Date: February 2010

Details: Caught on a glaçon – my first ever Carp

As many of you who have visited Vaux over the years already know, I am not an angler. I have no desire to fish for carp - or anything else, come to that.

On the Saturday morning in early February when we finished photographing the glaçons, Chas did not want to waste them, so he put two rods out from the gîte swim, one placed at 4m and the other at 8m from the dam wall. He used exactly the same set-up as for the Summer, same hook length and lead set-up, with 4oz leads and size 7 hooks.

The glaçon prepared in the Arma Mesh Bait Making System container had a rice ball and the other glaçon had a 35mm boilie. And at this point, about 11.15, he disappeared to the other end of the lake to work, leaving me at work on the garden near the gîte – and the rods!!

Within half an hour there was a beep from the bite alarm on the first rod. At the second I was yelling for Chas. At the third I had to do something myself.

Ok, you’re being forced into this, don’t panic, remember all those instructions he drummed in, don’t strike, gently lift into the fish, keep the rod tip up.

Yep, all done and I could feel the fish!

Now was the time to yell again and keep yelling till he could hear what was going on. He didn’t hear me; he was in his own world, but I’m absolutely certain the whole of the village did!

Ok, so play the fish in, but keep that rod tip up and keep yelling. And finally, there he was, running along the bank to help me land my first ever carp, a lovely 23lb common, not huge, but very respectable.

About 20 minutes later the second rod went, as Chas had said it would, and there followed the same procedure as for the first, but this time the fish was lost before it reached the net. It was definitely bigger than the first. See, I know how to play the game now – the one that got away was T H I S B I G!!

Josie

Josie PB !!

Date: January 2010

Details: Photographic Records

For the past year we have made a conscious effort to collate all the photos we have received or taken of carp caught at over 30lb. To date the photos record 38 different 30's and three different 40's, plus one at 57lb can be recognised from earlier photos, although unfortunately none could be taken at the time it was caught (see our Report of November 2009). Hopefully this will be rectified during the coming season – over to you anglers!

Regrettably, we don’t always receive photos, including others at over 30lb and in particular those commons of 30lb or more, so it is reasonable to assume that there are carp out there in the lake which are as yet unaccounted for. It has been an interesting exercise seeing how the fish have grown over the years and exciting to find photographic evidence of yet another unknown 30lb+; indeed, the 37lb mirror which Dan caught in January this year is an ‘unknown’.

We continue to update these records every time another set of photos reaches us and so we must keep the file ourselves for this purpose, but it is available on request for any of our visiting anglers to look through and check out carp photos over and above those displayed on the gîte wall.

We have seen a dramatic leap in carp weights over the past 12 months since the silver fish were removed and this, together with heavy feeding, is pushing more and more of them through the 30lb barrier, whilst more of the 30's are approaching the 40lb barrier.

To help us keep the records fully documented and updated, please do continue to send us your photos of the fish you catch at Vaux. Thank you, everyone

Best wishes to all, Josie

Date: January 2010

Details: Pike in Winter

As well as fishing for carp during their week in January (when they had four at over 30lb and four between 20lb and 30lb), Ian Lewis’s party went after pike. Between them they landed a total of 85lb of pike, including one at 24lb and one at 25lb - good sized specimens!

They caught a total of 16 carp and pike in the week.

Date: January 2010

Details: 4 PB's so far Fishing in Winter

As soon as the second bout of freezing weather this month was coming to an end and the temperatures started to rise, the Lewis group of anglers were anxious to rebook their week’s fishing holiday which had had to be postponed from the second week in December due to a frozen lake.

As it begun to thaw, the ice was again broken up, as it had been when Neil, Roz and Chris arrived at the end of December, and was finally removed via the sluice just as Ian and his party arrived on Sunday, 17th January.

Although this may not sound ideal fishing conditions for many people, each of the two Winter fishing parties has caught and so far this week four PBs have been landed: to Ian a 20lb mirror, followed by a 32lb mirror and to Dan a 37lb mirror and a 25lb pike. And they still have a couple of days to go!

Dan PB 37lb	Ian first PB 20lb

Date: December 2009

Details: Seeing In The New Year Vaux-Style

At 11.55pm on 31st December 2009 Chris hooked into a 36lb 4oz mirror on a snowman rig, which he landed at 12.20am on 1st January 2010, a fitting end to New Year’s Eve and start to the New Year! Photos will follow

Fish are only being caught at night, not during the day, and on boilies, but not any particular one – Maple, QuestBaits Surf’n’Turf, one of the Stickybaits boilies. They spend the days high up in the water trying to get as much warmth as possible from what little sun there might be before going down to feed at night

Chas and Josie wish everyone a Very Happy New Year

Date: December 2009

Details: 33lb 6oz Mirror to Roz in Winter

Nine and a half hours into a week of winter fishing, Roz landed a 32lb 6oz mirror. She arrived with Neil and Chris at midday on Monday, 28th December to find Chas breaking up and clearing the last of the ice from the lake after it had been frozen by recent heavy frosts and snow. Straws were drawn for the swims, bivvies set up during the afternoon and rods out by 6.30pm for the first night’s fishing, with Roz first to catch and within just three hours. Photo will follow as soon as possible.

Well done, Roz.

Josie and Chas

Date: November 2009

Details: WIN A HOLIDAY

Our fish are growing and we know for sure that there is at least one large 50lb mirror in the lake (see Report ‘57lb10oz – Visiting Anglers Knew It Was There!), plus several others at over 40lb. They don’t come out very often, but they are there!

VAUX COMPETITION

The first angler in the 2010 season to land a carp over 55lb from Vaux Lake, or a carp over 65lb/catfish over 100lb from one of the additional large venues (see Report ‘New Venues for 2010) will win one week’s fishing at Vaux

* The prize is for one angler fishing
* Travel to and from the venue plus insurances are not included and will be the winner’s responsibility
* The date of the holiday will be subject to availability
* There is no cash alternative

The winner may be accompanied by up to 3 anglers/non-anglers to be charged at the rate of £100 per person

Good Luck to one and all!

Josie and Chas

Date: November 2009

Details: 57lb10oz – Visiting Anglers Knew It Was There!

So many of our angling visitors throughout this season were adamant that they’d seen ‘huge’ carp in the waters here at Vaux, evading capture as they basked in the shallows, swimming lazily from one end of the lake to the other, rolling, jumping head and shoulders out of the water, escaping at the net. The sceptics will say ‘Oh yeah!’, but we now know for sure that they weren’t seeing things.

Chas has been in full swing with the Vaux Annual Clean-up Ops for a few weeks now, aided and abetted by our neighbour, Martin, who has taken the opportunity every now and then to do a little carp fishing himself. Although an experienced sea and course fish angler, Martin has not fished for carp a great deal yet, but taking note of Chas’s guidelines, he started out with a 26lb mirror. Last Saturday, whilst Chas was away working at the stock ponds, Martin decided to put his rod out again and found after a while that he was into something much larger than the 26lb-er. What he eventually landed was ‘Split Tail’, the mirror that Adrian recently lost at the net, and it weighed in at 57lb10oz. According to our records, she (and it has to be a ‘she’, doesn’t it!) last came out on 3rd May 2008 at 37lb12oz. Martin’s main concern was to get her back into the water without delay. He did not have a camera to hand. He will in future!

We are just so pleased to have proof positive that our carp are growing on.

Josie

Martin's 26lb mirror	'Split Tail' on 3rd May 2008

Date: November 2009

Details: Adrian’s November visit

Friends who have visited on previous occasions spent the first few days of November fishing at Vaux. In the past they have racked up catches of 60 and 80 in a week, plus 40lb-ers, but this time, they found the fishing harder than usual.

One of the party who routinely catches large numbers of carp was unable to visit and so we welcomed young Mark, an inexperienced angler, in his place. They arrived with the start of the wet weather blown in on high winds, which was followed by alternate warm and then cold days, a hot afternoon and even a frost early one morning.

So the carp had not yet switched into Winter mode. A total of 13 fish were landed between them, 3 x 30s (31lb, 32lb 5oz, 34lb), 7 x 20s (commons of 21lb 01oz and 28lb 09oz and mirrors of 20lb 03oz, 22lb 07oz, 23lb 07oz, 24lb, 25lb 01oz) and two high doubles. Mark caught the 24lb and the 31lb.

