French fishing terms

[yorkio]

I'm shortly off to south west France for a week, staying at a place with its own small lake, in which I'm told there are "carpeaux, carpes, and [some say] brochets".

 

So that would be carp, pike and carpeaux? Google's failing me on this one but I'm guessing it means small carp, or in this context, most likely smaller silver fish of an unknown variety. Does that sound about right?

 

I've also been wondering what gear to take. I started off thinking about a travel float road and a little fixed spool, but am now tempted to cut down on the luggage and take a whip instead and just target the tiddlers. I've never actually used a whip before, mind – I bought it a few years back for one specific pond, stuck it in the garage and promptly forgot about it. From my brief research, I can confirm it's of the non-elasticated variety – just a eye whipped to the end of a bit of carbon fibre and that's it really. Will that do the job or are they really only designed for pulling half a dozen bleak a minute out of canals? If I could find a suitable and cheap telescopic/travel rod, I'd go for that rather than going off into the unknown, but as ever, the market seems to be travel carp/spinning rods but little for lighter (float) fishing and what there are strike me as quite big. For example, the Shakey Mach 1 XT travel match rod is 84cm dismantled, which is hardly going to go in my suitcase. (I've got a bloody beachcaster that packs down smaller than that!) Which makes me wonder whether I'd actually be better off taking my fly fishing gear?

 

The main thing I'm concerned about though is not having a net. I've been told there's some fishing gear that the children use there but no one knows exactly what that might be. Does anyone do 'travel' nets? I've seen enormous folding carp nets but never anything smaller. Or am I just not looking hard enough?

 

Any thoughts? Or should I just forget the fishing and settle in for a week of foie gras and armagnac?

[Nicepix]

I'm shortly off to south west France for a week, staying at a place with its own small lake, in which I'm told there are "carpeaux, carpes, and [some say] brochets".

 

So that would be carp, pike and carpeaux? Google's failing me on this one but I'm guessing it means small carp, or in this context, most likely smaller silver fish of an unknown variety. Does that sound about right?

 

I've also been wondering what gear to take. I started off thinking about a travel float road and a little fixed spool, but am now tempted to cut down on the luggage and take a whip instead and just target the tiddlers. I've never actually used a whip before, mind – I bought it a few years back for one specific pond, stuck it in the garage and promptly forgot about it. From my brief research, I can confirm it's of the non-elasticated variety – just a eye whipped to the end of a bit of carbon fibre and that's it really. Will that do the job or are they really only designed for pulling half a dozen bleak a minute out of canals? If I could find a suitable and cheap telescopic/travel rod, I'd go for that rather than going off into the unknown, but as ever, the market seems to be travel carp/spinning rods but little for lighter (float) fishing and what there are strike me as quite big. For example, the Shakey Mach 1 XT travel match rod is 84cm dismantled, which is hardly going to go in my suitcase. (I've got a bloody beachcaster that packs down smaller than that!) Which makes me wonder whether I'd actually be better off taking my fly fishing gear?

 

The main thing I'm concerned about though is not having a net. I've been told there's some fishing gear that the children use there but no one knows exactly what that might be. Does anyone do 'travel' nets? I've seen enormous folding carp nets but never anything smaller. Or am I just not looking hard enough?

 

Any thoughts? Or should I just forget the fishing and settle in for a week of foie gras and armagnac?

 

Carpeaux may well be Crucian Carp.

 

Taking only a whip will severely restrict your angling. Fine if that's what you fancy, but imagine turning up at the lake and seeing tench bubbles or reeds moving as though there are pigs amongst them. I have got a Youngs Travel Barbel rod. 1.5 lbs test curve and £50. It is purely for that sort of thing - we are off to France in October and I'm going to Cyprus in November. I use it for lake carp, river barbel, mullet in the harbours and bass from the shore. Look at folding trout / salmon nets from reputable companies. They usually fit across your back on a sling or are hung from a 'D' ring on a fishing waistcoat but no reason why you can't just carry it. I used to get my border collie to act as ghilllie with mine. £100 for a quality travel rod and folding net will not break the bank and will come in very useful again and again.

 

French carp fishing away from the British Tourist / Angler circuit is pretty basic. Bread in the margins is always a good bet. Try sweetcorn if you are bottom fishing.

[Denis Skorikov]

The main thing I'm concerned about though is not having a net. I've been told there's some fishing gear that the children use there but no one knows exactly what that might be. Does anyone do 'travel' nets? I've seen enormous folding carp nets but never anything smaller. Or am I just not looking hard enough?

 

Any thoughts? Or should I just forget the fishing and settle in for a week of foie gras and armagnac?

 

I can say that you really haven't been looking for net enough, because you can find any net that is smaller that carp one almost at any angler shop.

 

As for fishing, of course you have to go fishing, because how more we can learn about French fishing.

 

And carpeaux is certainly Crucian Carp.

 

Good luck.

[Emma two]

According to google language tools the French for 'Crucian Carp is 'Carassin'..,I imagine that is not infallable though.

[MiddleEastland]

Sorry.

Carpeaux are just baby carp.

Normally there is a lot of confusion regarding fishing terms in our house. She knows the French, from her dad. I know the English. this time we 100% agree.

Personally, I'd take a rod and reel. Simple stuff on the hook, they ain't clever (french fish) bit like the missus. But, they do fight like mad (bit like the missus).

 

A bientot

[Sportsman]

yep, carpeaux are small carp (pasties)

Brochet are pike

Silvers are called poissons blanc or white fish.

 

An ordinary float rod would be better than a whip, particularly if there are carp in the lake.

4/5lb line to a 12/14 hook with one or two grains of sweetcorn should keep you amused.

The French fish are not particularly sophisticated.

 

telescopic rods are very popular here and are generally rubbish.

[poledark]

Sorry.

Carpeaux are just baby carp.

Normally there is a lot of confusion regarding fishing terms in our house. She knows the French, from her dad. I know the English. this time we 100% agree.

Personally, I'd take a rod and reel. Simple stuff on the hook, they ain't clever (french fish) bit like the missus. But, they do fight like mad (bit like the missus).

 

A bientot

 

Nice one :)

 

Den

[yorkio]

Thanks, all. For a while I'd almost talked myself out of taking any fishing kit at all, but that talk of tench bubbles has set me straight! The whip can go back in the garage and I'll see if I can pick up a cheapie travel float rod from somewhere.

 

The net's still a bit of a tricky one though but I've got a sea trout net with a telescopic handle that at a pinch will probably fit into the suitcase. The handle's rather too short to be ideal but with a bit of stooping it'll probably do.