Exclusive Angling Holidays News

2011-07-03T14:19:00.004+02:00

June updatesOver the last three weeks Rouge has been fished twice, Bleu three times and Vert twice. With the weather being the typical glorious sunshine the fishing has also followed suit.RougeFirst week we had our regular dutch visitors who had an excellent week with 66 fish (I think about ten of these came from Vert). A couple of thirties were caught with the biggest being 34lbs. A fabulous

2011-06-06T21:29:00.002+02:00

Two weeks, lots of fish!Week oneVertA fortnight ago we had three anglers on Vert, one returning after many years and two ‘freshers’. They had a target of 100 fish for the week between all three and boy did they smash that target: the grand total was 145 fish and all three anglers had personal best catfish, commons and mirrors.A good range of sizes were caught with a few low teens carp both common

2011-05-15T13:55:00.002+02:00

Second week updateRougeThe second week of fishermen saw once again fantastic weather and excellent fishing.Two new fishermen to Exclusive Angling Holidays and one completely new to France had a whale of a time catching personal best mirror, common and catfish.Although the week was a bit slower than the first, the guys caught over thirty fish with carp to high twenties and in total four catfish

2011-04-28T20:43:00.002+02:00

First week of the 2011 seasonRougeFour regular visitors came down to fish Rouge and had an absolute ball.The week started off with a little rain but from Monday onwards out came the sun and all the anglers managed some serious sunburn --not bad for the first week in April.The week's totals were just as impressive as the weather with a total of 118 fish caught and not even all fishermen fishing

2011-02-06T19:37:00.002+01:00

Pre-season updateIt's been a fantastic and exciting winter for Exclusive Angling Holidays! In November we drained and netted the lakes for the first time and last week we took delivery of a batch of stunning fish to top up the existing stock. Safe to say now I can't wait for the season to start...RougeIn Rouge we removed all of the small catfish and bream leaving the bigger cats and all the

2010-09-05T20:11:00.000+02:00

October special offers To end the season with a bang we're opening up our usual October special offers to everyone, whether this is your first visit to Exclusive Angling Holidays, or if you've been coming for years. October is a fantastic time to bag up as the fish get their heads down before the winter. The temperature can still be very warm, and the leaves changing colour in the sweet chestnut

2010-08-12T21:27:00.002+02:00

UpdateFirst things first, we have now updated the website for 2011 and the bookings table is ready for next year. Please use the booking page or give me a ring on 0033 553628801Last week saw Bleu and Vert fished in glorious weather apart from one heavy nights' rain and a few weak thunder storms.VertReturning fishermen from a couple of years ago came down with their two daughters and families

2010-07-26T21:20:00.002+02:00

July so farThe last two weeks have been excellent with fantastic wall-to-wall sunshine and fishing of the highest calibre on Vert and Rouge.RougeColin returned with two friends to rouge for the umpteeth time. Their main target was to connect with some of the lakes many big cats. Peter, the newbie, managed personal best carp and catfish within the first two days, 32lbs+ and 55lb respectively.Many

2010-07-07T21:28:00.002+02:00

The last two weeks...RougeLee and his party fished Rouge with specific targets of PB cats and thirty pound Carp: everyone managed the cats targets but only two managed the thirty plus Carp.Overall it was an excellent week except the big cats won all contests. I gillied one night where we seriously tried with the dumbbell rigs to land a big cat. Unfortunately, although we managed to hook two, they

2010-06-29T19:26:00.003+02:00

June 12thRougeOnly fishing days, and not braving all the storms, Martin and Alan managed a creditable 32 fish with the biggest catfish being 65lbs and the biggest carp 23lbs. It was very noticeable that during the storms the fish didn’t bite but as soon as the storms finished and the sun came out the fishing went mad for about an hour with rods going off one after another.All the big carp seemed

2010-06-11T14:22:00.002+02:00

What a week! The weather started off dreadful, heavy rain and soaking drizzle but by Wednesday the temperatures were into the high twenties and Friday thirties. Wall to wall sunshine certainly brought the best out of the fishing. Vert Tony, who visited last

2010-05-12T20:06:00.003+02:00

The last two weeks at Exclusive Angling HolidaysI can honestly say I have never experienced two successive weeks with such different weather and results.The last week in April saw temperatures in the high twenties and low thirties followed by last Monday the temperature dropping to freezing. Yes, believe it or not on Tuesday we had about five hours of snow which settled on my car. Water

2010-04-29T21:03:00.002+02:00

18/04/10With all three lakes booked, glorious sunny weather and excellent fishing, it proved to be a busy week:Rouge Four anglers managed over 40 fish with carp to over 30 lbs and the biggest catfish coming out at 69lbs. It was quite a week for them with several personal bests in both carp and cats. A good time was had by all and thanks for leaving the lakes immaculate.VertFour anglers had booked

