Molyneux Report to 12th May 2012;
As I mentioned at the end of last week’s report, we were expecting some very important guests at Molyneux… our very good friends Oz and Caroline were travelling over to spend the week with us.
We have known them both for a few years now as we used to fish the same syndicate lake in Cambridgeshire and having similar outlooks on life; we became firm friends and have kept in touch even after we moved away. Work commitments meant they couldn’t get over last year, so a date had been set for this year. They arrived late on Friday afternoon, and as luck would have it they were the only people on the lake that week.  After they had got themselves sorted and unpacked we cracked open a few beers and sat down to catch up over a lovely evening meal prepared by Helen.
Oz and Caroline were staying in the cabin, at least initially, and come Saturday morning Oz was eager to get his rods out after seeing a few fish topping out in front of the swim. Being a very good and precise angler I didn’t think he would take too long before he got amongst the fish.
It didn’t take him long at all and he had caught a couple of good carp in the early hours of Saturday morning. After breakfast, I took him out in the boat and we had a prod around the swim, and I showed him where I thought he would be advised to spread a little bait.  Thankfully the fish were playing ball and the spots proved to be good ones, as he continued catching at a steady rate during the course of the first few days.
After the initial rush to get his rods in, the week took a much more relaxed turn, and we spent long lazy days enjoying a beer or three, and chatting about good times we had spent together on Grenville. It was also very nice for Helen to have a little female company and have a conversation which didn’t involve carp, catfish and pb’s!
We even had a day out which was wonderful, as we are normally so busy around the place with anglers, or preparing for anglers to arrive that we have little chance to get out and about to do the sightseeing bit. We went to Monet’s Garden and house, which is only around 9-10 km away in a lovely little place called Giverny.  Whilst I know not many anglers are interested in doing much other than catching fish when over here it really is a beautiful place, and well worth a visit to see the gardens and of course lake where most of his painting was actually done.
Oz decided that for the last night he and Caroline would like to sleep out in the bivvy, and give another swim a go, just so they could wake up in a bivvy during their stay.
They moved into the double swim on the Friday afternoon and after an unhurried dinner of cheese, pate, French bread, chorizo, and wine with the odd beer or two to wash it all down nicely, they wandered around to the swim, where Caroline actually managed to catch herself a monster of a carp at 38lb 8oz on Oz’ rods. A man of the utmost generosity I think you would agree!
Sadly Saturday morning rolled around again all too quickly, we had enjoyed a fantastic week with old friends and it had almost seemed like being on holiday ourselves which was a welcome break to be honest after the hectic start to the year we have seen.
Oz and Caroline set off for home, with a promise to come and see us again next year, and we truly can’t wait.
Oz’s tally for the week was as follows;
26lb, 27lb, 28lb, 29lb, 29lb 4oz, 30lb 2oz, 34lb, 35lb 8oz, 37lb, 21lb Common, 27lb, 38lb, 25lb, 26lb, 34lb, 38lb, and a 30lb catfish.
He also lost probably around six fish as they kited left from his spot across toward the snag tree to the left of the cabin swim.
A cracking weeks angling, when you consider that most of every day was spent socializing.
Awesome to see you both looking so well, and great to be able to spend as much time together as we did. We look forward to your next visit with great anticipation.