Mario, Curly and Richy too!
by Paul 'Richy' Richardson

After a few telephone conversations and various chats between Mario and myself we decided that we would travel down to Dover early as this weekend was going to be a ‘bad traffic’ weekend due to Easter arriving. We would be travelling down to Dover on Good Friday of all days. The M25 ‘car park’ would be just ace!

I decided to leave Middlesbrough by 11-00 to hopefully miss the traffic on the M25 and not end up in the southern version of the biggest car park in Europe! I was meeting Mario and Curly at Toddington services and then to go on to Dover as they live in and around Preston, Lancs - someone has to, don’t they!
I planned to meet up with them at about 14-30 to enable us to arrive in Dover by 18-00.

Then we could go for a bite to eat at a decent restaurant and have a pint to get us in the ‘fishing mode’. We found a nice place by the sea front and ordered 3 lots of fish, chips and mushy peas. A couple of pints of Guinness to wash it down and then on to the pub to meet up with other ‘punters’ who were going out to fish DreamLakes.
We got back to the Relyon car park at 21-30 and loaded up the coach trailer with our gear. I had left a lot of my stuff over in France at the lakes from a previous visit. My gear had been left in the capable hands of Adi, one of the DreamLake Bailiff’s. I had only my carryall, sleeping bag, clothes bag and camera gear to take with me. Sorted, as they say down south. We caught the 22-45 crossing and looked forward to our arrival at DreamLakes in the morning. A quick trip to the ‘Duty Free’ (does that still exist?) to get Adi his Golden Virginia and me, my cigars and vino. Back onto the coach and time to get my head down. Goodnight.

I was awoken by Martin just as we arrived at DreamLakes to find the weather was much cooler, (bloody cold actually) than I expected. The lads, who had fished it the week before we arrived, said it was fishing ‘pretty slow’ - I like to hear that as it means the fish have not been eating the grub that has gone in but may be enticed into having it this week.

We had arrived at the lakes really early, as the lads were still either just starting to pack up or were still asleep!

Next item on the agenda was Ben the Bailiff laying down the rules to us all and then doing the draw. Mario, Curly and I were 6th 7th and 8th. The first five picked swims on the west side of DreamLake 1. ‘Perfect’ I said to Mario and we went for the east side of the lake. I went into ‘Sunset’ with Martin going into ‘Ladies Lair’ and Curly going into ‘East Bar’.

Gear humped around with the aid of a wheelbarrow, (or in my case Matty in the van). Up with the bivvy’s and set up all the gear. Find my chosen spots and clip and tape up the lines ready for action.

I sat back and looked at my marker float and decided that it was ‘bang on’ the gravel spot that I had found. Now all it needed was baiting up. I decided to do this before we were to go around to the lodge for a bacon butty and a couple of cups of coffee. It was still cool as we made our way around at 09-45. I said to Martin and Curly that I hoped it would warm up, as I hadn’t seen a fish yet. When it’s hot in the summer, the fish show like a ‘gud un’, leaping out and rolling all over the lake. Not this morning. I was praying for sun but it looked set in to be an overcast day.

A lot of fish were up in the west arm towards the ‘Snags’ swim.

We did see some fish in open water, but these fish showed in the bottom west corner, where the wind was pushing. They certainly were not there in numbers. I commented to Mario that all the fish couldn’t be up in the west arm as there wasn’t enough water to house them! Mario asked me what I thought and I replied saying “We need more sun". If it heats up we will ‘ave em’.

After the much needed bacon roll, I decided to give the fish some food. I put out 4k of pellets out to my spot, the spodding going well. Next, out went the 3 rods, clipped up and marked on the line to ensure accuracy. Out came the throwing stick and 100 boilies spread over a 15 yard area. I had decided to attract with pellet and put just a little actual food. SORTED!
Mario was also fishing and Curly was well on the way too. Nothing came to our rods on the Saturday but fish were getting caught in the west arm. I sat hoping it would get warm and sunny the following day to get more fish to come towards the ‘bar’ area.

Sunday came and greeted us with a fine sunrise, just what I wanted. This was much better for our swims. Mario and I made plans on what we would like to do today to put fish on the bank. A shave and a shower after breakfast and I was ready to do battle, (hopefully). The facilities are first class at the lodge with 2 toilets, 2 showers and 3 washbasins at your disposal 24/7. Very handy at times when a fish gives you a good slapping whilst photo’s are being taken! We returned to our swims and things were looking much better. Another 3k of pellet spodded out and the rods cast in onto the marks. Mario had been onto the spit and baited up his swim, (Ladies Lair). He made his way back to his swim and cast his rods out. He sat down in the bivvy and announced that he was knackered. What a sight!

Mario showed me some of the new ‘Dayglo’ maize. This stuff is something else. You charge it with a torchlight and it glows. It looks like a kind of ‘Isotope Maize’. A MAIZE ING! (Bad joke…Sorry). A fish has been caught from the ‘Beach’swim today so fish are starting to move in the open water. A slick came off Mario’s baited area. It was like the ‘Tory Canyon’ leaking oil all over again. The slick headed down towards me with the wind when his rod just ‘ripped off’. After a slow, deliberate fight through 2 of my lines, (tut tut Mario) I slid the net under a nice Common. I announced to Mario that it was a new PB. Up on the scales it went, 34-10. What a stunner for a first fish at DreamLakes. Scale and fin perfect and still in its winter colours…gorgeous! Photo session done, conga-rats all around and out with the wine. Celebration time, the trap had worked! We watched the sun go down and planned for the next day.