Unfortunately almost as many carp were lost as were landed, including two very large ones at the net. One of these was Adrian’s last fish on the last day which we could see, before it got away, was a known mirror, ‘Split Tail’; there was no mistaking that tail! And it hasn’t been out in a long time.

34lb	28lb 09oz	32lb 5oz

Date: October 2009

Details: New Venues for 2010.....

We all know carp can switch off! For a variety of reasons! And we all know just how frustrating and disappointing this can be!

But what if you could try something different should this happen during your holiday at Vaux! Perhaps you would like an opportunity to try a day’s fishing in large waters where carp are known to 66.5lb and catfish to 177lb, as featured in the local press

Or maybe you have only ever fished small, intimate venues before now and would perhaps like to try out large waters to see if this is the fishing for you!

A holiday at Vaux presents just such an opportunity. We are offering our visiting holiday anglers the chance to fish guided sessions, as a holiday extra, on any of four, alternative venues which vary from 30 to 140 hectares. In addition to carp, there is a huge variety of course fish, zander, perch, tench, bream ……. and more

Chas will be your guide to these venues at all times where you can fish for a day, or longer if you wish, and where some night fishing is possible. The number of holiday anglers per session will be limited to either a single angler or a maximum of two; four anglers will have to divide into pairs for two separate sessions. Please contact us for full details

Chas and Josie

Date: October 2009

Details: Disabled Anglers

It has been our pleasure in 2009 to welcome to Vaux for the first time two disabled anglers. Each arrived for a week’s holiday with other members of his family, Dave in June and Tony in July. Both were delighted that they were able to access any of the swims, all of which are at the same level around the lake, and that they could fish from them with confidence. Both anglers caught mirrors to 28lb8oz.

The gîte alongside the lake offers a comfortable alternative to a week spent in a bivvy. It has a double door entrance which opens to 945mm width and internal doorways of 860mm into the WC/shower room and 810mm into the living room, all wide enough to allow wheelchairs full access throughout the ground floor. A toilet with adjacent handrail and raised toilet seat, plus washbasin facilities, is available in the ground floor shower room. Unfortunately, we are not yet able to offer shower facilities for the disabled, but it is a possible future project. A single bed for the disabled angler (with height raisers due for 2010), plus another bed for a companion if required, is especially located in the ground floor living room during the week’s holiday.

We would like to thank Dave for his invaluable advice concerning those facilities which could be improved upon and hope that the actions we have taken and will be taking will continue to meet with his approval

Josie and Chas

Date: August 2009

Details: Splashshshsh……….

When the carp bask, but won’t bite on those hot summer days, what could be better than to laze away part of the day in water yourself?

Children and adults alike have enjoyed cooling dips in the 15ft pool, new for Vaux this year, set up in the garden between the gîte and the Mill.

The Knight family who stayed at Vaux in the week 8th-15th August certainly seem to prove the point!

Best regards, Chas & Josie

Date: June 2009

Details: A 51lb12oz Mirror at Vaux

With the numbers of carp spawning well down in 2008, it was one of the worst years for spawning we’ve experienced since we bought Vaux seven years ago. After a great deal of thought, it was felt that the weight and the condition of the carp was being held back as they were not getting enough food.

Following the netting earlier this year, when a large quantity of silver fish was removed, we fed the carp substantially and this June saw the heaviest spawning, with the fish in far better condition than in previous years.

During this extremely energetic and sometimes violent activity, three good sized male carp were killed. It was so hectic that a large female mirror was seen to have been pushed into the heavily silted area at the top of the lake, prompting an immediate rescue. She was a carp still due to spawn, one I did not recognise and which I weighed before returning her to the water. She tipped the scales at 51lb 12oz. She was actually beached again the next day in the same place and was rescued a second time.

The 42lb 8oz female caught by Steve Dyett in the week before spawning took place was not carrying spawn and this was, therefore, her natural overall weight. We are pleased to see that the average weight of carp caught in a season has jumped from 19lb in 2008 to 25lb so far this year.

Best wishes to all, Chas

Date: May 2009

Details: Unknown 42lb+ mirror graces the bank

In a week which has seen 4 x 30lb-ers, including one at over 36lbs, 3 x 29lb-ers and another 4 in the high 20s, late Thursday afternoon Steve landed his PB, an unknown 42lb+ mirror caught in the top bay. And the group still have 24 hours to go!

Photos below...

Date: April 2009

Details: Reminder – Prepared Particles

At Vaux, in addition to pellets and a selection of Quest Baits boilies, we have had available for some time our own ready-prepared particles for anglers to buy (hemp, maize, giant tiger nuts, mixed seed) all at reasonable prices

Date: April 2009

Details: Success with Maggots

Paul and Steve who fished at Vaux from 14th to 21st March were the first to be able to try different tactics using maggots.

They spodded particles and maggots from the platform to two thirds of the way across the lake into an area about 20m long x 10m wide, the idea being to try to stop the carp as they moved out of the shallows, where they bask during the day and for much of the time out of the reach of anglers, towards the deeper waters at the dam wall end, where they feed at night.

A baitboat was not needed as it was easy to cast to the area. These two anglers proved that the change in tactics worked, borne out by the number of fish caught on maggots during the week. They landed 30 carp between them and missed five fish.

Date: April 2009

Details: Fishing the Stock Pond

Following on from netting the main lake, we drained down and netted the stock pond ourselves in mid March 2009. Although it is no more than one acre in size, it holds a good head of good quality carp up to 20lb, plus roach, perch, etc, all of which are well worth fishing for on light tackle, float tackle, small leads. It is overlooked for fishing and so fished irregularly, with the result that the fish fight hard. Fishing is allowed from anywhere along the banks

Date: April 2009

Details: Change in Tactics

Work carried out at Vaux over the past few months is already paying dividends with the resulting changes to the lake transforming carp behaviour.

1 Trimming back the trees and hedges along the far bank has allowed so much more light into the margins
2 Cutting out and trimming back the underwater snags along the far bank has lowered the risk of lost fish
3 Partial draining of the lake for the netting has moved silt to create new soft and new hard areas, the harder areas being formed by sand on the bed. It also highlighted a large number of hollows which have been dug in the silt by carp searching for bloodworm, where they will generally hole up. Photos taken at the time are available at Vaux
4 Removal of most of the silver fish has allowed anglers to make more use of particles, plus maggots and worms can now also be used, previously virtually impossible

As a consequence of the above, the carp have moved away from tight to the bank, away from the light, away from no snags to hide in, to a third of the way across the lake from that bank and because the silt there has been stiffened up by the sand to make hard areas, anglers can now put down a large area of spodded particle mix and maggots where previously the lake centre had been unproductive The problem this past year has been that those anglers fishing to the top, shallow end of the lake and those fishing to the deeper dam wall end have caught, but those fishing to the middle from the platform have struggled. The lake has altered and our regular visitors will find it completely different. Tactics are changing, from tight lines, big leads and baitboats to the far margins to spodding, light leads and back leads (which can be used safely now when not fishing to the bank). In short, you can use the tactics which you would normally use when fishing for carp, but it also pays to change tactics to suit current conditions at any one time.

Date: March 2009

Details: 21st-28th March 2009

Ian and Ross, with one non-angler, returned to Vaux for a second time during the last week of March, a social holiday with an opportunity to fish, which meant hardly any night fishing. Ian’s first carp, which he landed on the evening of his first day, was a 30lb mirror, his Personal Best, which he caught on live and plastic maggot on clip with sweetcorn. They went on to catch a 23lb mirror, a 28lb4oz common, a 22lb mirror and commons of 24lb, 28lb8oz and 19lb all on Tigernut and Strawberry Snowman. We look forward to seeing them again in September this year

Date: March 2009

Details: New Village Store

Our regular visitors to Vaux will, we’re sure, be pleased to learn that the local boulangerie has just opened into a village store as well, selling all manner of goodies including wine, beer, dairy produce, vegetables, tinned produce, etc etc etc.

And for those of you who are visiting for the first time this year, it is now just a short walk down the road to pick up those forgotten items together with your daily bread, croissants and pastries (except Mondays when it is closed).

The boulangerie often sells specialities on particular days of the week in addition to their regular filled rolls. We’re delighted!

Best Regards, Chas & Josie.

