SUMMER
The Graviers........It can become very hot in the Dijon area from mid to late June and running through July and August. Big storms can build up and unload torrential rain with very strong winds, causing all sorts of chaos for un prepared anglers!
The bug life is working overtime too! the Mosquito's will happily drain you of blood if you let them, so it's wise to bring some extra defenses with you if you plan to visit the lake at this time, just in case.
The lake itself is brimming with life, both above and beneath the waters surface, with an abundance of natural foods available to the carp.The water levels are down at their lowest now generaly, and the water temperature can increase rapidly, and remain high for long periods.
Oxygen levels in the lake will reduce the hotter the water gets, and although they are unlikely, due to the size and nature of the lake, to ever become critical, the high temperatures may cause reduced feeding activity periods on the baited areas for certain times of the day.
THE ANGLING
As mentioned above, the effect of very high water temperatures can easily find the carp outside of their comfort zone for certain parts of the day, and affect their behavior in different ways...
Summer time usually the fish are more lethargic during the daytime hours, with the exceptions of may bee the early morning, and late evening times. They are capable of spending hours and hours sitting under a bush, and doing it would seem, absolutely nothing! But, they can still be caught....
Stalking your fish is an excellent way to spend your time in between feeding spells on your baited areas...
The carp at the lake are regular visitors to the margins once the water is warm enough. Your going to need to creep up on them though! as they become very aware of what's going on around them, and one step out of place will see you moving on to a new spot for another try.
Although the naturals are abundant during this period and may have an effect on the carp's feeding behavior, the fish will feed on baited areas, but only when they choose too. You may find that your getting shorter, but much more predictable feeding times, compared to the rest of the season.
FACT
Although reduced activity is usually expected with high water temperatures, it's not always the case...
We have seen some impressive catches during the Summer months, where unexplainably the lake does 3 to 4 times the quantity of fish normally expected throughout the hot period...which is another good example that our understanding of carp behaviour is far from complete!
Many anglers seem to be, for some reason, convinced that the best way to deal with what seems to be reluctantly feeding carp, is to cut right down on their bait use!.. This is something that continues to fascinate me..because they are overlooking the fact that the "other" fish of the lake, and there are lots of them!...are also attacking their carefully placed handfull of boilies, and will be reducing them to nothing in no time at all!
Don't overlook the fact that all the other species have been feeding on our bait too, for over 16 years at least, since we started to fish here!... and if you do choose to ignore, or forget this hard fact..then you will be spending a large percentage of your time here waiting behind single hookbaits..because that is all that will be left out there!
Rather than re bait once every 24 hours..and assume the bait is going to sit there until a carp shows up... Why not top the free offerings up regularly throughout that 24 hour period...at least then you know you will definately have some bait out there around your hookbait for longer than you would have... and you will be suprised what a difference it makes!!
