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