2010-04-20T21:33:00.005+02:00

Opening WeekRouge Rouge made a flying start to the 2010 season, with a whopping 87lb catfish coming out on the first night. The action never really stopped for the four anglers, with a fantastic total of 112 fish caught, including seven 30lb-plus carp and four catfish over 60lbs. Total weight for the week was over 2400lbs.Action was mostly from the double swim on Rouge, with things round the

2010-04-17T20:02:00.003+02:00

UpdatesA couple of techie updates to fill you in on before Dad spills the beans on what sounds like a fantastic opening week at the lakes.We have embraced the power of the internet to bring you live updates from the lakes on what the weather is doing and (more importantly!) what fish are being caught. You can keep bang up to date by either following us on Twitter here, or becoming a fan of our

2010-03-27T15:02:00.011+01:00

Pre-season nettingI can’t believe it’s really 2010 and the new season starting next month.After one of the worst winters on record Spring has finally arrived with the temperature going from -12 to 20+ over the last two weeks. All the trees are beginning to come out so we are working hard to get the lakes ready for you all.The most exciting news is that last weekend we drained and netted the stock

2010-01-10T17:07:00.002+01:00

Firstly I would like to wish a big happy New Year to you all, here's hoping 2010 is as much fun as 2009, and the fishing keeps getting better! I’m sure many of you think I spend the five-month winter break just sitting around, watching the TV and drinking coffee - yeah right! The winter shut-down gives me the opportunity to make improvements and carry out essential maintenance on the lakes. As an

2009-11-06T18:17:00.002+01:00

End of season updateI would first like to thank everyone who came down to fish our lakes this year. I know you all went away happy when when I look at my bookings sheets and see that so many of you have re-booked for 2010. With so many venues on offer in France, knowing you had a great time really is the biggest reward I can ask for and it makes all the hard work worthwhile.I'm pleased to say

2009-07-24T11:27:00.002+02:00

Bleu produces 98lb catfishRouge The Cooper party returned for their second holiday with Exclusive Angling Holidays and once again Darren (2) managed a personal best carp of 35lb on the first night. The only problem with catching a big fish on the first night is that he couldn't wake anyone up to take a photo!The fishing was pretty steady throughout the week although there were some signs of fish

2009-07-10T11:36:00.004+02:00

A mixed bag of weatherRouge The last few weeks have been a bit hectic especially as I have managed to break a rib.Rouge saw the Sardi group fishing this lake for the first time and as usual bringing the rain with them. Every year the same sorry old tale of rain, sun then more even heavier rain.The fishing was a bit slower than the previous week ( well that 91 fish haul does take some beating),

2009-06-21T17:12:00.002+02:00

Rouge letter day!RougeSometimes you get a week where everything is perfect and this was the week. Arianne and Hein, two of our dutch regulars had the week of their lives.Where to begin! - Wall to wall sunshine - 61 carp to nearly 38lbs - 30 catfish to 90lbs - Virtually non stop action whenever the rods were in the water.I have never seen such smiling faces every time I went down to the lakes and

2009-06-09T15:18:00.002+02:00

Big Cat diaries!Rouge Sean came down with his family and fished up to Wednesday morning on Rouge. The star of the show was a 66lb catfish caught on carp tackle on Sunday afternoon. Unfortunately I was unable to get a complete tally of the fish caught because they were enjoying a family holiday and the latter part of the week was spent out and about in the outstanding beauty of the Dordogne.I do

2009-05-29T12:31:00.002+02:00

More success at Etangs Des PapillonsWeek three of my season brought the good weather back with more or less wall to wall sunshine and suntan cream the order of the day. All three lakes were full so it was quite a hectic time, especially when the fish decided to spawn on Wednesday and Thursday. As with last year it was the classic spawning on all three lakes with the most amazing action for 36

2009-05-20T10:59:00.003+02:00

Early season updatesRouge Oh, what a glorious start to the season: no rain and temperatures into the high twenties with sunburn a serious threat!Fishing on his own, and only doing days, Eamon manged a very creditable 28 fish with 20 carp and 8 cats. Although he didn't get a thirty pound carp he did manage two mirrors over 29 and a common over 25. The biggest cat landed was 38lb but unfortunately

2009-04-13T17:01:00.003+02:00

Work party produces some of Rouge's bestThe annual Etangs Des Papillons work party produced plenty of big carp along with big changes around the lake and big laughs.Leigh, Gary and I travelled down for a week of working to get put the final touches to the lakes ahead of next week's grand opening. During the evenings and nights we all fished on Rouge and had some fantastic results with five

2008-10-07T20:16:00.003+02:00

Catch reports - September summary!Finally, I can get online and keep you all updated on how the fishing has been. Sorry for the long delay, we can thank the good people at Virgin Internet for that...Rouge Despite some seriously inclement weather, and a slow start to the week, Rouge eventually came good for Colin and his party, throwing up an incredible 27 fish in around 24 hours! Well done guys!

