Details: The Perfect Family Holiday at Watersmeet.
James & Tracey Allen visited Watersmeet in 2008 for their Family holiday with their 3 Boys Bobby age 10, Thomas 4 & Jack 1. They loved it so much they decided to return for 2 weeks in August this year & also celebrated Thomas’s 5th Birthday here. Dad James caught Carp to 36lb in the main lake whilst the Boys had great fun float fishing in the small lake. Comments made by them were: “This is our 2nd year & no doubt we will be back, definitely feel at home here & will be sorry to leave.”
Dad James with Boys Bobby & Thomas Main Lake.
James, Tracey, Bobby, Thomas & Jack Allen.
Thomas with a Common from small lake.
Bobby at the small lake.
Thomas small lake.
Tracey & Thomas.
Date:
August
2009
Details: Girl Power at Watersmeet.
Simon & Vicky Lowndes account of their stay at Watersmeet from 15th to 22nd August, taken from the guest comments book.
Arrived Saturday afternoon just in time to catch a couple of hors on the top lake. Being my first time Carp fishing in France Simon wanted to break me in gently to the double figures!
The competition began:
SATURDAY Top Lake:
Vicky – 8lb Common 5pm (First fish….YES!!)
Simon – 8lb Common 5.21pm (OK early still)
Simon – 7lb Common 7.02pm (Wrong direction)
SUNDAY:
Took a couple of hours on the top lake again due to the main lake being very quiet (not a sniff!)
With no plan to blank and very determined finally, whilst Simon had returned to the main lake I only go & bag me a 10lb Common at 9.54pm. So the Wife takes the lead- (COME ON!!)
MONDAY:
Could not “buy a bite” on the main lake so off to the top lake again with 10lb Common in the bag on Sunday, I was pretty confident.
Simon – 7.46pm 11lb Common.
Simon – 8.48pm 8lb 2oz Common off the top.
Vicky – Not a sausage!
TUESDAY:
Main lake starts to become active.
Simon – 26lb 2oz Common Lily pads.
(I’m still waiting)
WEDNESDAY:
Vicky – 33lb 8oz Common off Peg 2. (OH YES!!)
Back in the lead at 3.40am.
Simon – 7.40pm 27lb Mirror far margin Peg 2.
THURSDAY:
Simon – 6.30am 27lb Mirror Peg 2.
(Did I blank again? I think I did – Ouch!)
FRIDAY:
Simon – 4.50am 16lb Koi-Carp Peg 2.
Vicky – (about time) 29lb 8oz Mirror Peg 1.
Simon – 2.10pm 17lb 8oz Common Peg 2.
GIRL POWER !!!!
I’ve said all along “it’s quality not quantity that counts”
Fishing in the UK will never be the same !
Would like to thank Heather & Larry for being so welcoming and the house was fantastic (not that we spent much time in it)
Most enjoyable week and I couldn’t think of a better way to spend our first year’s anniversary ….I wonder what we will do next year as the competition continues.
Thank-you very much.
Simon & Vicky Lowndes.
Photos to follow.
Date:
June
2009
Details: 14 x 30's to thurs!
14 x 30's to thurs.
Biggest mirror 38.11, common 37.5 only thursday!
2 nites still to go
Date:
June
2009
Details: First 48hr & 650lb + ...........
Shane and Jamie,over for the week had a great start.
In the first 48hrs, 650lb +
6 x 30s biggest 36.11.
Photos to follow.
Regards, June
Date:
March
2009
Details: First fish for 2009 at Watersmeet
Grant,over for the weekend to do a few job's, found time on Saturday to cast his rods in.
Within half an hour he had a 34lb 5oz mirror and shortly after a 20lb 6oz.
Great start to 2009!
Regards, Mick & June
Grant
Grant
Grant
Date:
November
2008
Details: Pictures & video of the latest stocking.....
Here's a short video clip & some pictures of the latest stocking. Previous latest news gives the details.
Regards, June & Mick.
Date:
November
2008
Details: Winter netting takes place & new stock added.
With the winter upon us we thought it a good time to do our planned netting of the lake.
First job was to remove some of the small stuff. We took out 1 ton of Roach and 180 small carp up to 10lb - these were taken up to the top Lake.
Next job was to add the new stock.
We put 1/3 ton of carp into the lake, average weight being 28lb.
In total there were;
7 x 30lb+.... biggest 35.5
14 over 27lb
All the fish were the fast growing Royal Strain (the same as our previous stock)
Unfortunatley the fish arrived late in the day so didn't get many good photo's, but we were lucky to have Gareth there so i hope his photo's are better than our's!
Hopefully this stocking will make the fishing even better!
Best regards, June & Mick Bedford.
Date:
July
2008
Details: Chris Murray’s stay at Watersmeet.
Chris Murray who stayed at Watersmeet in July sent in this email last week & gave us his permission to put it on the web-site.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We did have a great time. I did not fish as much as I had intended but really did enjoy the place. It was after all a family holiday and not just an all out fishing two weeks.
