New member from France

[Neuvy]

Hi all, been reading a little here recently so I thought that it was time to sign up. I've recently taken up fishing again after a forty year lay off and a lot has changed, however I like float fishing with a centre pin and so it wasn't hard to remember what I learned as a child but now I'm here I'm picking up new information every day. I don't know if I'll be able to contribute much for now as winter is coming and as a wheelchair user it will be too cold for me, I can't leap around much .

 

Anyway for now a fishy story. My friend and I went to a fishing 'parc' here in France called 'Pescalis', in the large 'pond' we chose to fish there are Rudd, Roach, Perch, Bream to 8lbs and Carp to twenty, I borrowed his old 12' fibreglass float rod a dodgy reel loaded with very thick line but fortunately some 4lb hook lengths to various size hooks. We caught loads of Roach, some skimmers and Carp to 10lbs. Not bad for the first time I thought but I realised that I had caught the bug again and also saw some much bigger Carp there.

I borrowed my mates rod again but meanwhile I had bought a cheapish Keenets fixed spool reel and various bits of tackle, two weeks later I was back there by myself in the afternoon sun, I loaded the reel up with some fine modern 6lb line and a 4lb hook link to a size twelve hook and decided to concentrate on fishing close in where I had seen a lot of fish moving, the water depth was about 2' and I took several medium Bream to 4lb and Carp again from 5-10lb, then things went dead, I kept experimenting with different methods but found that I was missing a lot of bites. I put this down to lack of experience, poor technique, etc. the 'learning curve', I've since had a month of brilliant weather to progress to a better level and also buy a 'Matt Hayes', 15' carbon float rod, which is the dogs doodahs.

At Pescalis it is a quite a way to the car park so for me I have to leave when a 'Navette' (which is a jeep like the ones used in 'The Prisoner') turns up. On this particular day it was 7.00pm so at 6.15pm I thought 'I've got to do something completely different to catch before I go, ten foot to my right and right next to the bank I saw a huge paddle stick out of the water as a Carp got stuck into something tasty, so I feverishly put on a long shanked size ten hook adjusted my float depth to 1' and lowered a huge piece of bread flake right next it - not expecting anything to happen.

Within seconds it smelt it and literally blasted off with the float right across the other side of the pond, it then kited left as I put a little pressure on it and then proceeded to move back and forth in front of me for some ten minutes as I got the hang of playing a really large fish, finally I got it close to the bank but when it saw me it buggered off again for ten minutes, I only caught a glimpse of the Carp but realised that on light tackle I'd be lucky to land it, the other anglers on the opposite bank I noticed were paying a lot of attention so I was mindful of the light tackle I had and played the fish for another ten minutes. By now I was begining to think it would never tire and I was really begining wonder what to do next to but eventually I had it ready for the net after it had 'plodded around' for seemingly ages just in front of me, it just about fit in my largish landing net but I couldn't lift it up the bank! It was a large mirror so I shouted 'aidez moi!' all the other anglers needed no second calling to come and see what I had caught, 'c'est enorme!' was the general opinion and the weight was estimated at 15kgs, that's over 30lbs, needless to say I was slightly chuffed. It was gently returned to the water but I don't have a photo!

Since then I've caught lots of other good Carp to 18lbs a Rudd of more than 2lbs and a great tan. In the lake next to this pond I've seen two common carp feeding in the margins together that I estimate were over 60lbs each, I've never seen Carp so big, the funny thing is all 'les carpistes' were elsewhere attached to their buzzers fishing in deeper water, the Carp are there every day feeding under the lillies in the shallow water sometimes with their backs completely out of it, throwing up clouds of mud and frightening the wild fowl.

I've just re-read Mr. Buckley's Mapperley Carp story, the book it came from ( The Fisherman's Bedside Book) was my fishing bible as a child and now I've actually caught one bigger! My favourite catch has always been a large Rudd, they are stunning looking fish and hard to catch, I'd love to catch a four pounder, it might be possible here if I can locate them. I'd also like to catch some large Tench, Perch and Crucian Carp, guess I'd better join an angling club and get the local knowledge, I've seen massive Chub and Barbel in a local river so they are a possibility too. Not far away Sturgeon and Pike have been caught up to 50lbs!

[Newt]

Welcome to Anglers' Net.

 

It sounds like you live in a great area for angling.

[Neuvy]

Welcome to Anglers' Net.

 

It sounds like you live in a great area for angling.

 

Thanks for the welcome Newt, it is a great area for fishing but today I pretty much drew a blank, only catching a few small perch and skimmers where previously I had been so successful. I think after a change in the weather the bigger fish have moved into deeper water.

[Newt]

LOL - been there, done that, wondered what gave the stupid fish a case of lockjaw.