I was awoken from my ‘Shiraz induced’ slumber to a screamer, single toner at 02-00. I shot out to find it was very cold, (bloody freezing). This fish was a fighting machine with attitude. Really fit, ‘3 Shredded Wheat a day’ type of fish. FANTASTIC! Mario came around as he had heard the buzzer and netted a corking brown and tan Mirror. This fish was the Raquel Welch of fish! A great shape and everything in the right place, (know what I mean…sexy fish) Onto the scales ‘Raquel’ went and she came up 37-14. I was delighted. Things are looking up. ‘Pukka’ as they say ‘down souf’. The fish are starting to visit the baited areas. I love it when a plan comes together. Back to sleep for an early start at 06-00, (after the celebratory cup of Earl Grey).

The fish were crashing all through the night, showing that my prediction was coming right…fish were definitely moving in our baited areas. We just needed more sun. Fortunately, that’s exactly what we were to get. The temperature went to 22C by midday with a slight northerly breeze. Beautiful. CONDITIONS ARE BANG ON!
Why is it you always get a take when you are busy. You sit behind the rods, nothing happens, you fancy a brew and then you get a ‘blast away’ take. My rods had been in the water 25 minutes and off it went.

I burnt my hand on the stove and knocked over my Earl Grey, (Earl Grey…How posh is that?). Swearing loudly, (think of your own words cos I probably said them) I spun around to hit a ‘vibrating’ rod. The fish was on the bar when I struck into it, a big swirl gave its presence away. Mario had seen and heard it and was on his way around. After 10 minutes and not a sight of the fish I said to Mario, “to hell with this hugging the bottom lark, this fella’s coming up whether he likes it or not”. Mario just laughed.

The fish didn’t like it and went ballistic. After a further 3-4 minutes it went in the net and I had another ‘30’ under my belt. A very pretty, nicely scaled mirror weighed in at 35-03. Photo’s done and I returned a very fit fish in prime condition. Great stuff. Another take to a DLS 20mm boilie occurred 45 minutes later, a single toner again and this fish is riding a Ducati, it really was motoring. Martin had a take just a little earlier and was weighing his fish whilst I was playing mine. “35-00 Common” he shouted over. I replied “a new PB again”. We both just laughed. He quickly sacked the fish and, after making sure it was OK, he came around to me just in time to net my fish. I laughed as I told him to have a look at the bait. He just shook his head…3 rubber maggots, 2 red and 1 white, (Boro colours innit!).

Don’t go telling me that carp are brainy cos I must beg to differ! If they did use brains then tell me why a) they eat rubber? and b) they don’t even get a meal out of what they have in their mouth so why take it in the first place? Rubber maggots don’t even wiggle. (For you Southern lads it’s cos they are rubber and false, see?) Anyway, the ‘stupid’ mirror went on the scales and pulled the needle around to 36-04. These 30’s are coming like buses. I just hope they keep coming. AVE IT!!!

April in France is nice. The days are warm and enjoyable and they give you 15 hours of light/sun. They can be very warm (22-25c) and a tan is possible! The nights do drop down cool but usually remain around 4-11c. The 11c was a really warm night after a hot day. You should take a decent coat and also a fleece. This will enable you to sit out in comfort during the night. For the days you will need just light trousers or ‘joggy bottoms’, whilst for the warmer days shorts are required. However, don’t forget your waterproofs, just in case.

France is a big country and when the sun gets up it heats up quickly. In April, whilst we were there, the sun came up around 06-30 and went down at 20-45.

If you are ‘stuck’ for somewhere to go at this time of the year, you could do a lot worse than having a trip to this complex. Meals are prepared for you with breakfast at 10-00 and evening meal at 17-00. Just wind in, go to the lodge, eat your fill and when you want to, make your way back to the swim. BRILLIANT. This is a set up well thought out. I have been to others but this is the one I keep coming back to. NUFF said! If you need advice, assistance or any info, the Bailiffs (Adi, Ben, Dave, Fred, Chris and Matty) are there to give you all the help you need. They know the lakes very well and, most importantly, THEY WANT YOU TO HAVE A GREAT HOLIDAY. They will come around at any time and photograph your “whacker” or your PB! I have not met a more helpful set of fella’s, (Good for a laugh as well).

The fish just kept on coming through the holiday. I worked at it, got fish into my swim and fed them. Easy. After the first 2 days I caught steadily with some fantastic quality fish making an appearance for me. I spodded on a daily basis to keep the fish in my swim and what fish they were.
To sum up I had 17 fish of which 10 were 30’s with the others being 20’s, the smallest was 20-11. Of my 30’s, I had 4 over 39lb… the biggest was 39-14, a ‘mint’ common. Another 2 fish weighed 39-09, both mirrors and a 39-08 common.

I did notice that all the fish were in fantastic condition, absolutely mint and still in their winter colours, very fit and full of fight.

If this is not your ‘cup of tea’ in April, then you are after a different sport to the one I follow. I like to catch fish! If I catch BIG fish then all the better. I will try hard to catch them and if I can stack the odds in my favour, by going to the DreamLake complex and fishing a lake that is warmer than any at home and is ‘chock full’ of fish. then that will do me just fine.

The place really is the BIZ! You can contact Graham or Erin in the Office who can supply you with all the info you need and send you out a brochure.

I have booked for the same time next year and I have 2 more trips booked for this year. Don’t forget, this is a holiday and you can put into it what you want.

The rewards can be reaped as you can see from the above. I hope to see you there sometime. If I am there, come and say “Hi” to the BORO fan. I’ll even make you a brew?

Cheers and may all your fishes be whackers…………
Paul 'Richy' Richardson

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