2008-09-12T17:49:00.002+02:00

Catch Report 30/08/08Rouge A big well done to the anglers on Rouge, who had fished Bleu last year and rose to the bigger challenge of Rouge this year. Over the week, 4 carp over 30lbs were caught - 3 from behind the island and one from the double swim. Not to be outdone, Wayne landed a beautiful 28lb fish from the chalet swim.After a couple of big cats from Bleu last year, I've every confidence

2008-09-04T12:01:00.003+02:00

Catch Results 24/08/08Rouge It must be a surreal experience to be greeted by people you've never met before as 'Golden Balls'. However, such is Malcom's notoriety for producing memorable hauls from Rouge, that's exactly what happened this year when meeting our other guests.Following the removal of many of the small cats that interfered with last year's effort to reach 1000lb of carp during his

2008-09-02T14:48:00.002+02:00

Mailing listI have now set up an Exclusive Angling Holidays mailing list. To keep up to date with our weekly catch reports, special offers and other exciting news, please subscribe here:Mailing ListAll our existing customers from 2008 have already been added to the list and will receive a confirmation of this shortly. If you do not receive anything within 24 hours, please let me know.Tight

2008-09-01T17:05:00.002+02:00

News UpdateI will be adding last week's catch results to the site later on this week, but first, a couple of bits of news to all our regular and prospective customers.1. I will be returning to the UK next month to take up a place at Cardiff University to study for a Masters degree in International Journalism. Dad will see out the remainder of this season, whilst I continue to do the paperwork,

2008-08-28T13:54:00.003+02:00

Catch results 16/08/08RougeAs promised, I've included some photos of the many fish that Jason, Mark, Yvonne and Bradley caught during their 2 weeks with us. Amongst the approximately 1600lbs of fish the caught were 3 carp over thirty pounds, bags of 20lb+ fish and big cats all round. Jay bagged a cracking 80lb specimen, whilst Yvonne is pictured below with her first solo catfish (I couldn't put

2008-08-15T10:14:00.002+02:00

Catch reports 02/08/08Rouge Jason and family are on Rouge for two weeks, so their update will follow next week. Plenty of fish coming out though, along with some decidedly mixed weather!VertReturning after a five year break, two anglers on Vert (ably assisted by their other halves) had a superb week's fishing. Both landed carp over the 20lb mark, including some cracking big commons. I Vert is

2008-08-10T18:13:00.003+02:00

Catch report 26/06/08Rouge 5 Dutch lads arrived to fish Rouge this week, and made the perfect start to their holiday by banking a 31lb mirror within the first hour of having rods in the water! The sport continued in both the summerhouse swim and the roadside double as 3 more thirties fell throughout the week, topped by Rouge's biggest of the year at 37lb. On of this two scale-bottoming catfish

2008-07-31T16:58:00.002+02:00

Catch results 20/07/08Rouge Returning for their third visit Leigh, Ben, Matt and Eamonn fished Rouge in baking conditions. Despite the hot weather the fish continued to feed, and all anglers banked some cracking fish. The highlight was a 30lb+ Carp for young Ben and a whopping 40lb+ cat for Matt. In addition to this they managed plenty of stunning carp over the twenty pound mark, a few cats in

2008-07-22T13:35:00.002+02:00

Catch results 5/07/08 and 12/07/08Rouge After hearing that their target fish "The biggun'" (or "Scarface" as it is now known), had been out the previous week, Alan and Lee opted to drop onto the vacant Bleu in the hope of being the first to bag one of the 100lb+ Cats that we are sure inhabit the lake.VertFor the first week of their holiday our other visiting party fished Vert. This was their

2008-07-08T11:21:00.003+02:00

Catch report 28/06/08Rouge As reported below, the three anglers on Rouge had a smashing week! Not only did the Williams brothers bank the brace of catfish I showed you in my last update, at 80lbs and 113lbs (new lake record) but, along with Terry, they also managed three thirty pound plus Carp, and a host of twenties.Terry and Andy have been visiting our lakes for years, and have always done

2008-07-02T09:26:00.002+02:00

Special UpdateRouge Last night, at around 11pm I got a phone call asking me to come down to Rouge. On my arrival there were two sets of car headlights on, torches darting around, rods everywhere and 3 very happy, if ever-so-slightly shell-shocked looking anglers.Apparently, they had had a bit of a mad hour, and wanted a hand with some photos...The first one out of the water (where they had been

