Dream Lakes

Subject: Dream Lakes Thu Jan 24 2008, 06:54

Check this out lads

After returning from a weeks fishing at Dreamlakes in France,
I have copied below a letter of complaint that i have sent to their head office of all the weeks events.

After what we have experianced please do not go!!!!

Dear Sirs,

Having just returned from a weeks fishing on Dreamlakes 2 I feel it appropriate to contact you to outline quite a few problems / inappropriate situations we found ourselves in through poor and unprofessional on site management.

We arrived at the complex at 6.30am on Saturday morning whereupon the peg draw etc… took place. We were then informed to report to the lodge at 10am for breakfast. We were expecting to be taken through the Health and Safety procedures but unfortunately this never materialised. I asked a member of staff what the emergency procedures were and he said he did not know!!

On Saturday evening a member of our party fell ill and my father went to contact a member of staff for help. The staff member that my father managed to get hold of was called Matt. Matt organised for a taxi and accompanied my father and uncle to the hospital. After being seen by the doctors, my uncle was given the all clear to return to the lake but was told that if he fell ill again to report back to the hospital immediately. Once my father and uncle returned, they were saying that they were happy with Matt’s quick and positive attitude and fast actions. How wrong could we be!

Unfortunately on the Sunday evening my uncle once again fell quite ill and we had no other option but to go and get help and get him quickly back to the hospital. Once again my father went in search of a member of staff for help. To our relief Matt appeared to be on duty again and stated he would make a few phone calls and come and inform us what the plan of action was. After 30mins had past and my uncle getting worse by the minute, my father went to find Matt to see what was happening. Matt said he was still making phone calls and would come back to us. After approx 2.5hrs Matt came back and said the hospital was closed and that we were miles away from anywhere. Matt said that if my uncle got worse during the night there wasn’t much you could do!! My father went back to see Matt and see if there was anything we could do. After considerable time, a taxi was organised to pick us up and take us to a medical centre. This time around Matt decided not to attend and my father and uncle were sent to a French speaking hospital on their own! Luckily they found an English speaking doctor and everything ended up being ok. But it could have been so much worse and we can not believe that a representative of Dreamlakes did not attend.

Monday came and went and finally we started to enjoy our holiday. We were catching fish and everybody was happy. Not for long though!

On Tuesday evening approximately 7pm music could be heard coming from the bailiffs accommodation. As I was fishing peg 1 (the nearest peg) I could hear the music quite clear but it was just about at an acceptable level. As the night wore on, the music was turned up to an intolerable level and with the combined shouting / antics of what appeared to be all members of staff we felt we had no other choice but to go over and ask if the music could be turned down as now the time was 11.30pm!! We did not ask for the music to be turned off (of which we would have been entitled to!) only for it to be turned down as I could not sleep and had no chance of catching any fish!! When we went over we were confronted by aggressive members of staff who could not believe we were trying to spoil their fun! Matt said it was his birthday and that they were all celebrating. Another member of staff by the name of Neil stated that they work 24/7 and that they are entitled to have fun on their nights off. I’ve not come all this way for them to behave like this. It was quite clear that all members of staff were drinking and therefore the question I would like to ask you is: ‘who was in charge in a sober state incase of an emergency?’ It appeared nobody was!! We have not paid nearly £2000 between us for an outside music festival. Other members of their party started insulting us further by asking questions such as: ‘what time do you go to bed?’ and ‘what music do you like?’ ‘we can put on what you like’. This sort of rude and abusive behaviour is totally unacceptable.

The music was turned down eventually and we made our way back to our bivvies. As we were walking back, an irritated and extremely aggressive Matt shouted that we would be kicked off the site the following morning and that he would be taking us to the station. We were in utter shock and disbelief! We were threatened to be kicked off the site for asking for the music to be turned down to an acceptable level whilst on our holiday! Even now whilst writing this, I still can not believe what happened. Disgraceful is the only work I can use to describe this.

The following morning we went for breakfast as usual. Anglers from lakes 3,4&5 also heard the loud music and even asked us if we had a party!!! Matt was not working this morning. We asked Neil where he was and he replied ‘I don’t know, maybe in bed’. After breakfast we went round to the sleeping accommodation to discuss with Matt what was happening. Unfortunately after several knocks on his door we received no answer and could only assume he was sleeping off the previous nights events. We did not see Matt again until Friday of which would be another memorable holiday moment!

During the course of the week, a large carp had been caught from the large stock lake and had been sacked by the bailiffs for photos in the morning. Due to it being sacked, the fish was extremely lively and the bailiff struggled to hold the fish still for the photo. For some unbeknown reason he decided to stand up full height with the fish. The fish struggled once again and in horror was dropped head first onto the gravel. In a blind panic the 2 bailiffs quickly ushered the distressed fish back into the water. We were not sure if it was even still alive at this point! We were told not to sack any fish. So why were the bailiffs able to??

Whilst on the matter of the bailiffs fishing the stock lake, they were also fishing Lake 2 at the same time. Apart from Neil, the other bailiff was always away from his rods and could often been seen running to his rods from anywhere on the site when he had a bite. Once again we find this behaviour inappropriate for fish of such huge sizes.

On a Health and Safety matter, the bailiffs regularly used a rowing boat to deposit their rigs at range when fishing the stock lake. When both bailiffs were in the boat together, only one bailiff ever wore a life jacket. There were plenty of young anglers around this week and this is definitely NOT an example the bailiffs should be setting! They are risking their lives for no reason!

