New river

[Sportsman]

We will be moving into our new house in France next month. The property includes about 80m frontage onto the river Isle, which is a tributary of the Dordogne. It holds trout in the upper reaches, roach, chub and barbel in the middle reaches and large carp and cats in the lower reaches.

Where we are it is about 20m wide and quite fast and shallow. It is probably around the bottom of the trout section and the top of the barbel section.

It has been many years since I have had access to this type of river so it will be a bit of a learning curve.

The slow lower reaches for the cats and carp are easy enough, it is the barbel and chub bit that's new.

I thought to start with something like a maggot feeder or basic Groundbait feeder with corn, worm etc. The fish will never have been exposed to pellets or boilies. This should let me find out what's in there.

I am not able to rove far and I can't stand for long, so trotting is difficult but I would like to try.

Any other ideas for the best way to approach it would be welcomed.

[Martin56]

We will be moving into our new house in France next month. The property includes about 80m frontage onto the river Isle, which is a tributary of the Dordogne. It holds trout in the upper reaches, roach, chub and barbel in the middle reaches and large carp and cats in the lower reaches.

Where we are it is about 20m wide and quite fast and shallow. It is probably around the bottom of the trout section and the top of the barbel section.

It has been many years since I have had access to this type of river so it will be a bit of a learning curve.

The slow lower reaches for the cats and carp are easy enough, it is the barbel and chub bit that's new.

I thought to start with something like a maggot feeder or basic Groundbait feeder with corn, worm etc. The fish will never have been exposed to pellets or boilies. This should let me find out what's in there.

I am not able to rove far and I can't stand for long, so trotting is difficult but I would like to try.

Any other ideas for the best way to approach it would be welcomed.

Try trotting down the edge a foot overdepth with double caster over hemp - you should be able to do this whilst sat on the box.,

 

You can have a bit of a break by holding back in the rod rest - you'll need a string of small shot near the hook length to keep it down..

 

Almost certain to nail a few Barbel in this way.

 

Good luck, & enjoy your way of life.

 

Martin.

Edited June 22, 2017 by Martin56

[Martin56]

Try trotting down the edge a foot overdepth with double caster over hemp - you should be able to do this whilst sat on the box.,

 

You can have a bit of a break by holding back in the rod rest - you'll need a string of small shot near the hook length to keep it down..

 

Almost certain to nail a few Barbel in this way.

 

Good luck, & enjoy your way of life.

 

Martin.

It's a good idea to have 2 rods set up - one for trotting as usual, & one with the float set overdepth AND overshotted for holding back..

Edited June 23, 2017 by Martin56

[Martin56]

It's a good idea to have 2 rods set up - one for trotting as usual, & one with the float set overdepth AND overshotted for holding back..

 

Overshotting when holding back makes the float stand up rather than making it lie flat!! Bulk of shot being directly under it, then a string of small shot near the hook length to keep the bait down.

[Sportsman]

Thanks Martin

It has been a while (30 years) since I fished this style of river, so very rusty. I will try out some things based on your advice.

[Martin56]

Bait-Tech do a great range of Luncheon Meats. I'm on the strawberry one just now, but have also used the Polony (betane) meat to good effect.

Thanks Martin

It has been a while (30 years) since I fished this style of river, so very rusty. I will try out some things based on your advice.

 

Bit dear at £3 a 340 g tin but has a texture that stays on the Hook/ Qickstop/ Power Bandit hair very well.

 

I've had 2 sessions out of one tin & still had some left over to freeze so cheap in the long run.

 

Unsurprisingly - the Strawberry one is Red & highly visible.

Edited June 23, 2017 by Martin56

[Ken L]

If you have the frontage, you can pick your swim and pre-bait. Bait up for a couple of days upstream of some fish holding structure like overhanging willows, weed or a deep hole and then have a gentle tootle down to the river for an evening session with minimal gear and corn or meat on the hook.

For a roving session to see what's about, it's hard to beat a simple rolling ledger baited with worm as this will pick up any trout that are about in addition to the barbel.

Personally, I'd steer clear of expensive flavoured baits because it doesn't exactly sound as if the fish are pressured.

[ayjay]

If it's very shallow, the Barbel may only move in there during darkness - (my only experience is where they are fished for regularly) , but this would be normal behaviour anyway for a crepuscular fish, assuming they are Barbus barbus, some of the continental Barbel are often slightly different subspecies.

[Sportsman]

I shouldn't think that the fish in the river that borders the property have ever been fished for. From the house to the river is 165m as the crow flies. The last 125m are mixed oak and chestnut woodland and over that last 125m there is an elevation drop of 60m so it is a pretty steep bank. I don't even know if I will be able to get up and down, especially with tackle. The far bank is similar so I doubt it has ever been fished.

The good news is that under the French system, once I have bought a rod license the whole length of the river is available to fish (if I can get to it) so I am not restricted to "my" bit. There are some nice looking areas further down that would be accessible, although they would be fished more heavily.

Most fishing that occurs now would be spinning for pike, perch and black bass and would be from boats. Not even the French want to eat chub and barbel, so they are not much fished for, although that attitude is changing.

I intend to fish the whole length of the river. Fly fishing the top end, float and feeder in the middle and sitting behind buzzers for the carp and cats at the bottom. The farthest reaches are around 1.5 hrs by car.

[chesters1]

Can you fish on other peoples land without previously getting permission?

My old boss bought a 40 acre plot and had to erect signs telling people they cannot shoot birds (any birds it seems) it seems the locals can go anywhere unless strictly forbidden

Edited June 24, 2017 by chesters1