Etang de Margot Restocking: 15 th & 16 February 2006

During the summer of 2005 France was hit by severe drought conditions. Margot was particularly affected and had problems with low water levels, oxygen depletion and unfortunately a few fish deaths. The owner took the decision to close the lake and to net the venue by way of a rescue mission to save the carp. The larger specimens were removed and transferred to one of his stock ponds being returned to the lake in February 2006. Our cameras were there to record everything.

Click here to view the 3 video clips.

Below you can read a detailed article on the restocking event.

The étang de Margot in the west of France near Angers , is an ancient lake dating back over 700 years. It originally was part of a lord domain 'Margot Manor' in the 13 th century.

It was acquired in 1987 by the present owner, Michel Bigot after it had lain fallow since the 1800's. As a fish farmer he stocked the lake and opened it as a carp fishery.

As most people will know France was hit by drought conditions last summer and Margot was particularly affected and had problems with low water levels, oxygen depletion and unfortunately a few fish deaths. The owner took the decision to close the lake and to net the venue by way of a rescue mission to save the carp. The larger specimens were removed and transferred to a safer haven.

Today on a rainy bleak mid-February morning and we are back on the banks of the venue in order to undertake the restocking of this prime carp fishing lake. The first operation was to net the remaining fish out in order to do a stock take and to ascertain exactly the stocking level. It was a long and arduous process of laying the nets and assembling as many fish as possible in the pocket end of the net for the counting to take place.

The first fish to be counted were the large grass carp. This lively species proved quite a handful for Laurent Bigot. These fish that numbered 105 were all of a good stamp, the largest specimens well into the forties.

Following the grassies it was the turn of the sturgeon. These large diamond back fish numbered four and were slipped back into their natural habitat. Two other large sturgeon will be added prior to the start of the season to take the numbers to six. The catfish however proved somewhat illusive and only three turned up in the net. They are however, extremely difficult to net at this time of the year as they tend to bury them selves in the deeper silt pockets and evade capture. There are however about 40 in the lake in total.

The remaining carp were also counted and the larger specimens weighed. In all, the owner was pleasantly surprised to see 117 fish in total with the largest tipping the scales at 28lb.

Early on day two it was now the turn of the larger original carp, those rescued in the summer, to be netted and transferred in the fish farming truck to Margot. These carp were all weighed individually and handled carefully as they were placed in the tanks. Expert fish handler Laurent Bigot took up position in the lake to direct proceedings.

The large common was delicately removed from the net and placed in a weigh sling. It took two guys to carry the mighty fish to the scales, where it weighed in at a hefty 27 kg or 59lb 4oz.

In total around 156 fish were loaded into the truck for the three mile drive down the road to Margot. These carp consisted of mainly large mirrors and commons, with a few Koi carp also in the batch.

Once on the banks of Margot Laurent Bigot took up his position in the tanks and lifted the fish carefully down to the helpers who carried them in weigh slings to the water where they were released.

It was a long, cold, wet and tiring process, despite the correct gear of neoprene chest waders and gloves; it was difficult to keep dry in conditions that were at times very harsh, with heavy rain, strong winds and temperature only just above freezing. The whole process took the best part of the afternoon.

Despite the still low levels of the lake, the work carried out to raise the bank level, should in theory avoid a reoccurrence of the problems encountered last summer. The water level should come up by approximately 40cms, thus providing deeper margins for the anglers to play and release fish.

The track around the venue has been completely resurfaced and the facilities were in the process of being renovated during my visit. The plans here are to tile the floor and build a new kitchen area, as well as insulting the whole building, making conditions much more comfortable for visiting carpers.

With some 270 plus carp, 105 grass carp, plus sturgeon and catfish the lake certain has superb potential for 2006.

Stock removed from Margot in August 2005 and returned last week: