish moving under the bridge.
And I caught them just a few yards to the right of the footbridge.

 10.03 

Just been out to the island and put some more pellets over the two spots. Things have quietened down a bit at the rods so I thought an introduction of bait would liven things up a bit. Gor blimey, I'd only just got back to the rods and the non-kicker rod was away. I couldn't believe it when the second thirty of the trip tipped the scales to thirty-one pounds - and as I was weighing it, the partner to the other ramped off! 

31-00
Two thirties in succession. Doesn't get a lot better than that!

At twenty-four the smallest so far but you could hardly call it small. Back home I'd be over the moon with such a fish. 

24-00
Almost two fish on at once. Just how good is this place?!

 11.33 

It's gone quiet again. I'm going to hold back on introducing more pellets because I'm frightened of over-feeding it. Can always put more in later. Also, they're not mine - they're fishery pellets, Peter's and I don't want to overdo it.

The Irises had just started to come out and were gorgeous in the early morning sunshine.

 14.30 

The past couple of hours have proved to be some of the most hectic ever on Moulin de Gassas. After the introduction of the pellets there was an almost instant response from the fish, a jerky bite and my answering strike resulting in the usual very hard fight from a Moulin fish. In fact I have no hesitation in saying these are the most hard fighting fish I have ever caught anywhere. It was no small one either, tipping the scales at 28lbs. 

28-00
Clean as a whistle

 This was only the start of a little flurry of fish 🐟 - another jerky bite revealed the cause of the multitude of little lifts and knocks I had been getting - a Bream of about a pound. As I was sorting it out and preparing to put it in the river (local rules) there was a savage take on the adjacent rod. There then ensued an unholy mess as the spare rod got wrapped around the rod-tip with the carp on panic stations as Christine was called upon to sort it out while I held the rod with a thrashing fish on the end! 

Eventually we got it in the net and there was another big carp on the bank. Slightly heavier than the previous one at 28-04. 

28-04
With skin lesions I found concerning.

No sooner had it gone back than I was away again and what a fish this was. I had a real struggle with getting it to the bank for it was all over the place. "This is a big fish", I said to Christine, and so it proved. The biggest mirror I have ever had from the water at 37-00, a new PB for the Moulin.

37-00 a new PB Mirror for the Moulin.
Little did I know what was to come next...

 15.00 

Things have quietened down a lot although I remember saying that before! We are into the afternoon spell and I anticipate we shall be able to relax until this evening when I'm guessing things will rev up again. We are both lying on the sun loungers getting some much-needed rest after the day's exertions.

 16.30 

Extremely quiet all afternoon when not even the Bream have troubled us. I put some boilies around the two rods fishing the bush and withdrew the third rod since it had nothing more than nuisance value. 

To be honest, not looking that brilliant for the evening. A cold wind has been blowing and it seems stronger than ever at the moment.

 18.41 

I drew in at half past five and went and had a shower and some tea, ably cooked by Christine. When I returned I scattered pellets from the bin in the hotspot and placed two baits only inches apart. It wasn't long before the Bream homed in on the bait and the bobbins were zooming up and down like billy-o. One bite however started turning the spool so I lifted into it… 

 At first it felt like a typical Moulin fish and when I got it near the bank I suddenly saw it was one of the two Grass Carp in here. There's a big one and a small one. The smaller I last heard was 42lbs. I estimated I'd got the smaller one based on it's length but was pleased to secure what is a rare capture for the lake. When we got it in the net (expertly weilded by Christine I have to say) she said, "Oh my god look at it - it's a monster!" And not just your ordinary monster, this was a special monster. 

Incredibly deep and solid in the belly we could tell by our struggles to lift it, it was an exceptional fish. Peter and Madeline came to witness the weighing and saw the scales zoom round to 48lbs. On the dot. 

48-00 Grass Carp
There are no words...

