Etang de Kingshaw 2011
22 October - 29 October
By Pieter-Jan and Elise
The weather looked nice and my daughter and myself had planned a week of fishing at Kingshaw.
We arrived at 11 and it was cold. talked with some friends we met at the gate before Kevin opened it and kindly showed us in.
First coffee at the lodge. Sue had prepared a warm welcome and we talked about the first things about the lake and how to catch.
Then everybody had a swim. We took swim 5 and made our camp for the week.
Kevin and Sue kindly showed us the hotspots and gave some advise what should work and what not.
We kindly took that advise and went off in the day.
At 16 o clock the rods were in the water.
Two along the margins and one rod stalking around the lake at different places trying to get in the path of the carp. Kevin helped me with the rig and gave some tips.
First night very cold and carp did nothing. Yes jumping out of the water when it was dark. It was a beautiful sound and we dreamed about the possibility that one would take the bait.
Water became cold. But still 12 - 13 degrees. Still warm enough for the carp to feed.
On monday night it happened around midnight. Against the margins on a bit of maize. Thank you Kevin. A common carp doing 26,5 lbs. Not that big it seemed but I was happy to caught the first one out of the water that weekend. It measured 82 cm. The common looked untouched. no scar no scale wrong. just perfect in his kind. This one made the weekend record ( hehe )
That morning Sue brought us breakfast and shared happily the joy of the night. For me it was the perfect way to show the hospitality that one hopes for when you are on that kind of holiday. Later on she told that it was one of the smaller carp from the lake so my expectations grew even more for catching some more and bigger.
Our friends from Holland Stefan and Nick from swim 1 and 2 wend home on Wednesday. Caught themselves a little rat but had a blank that session. Later that day some guys from Belgium arrived and settled themselves at swim 7 and 8. On Thursday Dave arrived with his friend and son from the UK. Kevin and Sue told that It was Dave's fourth time fishing here so we were eager to ask some questions about his tactics how to fish also. A lot of coffee went through and a lot of common talk. It became a real holiday and the hope to catch grew bigger and bigger.
That night a big one hit my spot. Lost it on the third time that it tried to get away. It felt big and most certainly it should be my PB. I was angry to myself with the questions about what went wrong. Nothing went wrong. nuts happens sometimes. Friday came along and we hoped for a last good night at the lake. No expectations and that evening we talked about the great week we spend together at the lake and how much we enjoyed the hospitality of Kevin and Sue as true hosts. We could not have had it better over there and it was a great week. Dave gave me a slap on the back and said that if this last night something happened I surely had to wake him up so he could help me with my catch. A nice gesture from a true friend I just knew for two days.
Satisfied and after the last bit of red wine we went to bed at 22.30.
At 23 as we still were awake the sound went off. Yes something is happening over there. Out of bed and Elise lightened the lamp. Yes got one on the maize again. This time on the spot I picked out myself. Not in the depth as the guy from Belgium advised but in the margin where I thought that that was the place it would work. Same as Kevin and Dave told me earlier. That's were they feed. Gently it came along until it came near the swim. Then he woke up and gave a nice fight. It looked like a small carp again in the water. Big fighter though. But suddenly it turned around and showed his belly. It was a big one and this was going to be my next PB. After a while Elise and myself had tired it down and we could manage to get it in the net. Yes. That is in the pocked..!! I tried to get it on shore but it was too heavy. Elise had to hold the rod and I took it out with two hand. Of course Dave heard the sound and was hoping for the best. He knew already when I called him over. He was coming over to celebrate this PB. Kindly took some nice pictures and shared the happiness from our last night at the lake.
Morning came and Kevin and Sue already knew that it was a great night for us.
A mirror of 39,6 lbs big and fat. This week was already great but now it was fabulous. After celebrating whit coffee that morning at the lodge with all of our new friends we had to break up camp and had to go home. We said goodbye and drove home knowing we made some great friends. Fished at a great lake and caught some really nice fish. We are trying to come back soon. Because of the hospitality and the great fish that are waiting for us over there. I picked up carp fishing three years ago. Didn't fished for over 15 years for personal reasons. But now I know why I started again. It is for the joy of the unexpected, the knowledge you share with real friends and the beauty of the fish called carp.
Kevin and Sue, Sophie and Liam. Thank you for a week of friendship and hospitality. A lot of lakes can work on that one. And like as Dave said: "I'm also here for the holyday as well". You are right Dave. It was our holiday as well. And we enjoyed it over and over again.
Next time, another time, same place, same friends.
Take care.
Elise and Pieter-Jan from Holland