On Thursday we found a very large catfish (approx 80lbs) showing signs of distress in our margin. We made several attempts to help it but without any success. We informed the bailiffs who then came and removed it. It was dragged up the bank to the patch of grass near the lodge whereupon it was hit several times over the head with an inappropriate instrument in full view of people sat at the lodge. As it was still alive after this brutality it was then hooked through its tail and lifted into a large black rubbish bin. It was then driven off somewhere.

Please could you confirm which legal organisation I can make an official complaint about fish cruelty?

At the start of the week the bailiffs asked us that if we caught any small catfish that we keep them out of the water where they could then be disposed of. We were not happy with this.

The following morning whilst having breakfast we were informed by anglers fishing Lake 1 that one angler in particular had caught 13 catfish and each one had been thrown behind his swim where they were killed and set on fire. We were also informed that these so called anglers started experimenting with different ways to kill them. The most chilling and horrific was by pouring petrol down their throats whilst still alive and then were set on fire. A child who was fishing this water was meant to have witnessed this act of evil! Unfortunately we never saw this but if we had we would have tried to stop it. This cruel person was a friend of the bailiffs and by all accounts confirmed the bailiffs knew what he was doing. Either way, this is disgusting behaviour from a supposedly premier carp fishery!

After chatting to other anglers experiencing similar troubles as us, I got chatting to a father and son who said that unfortunately they missed the coach and ferry crossing and therefore had to make their own way to the complex. They arrived on Saturday morning 15mins after breakfast had finished. Due to the fact they were hungry, the father asked the chef if he could quickly make them something. The chef said he would cook them something as he understood that it must have been a long journey. Matt overheard their conversation and ordered the chef NOT to make any food as they were late!!!! Once AGAIN we could not believe what we were listening too. Having witnessed all the above mentioned events over the course of the week, it is clearly evident that you do not have one professional person running the fishing complex and this is indeed the Dreamlakes way.

If you believe all the above is perfectly acceptable then you are clearly not fit to run such an establishment. As you can tell, we have not enjoyed our first fishing trip abroad and feel it is only right to spread the word on what is a shambles of a fishing holiday

Subject: Re: Dream Lakes Thu Jan 24 2008, 09:08

Unbelievable!!!

Subject: Re: Dream Lakes Thu Jan 24 2008, 09:52

I would want my money back + compensation,and would send all fishing mags and sites that advertize their holidays,a copy of your letter.
sounds a very bad place,just glad i did not go there last year as that was one of the options we might have gone to.
Hope you have better luck next trip.

Subject: Re: Dream Lakes Thu Jan 24 2008, 09:58

holy s**t thats terrible.
terrible service, staff etc.
i wont be going there

Subject: Re: Dream Lakes Thu Jan 24 2008, 10:21

I have seen lots of other complaints about Dreamlakes on Carp Forum.

Nightmare.

Subject: Re: Dream Lakes Thu Jan 24 2008, 10:35

It seems Carp fishing is a bit of a chav sport!

Met a baliff that worked on Dreamlakes, the 18-30 of carping holidays he described it as, mad things that go on make some of our little drama's laughable!

Subject: Re: Dream Lakes Thu Jan 24 2008, 10:48

that is disgusting, i can't believe what i've just read.
those pricks need to be dealt with asap before some other crowd have to experience what you guys did. best of luck with it mate:evil: Evil or Very Mad

Subject: Re: Dream Lakes Thu Jan 24 2008, 10:59

Send your letter to the editor of the carp mags you see advertising the lakes and keep sending it untill you get a reply.Maybe even a conservation society in the UK might pressure the mags to run a story?? This story should be told to the angling community who pay these guys wages etc and maybe a boycott of the lakes might make the management sit up and take this issue seriously.

Subject: Re: Dream Lakes Thu Jan 24 2008, 11:30

It was because of stories like this that the trip to dreamlakes was called off last year.
Thank god for that.....

Subject: Re: Dream Lakes Thu Jan 24 2008, 11:51

it is a pure discrace to have in our sport when all we want to do is fish and enjoy the rewards for the money we pay

Subject: Re: Dream Lakes Thu Jan 24 2008, 12:11

sorry to hear that,dont let it lie,or let them brush
it under the carpet,best of luck.

Subject: Re: Dream Lakes Thu Jan 24 2008, 14:52

bloody disgrace;i have heard things about this venue before.the facts bare no resemblance at all to there website info.copys of the letter should be sent to as many mags as poss.there is absolutly no exuses.

Guest

Why anyone would want to go to dream lakes, les quis or any of the other over stocked carp factorys in the first place is well and truly beyond me.

''Nearly 5 tonnes of beautiful, pristine carp arrive at Dreamlakes for 08''
Says it all realy.

78 quid i think, buys you a permit to fish numerous lakes and rivers throughout France.

Subject: Re: Dream Lakes Thu Jan 24 2008, 18:26

I think your missing the point mate, these guys paid good money to fish what they thought was a well managed carp lake, and to have a chance at catching some good size fish. They should not have had to witness those acts and be treated the way they were.
It was their first time going too remember, and with all the other places they could have chosen they were just unlucky to pick that one.

Subject: Re: Dream Lakes Fri Jan 25 2008, 00:50

a disgrace that people like this are left to run a "PREMIER" fishery , i felt sick reading that article pale

definately inform as much carp mags as u can mate , get these jokers disciplined, may make the owners take notice and do something about it.

Guest

this is a total disgrace Mad

,u pay enough money to fish these places without having to up with crap like that,inform the mags to inlighten all to whats going on,dont let them away with it because they will continue with there wonderfull service Evil or Very Mad

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