To say I was pleased is to wildly underestimate my joy. This the biggest fish of my life and automatically my best from the lake I will remember for many a long time. Madeline reckoned it was the smaller of the two Grassies. So how big is the big one? 

Thursday 18th. May 2023

11.50 

Late start due to shopping in Villarreal, all baits on their spots with fishery pellets thrown out around them hence the buzzers are bleeping merrily and the bobbins are jumping up and down like a jack-in-the-box. Bream… 

 Still very windy although it's not causing problems. Walking the rods round and dropping the baits in quietly seems to do the trick so I'm continuing with the strategy. Bright and sunny ☀️

Placing baits out on the island.

 12.11 

I've caught enough fish now to make a preliminary judgement about the relative value of a kicker as opposed to a non-kicker. Both have caught but I get the distinct impression that the position of the hook hold is slightly different. The kicker results in a hookup inside the mouth, whereas the non-kicker seems to hook on the edge of the mouth. In other words, the kicker results in deeper hooking. 

In no case was the hook out of reach of a pair of longnose pliers. So I think I shall call that part of the experiment closed. The next thing I want to examine is relative positions of the bait in relation to the position of the hook point.

 12.45 

And we're away… on the rod nearest the footbridge. This results in a long,, skinny common of 21-04, the smallest fish of the trip so far. 

21-04 Common
I'm sure I've had this old girl on previous visits. Undoubtedly one of the original stock it's never changed shape over the years.

A couple of years ago we were catching these at 18lbs. It is testament to Peter's feeding regime that all the fish have put on weight. The 'Small Grassy' was recorded at a weight of 42lbs. last autumn and has put on 6lbs. In the intervening months. 'The Big Grassy' was 47lbs. so goodness knows what that weighs now. Currently, my 48 stands as the lake record. 

 Rig wise I have replaced one of the rigs out by the bush with an extended hair such that there is a gap of 10mm. between the bait and the bend of the hook. A Nash Blow Back Tube anchors the hair just at the start of the bend. This requires the fish to have both bait and hook in its mouth before a hookup is effected.

Extended Hair Rig
There is a gap of 10mm. between the bait and the bend of the hook.

 13.22 

At last the Bream have gone as the bobbins remain quiet and still. There is nothing to show from the carp either; Christine has done a circuit of the lake and seen only one fish 🐟 at the top end, nothing anywhere else. Yesterday seemed the same so it looks as if the afternoon is the quiet part of the day.

 14.30 

Despite it being quiet, the rod nearest the footbridge is away and this results in a fish I was convinced was a biggun. It was all over the show up and down in front and underneath my other lines. I couldn't believe it was such a small fish at 15 lbs and like the other one a common. Still, if it's the smallest of the trip I shan't be unhappy. 

Just to show there are smaller fish in the lake, I got this one at 15lbs.

 Rig was my standard kicker.

 15.30 

Away again on the rod nearest the footbridge… this has become a curious phenomenon. It must mean I am picking up fish approaching from under the bridge from the top end of the lake. Rig was exactly the same as before - standard kicker rig. 

31-04 Mirror

 I held back on the pellets due to attracting the Bream and scattered a few of the Spicy Crab 🦀 boilies around all rods. So far, nothing on the rods under the tree. I got the rod back in position and just sat down in the lounger when there was a belting run on the extended hair rig. 

Although it fought harder than the thirty, it weighed less - 21-04. And now for a slight break…

21-04 Mirror
The Moulin fish are the hardest fighting fish I have ever caught anywhere and the scrap doesn't end once you've got them on the bank. Trying to hold this fish for the camera was a nightmare!

 17.45 

Back on the rods for a brief evening session to see if I can add another to the score. 

Same as before - standard kicker on two rods and extended hair on one under the tree. A scattering of boilies around all rods. 

Dispensing with the pellets because they attract Bream.

 19.30 

Nothing this evening as black clouds loom over yonder. Looks like rain. Don't think I shall be hanging around for very long tonight. Still, four fish today is a very fair result. 

