Hot Rod 2009 Tour
Hot Rod 2009 Tour Video
Hot Rod 2009 Tour
Red Hot Easter – Paul Gartside, Simon Collins and Andy Whymark
Simon, Andy and I had been fishing for a few years together and had our share of 20's and forms for our first trip to France we wanted to find a big fish runs lake, and if blogs had thought it was the lake we needed to visit.
After 12hrs travel we arrived at Ian owners house, which gave us a very warm welcome and a tour of the lake. Ian takes a personal interest in his guests and is very eager to offer advice. I will say now that you would do well to listen to his advice, I baited a small bed in a known spot and three hours after I had setup my bivvy I had my first 30 and a new PB.
I had set up camp at the 'Tin Hut' swim at the far end of the lake with my two friends on the other end in a double swim platform (Tim's Swim)
Sunday & Monday turned out to be quiet day for me with only a couple of runs results in an additional 30 and 27, Andy and Simon rods screamed every couple hours at the other end of the lake, so I used the time to spod a large bed of bait out to the right of the swim in case I needed to move up in the lake, if things do not heat up. By Tuesday evening I had a new PB of 34 pounds back to the place that Ian had first pointed out My new bait bed out to the right had also presented the first twenty in the morning, but then nothing all day, That night I decided to move a couple of swims closer Andy and Simon as their efforts had not slowed down and was now about 100 pounds' s fish each in front of me.
I moved up to "Reggie point 'swimming, which is center of the lake, this meant I could still throw bait to the bed I had put down on Monday and threw right to share the edge of a large bed that had been produced good for Simon. In this way the three of us had a virtually unbroken strip bait covers half the length of the lake.
Wednesday was pretty quiet during the day with three fish at an early stage and nothing from the bait area after 11:00, Simon and Andy meanwhile was satisfied with Simon landed a superb 45 pounds 15 ounces Mirror beat Andy's newly acquired PB of 37 pounds.
At 7:15 I started getting a slow beep beep from my left hand rod on the bottom of the bait from Monday, I took up the bar and lifted the fish … Odd! I've caught a branch … and as the branch began to move slowly raised the rod tip and wound down to the pump rod for the first time in which time the fish took the bow tip right around and stripping line off the reels. At this point, I guessed I was in one of the lakes big cats. I have caught large saltwater fish before and this felt like them but never at £ 18 mainline and a size 6 hook and cat kited across the lake I shouted to Andy and Simon for a hand to get my other rods in. Because of the light tackle I would not be able to bully the fish, only would come in when it became tired. The clutch was fairly light allows the cat to take line, but work for it in the process, pumping the rod was not going to work without tight coupling, so I chose to 'go' the fish back and then go forward and win. This worked and I was soon getting line after about 20 minutes, we had fish rise a short way out from swimming, wow, it here were six meters long. After a lively couple more sprints off the cat was beaten and we managed to get him landed. The fight lasted over 30 minutes and both fishing and fish were exhausted. Cat weighed 87 pounds and was undoubtedly the highlight of all my week. We got the cat back in the sling and lowered it back into the water. This was my first cat and I wanted to ensure that it went back safe and well, I decided to strip off and get in the lake to support it. Ultimately it took a good 10 minutes before the cat was ready to start and then with a solid slap to my bones, he swam out.
Elated, slimy, cold and tired, I got rained on the caravan, had a beer and decided not to put my rods out for the night and get some Kip instead.
Simon and Andy had a busy night by all accounts, but I was out cold for the world dream about big cats.
The next morning I sorted out mess from the night before you replace everything from lead core down to the bar to beat the cat, if it had been weakened, as well as a hook link as if someone had been at it with sandpaper. Re-spodded all bedding and reformulated. Ian showed up at 9:00 and within 2 hours I had two more 20's and a 30 for a bed that produced the cat, my arms were still sore from the night before, and it was good for Ian to net the fish and play photographer.
At 7:45 min had left pole gave a slow beep beep beep, like it had been exactly 24 hours before I lifted the fish and immediately it kited right at high speed and with a mass torque, I was a second large cat. After a very similar but shorter match in just 20 minutes and again with help from Simon and Andy I had a £ 72 cat fantastic I thought, that means last night was not a fluke not to get a snap off, it's really moments like this that give you confidence in your rigs & knots.
Friday morning again produced a good number of fish with Andy getting a second 30 and me landing my first 40 to 40 pounds and 3 ounces
In summary it up, we all had PB's, our first 30's, 40's and the big cat has just made this trip the stuff of dreams. Ian was an excellent host, I must be back there at the first opportunity I get.
A bit from SIMON
Without repeating Paul's brief account of our first trip to France I would just like to add a bit from my experiences. WOW! We arrived at Ian's around mid-day, and he came right out to greet us and offer a cup tea. Introductions were made right down to the lake for a tour. There were only three of us in the lake this week, so we had the pick of swimming's, But Ian suggested a double and a single, and we went with his advice, good decision.
As Paul has already said that the action started for me and Andy in the first hour and never stopped throughout the trip.
Strangely, I had very little action during the evening, but was awakened each morning at about 6:00 of a screaming run and landed a carp of 25 pounds or over. I was not bored at night though as Andy was getting at least two runs.
Wednesday was the culmination for me, we had a bit or a rain storm and I decided to spend time to get my rods in and have a quick shower and a change of clothes. The rain stopped and the rods went out again. About a half hour later buzzers screaming in life and I struck into a big fish. We had all had a couple in their thirties, now, and I knew it was at the upper end of these. About 15 minutes later the net was slipped under a fish and Andy, and I knew I'd just landed the first forty of the trip. Well, clean me, clean clothes away to a burton one 45 pounds 15 ounces carp were weighed, photographed and slipped back. I'm sure with a little drying roads sling we could have got it for £ 46.
No more forties for me for the rest of the trip, but many more fish from high twenties to mid thirties that the case just does not stop.
Would I like to go again?? I do not think I need to answer it!
Copyright © 2009
Red Hot Lakes is the best place for Carp Fishing Holidays at Etang du Vivier, it is also known for cat fishing holiday France. Etang du Vivier realistic offer anglers a judge sick leave for life, where mega catch big carp and cats are trapped every week.
About the Author
Red Hot Lakes is the best place for Carp Fishing Holidays at Etang du Vivier, it is also well known for cat fishing holiday france. Etang du Vivier realistically offers the angler a carping holiday of a lifetime where mega catches of large carp and cats are caught each week.
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Rod Stewart Official One Rockin’ Night 2009 Tour Tee* $24.95 Rod Stewart Official One Rockin’ Night 2009 Tour Tee* |
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Hot rod $10 Hot rod |
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Hot Rod $10 Hot Rod |
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The Hot Rod $8.93 The Hot Rod |
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T.U.K. Hot Rod Creeper Sneakers $54.99 These black leather sneakers feature a retro pulp-style print with a hot rod, a skeleton, flames and an attractive muscle car girl and a D-ring lace-up front. |