2008-06-30T11:00:00.003+02:00

Catch resultsRouge To say that the guys fishing Rouge were looking forward to their holiday would have been an understatement, and thankfully, to use Adam's own words, "It was a real treat and all we hoped for ... Thanks for an absolutely brilliant week at your complex". Both Trevor and Adam had carp over 30lbs (32lbs and 34lbs respectively), along with an impressive number of twenties. Of the 16

2008-06-23T10:24:00.002+02:00

Catch Results 31/05/08One party booked out the use of the complex this week, and on Saturday 9 anglers converged on Etangs des Papillons from the UK and Spain. Competing for the coveted, and according to Liverpool airport almost-too-dangerous-to-take-aboard-a-plane, 'Daddy Cup' the anglers switched swims daily, rotating between all three lakes to give everyone a fair chance at the bigguns.Rouge

2008-06-18T16:58:00.002+02:00

Catch results 24/05/08I'm still struggling with pictures, but the updates are piling up now, and I'm sure you're all keen to know how the lakes are fishing - so here goes (I'll add in pictures as and when I can):Rouge Kevin, Terry and Liam all fished from the double swim (1 & 2)and all used the same bait and rigs, yet the majority of fish fell to one angler's rods. Terry was fishing to the dam

2008-06-15T11:01:00.002+02:00

AnnouncementThis is just a quick note to explain the absence of updates over the last couple of weeks. Unfortunately, I've had some serious computer problems (hard disk crash - arghh!). I've dug out my old Dell, dusted off the cobwebs and if i can convince the hamster inside to keep turning in his wheel, we should be back to service as normal over the next couple of days.The lakes have been

2008-06-02T17:14:00.004+02:00

Catch Results 19/05/08Sorry this update is a little late - last week I had my final exams at Limoges Uni, and so I was a little pre-occupied trying to remember all the French I've learnt over the last year! BleuHein and Arianne drove down from the Netherlands to visit us this week, and had a fantastic week's fishing on Bleu. Whilst it was Arianne's first trip, hein has visited us twice before,

2008-05-21T13:41:00.002+02:00

Catch results 10/0508RougeFour new Exclusive Angling Holidays customers arrived last week, and were blown away by the wonderful surroundings on Rouge. The fishing didn't disappoint either, with a string of fish on the first afternoon from the double swim.By Monday the action had slowed down in the main body of the lake and is was Michael, fishing behind the island, who was picking up the runs -

2008-05-14T13:42:00.002+02:00

Catch Results 03/05/08Rouge Following on from their barnstorming week on Vert, Colin, Adam and Dan moved up to Rouge on Saturday - and within just a few minutes of the rods going out, Colin had a 40lb+ catfish on the bank!The fishing throughout the rest of the week was steady, if not spectacular, and despit some horrendous rain in the early part of the week, all three anglers managed new PBs (or,

2008-05-05T11:40:00.002+02:00

Catch results 26/04/08Another week of mixed weather at the lakes, with heavy showers and bright sunshine sharing the days of the week. Whilst the cool weather that arrived on Monday seemed to knock the fishing off, the week started in grand style on all three lakes with some of the bigger fish coming out.RougeRouge was not booked this week, so I snuck down for a few evenings and had some great

2008-05-02T14:42:00.003+02:00

Catch results 19/04/08What a week! With Dad away visiting friends and family in the UK this week, I was running the ship by myself. Despite being a hectic week, I have to say thanks to all our guests, it was one of my most enjoyable working with Exclusive Angling Holidays. Here goes my attempt at putting it all into words and pictures:Rouge Having fished Bleu last year, Gary and Leigh returned to

2008-04-23T20:50:00.002+02:00

Weekly Catch Report 12/04/08RougeJason and Ken have been coming to Etangs des Papillon for years, and so whilst they were keen to have some of the stunning fish out of the lakes, relaxing and taking in the atmosphere was as much of a priority for them. Despite this chilled out approach, they banked 26 fish during the week, including some whopping specimens. Ken, who doesn't like catfish, banked a

2008-04-16T16:20:00.003+02:00

Weekly Catch Report 05/04/08RougeRouge kicked off the season in good style for our three guests from Yorkshire. Fishing from the double swim on Rouge, they banked some great fish during some up and down weather Despite some warm sunny afternoons, the temperature dropped at night, including on heavy frost, when the temperature fell to -5.However, this did not stop the boys from catching carp up to

2008-04-09T15:30:00.004+02:00

Late availability on Bleu in May!Owing to a cancellation, we currently have 2 weeks available on Bleu in May - one of last year's most productive months! These are available at a price of just £695 for the whole lake AND accommodation. If you consider 4 anglers fishing that's £175 per head!Weeks available:May 10thMay 17thAt just over 3 acres, Bleu is a fantastic water, guaranteed to charm you.

