Another Great Week at Compton’s Lakes: Liam and Pee-Wee’s Productive Session

By the end of the week, 21 carp had graced the nets between the two of them — a solid week’s angling by any measure. Liam took the top spot with 16 carp, while Pee-wee followed with 5, making it another productive session for both.

10/19/20253 min read

Another Great Week at Compton’s Lakes: Liam and Pee-Wee’s Productive Session

We’ve just wrapped up another memorable week here at Compton’s Lakes in Bussière-Galant, France, with returning anglers Liam and Liam (better known as Pee-wee) enjoying a full Sunday-to-Sunday session. The pair are no strangers to our lake — this was Liam’s fifth visit and Pee-wee’s second — and as always, it was fantastic to have them back on the banks for another week of quality fishing, good company, and a few laughs along the way.

Warm Days, Chilly Nights, and Dewy Mornings

The weather couldn’t have been better for mid-October — classic autumn conditions that carp (and anglers) tend to love. We were treated to beautiful, warm days, regularly reaching 20°C and above, perfect for relaxing lakeside and enjoying the stunning Limousin countryside. As the sun went down, the temperatures dropped sharply, dipping to between 6°C and 10°C, leaving behind misty, dewy mornings that gave the lake a magical, glassy calm before sunrise.

The contrast between warm days and cold nights often gets the carp moving, and that certainly proved true this week. Despite the chill, the lake came alive at night, producing the vast majority of bites in the dark hours — all but one carp came between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m., keeping the lads busy through the small hours.

21 Carp Between Them – Liam Leads the Way

By the end of the week, 21 carp had graced the nets between the two of them — a solid week’s angling by any measure. Liam took the top spot with 16 carp, while Pee-wee followed with 5, making it another productive session for both.

The biggest fish of the week went to Liam, landing a cracking 36lb 2oz mirror carp — a stunning, hard-fighting specimen that put a real bend in the rod. The rest of the catches were consistent, with fish ranging from the mid-20s to mid-30s (and a couple around 8 kilos), and an average weight of over 30lb — a testament to the continued health and growth of the stock here at Compton’s Lakes.

Among Pee-wee’s five fish was something rather special — a lovely common carp just over 30lb. What makes this capture unique is that it’s one of only three commons in the entire lake, as the rest of our stock are mirror carp. A real rarity and a fantastic fish to land — well done, Pee-wee!

A Game of Depths – When the Carp Moved, So Did the Action

Interestingly, this week’s pattern was quite different from that of our previous anglers. Most of the action came from deeper water, at least to begin with. Liam and Pee-wee worked hard to locate the fish, adjusting rigs, baits, and feeding spots to match the carp’s changing behavior.

By Thursday, the lads decided to swap swims — and, as it turned out, the carp swapped too! After moving, Pee-wee managed to tempt three more carp from the deeper area, but soon after, the shoal seemed to drift toward the shallower margins — straight into Liam’s new swim. From there, Liam added another six carp to his tally, while Pee-wee found it harder to get a take despite doing everything right.

That’s carp fishing for you — sometimes it’s just a matter of being in the right place at the right time. Still, both anglers handled it with great spirit, sharing tips, bait, and plenty of banter along the way.

Great Company, Great Food, and a Great Week

As always, it was an absolute pleasure catching up with both Liam and Pee-wee. Their enthusiasm for the sport and love for the lake make them a joy to host, and it’s fantastic to see familiar faces returning year after year.

They also made the most of our meal package, enjoying the hearty home-cooked dishes that my wife Leanne prepares daily. After long nights of fishing and early morning photo sessions, a proper breakfast and a hot evening meal go a long way — and judging by their plates (and their smiles), the lads were more than satisfied!

All in all, it was a thoroughly enjoyable week — plenty of carp, plenty of laughs, and some unforgettable moments on the bank. Congratulations again to Liam for his top catch of 36lb 2oz, and to both anglers for making the most of what Compton’s Lakes has to offer.

We’re already looking forward to welcoming them back next season for round six and three!