Friday, 19th. May 2023

 07.56 

Back on the rods, if a little belatedly. Slept well last night, hence the late start. Two rods out in positions I've had fish before - the one nearest the footbridge, and the other under the tree. The third rod I have dropped in a new position half way between so I now have three rods spread around the margins from the footbridge to the tree. 

The other side of the footbridge
This part of the lake I have been neglectful of fishing over the years.
Must give it more attention in the future.

 Ripples coming from all areas so something may happen soon (I hope!)

 08.35 

And we're off with the first fish of the day… This one doesn't do a lot other than plod about in front before getting bored with the whole thing and giving up. Like one or two of the fish it showed signs of spawning damage with multiple abrasions on its flanks. I hope that's what it is and not something more serious.

 24lbs. taken on the extended hair rig under the tree.
I didn't like the look of this fish - it had lesions we had spotted on some of the other fish. I just hope it's nothing to worry about.

 09.30 

Royally beaten up by a fish that was a veritable Mike Tyson. This fish almost made it under the footbridge with a series of incredibly powerful runs. Even on the mat his anger was in full vent, refusing to keep still and whacking us around the chops in protestation! 

29-12 Another old warrior - one of the original stocking before Peter and Madeline acquired the water.

Almost a thirty but not quite. 

 I am concerned about the fish. This latest one also had body lesions as some of the other fish have and I am worried it might be some sort of infection or virus. If that is the case then it is serious cause for concern. I have to say, it looks like spawning damage to me.

 10.30 

Stopped fishing due to lunch in Issigeac.

 15.47 

Back in the saddle after a wonderful meal and walk around the ancient bastide town of Issigeac. 

A real blowout of food of the highest quality. 

 

All rods back on their spots. I'm sensing the extended hair doesn't produce any more takes than the standard kicker rig - still got it fishing out under the tree though. I'm beginning to think there is much to be ignored concerning rigs. They all work and no one rig is superior to another. I think it is the media who are responsible for the hype and commercial tackle companies who only want to flog over-priced gear.

 16.50 

And we're away on the middle rod - the first off this spot. It went like all commons do, mental. Fighting well above its weight it made a mess of the other line and put up a very respectable account for itself. 

 19-00 common. Clean as a whistle with no lesions.

Another one that wouldn't hold still for the camera. 19lbs. common

 18.21 

Great black clouds loom overhead and it looks like rain is imminent. May call it a night as we have a full day tomorrow. 

Saturday 20th. May 2023 

 07.54 

All baits back on their spots with half a dozen freebies around them. Cool morning with no sun. Thought I heard rain 🌧️ in the night. Grass damp this morning. 

 Signs of fish about this morning and I am expecting something to happen. No wind unlike previous mornings. The simple tactic of throwing a few baits around the hookbait is mentioned by other anglers in the site record book and it is certainly one that doesn't attract so many Bream. Had I scattered pellets the bobbins would be going crazy by now.

 08.42 

Fish on the top… 

There are fish 🐟 cruising around on the top with their backs out of the water. This is the most action we have seen from the fish all session which I think is related to spawning activity. I did report to Peter my concerns regarding the skin lesions some of the fish had, due either to spawning or something more serious. It looks to me like the former rather than the latter.

Fish on the top near the footbridge

 9.30 

I had a Breamy type of bite on the lh rod and left it alone, not wanting the bother of having to deal with it. The stuttering take turned into a typical up and down Bream indication and I lifted into it in botheration. 

Immediately, my fears were confirmed - felt like a Bream - but the line was way over to the right, underneath my other rod. I wound down to it and felt the typical resistance of a Bream which looked to be swimming across my front to the left. Suddenly, it burst to the surface and I could see it was a Carp and a good one at that! It didn't do a lot and was netted relatively easily. 

30lbs. Dead on the nose.

 11.00 

Despite catching a fish this morning things are the quietest they've been since we got here. Up to now the hours up to midday have been the most productive but now it seems not so. With 15 fish 🐟🐟🐟🐟 under my belt I'm not complaining. I've already had more than I caught last time I was here.