2008-04-06T11:46:00.003+02:00

And let the games commence...After a frantic final week of our close season, in which we took delivery of nearly 1500kgs of bait, cleaned and restocked 6 kitchens (lakeside and and the mobile homes)and finished and tidied all the projects around the lakes, our first guests have finally arrived!Some of our boilies for the coming season...Pellet for both the stock pond and the lakes (there's

2008-03-20T15:19:00.002+01:00

Pooch catches Cat!Rouge Just a quick pre-season update to congratulate David 'Pooch' Newsham on the capture of his new PB catfish from Rouge. Weighing in at 83lb 8ozs, he hooked this montrous specimen from in front of the summer house fishing with a halibut pellet hookbait and a large method ball of groundbait. I was delighted to be able to witness and glove in the fish which is the second cat

2008-01-14T17:23:00.002+01:00

STOP PRESS: Amazing April Special Offers!We are pleased to announce that the following Special Offers for the start of the coming season:Rouge : 3 2 1 week available at just £500!Vert : 2 1 week available at £300!Bleu : 2 1 weeks available at £500! Fully booked!Please see our bookings page for the dates available. That is a discount of £200 per party from the list price, meaning 4 anglers

2008-01-10T18:43:00.000+01:00

Looking backwards...2007 was an unusual year in a lot of ways. As my first year involved in the hands-on running of the company I learned a lot about what it takes to run a successful Carp fishery. For me the key elements are both the unique and beautiful nature of our lakes, and the close relationship we have with our customers.On the fishing front the results were overall very goodBleuBleu

2007-10-29T12:20:00.001+01:00

NEW ROUGE CATFISH RECORD at 110lbs!Rouge Returning for his second trip of the year, Colin beat the Rouge catfish record with a stunning 110lbs specimen. The fish was caught on a dumbell-rigged live roach in the early hours of Monday morning, and witnessed by the lake owner. After catching several 30lb+ specimens in his first trip, Colin came back geared up and ready for the big one, and made no

2007-10-22T14:07:00.000+02:00

Heads down, Tails up!After a frustratingly slow week the fish seem to have got right into feeding mode again as the weather turns colder and more leaves fall from the trees.Rouge Another party who have visited us in the past, and decided to return after some time away, fished Rouge this week. Based in the double swim, they fished tight to markers throughout the course of the wek and were rewarded

2007-10-17T12:58:00.000+02:00

Exclusive Angling Holidays in the national press!The Daily Mail recently featured Exclusive Angling Holidays in their 'Best places in the world to fish' feature. A fantastic boost for business, even if they under-estimated the size of our whopping Catfish!Here is the article in full (click for a bigger version): Tight LinesWill James

2007-10-15T14:51:00.001+02:00

A few hard-earned fishWith only one booking on this week, and some VERY autumnal weather around it was overall a quiet week on the complex, but here goes with the results...Rouge Fishing from the main double swim, Duncan and Keith managed 7 Carp and a Cat during their week, and when the action was slow they hopped onto Vert for a few more bites. The biggest Carp weighed in at 26lbs, and the only

2007-10-10T15:40:00.000+02:00

Autumn has arrivedRouge Led by an previous customer of Exclusive Angling Holidays, 3 anglers took to Rouge this week with some great results. Fishing with Premier Baits 'Matrix' boilies they worked hard and adapted to the differing demands of the lake conditions to bag 2 thirty pound plus carp as well as several twenties and a few stunning smaller specimens. On the Catfish front the biggest (

2007-10-01T13:24:00.000+02:00

Catch-upApologies for the lack of update last week - I'll endeavour to catch things up here and get you all up to date on the latest catches from Etangs Des Papillons:Rouge Some long-time Exclusive Angling Holidays customers fish Rouge this September, taking around 45 fish. Of these, the biggest was a whopping Catfish of 80lbs+ and a cracking Mirror just over the 30lb barrier. This was backed up

2007-09-19T11:29:00.000+02:00

Sunshine and great fishing!It seems that September has brought with it some great weather (at last) and really seems to have the fish revved up for some late season feeding! This week we had one part of six anglers alternating between Bleu and Rouge lakes. The results were quite spectacular...!In total, they had 145 fish, of which roughly two thirds were Carp. Three Carp were caught in excess of

2007-09-12T12:26:00.000+02:00

Some sunshine, some stormsFollowing on from the previous week's atrocious weather, we had more downpours but this time mixed with the odd thunderstorm and some lovely sunny spells. Despite all of this commotion, the fish seemed to feed well, and the improvement in fishing on Rouge continued.Rouge Every year we look forward to Malcom's visit as he never seems to fail to catch an incredible amount

2007-09-06T16:58:00.000+02:00

The lakes are alive, with the sound of Delkims...Rouge 5 anglers fished Rouge this week, and despite the atrocious weather they managed to bank some superb fish, including Carp to 27lb and a whacking Catfish of over 60lbs. As ever there were plenty of both Carp and Catfish PBs thrown in. Whilst none of the REALLY big Carp came out, the number caught was much greater than we have seen in previous

