"The pictures don't do it justice" - most new anglers when they have their first walk round.

We bought Redmill from Madame Denoual in 2001 when her husband died. Monsieur Denoual was a Parisian businessman and bought Le Moulin Rouge to retire to. He didn't allow any other anglers for 15 years. All Madame Denoual knew was there were "beaucoup des grandes carpes".

There are some stunning original fish and we still get surprised by first-time captures every so often. Stock fish are added carefully to minimise the risk to the originals. A couple of the big original commons are now low 50's. The quicker growing mirrors from the first two stockings have overtaken the big originals.

Redmill's not just one of the most stunning carp lakes in the world. It's one of the richest. Almost certainly one of the best. It's over 350 years old with an ecosystem to suit. Just under 10 acres, with an average depth of 5 feet and spot on pH – it’s a perfect carp environment.

Having a house as a base is a bonus when you're in the middle of nowhere for a week.

The fishing's rewarding. Reap what you sow.