Quarry Bank Fishery - Part 3
Fennel continues his 12-part series about carp fishing at the fabulous Quarry Bank Fishery in France, this time planning for the adventure.
Planning for the trip
With the date set for mid-September 2019, and our excitement growing beyond that of children on Christmas Eve, Shaun, Tim and I began planning our fishing trip to Quarry Bank Fishery in France.
As each of us is an outdoorsman, angler and naturalist, our fishing experiences are as much about capturing a sense of adventure and the freedom of being outdoors amongst nature, as they are about catching fish.
Shaun is by far the most accomplished big fish angler amongst us, I'm by far the laziest, and Tim is by far the most adventurous in his quest for a Scott-like or 'Shackletonian' expedition. Between us, we had the perfect blend of focus, hope, blind enthusiasm, and quiet know-how for our trip.
The plan, then, was that Shaun would provide the angling tips, I'd provide assurances that we'd be distracted by everything other than fishing, and Tim would provide the absolute essentials for a gentleman's holiday - such as fine brandies and whisky, tea leaves, hand-ground coffee, linen suits and Cuban cigars.
Between us, we'd settle on a plan and, at some point, remember what the whole thing was all about. It was, after all, a fishing holiday.
Before we begin
Let's start with some serious stuff. The sensible stuff. Maybe, if you'll allow me, the technical stuff. It will help with the context of our story. So, guidance first, chaotic planning and 'Dan Dare' adventure to follow...
Understanding what's important
It's easy to paint a picture of happy-go-lucky pleasure angling, with relaxed holiday spirit and a portable drinks cabinet bigger than a two-man Euro bivvy; but these priorities conceal the confidence that comes from years of successful angling. When one has caught one's big fish, or large quantities of fish, then youthful urgency 'to catch' becomes less obvious and we take things a lot more in our stride. We have less to prove and can relax knowing that we know what we're doing, that our fish will come, and that we have time to enjoy an afternoon nap.
But it's not 'laissez faire' fishing. An angler has responsibilities towards the fish, the venue, the nature around them, and to their fellow anglers. Most of all, as invited guests of whomever owns the water or controls the fishing, they should be on best behaviour and appreciate the wonderful gift of being allowed access to such privileged experiences.
And when it comes to fish welfare and custodianship of nature, things get very serious indeed. Fish safety has to be our number one priority.
Fish welfare
I might be a tweed-wearing, cane waggling, wildflower-admiring traditional angler, but this doesn't excuse me and my ilk from fishing responsibly - especially when it comes to big fish.
A big carp is a highly valuable asset (sometimes worth tens of thousands of pounds, more in generating long-term revenue for a fishery). It's likely to be an older fish, and may well fight to the point of exhaustion. Playing it gently using a soft-actioned rod and light line might provide 'the ultimate fight' and 'player's sensation' for the angler, but the fish is likely to become excessively stressed and tired or - worse - end up tethered to a snag if it outsmarts or out-fights the angler.
So, a translation for some of my older-school angling chums: forget aesthetics for a bit and do what's right for the fish. As a minimum, embrace the use of modern fin-friendly micro-mesh nets, unhooking mats, and small collapsible buckets filled with water to keep the fish wet while on the bank. They might not look pretty, but they're a prettier sight than a distressed or dead fish.
Rods for Quarry Bank Fishery
Shaun and I discussed developments in tackle, with him saying, "Use a rod that's designed for playing a big carp. By this I mean a big carp by today's standards, not thirty years ago or more. It needs to be suitably strong with a soft enough action to control a fifty pound fish without tearing the hook from its mouth. This means carbon, my friend, in a test curve of around three pounds."
Fortunately for Shaun, Tim and me, we would be doing a 'fly and fish' holiday to Quarry Bank, so most tackle would be provided by the fishery. All we would need to take would be reels, line, bite alarms, bobbins, terminal tackle (hooks/rigs, hooklinks, leads, baiting needle, forceps etc.) torch, sleeping bag, clothes, food, camera, and any luxury items we might need. Bait could be taken, or purchased from the fishery.
Shaun explained that the rods at the fishery were all provided by Free Spirit. I'd long held an ambition to use their iconic ES rods (having marvelled at the captures made by Lee Jackson in the late nineties and early naughties, including his 61lb 7oz British Record fish in 2001). These have a 'classic' taper (not true through action like a MKIV, rather a middle-tip action but they bend all the way through when compressed). At 2.75lb test curve, they would be slightly light for the size of carp and catfish to be caught, but they were nearly twice the strength of my regular carp rods. As it happened, Neil the owner had a set of three ES rods that he would allow me to use. Shaun and Tim would use 3.25lb test curve Free Spirit CTX rods, provided as standard by the fishery, which although beefier have softish 'fish friendly' tips.