2007-08-22T17:44:00.001+02:00

A monster catfish from Rouge!Rouge Despite having fish rolling and bubbling constantly around their baits, the two anglers on Rouge were struggling to get many pick-ups from swims 1 and 2, so a move behind the island seemed like a good idea, and boy did it pay off in style! Jason, who has previously had 80lb Cats from Bleu, banked a colossal cat that drew the scales round to 95lbs before ripping

2007-08-13T09:16:00.000+02:00

Half-time resultsWith the customers on both Rouge and Bleu staying with us for two weeks, and swapping lakes half way through, this is more of a brief update with pictures to follow next week. Rouge The lake fished hard for the first few days of the lads holiday, but they stuck at it and were rewarded on thursday and friday with several carp into the twenties and catfish up to 40lbs+. A very well

2007-08-07T14:59:00.000+02:00

Some Carp from Rouge and a PBs aplenty from Vert!Apologies for the lack of an update last week, i was back in the UK for a few days to celebrate a friends wedding. Now on to the fishing...!Rouge Due to a late cancellation, Rouge was empty last week. So, with me safely out of the country John had chance to get down there and try and land a few catfish! Fishing from the double swim he managed three

2007-07-23T10:45:00.000+02:00

Big Cat Diary!Rouge and Vert were only lightly fished over the course of the week, but Rouge produced 4 carp for me on Saturday night - the biggest being the same 34lb 12oz mirror i banked just a few weeks ago. Caught from the same spot on the same method (floaters), this fish is obviously a real fan of Chum mixers. The customers on Vert were enjoying their first taste of fishing in a long time,

2007-07-18T14:13:00.000+02:00

A new lake record!Rouge Two lads moved around all the swims on Rouge to keep in touch with the fish, and banked Carp into the 20's and Catfish up to 40lbs. Unfortunately, despite hooking several bigger fish, they didn't manage to get one of the really big Carp or Cats on the bank. Unusually for Rouge, the lads banked mainly Common Carp as opposed to Mirrors. They were using GLM boilies and

2007-07-09T10:25:00.000+02:00

I can't wait for summer to come..More gloomy wet weather this week, apart from a couple of days of patchy sunshine. Fear not, summer must be on it's way...mustn't it?!Rouge Three anglers took on the challenge of Rouge last week, for their first ever week in France, and managed some new PBs amongst otherwise hard fishing. One angler in particular was over the moon to have landed a 40lb Catfish,

2007-07-03T09:39:00.000+02:00

A relatively dry week!Rouge 'The 3 D's' fished Rouged this week, and got off to a flying start, landing a big cat and a 33lb Mirror Carp on their first night! The action continued in spells throughout the the week, and improved as the weather stayed settled and dry, if not as warm as we're used to at this time of year. Every angler walked away with a new PB Catfish as specimens up to 40lb+ were

2007-06-25T13:59:00.000+02:00

An up and down week...Rouge For the first week of the year, Rouge was not booked up - which gave me and Dad the chance to have a little go! Fishing on Sunday afternoon, Megan and I managed a nice 15lb 4oz Carp from the stalking swim on a tiny piece of tutti frutti boilie cast into the lilies.John then fished two evenings from the double swim to bag 8 Catfish to 38lbs. I returned on wednesday

2007-06-20T12:25:00.000+02:00

More freak weatherThe wet spring/summer continues down here in the Dordogne - this week saw more mixed weather with sunny spells and heavy thunderstorms. All in all the fish don't really seem to know if they're coming or going! Here's hoping for a settled spell to get us back on track.Rouge Two first-time anglers fishing Rouge persevered against the elements to land mainly Catfish, along with

2007-06-12T16:33:00.000+02:00

Flash floods, and fat Catfish...amongst other thingsIt's been a hell of a week weather-wise down here in the not-so-sunny Dordogne. Monday brought a storm carry three inches of rain which proceeded to fall in under an hour and raise the level of Rouge by a good 12 inches thanks to the already saturated land. If that weren't enough, Wednesday brought similar rain and similar problems. Despite

2007-06-05T12:02:00.000+02:00

What a week!RougeThose of you who have been following the catch reports on this website will have noticed that this season Rouge, whilst throwing up the some cracking fish, has failed to produce the sport we know it's capable of. Whilst this has left lots of very capable anglers scratching their heads, I'm pleased to say that things are making their way back toward what we would expect from this

2007-06-05T11:41:00.000+02:00

A week of sunshine and rainVertVert was fished occasionally throughout the week by anglers from both Bleu and Rouge and produced lots of Carp weighing up to low twenties, along with some large Catfish. Once again, this lake continues to provide superb sport in a great setting - check out the bookings page for prices and availability. I guarantee you'll have a whale of a time!BleuBleu was fished

