Moulicent Report 10th April 2009 - By Nicky P
Well; after 6 months of waiting for my 1st trip to France it was finally time to set off. I had arranged with Mally, from “Master Baits,” who runs the trips, that I would drive to Hull to meet him and the other anglers. I arrived at his house at around 3pm after a nice 2 hour drive up the M62. Mally was there to greet me and gave me a lift to get my gear into the Mercedes Sprinter van that we would all be travelling down in.
With the gear all packed it was time for a brew and a chance to get to know Mally a bit more. I was also introduced to Matty who is involved with Master Baits and he gave me some info on the lake we would be fishing. The hospitality I received was top class with loads of cups of coffee being offered and Mallys’ partner providing us with a great meal before we set off.
After the other anglers turned up we were all ready to go.
The transport to Moulicent was first class. My friends had told me horror stories of how they had gone to France in the back of Transit vans in the past, so it was a relief when booking the trip to find out that we would be making our way to France whilst watching DVD’s on 3 different televisions inside the Mercedes, the bus was also equipped with air conditioning and surround-sound. All the relevant safety equipment was fitted and clearly marked and it was quite clear that these trips were run properly, and being as this was my first trip to France I was glad it wasn’t with a cowboy firm.
We made it to Dover for about 2:45am and our ferry departed at 3:30am. We managed to glide through customs and straight on board. It was really quiet on board the ferry. We had the bar virtually to ourselves. A good few beers were drunk (except Mally of course, although Tony drank more than enough for them both), and 90mins later we were at Calais. Everyone seemed to have a new lease of life, whether it was the fact we were now in France and the holiday felt more real or just the sea air waking us up, it certainly made the second part of the journey livelier.
After what seemed like an eternity but was just 3.5 hours, we were finally at Touvoure where Moulicent is located. We went to another lake in the area 1st to drop something off for Mallys friend & fishery owner of La Fonte, John. John made us welcome and made us all a brew. His lake’s really nice as well, and we all wished we could get our rods.
As we had to wait for John at Moulicent to make the fishery ready for us, we went into the village to buy some supplies and to have a beer in the local pub. It was nice to unwind knowing that we would soon be at Moulicent. We soon set off again after getting the call from John to let us know he was ready for our arrival. Whilst travelling Mally advised us that the lake was stunning, and he wasn’t wrong. We arrived and John met us and showed us around the lake. He showed us the pegs, went through the rules and showed us a “horror story” of a rig that he had found and advised us how important to him it was that we don’t use rigs like the one he was showing us. The view that I was met with whilst walking from the house to the lake was brilliant. The leaves were still not fully out but it was still a magnificent place.
The view from my peg as you look up the hill.
I also noticed how much wildlife there was around the lake. Throughout my stay I saw numerous birdlife and even a salamander. There were also fresh red deer tracks around the lake and in the evenings and early hours you could hear wild boar in the forest surrounding the lake. It really is a picturesque lake that’s off the beaten track and is without doubt the most peaceful place I have fished so far.
Salamander
Nesting ducks
Each night there were fresh meals made including desserts and a full English breakfast every morning. Mally took his responsibilities seriously and couldn’t do enough to make you enjoy your trip with his company. John the owner also made you feel very welcome always popping round, at least twice a day for a chat and a brew. He is a very open bloke who really wants you to catch his fish, always offering advice on spots in the lake that have produced fish or methods others have been successful on.
In terms of the fishing at Moulicent, it was fantastic. Two of the lads that had come on the trip were also new to fishing in France and we were all eager to break our p.b’s. Steve didn’t waste any time, on the 2nd night bagging a 32lb mirror. I had to wait for a little longer until the 3rd night before I broke my p.b. by landing a 30lb 2oz mirror that had seen the bank only the week before at 28lbs. Tony another lad who has been on a few of Mallys’ tours had wanted a 30lb fish as he had never broken that barrier on his previous outings. He too managed to catch a new p.b. with several mirrors of 33+. Steve ended up breaking his personal best on 3 occasions, incredibly banking a 40lb 12oz mirror within 10 minutes of landing a 23lbs mirror. Here’s the pics
Nick 30lb 2oz
Steve 23lbs
Steve 40lb 12oz
40lb head on
Back she goes
Traditional soaking for biggest fish
All in all, the trip with “Master Baits” was top class. I couldn’t recommend it enough. The company and the attitude of Mally who runs it is impeccable and he really does try to make your trip the best he possibly can. The equipment, transport and professional attitude ensure you enjoy your holiday and make it stress free. The lake itself is stunning and I will definitely be returning next year with “Master Baits.”
In total we had 21 fish with 7 fish going over 30lbs & a magical 40 for Steve (top angling mate). I also got all my bait from Mally which worked a treat. Here are some pictures to finish off the review.
Me with 26lb mirror & 24lbs 10oz mirror
A view from my swim
A nice shot from my swim
My 24 head on
Steve fish juggling a 30+
Steve with a 30+
Steve looking like a local
Mally with another 30+