Le Moulin Du Mee

[Mutley]

Myself and a long time fishing buddy have just completed a week on Le Moulin Du Me. The lake is run by by Oldfellah (Jim), a member on the forum. The lake has been open around 18 months, maybe a little more.

We arrived a day early, as I feel you waste a day if you get there on the Saturday, as it takes you all your time to set up and get everything sorted. The day just feels wasted to me. So we organised to turn up a day early. You can have the food package when you book (I highly advise it, the food is excellent), which we chose to have. We get to the lake around 4pm, quite refreshed really and eager to get going. The lake wasn't full so Jim was fine with us setting up for an extra night. We got set up, fishing from just the one bivvy as we planned on moving into swims that were occupied.

We had dinner and a few beers, and a good chat, and then returned to our swim ready for a nights fishing. We threw out 3 rods each, and lightly baited up and settled in for the night. I had a quiet night, where as my buddy had fish out up to mid 20's.

We moved into our chosen swims Saturday morning, and began baiting up. My mate had a previous French PB of just under 18lb, he's a very competent coarse angler of 20 years who's recently got into carping a little more. He managed to up his PB 4 times within the first 24 hours, while I sat on zero fish.

Anyway, I had my first fish around 9pm, just as darkness was settling in. Not a monster, but very welcome.

The weather was very up and down, with no consistency at all, one day would be in the mid 20's, and the next we would be sat in the middle of a storm. As a result the fish seemed to take a while to get into any sort of feeding pattern. I was trying alsorts to try and tempt the fish during the day, with my only real action coming at night.

Sunday was a good day for my mate, who managed a stunning looking 34lb mirror.

The week went well considering the conditions, with the water temperature dropping several degrees while we were there.

I finished with 31 fish, a 31lb mirror and a 30lb4oz mirror and several over 29lb being the pick.

My mate had 26 fish, with the last fish of the week being the biggest out of the week at 37lb3oz. He also had a stunning 29lb common that we couldn't photograph as we were both into fish at the same time.

I would highly recommend the venue, Jim doesn't boast to have a venue full of 40's, however the fish are packing weight, and there are lot of fish that come out in the upper 30's. Within the next 12 months I would expect to see several 40's come out. The lake has a very good stock of big commons too, I believe there are over 20 commons that top the 30lb mark, up to 39lb. We were unlucky not to see any out in our time there.

The food is excellent, Jim's wife Lottie does a truly excellent job and every meal is home cooked.

Jim and his son Jimmy have done a massive amount of work around the lake as they live on site, and take great pride in their lake and surroundings.All their hard work has paid off, as the lake is truly stunning, definitely the prettiest lake I've fished.

The fish are all very young fish, combine that with the exellent water quality and natural food in the lake, the fish are extremely hard fighting and every one of them gives you some stick before you get it in the net.

Anyway, a few pics

A 29lb mirror
chris-ashton-and-mirror.jpg

A 30+ mirror
30.jpg

My mate's 34lb mirror
stottie-and-34.jpg

His last gasp 37lb3oz
stottie-and-373-mirror.jpg

[Deano]

Sounds like a very good week, could be a venue to keep an eye on that one

[Oldfellah]

Thanks for the nice write up Chris, was a pleasure having you and Stottie fish with us and we all look forward to your visit in the spring.

Thought it worth reporting that we have just had a new record common banked at 43.4lb's.....guess which swim ??

Picture on the weblog at carpdreams.wordpress.com

[Mutley]

A few pics of the lake.

2008_09120017.jpg

2008_09120054.jpg

[Smurph]

Tidy stuff all round pal

[bream king]

Hey Mutley

Just got back from Moulin myself and agree with all you say re the venue.

Fantastic and the big uns put an appearence in for our week which was a bonus.

Got to say the thing that struck me was how hard Jims fish fight. i have fished France a few times before and never come across such hard fighters !!

[shadyady]

stunning lake,beautiful fish.well done lads!!

[cheshireCarper]

Sounds a great place... Looks mint with potential of having some lumps in.
Whats really impressed me is he let you fish the night before... I know a lot of places wouldnt, even if the lake was empty of anglers.. Top stuff...

[fatboyslim]

Fantastic catch return that pal

Sounds like you had a fantastic time and thats what its all about.

Some cracking looking fish mate, glad you both had a good time