2007-05-22T14:09:00.000+02:00

The rain came!Rouge Another hard week on Rouge, though this time the problem was not getting fish to pick up baits, but rather getting them on the bank! Nigel and martin had awful luck targeting the big cats and lost (at the last count) 5 sizeable fish. As regular visitors to the lakes, and veterans of Catfish over 90lb, when these guys say it was a biggie i have no doubt! Whilst it was quiet on

2007-05-14T11:32:00.000+02:00

A week of big Catfish!Rouge Terry and Andy provided fine entertainment during their week, and banked a few fish to boot! Although the Carp on Rouge continued to prove tricky they banked some nice specimens to 29lbs and topped off with a few of the medium sized cats. Great work lads, and we'll look forward to seeing you on Bleu in June.Vert The lads on Rouge dropped onto Vert for an evening during

2007-05-11T12:24:00.000+02:00

Newsflash!!BleuExclusive Angling Holidays guests John and Alan banked a season's best 93lb Catfish from Bleu last night! Taken on a small roach livebait fished 'Dumbell style' from the island, the beast took Alan's rod - unluckily for him he was hitting a take on another rod so John stepped in to take control. More (better) pictures to follow shortly.Tight LinesWill James

2007-05-05T12:58:00.000+02:00

A post-spawning feed on BleuRouge Rouge can be a tricky water at times, and despite all the signs looking positive for a great week's fishing the four experienced anglers fishing the lake struggled to get hold of the lake's larger residents. Around 13 fish were taken throughout the week despite some top angling, with the largest being dubbed 'Lumpy' and weighing in at the 35lb mark. Not

2007-04-30T12:47:00.000+02:00

Not bad for spawning week!The fish in all three lakes we induced into a very early spawn by the prolonged hot weather. Despite this, all 3 lakes produced some stunning fish with a wave of personal bests to boot!RougeAs well as banking some stonking Carp the 3 anglers on Rouge all bettered their personal best Catfish - brilliant! Oh, and well done to Danny for banking one of only two grass Carp

2007-04-26T09:43:00.000+02:00

The stalking bay...Rouge A few pictures from yesterday afternoon. Taken from the new stalking bay on Rouge:Tight LinesWill James

2007-04-23T16:45:00.000+02:00

The Carp are coming...Rouge The hot weather continued last week, but the 3 anglers on Rogue found success in fishing short sessions to bank over 30 fish up to 34lbs. As you can see you the pictures below there were some real stunners amongst them. There are more pictures up in the gallery.Congratulations on a week of smart fishing in the sun!Tight LinesWill James

2007-04-18T17:33:00.000+02:00

The season has begun!Due to an unavoidable cancellation (get well soon Jim) and some unfortunate circumstances both parties on Rouge and Bleu had to either cut short or cancel their holidays. However, the party due to fish on Vert jumped at the opportunity to upgrade to the greater challenge of Rouge! Rouge Colin and Robin were both returning to the Carp fishing scene after a long absence of over

2007-04-13T10:34:00.000+02:00

Special Offers - Prices reduced!Our last few available weeks in July, August and September have just gone on sale! RougeJune 16th - £895July 14th - £895July 21st - £895Bleu18th August - £795Remember: These prices are for the whole lake to yourself and for up to 6 people (4 anglers) including accommodation.Contact us on info@exclusiveanglingholidays.com to book now, or head to the booking page

2007-04-11T13:39:00.000+02:00

Pre-season updateOver the course of the last 4 weeks we have been working hard at the lakes to get everything ready for the coming season. In addition to the usual maintenance and tree clearing, we have made several steps to improve the facilities at the lakes for the long term. Rouge Anyone who fished during heavy rain in the double swim on Rouge will no doubt still be finding flecks of mud in

2007-03-13T19:17:00.000+01:00

Special UpdateBeing a newly recruited 'Monthly contributor'to the excellent articles section on Carp-Forums.com, I decided to put my experience over the last month or so into words. I mentioned that we have been working on our stock pond, well read on to see how it's been going... enjoy!Le Jeune PapillonIt's funny to think that something which has become such an involved and personal project

2007-02-14T08:56:00.000+01:00

The rain comethWell, it's been an interesting couple of weeks for us here at Exclusive Angling Holidays. Following the snow and freezing weather of my first couple of weeks down here we hit a warm dry patch that allowed us to get on with some serious work down at the lake. Every year large numbers of trees are damaged by the wind and storms that occasionally sweep through the valley that contains

2007-01-26T17:42:00.000+01:00

A few winter snaps...I thought you might be interested to see the lakes in their winter state, so I ventured out with the camera to give a feel of the beauty that is Papillon in winter... More images are on view in the forum.RougeVertBleuTight LinesWill James