Date: February 2009

Details: Vaux Netting

The long awaited day arrived in mid February when our first netting of the lake at Vaux finally took place; it had last been drained by the previous owner and smaller fish removed in the year 2000.

The purpose of the netting was to remove the many silver fish which had proliferated in the waters. And it was a success as 1051 kgs (over 2,312 lbs) of roach, rudd etc and 49 kgs (over 107 lbs) of pike were removed and loaded into the lorry fish tanks. With so many perch and pike removed, it is now possible to fish with maggots and use swim/method feeders if you wish.

The lake had been drained down one metre to a suitable level for the netting, about 2m deep. Half the lake is hard, sandy silt, but a quarter is very, very soft silt in and along the channel where the river runs through the lake at a lower level than the 2m depth.

Over 80 carp up to 32lb were counted out from the net back into the lake, but the larger carp, even the 35lb-er caught when Tim fished in the last week of January this year, eluded the net by laying in the silt in the channel, as did one large catfish. One of the carp in the net was dragging lead and line from that earlier week’s fishing, proof that carp are being lost and not landed.

Whilst the lake was drained, trees were cut back and snags and obstructions were removed from along the far bank. At the same time an inordinate number of death rigs and gear were removed from the water, tackle which should not have been used. Photos of the topography of the lake will be available at the lake for anglers to view.

Date: November 2008

Details: Autumn Fishing

I took the opportunity to fish the lake myself last Friday, 21st November, and found that the carp have now moved into the sluice area for winter, into deeper water, exactly as they did last year.

Bait positioned 1-2m off the centre of the sluice up the lake is producing carp, whilst rods positioned a further 5-10m up the lake from the sluice on identical bait are not producing anything, so it is a very, very tight area where carp are feeding at the moment.

Using a 3oz inline lead, size 8 wide gape Owner hook, fine braid hook length tied to a stiff boom section hinged at the lead and washed out 12mm shelf life Tutti Frutti, I caught four carp in three hours, 29lb4oz, 18lb and 29lb 1oz commons and one lost.

I do believe that because we have been experiencing warmer weather here in France, the carp were eating all the bait I was putting in, but because I’ve seen large numbers just hanging in the water in the top bay, sunning themselves and not actively seeking food, it appears that they feed the heaviest at night and into the early morning.

Earlier in the month, a work party tidied up areas at Vaux, hard pruning the large trees around the lake, trimming back others and removing obstructions/snags from the water. Weather was changeable then, with cold nights, some snow, and then warming up again. The party members were allowed to put rods out from midday onwards, a maximum of 4 between them at any one time and positioned at random as they are not seasoned anglers.

Over a 3-day period they landed seven 30s, the largest a 37lb mirror, five 20s and three which were not weighed. They were using the same tactics as I was above, but they used glacons of broad beans and lupins over a bed of particles as bait. Half a dozen pike were also caught, with Martin landing his personal best at 22lb on a deadbait trout.

Chas

Martin with PB 22lb pike

Date: August 2008

Details: Family Pool for the Summer

Want to cool off on those hot, sunny, summer days?

New for Vaux in 2009 will be an above-ground pool (similar to the one shown in the photo), available for the amusement of children and adults alike, located in the garden area away from the anglers’ swims

New for 2009!

Date: August 2008

Details: Cold Season Hard Bivvie in the Mill

A new twist in cold weather carping at Vaux!!

Fish from the dam wall and bivvie up in the Mill.

You can be on your rods at all times, but have the luxury of full cooking facilities (cooker, microwave, kettle, toaster) right by your side, with electric lighting inside the Mill, exterior lighting over the rods and unlimited tea and coffee provided.

Optional heating can be provided at an extra charge.

Shower, toilet and washing up facilities will continue to be available only in the gîte

Date: May 2008

Details: Tight Lines win over Slack Lines/Bait runners

Just a note tosay that Tight lines seem to be the name of the game at this venue!! see below...

Adrian Kew’s party, who are regular visitors to Vaux, left last Saturday having caught 80 fish in the week, their best number yet. In their opinion, however, they felt that they could have landed over 100 fish had they not had a number of bent hooks (and not just one pattern of hook), snapped hook links, snagged fish and some lost at the net. Adrian and his family and friends are dedicated ‘tight liners’ who use large leads and never use bait runners and every time they’ve been to Vaux they’ve caught the most fish of all our visitors and the lake records.

Very well done to Adrian and his party!

Needless to say - those who do fish with slack lines, back leads and bait runners run the risk of large numbers of unregistered takes, which can mean lost fish and numbers caught well down on the norm.


Chas

Date: March 2008

Details: 55 Carp to 49lb 2oz

I continued to put my rods out throughout January, February and into March, but as always only late morning until dark and only when I could fit it in around clearing the top end of the lake and around our bookings. We were booked for week commencing 25th January and again week commencing 9th February, plus a short break from 22nd February, and so, what with the horrendous weather as well at times which we have all experienced, I was not able to do many days.

Overall I landed 55 carp, 18 commons and 37 mirrors, the commons being 2 x high doubles, 6 x 20s to 29lb 14oz and 10 x 30s to 39lb 4oz and the mirrors being 17 x 20s to 29lb 6oz, 19 x 30s to 39lb 4oz and one 49lb 2oz. So my fishing carries on at the coldest time of the year and I am still catching.

I always like to try out any new bait from Quest Baits and having taken delivery of their new LiverB8 in February, I was delighted that not only did it catch for me a good number of the 20s and 30s, but most importantly the 49lb 2oz mirror. Most of the 20s and the low 30s were caught on a combination of artificial corn popped up, plus glaçon.

I have found over the seasons that for a high percentage of Quest Baits boilies it is preferable at Vaux to use them washed out, for at least three days, Irish Cream being the top bait for fishing in this way at the moment. And so I obviously also tried to wash out the new LiverB8, but it is such a superbly rolled tight bait that it does not lend itself to being washed out. It doesn’t go soft and doesn’t come off the hair, it comes out of the water almost as it went in with no deterioration, just a very small loss of colour and texture. I am therefore using it straight from the freezer and am excited about trying it out in warmer weather because I would expect more of the liver flavours to be released into warmer water and hopefully this will make it even more attractive to our carp, bringing even better results. I am really impressed – well done to Quest Baits.

My latest rig innovations developed for the current season I’m calling my ‘stinger’ rigs. I’ve developed three new, different types of rig that I havn’t seen anywhere before, two pop-up rigs, the Hornet and the Wasp, and the third which is the Scorpion. I’ve been using them here at Vaux with Quest Baits boilies and off-the-shelf pop-ups. As is usual for me, I havn’t had time to prebait swims, it’s just been a simple case of putting the rods out, glaçon style, and waiting for the takes. However, in an article in a recent issue of Carpworld, a top-named angler who regularly fishes in France was commenting on his baiting up. He bases his angling success in France on his policy to put out 1kg of bait, ie chopped boilies, pellets or particles, to every rod he has out. Here at Vaux, fishing the glaçon to a baited area and working on the free offerings/baiting up of 1kg per rod has certainly increased my success this winter.

Tight lines, Chas

Date: January 2008

Details: Still catching in January

I have been perfecting my ‘frozen bait’ tactic at Vaux for the past two years and have to say that I have not been disappointed: each time I use it, I catch. Despite the low temperatures following the recent thaw (and because I don’t get much chance to fish Vaux myself) I have been fishing very short sessions on odd days, in between carrying out those important winter jobs, and so treating them as if I were trying out a new venue, ie no lengthy baiting up, etc.

I put my bait into the lake at about midday, four baits. On my first such session in early January, the first rod went and I landed a common in the low 20s. The second rod went soon after and I had a 27lb mirror on the mat, followed by mirrors of 29lb, 32lb and 35lb, all five within about 1hr 15mins. All were caught on popped up artificial corn in a seed based method mix which is proving to be very successful for me.

Chas

Date: January 2008

Details: Cold Weather Carping

Early on a Saturday morning in the middle of December 2007 our friend, Chris, arrived for a short break, although he did not start fishing until mid afternoon. It was extremely cold and temperatures were falling, but he and his son still had five takes and landed two good carp, one of them his son’s PB at about 24lb, before they conceded defeat as they watched the lake freeze over the following morning.