 12.46 

It's dead… there's nothing happening at all.

 13.00 

Because there's nothing happening I decided to experiment. A one foot zig. An IB popup to one foot of mono under the tree. May as well.

 15.21 

Recast all rods with bait around each one. 

I replaced the zig under the tree with the usual bottom bait. With it having gone so dead the question arises "should I move?" This is something I've done here in the past without result for it seems to me that if the fishing dies the whole lake dies. On that basis there seems little point in going elsewhere. I suspect however the consensus will always be to try and make something happen and while I agree a positive approach is always preferable to the negative one, there are times when the fish are just not having it. Carp do not feed 24/7 and you can not make them have food they do not want. If only we could…

 16.50 

Put several handfuls of pellets over each bait to see if that would initiate some action. Even if it's only Bream that might encourage a Carp to have a go. It did before.

 18.00 

Sadly not. Nothing. Nadda. A re-think required methinks. 

 Sunday 21st. May 2023

 11.00 

Back out fishing with a cunning plan… The lack of action I attributed to three lines cutting through the water at the height the Carp were swimming at round the island. I happened to notice there were back-leads in the kit Peter provided so the plan involved cutting the number of rods to two and fishing slack lines to get everything down as near the bottom as possible. Six baits thrown around as standard. Spots are under the tree and the bush near the footbridge.

 13.33 The plan worked… the lh rod is away and I just managed to turn the fish before it got under the footbridge. 

Initially I thought another thirty, but no, a pound short but it is churlish to complain, the plan worked and it's another to add to the score for the week.

29-00 Mirror
The end of the holiday looms on the horizon

 14.03 

The back leads seem to have done their job. This is the first occasion I can honestly say they have been an advantage. I shall have to use them more in my fishing, particularly when line visibility may be an issue.  

 18.00 

I made a change for the last session of the day. Because I had twitches on both rods, I have shortened up the rigs to four inches long. This is what we used to do at Le Clos de Lac. That was because the fish were super shy but I think it could work here.

 19.21 

I've made some rigs for tomorrow, the last full day. I've gone back to the original seven inch standard rig on one and the other I've made an identical rig but in supple braid - ESP sinklink in camo. 

Rigs for tomorrow

This of course is a much more supple rig than the other, my only fear is that it may tangle with the attendance of the Bream. 

Monday 22nd. May 2023

 07.42 

Back out on it for the last full day of the holiday. Trying to get the lines as low down as possible I have pulled slack above the rod-tips and put the bobbins on two tackle boxes. Don't want them twisting and getting caught up on the take. Talking of takes, I'm only going to see a blistering run with this set-up. If the fish runs towards me - it's a no no. 

More in hope than expectation for I feel the fishing has died somewhat. There's always a chance and an opportunity to increase the week's score. The rod nearest the footbridge is an experimental rig. a D rig tied with a bait screw on the D. I used to use D rigs a lot years ago and found them to be very successful. Mine is tied in the style of Mathew Collins with a Nash blow back tube instead of a knot and the tag end trapped under the kicker. Baits as usual are the 15mm. Mainline Spicy 🦀 Crab.

 09.33 

Just missed a take on the D rig. Can't understand why, the line was going out steadyly. If I miss another one it's coming off!

 10.06 

And now for a complete change of tack… As an experiment, I am fishing one over on the far side between the trees and Christine has gone round there to bait up. The other rod is along the island past the tree. I managed to scatter some baits out there with the catapult. The rod near the footbridge I have left where it is.

The far side peg
My bait was just short of the rushes

 12.42 

Chris has gone off to get lunch and it looks as if the week is done and dusted. Although there is still the rest of the day and tomorrow morning, my week fishing Moulin de Gassas feels as if it is over for there is no indication that anything is going to happen. I find this incredible. We started the week roaring out of the blocks - but at the moment I can not buy a bite.