Reels and line
"At only five acres," said Shaun, "the lake suits short-range casting. Also, the margins are so deep that one can catch right under the rod tip." I translated this as an opportunity to use centrepin reels and my usual Mitchell 300 fixed spools, although, on reflection, I should have selected to take something with a faster retrieve - such as a big pit reel - such was the need to get the fish up quickly from the bottom.
"Given the sharp rocks and underwater crags and cliffs at Quarry Bank," said Shaun, "line has to have high abrasion resistance and a diameter no less than 0.40mm." This didn't mean much to me. Being a traditionalist, I always refer to line in breaking strain, not diameter. I quickly learned that this not how things are defined these days.
"Modern line technology," said Shaun, "can mean higher breaking strains in lower diameters, so the 'poundage' can seem high even though the line is relatively thin and supple. It's not like cheese wire so long as you get the right brand. I use and recommend a monofilament called 'P Line Extrusion', in 0.41mm which is 25lb. You can get it online, in bulk spools. I get mine from Italy, buying 15 x 2000m spools."
Rigs
"One of the great things about fishing at Quarry Bank," said Shaun, "is that the fish aren't overly pressured. Neil ensures that there's adequate resting time for the fish to recover between anglers' visits. This means that the fish aren't stressed or 'riggy'. A standard hair rig, presented in the right place, is all that's needed. Far more important is watercraft: observing where the fish are moving and then intercepting them, but staying quiet, keeping back from the water's edge, and not stomping about on the wooden platforms.
"The rigs must be safe," said Shaun. "Barbless hooks are mandatory, ideally size 4 to 8. I use PB Products ones, size 8 Super Strong as standard, though this year I have started experimenting with their size 4 and 6 Curved KD hooks. All are sharp, straight from the packet and are really strong. Combi-rigs will work, a coated hooklink and stripping away the coating by the hook will work fine, or you could join some 25lb Maxima to some 22lb braided link using an Albrite knot if you want a less visible presentation. Lead clips must be used to release the lead should it get snagged. Finally, 24 inches of sinking anti-tangle tubing should be used behind the lead, to prevent line damaging the fishes' flanks or fins."
Bait
With Shaun owning Quest Baits, he would arrange for 28kg of boilies to be couriered direct to the lake. These would include a mixture of his bestsellers: Raja Spice, Spicy Spirulina, and Magnum White, in 15mm and 20mm diameters; plus matching pop-ups and mini 'pimple pop' pop-ups. More could be purchased from the fishery, including pellet if required.
"As with the rigs," said Shaun, "the fish aren't especially wised-up to bait, so it's more a case of presenting something that takes their fancy. We're not long out of the trial fishing period at the lake, so they haven't seen much bait. Neil does feed with pellets, so it would figure to fish with something similar, though large beds of bait aren't required. We'll be fishing during a full moon, so they won't be gorging themselves; rather we'll be sprinkling small patches of bait to intercept patrolling fish."
Resting the swim
"The fish are wild creatures," said Shaun, "with us as one of their few predators. Whilst they might be used to Neil moving about the lake, or taking the boat out for a drift around the pool, they'll not be used to angling pressure, day and night. 'Resting the swims', by reeling in one's lines for a few hours each day, will assist the fishes' confidence in feeding on our bait."
Blimey, 'resting the swim' sounded like a great excuse for long lunches followed by relaxed afternoon lounging away from the water, and maybe an early evening drink or three. All with the apparent benefit of increasing, rather than decreasing, our chances of catching. Such sun-kissed, snoozy and inevitably boozy sacrifice. It sounded like a 'win-win' to me.
Best we start planning what to do when not fishing...
Necessary distractions
Given that my mantra is "Stop – Unplug – Escape – Enjoy", my priority for the trip was to ensure we each had a thoroughly restful holiday. Yes, we'd be putting in some effort to catch a fish or two; but circumstances were that we each really, really needed to get away from the pressures of the daily grind.
Shaun, particularly, needed a break. He'd recently been hit with a substantial car repair bill, "more than the value of the car", and, while the car was in the garage being repaired, he had all of his fishing tackle, camping, cooking and camera gear stolen from a loan car. The overall cost ran far into the thousands, way beyond his insurance cover, but it was the loss of his tackle that really hurt. Most of the items were custom made and had high sentimental value, thus were irreplaceable. With the police taking only a passing interest in the theft, Shaun was left to do what he could to find or borrow tackle to keep him fishing. Rather concerning when his livelihood comes from angling.
Tim had been working all-too-hard in his city job and commuter lifestyle. I detected an 'approaching 40' malaise that told me he needed time away from the mad rush of work to reflect upon 'what life's all about' so that he could plan a more fulfilling future for him and his family. Such mid-life journeys can be difficult to navigate, often with hard decisions that affect or accommodate the needs of others. Time with his thoughts would serve as a much needed release.