Chas

Date: January 2008

Details: January 2008 - New Swim for 2008

This winter of 2007/2008 I have been working to reclaim a large area of the lake at the top where it had become extensively overgrown in the years prior to our ownership. Overhanging trees and vegetation in the water made this top area where the river comes into the lake unfishable, but the trees have been cut back and much of the vegetation is being removed so as to provide another swim into an area much favoured by the carp in the summer where they bask in the shallows.

Chas

Date: January 2008

Details: 651lb landed on 3day visit in December

Three angling friends arrived for their regular end of year visit during the first week of December. The weather was foul, very wet and very high winds and so within those three days/nights they were only able to fish two days/nights in total, nipping out of bivvies when weather permitted.

But they still landed 25 carp between them in that time... 21 mirrors and 4 commons, a large proportion caught on Quest Baits Irish Cream boilies. 16 weighed from 20lb 07oz to 28lb 07oz, six were from 30lb 03oz to a 35lb common and the largest mirror tipped the scales at 40lb 01oz. With a total weight of 651lb 07oz, they achieved an average of 26lb.

Using their conventional methods, they were obviously doing very well, but were catching mostly at night and there were lulls during the days when they could and should have been catching. During one of these lows on the third afternoon, I gave one of them some of my frozen bait to try: his first fish using my method was the previously unrecorded for Vaux 40lb-er, followed by two more mirrors of 25lb 07oz and 28lb 06oz.

Just imagine what might have been achieved in that ‘lost’ day. And it so happens that it was his 12-year old daughter who landed the 43lb 11oz mirror the previous year in mid November.

Winter fishing can definitely produce results.

Chas

Date: November 2007

Details: Stock added from the stockponds

Over the past few weeks, 41 carp, all over 20lb and including a number of fully scaled mirrors, have been introduced into Vaux from the stockponds.

50% of these were from 25lb to just under 30lb and as we continually remove all the smaller fish from the main lake to the stockponds, we are on target for our aim to have all carp at Vaux over 20lb.

38 of the carp were mirrors as anglers had, on occasion, expressed the view that there were too few of them in the lake. These latest stock fish are already making a significant contribution to our anglers’ catch rates and since being moved to the main lake, the growth rates of those caught have already accelerated, so the hope is that by early March 2008 the first of these carp will be through the 30lb barrier.

2007 has been a good year for coarse fishing at Vaux, with a brace of perch at 4lb 8oz and 3lb 8oz caught by the same angler in one day and just recently the first brace of pike both at just over 20lb caught by the same group.

Regards, Chas & Josie

Date: August 2007

Details: 11 x 30s and 23 x 20s

What a cracking week for the Vaux anglers, two carp and four match anglers, who arrived on 18th August. Despite torrential rain and low temperatures for most of the week (unusual, as we all know, for August) and despite having to pack up at 3pm on the Friday to catch a ferry that evening, they caught between them 52 carp weighing in at a total 1189lb 12oz.

Alan Lofts

Out of 14 fish he had 7 x 30s:
1 x 39lb 12oz, 1 x 34lb 7oz, 2 x 32lb, 3 x 30lb all mirrors
plus 1 x 25lb, 2 x 22lb commons, 1 x 20lb

giving him an average weight of 25lb14oz

Daniel Barnes

Out of 18 fish he had 2 x 30s:
1 x 37lb 8oz, 1 x 34lb 4oz both mirrors
plus 1 x 28lb 4oz, 1 x 27lb, 1 x 26lb, 1 x 25lb, 1 x 24lb 8oz common, 1 x 23lb 12oz common, 1 x 23lb 8oz common, 1 x 22lb, 1 x 20lb 12oz

Tony Bass

Out of 4 fish he had 2 x 30s:
1 x 31lb 8oz, 1 x 31lb both mirrors
plus 1 x 28lb 8oz common, 1 x 21lb 8oz

Glen Bass

Out of 10 fish he had: 1 x 27lb common, 1 x 24lb 8oz mirror, 1 x 22lb mirror, 1 x 21lb8oz common, 1 x 20lb 4oz mirror

Steve had 3 mirrors from 22lb to 28lb+

All 11 x 30s had been landed by Wednesday, during the worst of the week’s weather, indicating yet again that Vaux seems to fish well in wet, colder weather due to the river running through it.

Well done lads for bringing out the highest number of 30s so far and doing it in less than a week

Date: March 2007

Details: Spring Fishing and Trialling Baits

I'm often asked by visiting anglers about various methods, different tackle and types of bait to use here at Vaux. So this Winter I decided to trial every combination of tactics I could possibly think of, to prove to myself what works best.

I’ve tried swim feeder, method feeder, light tackle, slack lines, pop-ups, maggots, all sizes of hooks, as many types of hooklink material as I could find and much more. It’s a popular belief that Winter fishing tactics should be small baits, small hooks, slack lines, minimum bait. But in all of these trials I found the numbers of carp caught from Vaux using these tactics were disappointing for the effort put in.

On reverting to big boilies up to 30mm, rehydrated for 24hrs to get maximum size, using stiff links, big hooks, big leads, my catches dramatically improved. At 15.45 on 5th February this year, I had a mirror at a tad under 35lb on Quest Baits Rahja Spice using these tactics. It seems to me that the carp are so preoccupied in dealing with a big bait that they overlook the end tackle to which the boilie is attached!

I have said it before and make no apologies for saying it again, what’s been proven to me is to stick to Summer tactics all year round at Vaux.

With the welcome arrival of Quest Bait’s new season bait deliveries and the chance at last to do a few days fishing despite the cold weather, I decided to trial their newly enhanced Special Crab, even though the brochure states it is a three-season bait, not for Winter.

I rehydrated these 20mm boilies (a larger size than I normally take) in pond water for 24 hours and then, reverting to my usual, ‘Summer tactics’, ie drum tight lines, big leads of 4oz-5oz, size 6 hooks, stiff links, stringers plus chops to baited areas. I fished to the margins which are gravel and sand with clear bottom and no silt and also to the centre of the lake which is fully silted with a lot of leaves and rubbish at the moment. Using these tactics the fish hook themselves and so I get an immediate indication at the buzzers of any hook up.

On 20th March, the lake temperature had dropped back from 8deg down to 6deg due to cold weather - snow, sleet & rain brought in by Northerly winds.

I fish afternoons only and nothing was happening, but as it grew dark and I decided to pack up, one rod went, a 37lb 14oz mirror, followed immediately by a second rod on which I had a 32lb 4oz mirror – a superb brace of thirties on the mat together at 19.05.

Just as I had returned these two carp, a third rod went and I landed a mid twenty common which I did not weigh. This brace of thirties makes it three thirties caught on Quest Bait’s new Special Crab in recent days at Vaux, plus a whole string of high twenties.

Using exactly the same bait and tactics on 15th March, I landed a 38lb 4oz mirror and as I was putting it back into the water, a second rod went off. Because I was fishing at short range in shallow margins, I gently lifted into the fish which rolled on the surface – revealing itself to be another very, very big mirror, but – shock, horror, disaster - a hookpull! When I brought it in, I found the size 6 hook had completely straightened. Now, this is not something we have experienced at Vaux since two years ago when we had difficulties with hooks straightening. The manufacturer of those hooks realised then that there was a problem and rectified it, which resolved the issue for the last 18 month-2years. But this hook was the third from a packet to straighten on me this Winter... and the packet states that they are ‘for extreme conditions – hit and hold snag fishing’.

It is therefore very important that our angling visitors should always consider bringing heavy gauge wire and as strong a hook as possible in all and any of the sizes.

And a final discovery I’ve made this Winter! Two years ago I took the biggest 20-22mm boilies I had at the time, all different makes, and dropped them into a Quest Baits Smokey Fish Boosted Boilie Dip. I’ve since read in the brochure that this should not be done. This Winter I fished with those boilies. I found that when taking a boilie out of the Dip it has a nice firm surface, almost like a preserved bait, an almost stiff, rubbery texture, and they’ve caught me lots of big fish. If a rod using one of these boilies doesn’t go off during the day, I keep the boilie on and leave the rod on the rack overnight. In the morning, the boilie exudes a lovely, oily material. I cast it back out again and find I can repeat this over two or three days. At some point that boilie will go and because there is no overall deterioration in it (it doesn’t break down or go soft) I have confidence in just leaving it in the water indefinitely. I’ve caught carp within an hour of putting in one of these boilies and I’ve also caught carp fishing the same boilie on the third day.

