River fishing in France

[Trampster]

Some great photos of nice fish there Steve!

 

[Cwab]

As usual the summer fishing has been difficult. I had several nice barbel whilst camping at Cajarc, that was about the last time there was a reasonable flow to the river.......

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A good carp of 24lb from a difficult swim, again whilst there was still some flow........

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I had a very good chub and a nice barbel that day as well.

On camping trip downriver I had a "funny" carp close to 20 lb from a very high banked swim. I caught an almost identical odd looking "goldfish" carp just 100 metres downstream last year. Either they share the same genes or something funny is going on! .....

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During the following weeks flow dropped to nothing. August it is more like lake fishing and..... I have to put up with tourists! I have still found a few more barbel but they are generally small.

On a more positive note the big carp are being caught, just not by me!

I have a new neighbour, now a friend, who has started a carp fishing boat business. David has fished for carp in public waters in France for years, now he has set up Carp Pirate adventures. Here is a recent Youtube video......

Although I have had many carp now from this river I have also lost plenty. For the 40lb and upwards fish a boat or inflatable offers huge advantages to finding, playing and landing these tough creatures.

and his page on Facebook......https://www.facebook.com/carppiratesadventures

I have no financial interest in this business. David is a good angler with lots of energy, his boat is superb!

I wish him luck with his enterprise!

Fit looking healthy fish, very nice.

 

[Steve Arnold]

Another fishing post, it's been long enough since my last! I love autumn here on the river Lot, probably the best season of the year for fishing.
This autumn has been very good despite heavy rain at times and my losing two weeks to a heavy cold and then sinus infection. But I had barbel before falling ill, fourteen of good sizes over three short sessions.




The river has been up and down so many times, the big dams upriver let out huge lumps of water at random. Some days the river barely moves, others it races by at frightening speed!

A few day ago the river was racing and my only chance of fish was to find a quiet backwater. My first choice swim had been taken by these two "celebrity" anglers, anyone recognise them?



Their camera crew of about 20 were in the spot I would have fished, though there are sometimes carp sheltering where M& W were fishing.

So I shouted at them "You buggers nicked my swim, Good Luck" and got a sideways glance from Bob. I bet he was thinking "Buck off you twit"....or words to that effect!

So I went further upriver to where another canal section joins the main river.



The river was still racing so I put the 2.2lb tc rod up the canal section for carp with a large double boilie/pva bag arrangement. The 1.75lb tc rod I fished with a single boilie at the edge of the main current 20`feet from the point of an island, the current split there for the main river or canal back eddy.



The canal rod went off after about an hour. A good carp shot 80 metres further up the canal with me following, trying to keep my line from catching the rocks, dead trees and weeds that this section is choked by. Then I had to walk it back to the main river for netting, quite a struggle as the fish was not being at all helpful!

After a few dashes under a moored boat I got this lovely carp in the net........



24 lbs of very pretty river Lot carp, looking lovely in the autumn sunshine!

So, that bait was cast out again and the other line reeled in to clear leaves, I cast that back out a little closer to the island.

Another hour past and the "island" rod is in action, will the fish break right into the main river flow or left into the canal? Fortunately it chose left and made an even longer run into the canal than the first carp. Much the same battle ensued but on the lighter rod had less control, but I got there eventually and the fish was in the net, phew!!!



This carp was a little smaller at 22 lbs, but what a fighter!

If Mortimer and Whitehouse had not been filming I doubt I would have fished this spot this day, I (grudgingly!) say "Thankyou!"

 

[Trampster]

Great report and excellent photos Steve! Well done!

 

[flappy]

Nice.

 

[Ollieollie]

Always a pleasure Steve. Nice fishing

 

[Kine262]

Great fishing and great report Steve!

 

[richtic]

Well done Steve, great report and photos

 

[Steve Arnold]

October continued to be a good month for weather and fishing here in the Lot. On the last day of the month I noted the river was at the same height and flow as when I last caught a couple of carp from the river, so I was down the river before dawn to see if I could repeat the performance....

Just the one carp this time, but you can tell I was pleased......



November has continued with mostly good weather but the river has chilled a little now, the barbel are biting less and I have struggled to find chub. I did manage a single carp, a barbel and a small chub one morning when I read the river right and picked the right swim for the current. That was a challenging day technically and physically for me, so I look suitably happy here as well.....



Although temperatures are dropping I pick the weather and have short sessions, no need to get my old bones chilled. It's heaven living so close to this great stretch of the river Lot!

A few more photos, the light can be wonderful here early winter and the scenery cannot be beaten.....



Lets see if I can get my target big chub in December, that's proving a tricky one this year!

 

[Trampster]

Great report & photos Steve - nice one!

 

[Kine262]

Some cracking fish there Steve. Great pics too!

 

[flappy]

My father used to be able to catch big chub.. usual bait was a live gudgeon.. treble hook though the back.. and let it drift down stream with a bung float..

 

[richtic]

Great report and fishing, well done

 

[Cwab]

Quality, thanks for posting

 

[Steve Arnold]

My father used to be able to catch big chub.. usual bait was a live gudgeon.. treble hook though the back.. and let it drift down stream with a bung float..

Thanks for that advice, the bigger chub here are very much predators. I wonder if the single dead gudgeon I have in the freezer might be put to good use this month?

 

[Cwab]

Thanks for that advice, the bigger chub here are very much predators. I wonder if the single dead gudgeon I have in the freezer might be put to good use this month?

Wonder what will nail it first must be some pike or perch in there maybe?

 

[Steve Arnold]

Wonder what will nail it first must be some pike or perch in there maybe?

The Lot is quite famous for pike, perch and zander. I caught plenty of pike when I lived in Scotland and prefer the barbel and carp fishing now. Bonus is with those they do not bite!

A zander would be nice though, not caught one yet.......I do know where they live!!!!

 

[chesilpete]

The Lot is quite famous for pike, perch and zander. I caught plenty of pike when I lived in Scotland and prefer the barbel and carp fishing now. Bonus is with those they do not bite!

A zander would be nice though, not caught one yet.......I do know where they live!!!!

Steve....
Where abouts on the Lot are you? it looks bloody lovely and I proper fancy a go!!

 

[Steve Arnold]

Steve....
Where abouts on the Lot are you? it looks bloody lovely and I proper fancy a go!!

The stretch between Cahors and Cajarc is my usual hunting ground. The valley is very scenic, dramatic even, and the river holds huge carp in almost every section along that stretch.

Barbel are common but weights top around 9lbs, I have had several around that size now. Use a 20mm boilie and the small ones can be slowed down. The river flow varies immensely on a daily basis due to the barrages and HE power stations along the rivers length. That flow is the key to where to fish and that takes time, experience and an aid such as RiverApp. When the barrages let out lumps of water the increase in flow and river height can be quite dramatic......

If you visit avoid July and August, that is holiday season in France and the only time it gets even remotely close to being busy. The barrages rarely let out much water those months and the barbel tend to hide in the shade under the many trees along the banks.