I achieved most of my targets. I had a mirror over 30lbs and a common over 25lbs both PBs.
My other target was a 30lb common which I missed by 4 ounces. This 29lb 12oz common memory will be with me for evermore. After playing the fish to the net and almost landing the common, one of the arms on my carp net came out and the net folded and sank to the bottom. There I was with what I hoped was my first 30lb common and no net just a handle. Helen and Sam had gone out and the only thing I could see was one of the cows in the field across the lake!! PANIC. I played the fish a little longer until it started to get tired then put the rod back on the rest and put the bait runner on. Then I had to run to Helen's swim where the second carp net was. When I got back to my swim I picked up the rod and the fish was still on and only 3 rod lengths out. The fish was soon in the net at last. After weighing the fish the scales went to 29lb 12oz. I thought to myself that I deserved a thirty but it did not matter. It was a fantastic looking fish.
I did have one problem on the middle weekend where I had a run and jumping up to my rods I slipped on the top of the steps and went flat on my back banging my head as well. Getting up I managed to land the fish, another 20lb plus mirror. However, the fall caused me to miss a couple of days. The lesson from this is to wear proper boots.
On the last Thursday I lost 4 good fish with hooks slipping. I did manager one fish over 20lbs along with a number of smaller commons. I could not believe my bad luck. Next day was the final day where I managed to hook two 20lb plus fish so confidence was restored. By teatime is was time to pack up and get all the gear packed for the journey home the next day. And as usual I started to take the rods in one at a time. First the right hand rod followed by the middle rod. Helen was standing behind me when I picked up my last rod. "That's it I said to Helen" happy with my last day result. I struck the up as you do when I realized that I had a fish on. After a short while a 28lb common lay in the net. Lucky? Well I just like to think the carp gods had been kind to me. WHAT A RESULT!!
I did learn a few things about fishing in France. Don't be afraid to put in some bait and use bigger baits than I normally use. I still managed to pick up a number of smaller fish even on 20mm baits.
If I was to be asked to comment on the holiday my response would be:
You are not going to catch the 40lb plus fish at Watersmeet but I can't think of a better place to be in France. Fantastic house, Fantastic Lake, Fantastic looking fish. Fantastic family holiday.
Many thanks for your help during our stay and please pass on my thanks to the owners for allowing us to have a brilliant holiday.
I have attached a zip file with a few pics of the fish we caught.
Best wishes
Many Thanks
Chris Murray
Date:
March
2008
Details: Winter at Watersmeet
During the winter at Watersmeet we have been very busy.
First we decided the house was starting to look a bit tired so we started at the top and worked our way down. Upstairs was redecorated with all new rugs and light fittings. Downstairs we replaced the suite,the dinning table,coffee table,lamps and rugs. The Kitchen had a small plasma fitted on the wall with DVD installed(great for the kids or mum when doing the dishe's)- unfortunatly there is no room for a dishwasher.
Then we attacked the outside,all the swims have been replaced & a new one being constructed just yard's from the House.
The top lake swims have been tieded up with bark being laid down,and finally the trees have been trimmed back.
Hope everyone has a great time in 2008.
A big thankyou to Larry for all the hard work,and Heather for being the labourer(BRAINS LOL)
Date:
January
2008
Details:
mick checking the weights
Date:
May
2007
Details: First 30's+ for this season at Watersmeet
Glen Astle on his first fishing trip to France and new to carp fishing,caught a 32lb 6oz Common and a 34lb Mirror.
Glen was very pleased with his overall catch of 600lb of fish, considering he only fished for a total of 45 hour's through the week.
Hope to get some photo's from Glen soon.
Date:
April
2007
Details: Small Island Removed
The Watersmeet owners have just emailed to tell us that they have removed the "above water" section of the small island at the lake.
The island was an obstruction to fishing at the house end of the lake and was the cause of quite a few lost fish. The lake hasn’t actually changed in depth but what they have done is removed the trees and shrubs that had grown on the island above the water line. There will be a notice up in the house to remind anglers that the underwater rock’s are still there... so they will still have to be fished "around"
At the end of the season the owners will decide whether to build a feature or remove the rock’s totally.
Photos of the work below.
The remains of the island
Bank strengthening work
Date:
February
2007
Details: Small Carp Taken out of Watersmeet
Watersmeet was netted on the 04/01/07 to remove the small nuisance carp. In total 300kg were removed.
Date:
November
2006
Details: Watersmeet to be netted this winter to remove nuisance fish.
News just in from the owners that Watersmeet will be netted this winter to remove the small nuisance fish (small carp & silver fish) that have been a bit of a nuisance this year. We'll report to you when it happens.
Date:
November
2005
Details: Latest Stocking For Watersmeet
November 2005 Commons of 36.05, 37.08, 35.03, 36.12, 35.07, 35.10 were stocked into the lake this week. The strain introduced was Royale/Czech, fish of 6 years of age only.