Regards, Chas

Date: January 2007

Details: 54lb3oz Catfish!

On Sunday, 21st January, I was, as usual, at my lake, this time spinning for perch with a very, very small spinner, using a Fox medium spinning rod and 8lb line. I had two good sized perch, followed by a double figure pike.

Then I thought that the spinner had become snagged on the bottom, near the far bank, because I just couldn’t retrieve it. So I collected a pole and went round to the bank to unhook it, but although I searched for some considerable time, I couldn’t find either the line or the lure. So off I went, back to rod on the other bank, but it wasn’t where I’d left it and as I looked around, there it was – bouncing down along the bank! As I picked it up and wound down, I realied I was into something rather heavy, but it wasn’t until 1hr 15mins later that I discovered I had a catfish on the end which, when I finally managed to weigh it, was a cracking 54lb3oz. It wasn’t so much that I caught the cat – it caught me!

Chas

Date: January 2007

Details: Adrian’s Return – 22 Carp in January

On 2nd January, our friends who visited in November returned for a second short break to continue their trials of Winter fishing at Vaux. Bivvies were up and rods were out by 15.00hr on the 2nd and fishing did not stop until 08.00 on Friday the 5th, the day they went home. This time they kindly agreed to use only Vaux Lake Baits, supplied by Quest Baits.

In their first session they landed nine carp, including mirrors of 32lb 3oz, 27lb 5oz, 28lb 3oz and commons of 25lb 1oz, 24lb 7oz and 20lb 1oz. Their second session saw seven fish on the mats including commons of 21lb 7oz and 24lb 9oz and a mirror of 23lb 2oz. In their final session they banked six carp, including mirrors of 31lb 4oz and 22lb 8oz and commons of 30lb 1oz and 23lb 6oz.

In addition to these 22 carp, they lost two large catfish, one at the net through a hookpull and the other because the hook length cut. Plus nine hooked carp were lost, but this was down to atrocious weather, heavy rain and high winds most of the time. All the fish were caught on Vaux Lake Baits, being Quest Baits Irish Cream and Fruity Trifle.

And so, in two short Winter visits, a total of 42 carp have graced the Vaux banks for our friends, most spectacularly that 43lb 11oz mirror in November. Photos will be added when received

Date: January 2007

Details: A Happy Start to the New Year!

The fish are still moving at the moment, jumping and launching themselves out of the water and with the rising temperatures of late, they seem to have the feel of Spring. The water 1m down was previously at 2 deg then rising, so at a temperature of 4deg, I had the rods out again. Using Quest Baits 18mm Fruity Trifle boillies over Frolic dog food and size 6 hooks, with the boillies washed out in pond water for a minimum of two days, I caught a most beautiful mirror at about 3pm on 30th December which weighed in at 38lb2oz. My neighbour, Pacifique, who is the former owner of the lake, was working in his garden and witnessed my catch.

On New Year’s Eve I had the rods out by midday, again using Quest Baits 18mm Fruity Trifle boillies, washed out, over chopped boillies and Frolic. At about 3.30pm the first rod, to the centre of the lake, was away and I had a common of about 16lb or 17lb, which I did not weigh. As I put that rod away for the day, there was a single beep on the second rod. After a lapse of five minutes, the rod went again and I landed a 29lb11oz common. On New Year’s Day I landed two commons, one of about 13lb/14lb which I did not weigh and one at 27lb11oz.

All the big fish are coming from a mark for a trench which is about 1m wide and runs about 5m along the right hand side of the lake looking from the dam wall. It was discovered by a baitboat with echo sounder and it is currently turning into a hot-spot as the fish move away from the shallows near the bank and from the top of the lake where the water has turned clear.

For this winter’s campaign I had decided to change from my normal summer stiff hook lengths with big hooks to soft braided hook lengths and small hooks, but I still had one rod with the old style stiff hook length and this is what all the big fish have been caught on. The stiff rig is still outfishing the soft rigs.

We’ve had a very good year here at Vaux and again we would like to thank all our visitors for the care they have taken with the fish, the lake and also the gîte.

A Very Happy New Year to one and all

Chas and Josie

Date: December 2006

Details: Quest for 30lb-plus Common Achieved

On Sunday, 17th December, I had only one fish, a 24lb common.

Searching for a Winter bait the following day (Mon, 18th Dec), I thought I’d see what Quest Baits Fruity Trifle could do for me. Monday was another very cold, wintry day and I put three rods out on a pod to a known mark off the dam wall, using Fruity Trifle washed out.

I put the baits out early and nothing happened all day, but I moved nothing. It was so cold by mid afternoon that I almost packed up, but decided to give it another ten minutes. And at round about 15.20 the first rod went giving me a 27lb 8oz mirror on the bank at 15.30.

No sooner had it been put back into the water than the second rod went and I had a common of about 17lb (I didn’t weigh it). Again, just as it was back in the water, the third rod went – the result a 32lb 4oz common, gold coloured, fin perfect and no fat stomach to drag on the bottom. Wonderful. It has long been my quest to catch a 30lb common. I’ve had commons up to 29lb-ish and even, last Friday, one to well over 40lb, but never before, what was for me, that magical 30lb-er. I had almost given up for the day and then had three carp one after another.

My Vaux tactics do seem to work; bait locally, use whole boillies (plus I’m using Frolic dog food at the moment as well), sit back - and wait for things to happen. And thanks very much to Quest Baits!!

All the best, Chas

Date: December 2006

Details: 49lb 2oz Common in December

Friday, 15th December was one of the coldest days we have had after a long spell of mild weather. I hadn’t intended to put any rods out, but saw fish showing in the middle of the lake off the dam wall and in the margins to the right of the dam wall and so decided to fish for them. The previous day, after having read through the latest issues of carp magazines, I had changed from my usual tactics to try a different winter campaign; following the concensus of opinion in the magazines, I changed to small hooks, small leads, slack lines which are pinned down and crumble mix ground baits. I blanked.

And so on that cold Friday I reverted to my old tactics which had served me well last year, 18mm boillies, big leads, tight lines, but I did scale down the hook size and used size 8. There was no pre-baiting, just a loose scattering of boillies by catapult into the general area where the fish were showing, then boating baits directly on top of where they were. I didn’t use any carp or trout pellets, only different sized and different coloured boillies with a good scattering of Frolic dry dog food which sinks.

It was a very short session, but it produced five fish: at 12.30 I started with a 28lb 2oz mirror, followed at 13.28 by a common of 21lb. And then at 14.04 I landed a most beautiful common, one I had been after for a very long time, which weighed in at an incredible 49lb 2oz. At 14.45 I caught another mirror of 23lb2oz and finally at 16.01 I had a 25lb4oz mirror.

There is no doubt that the fish at Vaux are growing on. We havn’t stocked any additional carp since a handful in November 2004.

Sorry, there won’t be any photos. I was fishing alone and Josie was at home (NB – it’s all right for some – I’M STILL DECORATING !! Josie)

Best wishes to all, Chas

Date: November 2006

Details: A Weekend at Vaux in November

Friends who arrived for a long weekend visit in November were more than pleased to catch a few carp, starting with a 28lb 2oz common mid Friday afternoon and ending with two more commons at 23lb 15oz and 24lb 3oz early Monday morning.

Just a few! Only 20!! In just two and a half days!!!

Not bad going, you might think, but it was even better than that. 18 of the 20 were commons and three of them weighed in at 31lb 6oz, 32lb 8oz and 34lb 7oz, whilst one of the mirrors was 31lb 4oz.

13 of the commons were twenties, from 22lb 6oz up to 28lb 9oz. Only two fish were high doubles. And the remaining mirror? Well - Laura, aged 12, is now Junior Lake Champion, Ladies’ Lake Champion and overall Visitor Lake Champion who, using Quest Baits Irish Cream boilies, caught and landed a beautiful 43lb 11oz mirror.

A total weight of 534lb 4oz of carp was achieved, giving an average weight of 26lb 11oz - and all this in a late season, weekend visit.

Well done!!

Josie and Chas

Laura with 43lb11oz mirror

Date: October 2006

Details: Great Fishing at Vaux in October

Throughout just a couple of weeks or so in October, leading into the first couple of days of November, and fishing only limited hours during the days, Chas caught and landed 60 carp, including 28 twenties and two thirties, the total weight being almost 1145lbs.

