Episode 5 of “A Fishy Tail from a Lady’s Point of View”
by Carol Maudsley - October 2010 DreamLake 3

This was a total spur of the moment trip to Dreamlakes. It wasn't planned we just said one day "should we go, yeah why not". I work in a school so my holidays are the school holidays so we know when I'm off and with the October hols looming we got all excited. Sending that availability email to Dreamlakes is the decider...is there space?? As soon as the reply comes back that there is that is the ultimate decider..I mean you just have to go then don't you?...it would be rude not to, ha ha.

We set off, from Warrington, Cheshire, on the Friday at 11am and we were in the Brewers' Arms by 3.30pm and made so welcome. We walked back up to Jacksons for 6.30pm to find out that there were only 6 of us going from Bicknacre! Brill...the back seat was nabbed by us and we settled down for the long journey. On the journey we chatted to Dave and Benji, from Nuneaton. Never been before and their biggest carp was 10lb so they were in for a treat if they were lucky. We raved about Dreamlakes and they were really looking forward to the experience.

We arrived at 6am, bloody freezing (-3°) and dark, the bailiffs met the coach all wrapped up. As this is the last week of the Dreamlakes season all the bailiffs were in attendance...Dave cooking – nom nom; Barty; Matt; Sid; Paul (Nibbler) and Lon. We went off to Lake 3 for the draw and we settled down in Peg 10 for the week. Happy Anniversary Darling, lol...three years today who else’s husband gets to go to Dreamlakes for their Anniversary?

The food at Dreamlakes is second-to-none as I've said each time. This time was no different – well, it was different as Zen likes his sauces and so the meals have been spiced up a bit. So tonights Steak and chips had a twist and was with a BBQ/honey-glaze!! Going “posh” this week. Dave did us proud and the week’s food was spot on even with the subtle sauces.

First fish was at 8.45pm on the Saturday evening ...reeled in a 23lb mirror – let the fishing commence. At breakfast we met up with Dave and Benji, they were on Lake 2 and though they hadn’t caught anything Benji had nearly been washed away in the rain.

On Lake 5 was a party of 5 who arrived in a “state of the art” camper van on “drive and survive” and one of the party was none-other-than Ray Thomas!!! The flute player in the Moody Blues – welllllllllll that did it for me! A celebrity! Made my week, I was in my element. I chatted to him each day, he was so interesting and funny and I eventually plucked up the courage to ask him for his autograph...how cool is that!! Sorry...I am easily pleased.

Not a bleep on the Sunday and it rained all day but by early evening it brightened up and we sat outside with a glass of wine (or two/three/box!) The temperatures are defo dropping in the evening down to -1° the days were lovely and sunny. Not much fishing going on...our second fish came out on the Monday 30lb 5oz. On the Monday night we were expecting it to be -4° so went to bed wrapped up in everything I owned but by 2am I was stripping off as I was too hot!! As long as you go prepared there really is no problem there whatever the weather.

At the Lodge for mealtimes there are some funny characters and it's great having a laugh with them all. Fishing is such a sport that “class” doesn’t come into it...you all share the same passion and it doesn’t matter what your background is or how much money you have ..it's all about the fishing. I really enjoy the variety. We had such a laugh with Dave and Benji swapping stories and we have kept in touch since coming home. Benji has become a Dad again so he may not be out for a while but I'm sure when he can he’ll be back to catch a big fish.

I don’t fish...I go for the peace, the tranquility and the “craic”. But as it was the last week and it was quiet Ian asked if I wanted to actually have a rod and see if I could catch a fish. Oh yes I took up that challenge and I cast my rod and sat and waited. On the Wednesday Ian landed a beautiful 46lb 12oz Mirror just as the minibus was ready to take us up for breakfast so the lads all piled out to watch and we had a brill group photo with the fish.

At 4pm my rod went off!!!! MY ROD! OMG I've caught a fish!! A 21lb 14oz Mirror – ha ha ha I'm so happy! I brought it in myself, Ian netted it and I had the famous photo opportunity – oh I'm hooked (‘scuse the pun!) I couldn’t wait to get to the Lodge and tell Matt and order the champagne for my PB. Gutted the next morning when I went for a shower and my rod went screaming off and Ian brought in, what should have been mine, a 48lb 9oz Common!! ARGH! Ian wouldn’t have lived that down if I'd got that one!! Doubt I'd have been able to land that one though.

We had such a laugh with the lads down on 3, 4 and 5 mostly at Barty’s expense. Casey and Andy were on 4. PJ and Duncan (Mike and Lee) were over on the other side and great guys too. So funny when we nicked the minibus keys and Barty went off searching for them and we drove off making him walk. Feeling guilty we waited for him but ....egged on by the others... as Barty approached we just drove off again. So coming back Barty left Ian to walk, ha ha but Sid came to the rescue and brought Ian back.

By Thursday Ian had now caught 7. Jay and Ste have moved from pegs 14 & 15 to pegs 7 & 8 but it was still a quiet night. Waking up on the Friday morning Jay, Ste and Martin – who had driven – had left – without saying goodbye!! But that meant less lines in the lake and Ian caught another two. All in all 10 fish caught this week (including mine) so not a bad week at all. Dave and Benji enjoyed their experience on Dreamlakes though disappointed that they didn’t catch much. It's not very often that you go to Dreamlakes and not catch and thankfully they did get new PBs and so they did smile by the end.

On the Saturday of our return it was strange the coach turning up and no one on it, quite sad really as it's fun watching the new arrivals stagger off the coach knackered but excited. The journey back was a laugh.

This tail has lost its “lady’s point of view” as this week I really felt like “one of the lads” especially when given the chance to fish as well. If I wasn’t such a girly girl I suppose I could take this fishing lark up – but I really don’t like all the hard work and slime that comes with it. Plus I couldn’t stand the arguments if I did better than Ian!!

Thanks to Facebook we keep in touch with a few of the guys we met this week and Dreamlakes France (search and add a friend request) has now really took off and the banter on there is ace. Any questions can be answered on there with various points of view. It's getting that way now that you know who is going when you are and you are looking forward to meeting them.

We are off again to Dreamlakes on Lake 3 at the end of July 2011 and I can't wait to catch up with old friends and the bailiffs.

Carol Maudsley
October 2010