Owners profile - James Peacock, Etang de Azat-Chatenet
After fishing local waters near Bristol and other lakes in England for a number of years I joined the Catfish Conservation Group and embarked on my first proper fishing holiday abroad. I was lucky to meet some really good friends who I still see and fish with today. Since then I have enjoyed lots of fishing expeditions travelling to various countries throughout the world, including Brazil, France, Germany, India, Kazakhstan, Thailand, Venezuela and Zimbabwe.
On my travels I have managed to catch nineteen different species of Catfish, plus three different Albino Wels. Some of the species of fish that I have caught are: Arapaima, Freshwater Stingray, Goonch, Mahseer, Piranha, Amazon Redtail, Giant Mekong Catfish, Asian Redtail, Chao Phraya, Tiger Shovelnose Catfish, Tarpon, Tigerfish and Vundu.
Enjoying fishing and wildlife I had dreamed of running my own fishery for some time and was lucky to find such a beautiful spot here in France to set up Etang de Azat-Chatenet in 2004.
Fishing magazine articles
I have also written about some of my fishing trips in fishing magazines, you can read the full articles here. Read more...
Albino Wels
Germany - July 1999
This Albino Wels was caught in Germany from Schnackensee Lake in Bavaria. I fished with ledgered worms which were popped up just off the bottom.
Read about this fishing expedition:
The 3 Albino's - Return to Bavaria
Vundu Catfish
Zimbabwe - January 2002
This Vundu Catfish was caught from the Sanyati Gorge in Zimbabwe. I was fishing in a deep hole on the bottom of the river and the bait was blue soap.
Cornish Jack
Zimbabwe - January 2002
This Cornish Jack was caught from the Sanyati Gorge in Zimbabwe. I was fishing on the bottom in the middle of the river and the dead bait was a piece of Tigerfish.
Tigerfish
Zimbabwe - January 2002
This Tigerfish was caught lure fishing on a spinner from Lake Kariba in Zimbabwe.
Wels Catfish
France - May 2002
Five minutes after rowing out, a piece of mackerel fished over chopped fish and pellets produced this 116lb Wels Catfish from Abbey Lakes in France.
Amazon Redtail Catfish
Brazil - April 2004
This Redtail Catfish was caught from the Tocantins River in the Amazon rain forest. The bait used was a dead Piranha fished on the bottom at a depth of around 10 to 12 metres.
Amazon Armoured Catfish
Brazil - April 2004
One of the amazing Armoured Catfish, this was caught in Brazil from the Tucurui Lake system in the Amazon, I was in a small boat at night anchored in a channel between two islands. The bait used was a small dead Piranha fished on the bottom.
Amazon Freshwater Henlei Black Stingray
Brazil - April 2004
This large adult was caught from a tributary of the Tocantins River in the Amazon rain forest in Brazil. I was ledgering a dead bait on the bottom of the river.
Jaguar Stingray
Brazil - April 2004
This Jaguar Stingray was caught in Brazil from Tucurui Lake in the Amazon, I was in a small boat at night anchored in a channel between two islands. The bait used was a small dead Armoured Catfish presented on the bottom.
Arapaima
Brazil - April 2004
This Arapaima was caught in a creek in Brazil located on Mexicana Island in the mouth of the Amazon. The live bait was a small Armoured Catfish which was float fished in one metre of water.
Jau Catfish
Brazil - April 2004
This Jau Catfish was caught from the Tocantins River in the Amazon rain forest on a dead Piranha that was fished on the bottom.
Goonch Catfish
India - February 2005
This Goonch Catfish is also known as the freshwater shark of India. It was caught from the Ramganga River within the Corbett National Park in India. I fished on the bottom in a deep river pool with a dead fish bait on a 100lb steel trace.
Read about this fishing expedition:
Whiskers Article - A Goonch
Golden Mahseer
India - February 2005
This Golden Mahseer was caught from the Ramganga River within the Corbett National Park in India on a paste called atta made from flour and water. The river is in the foothills of the Himalayas.
Read about this fishing expedition:
Whiskers Article - A Goonch
Alligator Gar
Thailand - February 2009
This Alligator Gar was caught in Ratchaburi Lake in Thailand near Bangkok, the method I used was free lining a live bait.
Read about this fishing expedition:
Catfishing in Asia
Pacu
Thailand - February 2009
Francios and I were bottom fishing with method feeders on Ratchaburi Lake in Thailand near Bangkok, both rods were not out for very long before the shoal of Pacu moved in.
Read about this fishing expedition:
Catfishing in Asia
Barramundi
Thailand - February 2009
I was lure fishing with a shad, this Barramundi was caught in Ratchaburi Lake in Thailand near Bangkok.
Read about this fishing expedition:
Catfishing in Asia
Sorbium Hybred
Thailand - February 2009
Also known as the Leopard Catfish, the Sorbium Hybred is a cross between an Amazon Redtail and a Tiger Shovelnose. This was caught just after lunch by free lining a piece of roast chicken in the margins at Ratchaburi Lake in Thailand near Bangkok.
Read about this fishing expedition:
Catfishing in Asia
Sharptooth Catfish
Thailand - February 2009
This Sharptooth Catfish was caught in Ratchaburi Lake in Thailand near Bangkok, the method I used was a method feeder with ground bait and worms on the hook.
Read about this fishing expedition:
Catfishing in Asia
Asian Redtail Catfish
Thailand - February 2009
The last cast of the day produced this Asian Redtail Catfish it was caught in Ratchaburi Lake in Thailand near Bangkok, the method I used was free lining a live bait.
Read about this fishing expedition:
Catfishing in Asia
Giant Mekong Catfish
Thailand - February 2009
First fish of the day on Bung Sam Lan from Bangkok in Thailand, I caught this Giant Mekong Catfish by suspending a method feeder at a depth of 3 metres from the surface. The area I fished was 7 metres deep and the ground bait was rice flour with strawberry flavouring.
Read about this fishing expedition:
Catfishing in Asia
Striped Catfish
Thailand - February 2009
This Striped Catfish was caught on a method feeder fished on the bottom, the ground bait was rice flour with strawberry flavouring. I was fishing at Bung Sam Lan in Bangkok Thailand.
Read about this fishing expedition:
Catfishing in Asia
Mekong Catfish
Thailand - February 2009
This 44lb Mekong Catfish was caught in Bung Sam Lan from Bangkok in Thailand.
Read about this fishing expedition:
Catfishing in Asia
Giant Pangasius
Thailand - February 2009
This Giant Pangasius was caught in Bung Sam Lan from Bangkok in Thailand, the method I used was ledgering a live bait.
Read about this fishing expedition:
Catfishing in Asia
Mekong Catfish
Thailand - February 2009
This old warrior Mekong Catfish weighed in at 94lb, it was caught in Bung Sam Lan from Bangkok in Thailand.
Read about this fishing expedition:
Catfishing in Asia
Testimonials
“Really enjoyed my first ever...
...session at Azat-Chatenet. Right from the off James couldn't have been more helpful. January 27th two mid twenties in 48 hours was very satisfying... especially in the colder conditions. My first fish was a 25lb white Koi which is a personal best, then my second fish was a 27lb mirror carp. Both fish largely due to James' excellent knowledge of his water and his stock. Both fish in immaculate condition and fought very well. Looking forward to the return visit in February.”
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