Property Description:
Etangs de la CROIX BLANCHE
The lakes are mature sandpits covering around 17 acres in total. Excavated in the late 1970s, the complex consists of 2 beautifully matured & established carp fishing lakes, renowned for their big fish:
• CROIX BLANCHE - 6 Acres - 7 Swims - Maximum of 6 anglers
• TORTUE - 8 Acres - 8 Swims - Maximum of 7 anglers
The banks, while quite steep, are grassy with trees around most of the margins. Weed presence can fluctuate from year to year, but it's not a problem. There are no obvious underwater obstacles or snags. The water itself is crystal clear with a bluish tint characteristic of sandpits and water levels fluctuate throughout the year with the change in water table.
The number of pegs as been kept to a minimum: the Croix Blanche has seven, with eight pitches on the Tortue. Many of these pegs are cut back into the bank to provide comfortable pitches. Access to the pegs is excellent with a track around the whole property, and access to most of the pegs is possible by car! You're quite welcome to double up in a swim if you wish. The property is entirely closed with a secure fence around the whole perimeter.
THE FACILITIES
The facilities on the water are very good. The small chalet / bureau at the village side of the lake that serves as a bait and tackle shop. In the basement there is a fully fitted kitchen and store room.
At the entrance to the venue there is a shower and English style toilet block with two hot showers and two toilets. This is entirely at the disposal of the visiting anglers. There is also a mobile home on site that can be used for accommodation of a club room. It has a fitted kitchen and two bedrooms.
SHOPS:
Shops are fairly thin on the ground in the region the nearest supermarket being in the village of Guignicourt, some 8 miles away.
The nearby village of Beaurieux does have a small grocers, bakers, butchers and chemists. Fresh bread and croissants are available from a local baker who does the rounds every day except Tuesday.
FISH STOCKS
The initial stocking of carp into the lake was carried out by the original owner in the early 1990s and consisted of 250 two to three year-old carp. By the time I purchased the pits with a view to transforming them into a carp fishery in 1999, the largest of these carp had topped 44lb, with an estimated 60 fish remaining from this first stocking.
During 1999, 2000 and 2002 a large number of carp were stocked into both of the lakes as part of a progressive fish management programme on the venue. Commons and mirrors were purchased from a number of French fish farmers, their average weight at the time of stocking being 15lb to 30lb. Catfish to 55lb and grass carp were also stocked into the Tortue lake.
These fish have thrived in the waters, gaining weight very rapidly due to the rich environment and regular feeding with quality carp bait and pellets. They have grown on to make an excellent head of big carp. The largest to date, one of the original fish from the 1990 stocking, has topped 76lb! (This fish is no longer alive but there are many more large carp ready to take its place.)
Each lake now has well over 150 carp to over 50lb. Other species include the Wels catfish to over 85lb, grass carp to 40lb plus, tench, bream, crucian carp, roach, rudd, pike and perch.
The stocking policy for the future is to continue to introduce fish over 20lb progressively to the lakes from the stock pond over the next few years, carp ranging in weight from 20lb to 26lb.
The small lake where, no fishing is allowed is used as a stock pond to hold new stick fish. By introducing them one by one the risk to them and the existing stock is kept to a minimum. All these fish will have spent a minimum 18 months in quarantine, regularly fed but unpressured by anglers.
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