Some of these catches are already recorded in previous News Reports. During this period he experienced some of the coldest weather so far this Autumn when the first frost appeared. The fishing was not affected and it proved to him yet again that some of the best carp fishing is to be had late season. He’s happy to continue taking advantage of such great fishing - until a few more anglers also decide late season bookings just might throw up a lake record for them!

Josie and Chas

Date: October 2006

Details: How to Convalesce

On 12th October Chas went into hospital for a small operation on his knee, which he had damaged earlier in the year. By midday of Saturday, 14th October, he was discharged and on his way to recuperate at the gîte, but with a boredom threshhold of zero, he had no intention whatsoever of just sitting by the lake and ‘watching’ the wildlife go by! Out came the rods and all the associated paraphernalia and by late afternoon he had landed three fish, including a 24lb mirror and a 25lb common.

Before the nurse arrived next day he had already had a 24lb1oz common on the mat. ‘Walking is good, but you must rest your leg and take small steps when you walk’, advised the nurse; some hope! Rest during that afternoon was interrupted by a 32lb 6oz mirror being landed on the mat and the day ended disappointingly when a very much larger fish was lost at the net.

Not a day has gone by without at least one fish gracing the bank, the majority of them twenties and the best day so far being 19th October when five of his six carp were over 20lb.

His 'convalescence' continues!

Regards, Josie

Date: October 2006

Details: And How Not to Convalesce

Chas had already landed a couple of twenties during the morning of 19th October, but as his convalescence progressed, he, of course, couldn’t delay getting back to work around the lake. In the afternoon, which was one of high winds, he was clearing leaves alongside the rubbish bin at the far end of the dam wall when he noticed a group of French people inspecting the gîte, peering into windows where curtains were removed (NB - inside windows and doors being re-glossed). That was when the first rod went and so he ran (no, strike that, says Chas when he was telling me about his afternoon – he ‘hobbled’) towards the rods, but before reaching them he heard the first rumbles of thunder, quickly followed by lightening and by the time the fish was half way in, the torrential rain had started.

The French people asked to shelter in the mill to avoid the heavy rain, thunder, lightening, hailstones, just as the 18lb common was netted, unhooked and then put straight back. Chas was running (hobbling!) to shelter in the mill himself when the second rod went. By this time lightening had taken out the top branches of a tree over near the gîte and one of the Frenchmen dashed out to help him net and unhook a 28lb 5oz mirror which was left in the net. Soaked to the skin, Chas was thinking, ‘Great – let’s get into the dry’, but just as he reached the mill, the third rod went and after a spirited fight, again assisted by the Frenchman, Chas netted and unhooked a 21lb 1oz common which he left in a second net.

Thinking that it couldn’t get any better – or worse! – the fourth rod went; the rain was hammering down, branches were crashing out of the trees, the leaves and rubbish flying in the high winds. Not helped by the drenched Frenchman, who had obviously decided enough was enough and was staying in the mill this time, Chas brought in another spirited carp, a 26lb 5oz mirror, which was also left in a third net. To his dismay, Chas heard a single beep, a drop back on a fifth rod which luckily did not hook up. And so finally into the mill for a hard-earned coffee and chat with the French people who had witnessed, or indeed taken part in, all the excitement!

No doubt for Chas this is the very best way to recuperate!

Regards to all, Josie

Date: October 2006

Details: Patience Pays Off

Chas has been waiting patiently (and sometimes impatiently, if the truth be known) to get his own rods in the water for some weeks now and he finally had the lake to himself on Wednesday, 4th October. The winds and rain of the past few days had died down and he was there bright and early as daylight appeared. At 10.45 he landed a beautiful 35lb mirror and at 11.20 his second mirror, this time 23lb. The afternoon turned sunny, although not too warm, and whilst he enjoyed the ambience of the lake, he was more than happy to have a 22lb common gracing his mat at 19.02hr. All were caught on Quest Baits Irish Cream and he was well pleased with the day. Sorry – no photos; I stayed home!

Josie and Chas

Date: September 2006

Details: Gary Catches 50 Carp

Gary arrived, with his family, early on the Saturday afternoon, eager to set up and start fishing straight away, his goal to catch a Thirty. Fishing overnight, he had landed six carp by 10.30 the next morning, including two twenties. But the rest of Sunday was lost when the temperatures soared and the fish could be seen basking in the sun all over the lake, displaying a total lack of interest in any food or bait. Monday dawned cooler and in the early morning he achieved his goal: he caught a 32lb8oz mirror, his first PB of the week. He had another four fish that day, including two more twenties, and then landed eight carp on the Tuesday. Wednesday’s torrential rain brought the first new water into the lake for about six months, chilling it quickly and so putting off the fish, but on Thursday morning the fishing took off again and he brought in a 31lb mirror and another two twenties among the day’s total of nine. Friday saw him beat that PB from earlier in the week when a 35lb mirror graced his mat.

Although it had taken Gary at least three days at the beginning of his holiday to get to grips with the power of the fish, he ended the week with a total of 50 carp weighing in at 866lb4oz, the most caught at Vaux by one angler – and not one of them in single figures. Not only that, he had also lost 11 through hook pulls! So Gary left us having achieved his goal, three times, and with the Lake Record of most fish to a single angler – Very Well Done, Gary

from Josie and Chas

Date: August 2006

Details: One Week Gone – One Week to Go

Gordon and his family are half way through their two week holiday here at Vaux and whilst they have spent most days out and about, Gordon has fished mornings and evenings, catching in the region of 20 fish so far, several of them in the twenties. But he has also had a 35lb+ mirror and on that same evening his son, Craig, who had decided to join him on the bank also caught a 29lb+ carp. During one evening session, following a change in the weather, Gordon landed five carp within one hour and he has also had a 33lb-er and a catfish at 35lb.

Date: August 2006

Details: Good Luck Jack !

The week of 5th – 12th August saw the arrival of Barry, Steve and Jack, Barry’s son. A few carp were landed on the first night, including one of over 20lb, and Steve beat his personal best with a 17lb carp (he said he would have been happy with one of 10lb!).

During the week several very big fish were lost at the net, but Jack landed catfish at 35lb+, 37lb+ and the lake record at a few ounces under 48lb. And before the week was out Steve broke his earlier personal best by banking a 33lb+ mirror. All these big fish (including the cat!) were caught on Quest Baits Irish Cream which we stock at the lake.

The high temperatures, especially during the first half of the week, meant that there was not a great deal of action for them, but in all the trio caught about 30 fish, including a few 20's.

We would like to wish Jack the very best of luck as he returned from his holiday at Vaux to take part in the British Young Carp Angling Championships.

Regards, Chas and Josie

Date: July 2006

Details: 2007 Holidays at 2006 Prices

Vaux venue rates for 2007 will remain at 2006 prices. So you can rest assured that there will be no surprise increase in this part of your Vaux holiday costs for next year. Ferry and travel costs are variable, as you know, and can, therefore, affect the overall price

Josie and Chas

Date: July 2006

Details: Christmas at Vaux

Has it ever crossed your mind to spend Christmas and/or the New Year away from home? Vaux offers a comfortable ‘home from home’ in a lake-side setting with the added bonus of a spot of fishing, particularly (for those faint hearted among you) if the weather is mild. Decorated, artificial tree included, if you wish (see Photo – but you supply the prezzies!). Prices for the 2006 Christmas week and the 2007 New Year week will be based on our 2006 main season rate

Christmas at Vaux

Date: July 2006

Details: Save Valuable Car Space!

Here at Vaux you can now:

Hire a Fox Eurodome Bivvie, erected and waiting for you, plus 2 bedchairs for 60 euros per week

Hire just a bedchair for 20 euros per week

Hire an Umbrella for 15 euros per week

To allow us to have everything ready and waiting for you on your arrival, please let us know in advance of your holiday whether you would like to hire any of these items.

Date: June 2006

Details: Hot Weather, but 19 Carp.

24th June - 1st July

Richard arrived to unwind and relax for a week - and if he caught a few fish, that would be a bonus. Fishing was hard because of the high temperatures, but his enthusiasm increased daily and by the time Saturday came around again, fishing days only he had caught 19 fish up to a 29lb mirror and a 30lb plus common.

Date: May 2006

Details: Winter Bivvy Special

We are offering a special Winter Bivvy rate at Vaux for November through to March (excluding Christmas and New Year) of £205 per angler per week, including ferry. The option includes the use of facilities in the kitchen/dining room and the ground floor shower room of the gite.