And I was just plain, down to earth, heel-kickingly exhausted, disillusioned and bored from a day job that always seems to bring me back to lifestyle where I'm spending 20 hours per week in the car, travelling all over the place, living in hotels, and not getting nearly enough time to do the things I enjoy with those I love. I'm a workaholic, that's the sad truth of it, and my ego is not quite brave enough to give up the trappings of success experienced elsewhere in my life. However, I'd rather have spent all that time and energy writing and publishing my books, or going fishing, or seeing friends, or - if it wasn't too much to ask from whichever guardian angel is determining my fate - spending more than a couple of hours per week with my family.
As selfish as it might seem, our holiday was an opportunity to get away from it all and treat ourselves to a bit of 'me time', to recharge our batteries so that we could return home renewed and refreshed. Hopefully, our woes would look much smaller and less intimidating when we were back on our feet and back to being ourselves.
Drop Me a WhatsApp...
Fortunately for our group, we didn't have to wait until the holiday for us to begin dreaming of the escape. Shaun introduced us to a messaging platform called WhatsApp that we could use to get discussing all the ideas, challenges, strategies and outright lunacy for the trip.
The messages began in June and developed like this:
Tim: I should be okay for the dates, just need permission for time off; there are a few competing obligations, a family birthday, a cautious boss; but I'll 'squeeze in' the trip, avoiding the excuse of 'busy'. Yeah, I'll make it happen.
Fennel: Good thing. And worry not. Shaun and I have regained the use of our legs since our last (boozy) meeting. We'll be able to 'stand' the wait.
Shaun: Get the flights booked early. Currently only £50 return.
Fennel: Erm, yeah. "Early." Have heard of that. Will sort it before September.
Tim: Are you taking a sports tube on the 'plane for transporting your wooden rods?
Fennel: No, not using them. Going modern, but will maintain traditional image by wearing tweeds.
Shaun: It's likely to be 30 degrees.
Fennel: Yup. Hot stuff this fabric.
Shaun: Seriously, it will be hot.
Fennel: You mean, 'shorts' hot?
Shaun: Yes.
Fennel: With my legs?
Shaun: Yes.
Fennel: That haven't seen daylight since 2005?
Shaun: Yes.
Tim: Guys, that's just not cricket. I mean, it's nearly cricket. There are moves afoot to allow cricketers to wear shorts. But anglers?
Shaun: Cricketers, in shorts?
Tim: Yes.
Fennel: What a scandalous consideration? Cricketers, in shorts? All that running about in the heat, with red balls on display?
Tim: Is it really that hot?
Shaun: Yes.
Fennel: What, like mosquito hot?
Shaun: Have checked with Neil. Mosquitoes not a problem.
Tim: Shame. I was just about to order a mosquito veil and gloves from my Hardy's catalogue from 1925.
Shaun: Hardy's, stylish.
Fennel: How tall are the bivvies? Should I bring a full- or half-length dress mirror?
Tim: Worry not. We'll relax the dress code for dinner.
Fennel: Talking of dress code, I'm thinking of writing The Gentleman's Guide to Off-Road Style. It would be a very short guide. Maybe just one page, saying, "Suitable hat, stout boots, walking stick. Everything else optional." Y'know, a sort of 'let it all hang out' kinda read.
Tim: With complimentary pull-out fig leaf bookmark?
Fennel: Could suffice. I said it would be a small book.
Tim: Perhaps you could take a campaign desk for your lakeside scribbles?
Fennel: That would be doing it in style!
Tim: Proper campaign style.
Fennel: Yeah, with porters carrying our tea chests and tobacco crates; small elephants carrying our drinks cabinets and wardrobes, and a long line of whip-cracked natives trudging along admiring our smoking jackets and slippers, canvas bell tents, clockwork hoover, and wrought iron spit.
Tim: I like it. "Essential items." The Fine Things tour...
Shaun: Elephants?
Tim: Good point. Edwardian adventurers like us should be boating down the Amazon.
Shaun: Yes, I can imagine it now, "By Jove, that fish looked like a carp, but so much bigger!"
Fennel: Talking of bigger, we can get an extra 20kg baggage allowance for 'luxuries'.
Shaun: 20kg? Here's hoping the aeroplane has a roof rack fitted...
Fennel: Can't forget the essentials. Tealeaves, moustache wax, quilted toilet paper.
Shaun: Proper men use carp slime on their moustaches, also known as their 'Flavour Savers'.
Tim: You were saying something about the weather?
Shaun: Yes! The weather! It could get thundry. Maybe some rain.
