Carp Fishers Abroad

Specialists in Carp Fishing Holidays

Call: 01952 585002

Carp Fishers Abroad
Carp Fishers Abroad Ltd
High Farm
Kemberton
Nr. Shifnal
Shropshire
TF11 9LL

Tel: 01952 585002
Mob: 07860 564966
Fax: 01952 585540

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Plans for Chalet Lake Winter 2014

24 August 2013

Just as we asked our guests last winter how we could improve the fishing and surrounds at Lake Meillant, we did the same exercise for Chalet Lake. Unlike Meillant where the overwhelming response was to change nothing, we have received lots of suggestions on how we could improve Chalet Lake and as a result we will be under taking a major overhaul there this winter. These are our plans.

There are quite a lot of silver fish in the lake which seem to support an ever increasing population of catfish many of which are now huge. Whilst I like a few cats as a bit of variety and extra fun, the numbers are now too high in my view. So we are going to drain the whole lake so that we can sort out all of the fish. The fish we want to keep, all the carp, grass carp, our pet koi, and fifteen big cats (all of the same sex!) will be put into one of the adjoining lakes for a few months while the main lake refills over winter and everything else will be sold off. Anybody wanting to buy catfish between 20-70lbs for stocking in France should get in touch! When the lake refills, we will transfer all the fish back to the main lake again. What this will do is rebalance the fishery to something closer to the Chalet Lake of fifteen years ago, which was an outstanding carp fishery. Removing the silver fish and most of the cats will free up a lot of space and food for the carp to grow even more. When we have assessed the numbers of carp, we will introduce new fish as required. Just to scotch the rumour mongers at the outset, none, repeat none, of the big carp will be removed.

Emptying the lake also gives us other opportunities. The overflow on the dam, which has been leaking at various rates for years will be completely rebuilt and raised to increase the water levels on the lake all year around. This will also help in late season, when evaporation caused by hot summers usually takes a foot or so of water out of the lake. The reed beds on the Chalet bank have grown to considerably larger dimensions that when we started. My favourite swim right at the top of the shallow arm is almost unfishable, so when we drain the lake, we will get in with a machine and dig all the reed beds back to sensible sizes again. At the same time, we will rebuild all of the platforms on the Chalet Bank to give much easier access to the water to make landing and returning fish easier. The higher water levels will help with this as well.

On the far bank, the sunny swim will be opened up again with a low platform partly covering the bank and water to give a large flat area from which to fish. There is another swim to the left of the sunny swim that gives access to the top of the left arm, which is particularly good when the wind blows in there and this will be opened up again.. Finally the swim on the far side of the dam is very productive but the dam wall is usually three feet or so above water level so we will put a small platform there to scramble down onto to make landing and returning fish easier.

What this will all do is return Chalet Lake from being a really good fishery this year, back to an outstanding one in 2014. Watch this space!

We will be going down to start work on the platforms the week beginning August 31 and then doing the drain down in November. If there is anybody out there interested in helping out in return for free fishing then please get in touch via the e mail.

Click on the prices page to see current availability at both lakes.