If they prefer, anglers may still choose an Exclusive holiday during the same months as above at our low season Winter rate of £550 per week plus ferry, which includes full use of the gite.

Date: May 2006

Details: More PBs plus Lake Record Catfish

Colin had not been carp fishing in about 20 years, but when his son, Blake, recently took up the sport, he agreed to return to it with him. They decided to book their first trip to France, with Blake’s girlfriend, Sam, too who had been fishing just a few times. Blake’s PB was 14lb; Colin could not recall his.

Sam was first to catch, a 16lb 02oz mirror on the first evening, and then Blake caught his first PB of the week, a 28lb 03oz common, followed by a 27lb 06oz mirror, all on Quest Baits Irish Cream. Colin was away the following day when he landed a 24lb common caught on Quest Baits Special Crab, followed by a 34lb catfish that same evening. And not long after came his PB of the week, a 35lb 04oz mirror, this time on Irish Cream. He had 11 fish in total, including a second catfish at 33lb.

By now Blake was wishing for a 30 plus and it wasn’t long before he landed the lake record catfish at 36lb 05oz.... then it was Sam’s turn to beat her PB with a 26lb mirror.

But Blake really wanted to catch a 30plus carp - and the following day he achieved just that, with a 32lb 01oz mirror on the mat, another PB for him. And Sam ended her week with a 35lb catfish, her PB and ladies’ lake record catfish. Between them they had 34 carp and catfish, weighing in at 712lb 01oz.

Congratulations to them from Chas and me for achieving so much in the week.

Josie

Photos will be added to our Fish Gallery when they are received.

Date: May 2006

Details: Lake Double Record

Three couples, friends for many years, Alan and Sue from UK, Roger and Les now from Ireland and Paul and Sue now from the south of France, travelled to Vaux for a holiday get-together from 6th to 13th May, where they had the added bonus of ‘doing a little fishing’. But once the rods were set up, the passion for angling set in and although there were days out, there was no night fishing and several evenings were spent socialising. The gentlemen still caught over 40 fish, with seven PBs amongst them, including 35lb and 25lb catfish. But Roger was the star of the week when at 10.35 on 9th May he landed two beautiful mirrors together, one of 36lb, his PB, and one of 25lb, giving him the Lake Double record. Superb !! And congratulations

Josie

36lb and 25lb

Date: May 2006

Details: COMPETITION

We are offering a free week’s holiday to the first of the 2006 season’s anglers who can catch the lake record mirror at more than 47lb 10oz. You will find the details on our Angling Lines Main Web Page.

Regards, Chas & Josie

Date: May 2006

Details: Fishing Tackle - General Guide

We are often asked by anglers what tackle they should bring and so to hopefully give our visitors the best possible chance of achieving the best possible results when fishing our lake, we set out below Answers to some of the Most Frequently Asked Questions and offer this as a General Guide to what tackle should be considered

• Reel – the single most important factor is the quality of the fishing reel. You should bring with you the best that can be afforded, with a smooth clutch mechanism and incorporating as much line capacity as possible. Bait runners are not a necessity
• A good POD System - because we have platforms and hard banks
• Quality Swingers for the PODs – the Euro Swingers are not good for fishing our lake because we fish single beeps and dropbacks
• Carp leaders – Nylon 25lb black, green or clear with – most important – size 8 swivel. Different coloured leaders will be required depending on water quality at different times of the year. Leaders must be compatible with either inline leads (see below) or safety clips, whichever is used
• Leads – Fox Inline flat pear combi-leads 2.5oz through to 5oz
• Rig foam, PVA bags and Funnel Web systems are an all-important part of fishing at this venue
• Hooks – Teflon coated, Long Shank 10, Wide Gape,B 6 and 10, barbed and barbless and G-Point Super GP204 Size 6
• Baitbands – Gardiner 3.2mm/1/8”

We hope the suggestions are helpful, but, of course, choice of tackle is always up to the angler

Chas

Date: May 2006

Details: Another Week of PBs

The first week of May saw the return of Michael and Julie for a third visit, accompanied this time by Karl and Tim, and we were really delighted to meet up with them again. Karl’s sister, Emma, stole the show on their first visit in 2004 when at the age of 10 she landed a common of 16lb12oz followed by a mirror of 24lb08oz the next day. She didn’t fish after that, saying she had done what she wanted to do!

It was early evening on the first day when Karl caught his first fish, a mirror weighing 30lb08oz, giving him his PB and making him JUNIOR LAKE RECORD HOLDER. And his next fish was a 27lb common which gave him the Junior Common Record for Vaux as well. Julie’s last fish landed her with the Ladies’ Lake Record Catfish which weighed in at 34lb 06oz. Tim, fairly new to carp fishing, arrived at Vaux with a UK PB of 9lb which he beat with every fish he landed. He went away with a new PB of 24lb 04oz – totally hooked on angling and with a determination to upgrade his fishing tackle for all those future PB's.

In a week of very mixed weather, they caught 29 fish between them including 1 x 30, 8 x 20 (4 commons, 4 mirrors) and two catfish. We will put the photos on our Fish Photos Page as soon as they are received

Date: April 2006

Details: Smashing those PB's

Our anglers during the last week of April arrived with PBs of 24lb and under 20lb and Pete started catching on Day 1. Wes blanked on his first day, but the first fish he landed late in the afternoon of the second day was a 26lb3oz mirror – his first fish, his first PB of the week, caught on a Questbait Special Crab boilie.

In the middle of the third day, he landed a 33lb9oz mirror, smashing his PB from the previous day, and then only an hour later Pete had his first PB on the mat, a 25lb7oz mirror.

But by early evening Pete had well and truly smashed that too when he brought in a 33lb3oz mirror. The following afternoon Wes caught a 35lb12oz mirror, giving him yet another PB and also the Lake Record for a visiting angler.

Not to be outdone, mid evening of that same day Pete caught a 35lb catfish, another PB and also the Lake Record for a catfish, which had been taken on a Quest Bait Irish Cream boilie.

Their total for the week was 38 fish, weighing a total of 702lb15oz.

Very Well Done Lads!
See the photos on our Fish Photos Page

Pete's PB	Wes's PB

Date: April 2006

Details: New Lake Record - 47lb 10oz Mirror

We decided to spend Easter at Vaux ourselves this year, accompanied during the first week by two non-angling family members.

Although lake temperatures are still only about 7deg, the carp are rolling and showing in the snags and I decided to bait up with hemp, as it is too early in the season for French carp and trout pellets, three days before intending to fish, and with the sole intention of using Quest baits to establish them as a food source in the lake.

Whilst I was establishing the bait, I was catching - and I landed 13 fish in those first few days, 10 of them 20s and four of those commons. But I could see bigger fish constantly showing.

Then on 14th April, over a period of about 10 hours, I caught 8 fish, five mirrors weighing in at 32lb01oz, 33lb14oz, 23lb02oz, 22lb10oz and the New Lake Record of 47lb10oz!!

The three commons weighed 19lb01oz, 19lb10oz and 23lb02oz. I was using heavy leads of 4.5oz, fluorocabon leaders and fluorocarbon line as the water is still clear and the carp are very aware, size 6 hooks, 15lb mono hook lengths, which we don't normally use on the lake, hinged to the swivel of the lead and a combination of short and long hook lengths, with an unconventional hair set-up allowing me to fish single or double 18mm boilies chopped to different shapes. Every fish was caught on either Quest Baits Irish Cream or Special Crab boilies.

It has been a highly successful and satisfying week, with a total weight of carp caught at 512lb 09oz.

Hope every one else enjoyed a very Happy Easter

Chas

Date: March 2006

Details: He's Cracked It !!

Following an excellent week’s fishing when Paul and Brian, our first anglers, caught 10 carp from 16lb6oz to 28lb3oz, I continued to bait up the waters and whilst doing so, spotted a very large common and two smaller mirrors in that same area where they had fished.

It was Tuesday, 21st March, first day of Spring, the lake had really come alive and I just had to put those rods out.

At 12.05 I had a 24lb6oz common. At 12.35 I landed the new lake record, a 42lb6oz mirror, witnessed by Pacifique, our neighbour! Regrettably Josie was not there to take a photo.