Fennel: Not just tweeds, then. We'll need oilskins.
Shaun: Oh. There's a good chance that our festering wax jackets would class as 'live goods'. They might not make it through airport security.
Fennel: You're right. I'll need to go and check my 'Sleeveless Solway'. Bear with me.
Tim: In that old waistcoat, he'll look like Compo from Last of the Summer Wine.
Shaun: Last of the Summer Carp?
Fennel: I'm back. Have checked it. Phew. Literally. Phew. But, good news: it can only be smelled from 17ft away. If I leave it out in the garden for an hour to breathe, it'll no longer cause birds to fall from the sky.
Shaun: Or you could stuff it inside a few bin liners and then seal them up?
Shaun: Oh...I've just realised...you're going to wear it on the 'plane?
Tim: Doesn't bother me. I'll be flying from a different airport.
Fennel: Good idea Shaun. A sort of, 'in-cabin aromatherapy'.
Shaun: You can take more clothing if you wear it all on the 'plane. Though you'll look like a greasy-tweed Michelin Man.
Fennel: That could work, it would free up space for food and drink.
Tim: Would we not buy cheese and wine locally?
Fennel: Maybe, though wouldn't it be easier to get 'our man' to send a consignment of booze directly from Berry & Rudd?
Tim: It depends on the effort taken to open it at the other end. The bottles I mean. Is there not a butler at the lake? Surely one would not be expected to decant one's own wine?
Shaun: Booze is cheaper in France. We can do a shop en route to the lake.
Fennel: Shopping list: beer, wine, whisky, a little more wine, beer, and spare whisky.
Shaun: Now I'm dreaming of a whisky tree with a tap on it, plus a port shrub, brandy rose and gin border.
Fennel: Your garden contains the Willow of Dreams, rarest of the lot.
Shaun: Can't dream right now. Too busy drinking.
Tim: Summer cider?
Shaun: Summer fields...Harvest...Cider. Yes. Cider. Enabler of all aspirations to be 'proper drunk'.
Fennel: I suppose we'll need to eat as well while we're there. Not just drink and look good?
Tim: Should we set aside a cheese budget?
Shaun: To accompany the port, or for breakfast with a lighter tipple?
Tim: I'll be taking lard and canned meat, like Shackleton.
Fennel: I suggest we go ‘colonial native’: croissants and coffee for breakfast; tea and biscuits for elevenses; bread, cheese, ham and wine for lunch; tea, cakes and sandwiches for high tea; curried salad and twirl-fry for dinner; biscuits, cheese, port, brandy, whisky for supper; with, of course, empire-building fry ups and ‘rather british’ soft-boiled eggs and soldiers in between.
Shaun: Really, guys, we all have great appetites. We should just grab what we fancy from the supermarket and cook/eat together.
Fennel: Probably going to be too hot for pie and mash?
Tim: Remember ploughmans. Always remember the importance of ploughmans.
Shaun: To be renamed 'carpmans'?
Tim: And pasties. Ploughmans and pasties helped to build the British landscape - and a great deal beneath.
Fennel: But we'll be in France?
Shaun: Horse carpaccio?
Fennel: Hmm. With the anticipated late night drinking, too much horse might give us 'hay munchies' in the early hours.
Shaun: Late night munchies, and the challenge of building the ultimate doner kebab...
Tim: And finding one's way home?
Fennel: We'll be too busy enjoying our bedtime books, surely?
Tim: Sounds cosy.
Fennel: Traditional.
Shaun: Fisherman's Bedside Book, Confessions of a Carp Fisher, Drop Me a Line, An Open Creel, A Jellyfish with a Spade...
Tim: That's the spirit.
Shaun: All working towards our goal of "Pipes at dusk, cigars in the moonlight, kettles steaming at dawn. Landing nets wet throughout?"
Fennel: Now that's a plan.
Shaun: A plan it is.
Tim: Then, gentleman, let us build our plans and celebrate this sense of 'new beginnings'.
And so the messaging continued, until two weeks before the trip, when Shaun said, "Erm, Fennel? You did remember to book the flights, didn't you?"
Of course, I hadn't. But it did get us thinking about the joys of getting there...
There was a sense of 'spirit' in planning this adventure.
Dream set up: using iconic Free Spirit ES rods with centrepin reels would realise a long-held ambition.
'Essential item' - the expedition strength moustache wax.
To celebrate the biggest fish...
In Part 4, Fennel, Shaun and Tim travel to the lake.
Quarry Bank Fishery is a 5-acre water in southwest France, about a two-hour drive from Limoges airport. It is set within 14 acres of private grounds, which are sensitively managed for their wildlife interest. This makes it a haven for both anglers and fish. The fishery is available for exclusive bookings only, for up to five anglers.