Having written various fishing articles in the past Gary has sent us his own catch report this week – way better than we usually write, so we are extremely grateful to have a report written by the people themselves (although we would have named it the Sausage Tactic….which will now never be fully explained!)
In 2020 during the Covid first wave, workmates, Jerry and Gary started talking about a bucket list fishing trip to France. Travel was a nightmare so it was deemed a necessary move to plan a while in advance. Then things started going south, having booked Kingfisher lake for September 2022, Jerry, his son, Jackson, and Gary’s flight was cancelled 
(Another Covid wave) and so it went on, a further two cancellations and having to sell the holiday at a reduced rate and the boys thought it was never going to happen!
Fast forward to September 11, 2023
Finally they touched down Monday night, where Nigel collected them from the airport, the excited boys from Bristol wanted to start fishing straight away, so PVA bags were deployed. Although carp were the main quarry, Jackson drew first blood with a 25lb catfish.
The following day Jerry moved swim and overnight caught his first of the trip, a new PB, a lovely common at 23lb 8oz
This was followed an hour later when Gary’s close in rod tore off with an angry 20lb 2oz beautiful mirror on the end of his line.
Thursday was a tale of two thirty’s as Jerry was away before breakfast with an absolutely lovely mirror at 31lb 8oz (PB again) followed a few hours later with Gary not wishing to be outdone by his workmate, with this cracking common weighing in at 33lb 10oz
Now it was Jackson’s time to shine! He moved swim and plotted up next to his dad, convinced that more carp were at the shallower end of the lake. And his instinct paid off Friday night when he had his first carp of the trip at a new PB. A long common at 26lb 6oz. The Who had a song called ‘Happy Jack’ well there was certainly a happy Jack on the lake that night.
In the early hours of Saturday one of Gary’s rods was away and after a bruising battle he was rewarded with this chunky mirror weighing 35lb 1oz
Shortly followed by Jackson with a 17lb 2oz Common.
With no more fish for Gary(barring a baby common about 2lb) it was the father and son combo to finish the week off. First Jackson had a bite around midnight, which as soon as it was banked and ready for weighing, Jerry’s rod was away and all hell was let loose! Jerry didn’t know it at the time but this powerful beast that was running him ragged turned out to be the 26lb common that Jackson had caught previously. In good fighting spirit. Both fish were held in the side to rest, then the weighing and photos were sorted. First up Jackson’s new PB, a stunning golden common weighing 30lb 4oz and what a lovely fish it is!
Then we have Jerry’s common, which was on closer inspection, Jackson’s fish from a couple of days previous, it had been on the munch and was a few ounces up in weight at 26lb 10oz.
Although the trio never got into 40lb and above bracket, they were really happy with their results!
Thank you, Gary for a great report. We really enjoyed your company, alongside the couple from Lac Lucie who are also from the Bristol area ,at meal times and were so pleased that you all caught. All three are experienced match and sea fishing anglers but Jerry and Jackson had not fished for carp before. A little plug for their business – www.veals.co.uk The Saltwater Specialists.
So final tally was 2 babies, 1 at 10lbs+, 4 (and one cat) at 20lbs+ and 4 at 30lbs+
Hope to see you all again sometime!