At 14.45 I brought out another common weighing 19lb11oz. The session did not end there. Just before 18.00 two rods went almost simultaneously. Whilst a good-sized common lay on the mat unhooked, the second rod went and after managing to guide the fish out of the snags, I replaced that rod on the pod so that I could unhook the common and put it back - unweighed. This second fish was a 25lb8oz mirror, landed at 18.08, which I am certain was smallest of the group that I had seen earlier in the day.

As I was putting this mirror back in the water, my third rod went and at 18.18 there was another mirror on the mat at 18lb10oz. All the fish were in pristine condition.

I have been baiting with carp and trout pellets and experimenting over the winter months with multiple baits - hitting on a snowman rig at present - using 12mm Quest Special Crab boilie and dark coloured pop-up to match the pellets.

I have been trickle feeding 12mm Special Crab boilie over the winter and even caught carp with water temperature down to 2 deg.

Feeling great, brilliant start – Chas

Date: January 2006

Details: Angling Lines' exciting new range of quality baits

Earlier in the month, Vaux received samples of Angling Lines' exciting new range of quality baits and although we are experiencing severe cold weather conditions here at the moment, with very low night temperatures, I decided that, as I am spending time at Vaux on maintenance work, I would try the new baits. I used the same rods and hook links as for summer tactics, i.e. big leads, tight lines, etc and fished just a couple of afternoon sessions of no more than four hours each. I didn't even look at which of the baits I was using, I just felt the quality was right and I wasn't surprised to catch on both occasions, with positive takes, no finicky bites. On the first day, I caught two fish on the same boilie. For the time spent fishing, my catch rate was on a par to a summertime session which I felt was quite a remarkable start for new baits at Vaux.

All the indications are that our angling visitors in the coming 2006 season should give serious consideration to using Angling Lines baits here at Vaux

Regards to all, Chas

Date: November 2005

Details: Waving goodbye to the last of the season's anglers

After sadly waving goodbye to the last of the season's anglers, I've very happily turned to some fishing myself, continuing as late into the year as possible in the coldest temperatures. Naturally my fishing hours have been restricted to when all daily chores around the lake have been completed! so it's been from about 3.00pm till dark, about 6.00pm . Within a two week period in November, I landed some 20-24 mirrors and commons and in one of those short afternoon sessions I had mirrors at 22lb and 23lb12oz and commons at 28lb and 24lb, whilst an English friend living here, who had joined me for the afternoon, caught a 31lb mirror. Since that afternoon I have also landed Chris Wood's lake record mirror which he caught at the end of July, then weighing 35lb 04oz and now weighing 36lb. And then on 18 th November I caught another known mirror, landed by Marie in September 2004 at 32lb now weighing 36lb 08oz. With Josie away in the UK at the time, I was unable to take photographs of these latest catches, but am sending a photo of Dave and the 31lb mirror. I am really hopeful that those lurking 40s will make an appearance in 2006.

My sister, Sue, who was here for a holiday break during late October, fished with me for the best part of a week in cold weather and took the catfish record at 35lb02z, recognised as one of the smallest of the stockings.

Once again, heartfelt thanks to all those guests who took such good care of the gîte and lake during the 2005 season

Kind regards Chas

Date: October 2005

Details: Angling Lines competition for a week's fishing at Vaux

Simon Lawson, the winner of the Angling Lines competition for a week's fishing at Vaux, took the holiday from 1st - 8 th October with his friend, Paul, and as the Feedback Report states, they caught a total of 38 fish, the total weight being 672lb 04oz. They were fishing six rods between them, Simon to the dam wall and Paul to the snags at the top of the lake. On the Wednesday, one of Paul's rods was away and he landed a double common at 2.45pm ; immediately as he returned this fish to the water, his second rod was away. He successfully played and landed a mirror of 30lb 04oz at 3.00pm , his personal best at the time. Before we could even get this fish back into the water, one of Simon's rods went and he lifted into what appeared to be another good fish, which I netted for him just as Paul was putting his mirror back. Simon's mirror, landed at 3.10pm , weighed in at 33lb 12oz. With so much action, weighing and photographing, it had been necessary to return the first mirror to the water, so we couldn't take a photograph of them together, but here we had two 30s caught within ten minutes of each other, a new Vaux double record. Not long after this, Simon's second rod was away and he lifted into what we could see was another extremely good mirror, with the real hump back (we couldn't see the head) of a Czech Royale sticking out of the water, it was that big. Unfortunately for Simon, he suffered a hook-pull and he wasn't able to land that fish, but the concensus of opinion was that it was undoubtedly another good 30. Now that would have been something to see - a trio of 30s landed.

Simon and Paul also took some absolutely stunning commons up to 25lb during the week, proving, yet again, that Vaux can fish extremely well in the colder months.

Well done, Simon and Paul, from Josie and myself, Chas

Date: January 2005

Details: The fishing so far this season

Early on Sunday morning, 4th September, around 1.30am , one of the newly arrived anglers, Ray, hooked into a fish. He was on his own as his fellow anglers were crashed out in the gîte. After a battle lasting one and a half hours (his cries for help totally ignored) he landed the fish himself which he proceeded to weigh on his scales which registered at a maximum of 32lb. With a thud, the needle was at 32lb. He was disappointed that he could only photograph the fish on the mat (still no one had come to his aid) and with an ordinary camera, so no immediate pics. He explained all of this to Chas the following morning, who told him that he would have liked to compare the mirror to his photos, to see whether it was one already recorded. 'Oh no,' says Ray, 'It was a common and must have weighed far more than 32lb, the way the scales clunked at 32!'

This is the first common to come out over 30lb and has to be an original; we have not stocked any sizeable commons ourselves.

The fishing so far this season has also thrown up two unknown mirrors that were not from any of our own lake stockings, one at 27lb 8oz and the other, a short time later, at 34lb, the then lake record.

Fishing conditions are not good at the moment & there are serious drought conditions here in France . So we are very pleased to report that Neil and Gary, on holiday at Vaux last week, achieved the biggest catch rate for two anglers of 82 fish, weighing 1388lb 05oz, just beating the number caught by Steve and Damien who tested Vaux back in March 2004. Well done, Neil and Gary.

Josie and Chas

Date: January 2005

Details: New for 2005

2004, our first season, was a very exciting year for us and we would like to take the opportunity of thanking our visitors for the care they have taken both in the house and with the fish they have caught. 2005 will see one or two changes, which we hope will further improve the facilities and, therefore, our visitors’ enjoyment of the venue

Additional Stocking - in November 2004 of a small number of beautiful, fully scaled mirrors up to 24lb

New for 2005
Catfish
We await delivery of a number of catfish of about 50lb at the end of January and will report further on their weights when they arrive

Bait Freezer
A new chest freezer has been installed in the mill specifically for anglers to use for their baits

Kitchen Freezer
Having at long last been able to spend three weeks living at the gîte ourselves over Christmas and the New Year, we fully understand the need for a separate freezer for food in the kitchen, in addition to the fridge which was already available. There is now a new, small cabinet freezer in the kitchen

Field
We expect to complete our purchase of the field behind the house in mid February, which will allow our visitors a larger area in which to relax and provide children with a greater space to play in. However, fishing will still not be permitted from the bank edging this field

Stock Ponds
Our pièce de résistance for 2005, we hope. A few days before Christmas, we signed the compromis (contract) to buy two small, spring-fed ponds plus some land close by which will become our stock ponds. It is our intention during the coming year to put into these ponds all those commons caught from the lake at 15lb and under so as to grow them on to 20lb or more before reintroducing them into the lake. We expect that this will also allow the lake carp to grow on at an improved rate and give anglers a greater chance of catching the larger fish. Our aim is to achieve a lake with all carp at 20lb and over. In addition, the ponds will provide a quarantine area before introducing any new stock into the lake and for those fish which might become damaged during spawning or are low in condition at any time. Any future additional stocking of carp will be mirrors only.

Our aim for the future is to keep a stock of approximately 280 carp in the lake at 20lb plus and approximately 150 in the stock ponds. As the stock pond carp all reach 20lb and more, it will give us the opportunity to rotate our stock by ‘trickle feeding’ between the lake and the ponds, so providing anglers with a regular supply of fresh stock which will hopefully be more tempted to take the bait than those carp which have become cute and elusive

Best Regards,


Chas & Josie Cook