 13.19 

A Bream which made out it was a carp on the centre rod along the island. I have replaced this bait with another boily and a three bait stringer, the bait landing more in the zone than the previous cast.

 14.15 

The calm after the storm… Complete mayhem let loose when the long range bait over on the far side was away with a rip-roaring take! This fish headed for the lily bed to the right but I managed to get him into safer water before he got there. On the long line he kited right and made it into the lilies near me so a degree of heaving and hauling was required to get him out. Only then did the fun and games start.

Swimming up and down in front of the peg he managed to knit a cat's cradle with all three lines! I said, "Chris, what are we going to do? It's so knotted!" While she stood there with the fish attached, I did over - and - under and back and forth with the rods as Chris yelled, "It's pulling on the line!" Just in time we managed to free things up and get the fish in the net. Fortunately we did, the line was shredded and I had to strip off several yards and re-tackle before re-casting. All rods at distance now. 

17-12 common. 

The last fish of the holiday

 16.00 

Afternoon session cut short by the arrival of violent ⛈️ thunderstorms. These happen quite a lot I've found in France and this one is a doozy. Some of the loudest booms - like bombs exploding I have ever heard. Hopefully, we might get a short session in tomorrow before we have to leave and catch the flight ✈️ home. 

One thing. I have been using my 20lb. Fluorocarbon leaders all week but I noticed when I reeled the rigs in this afternoon they were all tangled. I've got lead free leaders which I shall use instead. 

Tuesday 23rd. May 2023

 08.30 

Last night's storm went on into the night and although this morning it has stopped raining, the skies are still cloudy and overcast. Still, there seem to be fish moving over on the far side and I have whacked one across there as a single bait. It is just short of the far bank and as long as it isn't tangled, is in good position.

 09.18 

The time is flashing by now and there is very little left of this year's trip. But already I have a plan for next time involving margin fishing 🎣 the far bank. 

 There are several feeding stations around the lake and it makes perfect sense to focus on them as features. The fish are used to finding food there so why not take advantage. One such is right where I would like to fish - dead opposite where I am now, between the two trees. I'll have a wander round there and take a few snaps to refer to when I get home.

 13.00 

Nothing has happened and it is time to depart Moulin de Gassas. But before I go I'm scoping out the rushes peg. 

As I walk back around the top end I see a huge fish loitering just under the surface. A close look reveals it is one of the Grass Carp. But which one? To me, it looks smaller than the one I had so I guess this means I had the Big Grassy. 

One of the Grass Carp swimming just under the surface
But which one?

***

 Footnote 

 I mentioned to Madeline what I'd seen and she said, "Oh, it's one of the three then". 

 "Three?" Says I, "I thought there were only two Grass Carp?" 

"No, no," she said, "We put three in; it could have been the small one." The fish I saw was definitely smaller than the one I had but the question still remains. Did I catch the biggest or is Big Grassy still there? Have to come back and find out. 

*** 

 The big takeaway for me this year is that I probably fished it all wrong. What do you mean fished it all wrong - you caught loads of fish 🐟 including a PB. You couldn't have. 

What I find worrisome is how poor the fishing was after the initial burst of success. Thinking about it, I used the same approach as back home - 3.5 ounce lead, a leader and while this made no difference with walking the baits round the island, I think a stealthier approach would be more successful, that and an increase in mobility. I could see fish moving over on the far bank and l should have gone round there to fish for them. I tried casting from my bank but in every case the rigs came back tangled. I suppose you could eliminate this with a helicopter 🚁 rig but you've still got the problem of getting the fish back through the lily pads. The only answer is to fish for them from between the trees. Why use big leads? For self hooking I suppose. But the sort of day fishing I do now really lends itself to sitting on the rods and fishing for lifts like a proper Carp angler would do. Less splash when casting is far more appropriate particularly for the top end which is where I may concentrate my efforts. And that's something else I didn't do - find the 🐟 before setting up. Got to come back…