2007-01-18T11:49:00.000+01:00

New Exclusive Angling Holidays Forum is Launched!I am pleased to announce the launch of our new forum!http://www.exclusiveanglingholidays.com/forum.htmThis is a much requested addition to the website, and I hope that over the coming weeks and months it will become a place where you, the customers can openly discuss pre-holiday tactics and share your wonderful Etangs Des Papillon catches.If you

2007-01-10T16:03:00.000+01:00

Changes at Exclusive Angling HolidaysAs we begin to look ahead to the 2007 season it's time we told you exactly what we've got in store for you over the next 12 months. As of January 15th there will be a new face behind the running of Exclusive Angling Holidays - mine!Those of you who've been visiting the website for the last couple of years will remember that this 'News' page used to be updated

2006-11-09T18:10:00.000+01:00

2006 Season ClosesAnother magical year has now finished!What I would like to do first is thank all the fishermen who have visited the lakes this year and I look forward to seeing many of you again next year.The final weeks in October proved to be incredibly productive with also very good weather. We are currently doing some work on the website so it may not be up and running all the time, however

2006-10-28T14:59:00.000+02:00

New WebsiteA bit of an off-topic post here, but I'd like to invite you all to my new personal website:http://www.carpcast.comYou can find a diary of my fishing in England along with some articles I've written and a forum in which to discuss them.If you like what you see, sign up and receive updates as soon as there's new content on the site.Thanks for looking!Will JamesPssst!

2006-10-16T23:04:00.000+02:00

ROUGE LAKE CATFISH RECORD SMASHEDRougeAt last one of the really big cats comes out of Rouge. Caught at 6:30pm today it weighed in at 108lbs. This was weighed on two sets of scales and witnessed by me. (Yes it does take a fellow Yorkshire man to get the big one.)I have attached a couple of photos of the happy smiling faces, even the cat seems to be smiling.Well done Stuart this only beat your

2006-10-06T11:03:00.000+02:00

General newsWilliam did the last update so now its my turn. Firstly, the best news I have is that our little area of the Dordogne has at last moved into the 21st Century and I now have the luxury of Broadband.Overall the weather has been good, with unseasonably warm temperatures and, as yet, no frosts - although the nights are now getting a bit colder. Fishing has been good with some nice fish

2006-09-26T13:26:00.000+02:00

Back again!Having been away from France, the UK and all things fishing for the last 12 months, I'm glad to say that i'm now back in the Exclusive Angling Holidays fold again. 2 weeks ago I visited the lakes for a short holiday to catch up on the gossip and sneak in a few days fishing on Bleu. Safe to say, I wasn't disappointed with the outcome...After setting myself up in my favourite swim

2006-09-07T18:20:00.000+02:00

.flickr-photo { border: solid 2px #000000; }.flickr-yourcomment { }.flickr-frame { text-align: left; padding: 3px; }.flickr-caption { font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px; } Ben with his 28lb 15oz Rouge Mirror, originally uploaded by Exclusive Angling Holidays. A cracking catch from last week, kindly sent to us by Leigh Masters.Congratulations Ben!

2006-09-04T09:03:00.000+02:00

We are now up and running again with the updates so it will be done on a weekly basis.A lot of water has gone under the bridge since the last update and what a summer it has been. Some incredibly hot weeks in July but the worst August the french have known in living memory. Now the weather seems to be back to normal with temperatures in the high twenties and low thirties. But enough about the

2006-06-16T15:04:00.000+02:00

Photos as promised Beautiful 36lb MirrorYet another 36lb Mirror Mines bigger than yours DAD What a smile " the fish I mean"Tight LinesJohn James

2006-06-12T14:19:00.000+02:00

Breaking news!Due to a late cancellation I now have the week commencing 15th July available on ROUGE. Please ring me for details if you are interested. 0033553628801Well the four weeks have been exciting although the weather has not performed the fish really have with the highlight definitely being the first 40lb carp caught on Bleu.RougeTwo of the last four weeks have been pretty tough for the

2006-04-24T08:31:00.000+02:00

The weeks are really flying by now and we are already in the fourth week of the season.Although the weather has been much colder than normal for this time of the year with really cold and sometimes frosty nights - the catches on the lakes have been excellent.Two weeks to report as I have now got some good photos.RougeThe second week of the season found two regulars catching over thirty fish with

2006-04-13T13:23:00.000+02:00

The new season has now started and all is well with the lakes. In spite of cold and very changeable weather the fishing has been very good with some good pictures in this my first update of the new season.We have had a tremendous amount of rain during March and also last week which has left the lakes very full and the water cold, only 9 to 11 degrees. Also we have had some very sharp frosts at