Preparing for a 2012 Carp Session on Blue Lake (Pt 1)

Are you preparing for a carp fishing trip to France in 2012? Via a series of Blog posts & a video diary Paul Cooper will take you through his preparation routine.

Blue Lake (Part 1)

Blue lake in the summer of 2011

I have been travelling over to France with Angling Lines for over 10 years now and every trip is different. This year I will be fishing a number of Angling Lines waters, one being Blue Lake in April this year. My fishing companion for this visit will be Jim Kelly and there are a number of pre-holiday procedures that I shall be going through before travelling.

Jim relaxing in my swim at Blue Lake

Blue lake is no stranger to Jim and I, as last summer we had a short visit to the lake along with Ron Key and his friend, Dean. We conducted an initial test of the lake and as a result ascertained the need for additional fish stocks. A large stocking of carp has taken place this winter which will have given the lake a fantastic boost.

When we arrive in April the carp should have settled down and hopefully be feeding well.

One of my original Blue Lake carp from the summer of 2011

Travel arrangements

• For this trip our fishing adventure starts the day after a Bank holiday so travelling to the venue would have been traumatic with heavy traffic. Jim and I have decided that we will travel down to Dover the night before and stay in a nearby hotel.

• The nearest and cheapest that we could find was one in Ramsgate some 17 miles from the port. The cost for a room for the night is £50. We aim to arrive at the hotel around 7pm, giving us plenty of time for a meal and a few beverages.

• Our plan will be to catch a ferry from Dover around 7.30 am, this should get us into Calais sometime after 10.00am French time.

• From Calais we have a 3 to 4 hour drive to the lake which should get us there between 2.30pm and 3.30pm, plenty of time to study the lake and fish movements before dark.

• The only other thing to sort out is the time for the return ferry on the following Saturday, allowing enough time to pack up in daylight, to dry out any wet fishing items, to travel from the lake to the Port, and for delays at customs etc.  The return trip will be around 4pm.

• A call to Linda at Angling Lines and the ferry was booked.

• The booking forms and travel document arrive by email and we have yet another trip to look forward to!