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River fishing in France
- Thread starter Steve Arnold
- Start date
Steve Arnold
Active member
- Joined
- Oct 11, 2020
- Messages
- 88
- Reaction score
- 711
- Points
- 83
- Location
- Cahors, France
- Favourite Fishing
- Shore
Just a few videos on YouTube, mostly of the Lot in spate! Maybe one day I will try making a proper fishing video.....maybe not as I concentrate too much on the fishing!Great report and some nice photos Steve.
Didn't realise you had a Youtube channel, will catch up with some more when I have time.
JLD
Well-known member
- Joined
- Oct 27, 2020
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- 397
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- 1,054
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- 95
- Location
- Aberystwyth
- Favourite Fishing
- Shore
Great report and photos. Some very nice fish there. Very sophisticated with the bottle of red wine etc too. Best I ever manage is a cheese sandwich.
Wolf
Well-known member
- Joined
- Aug 5, 2021
- Messages
- 2,745
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- 4,902
- Points
- 113
- Location
- Ryde Isle of wight
- Favourite Fishing
- Shore
Nice catches well done
Steve Arnold
Active member
- Joined
- Oct 11, 2020
- Messages
- 88
- Reaction score
- 711
- Points
- 83
- Location
- Cahors, France
- Favourite Fishing
- Shore
Yesterday I talked Alistair into following up on a recent days exploration I had taken further down the river. I had spotted one swim where his 4x4 could back down a short track and we could fish out of the back of the car into deep water with a nice flow.
When we arrived there was already a car parked down the track and a family was having a picnic. Well. it is "le Week-End" as they actually do say here and we are now close to the large town of Cahors. I guess I half expected this!
So we walked down the stretch, the banks are rather steep. After spraining my ankle two years ago and then developing a thrombosis I am in no mood to take risks. Alistair is a year older than me at 72 and I would not expect him to tackle the loose stone bank either! But I was viewing the opposite bank of this wide stretch, I spotted a swim that looked perfect with access steps to a landing stage. I noted there was shade and that was useful for us on this bright day, that is often where the fish chose to lie when the sun is fierce.
It meant a drive into Cahors and across the river there, but it only took a 20 minute drive so soon we were at the perfect spot.
There was a good flow and a back eddy towards the lock entrance. Alistair took the landing stage and fished the back eddy and I was happy to fish the main river. For four hours I baited the swim hoping to draw some fish in, apart from little, sharp tugs there was nothing to show. Alistair had not bothered bringing groundbait and was catching zilch, not even these little bites!
After trying all of the several boilies I had with me, large, small, different flavours and colours I had concluded the little bites were just little fish. So I decided to have my lunch and a beer. The bread roll was a little too stuffed and had some smoked salmon in with salad stuff, hmmmm!
I would sacrifice almost anything for a fish just now, so the sacrifice was made!
I chuckled, laughing at myself over such low tactics, as I cast out. The feeder settled on the river bed and seconds later the rod was nearly pulled out of my hands, FISH-ON!
Next cast the same experience and a 4.2 lb chub was the result.....
Three more barbel quickly followed, all around the 4 lb mark. My fishing was then interrupted by a shout from Alistair, he had hooked into something that was not moving. So I reeled in and walked to his swim, just as the something started moving slowly into the main flow.
After a peculiar fight Alistair drew it slowly towards us, I could just make out the shape of a zander. But a very big and swollen bellied zander it turned out to be!
It was taken on a small boilie to a size 12 hook and 10 lb line. It’s the spawning season for zander and after quickly weighing in the net it was returned to the river.
After the weight of the net was deducted the fish was just over 16 pounds, a giant of a zander in any anglers eyes! I doubt we will ever see a bigger zander in our lives, but now we know where it lives we shall return later in the season.
When we arrived there was already a car parked down the track and a family was having a picnic. Well. it is "le Week-End" as they actually do say here and we are now close to the large town of Cahors. I guess I half expected this!
So we walked down the stretch, the banks are rather steep. After spraining my ankle two years ago and then developing a thrombosis I am in no mood to take risks. Alistair is a year older than me at 72 and I would not expect him to tackle the loose stone bank either! But I was viewing the opposite bank of this wide stretch, I spotted a swim that looked perfect with access steps to a landing stage. I noted there was shade and that was useful for us on this bright day, that is often where the fish chose to lie when the sun is fierce.
It meant a drive into Cahors and across the river there, but it only took a 20 minute drive so soon we were at the perfect spot.
There was a good flow and a back eddy towards the lock entrance. Alistair took the landing stage and fished the back eddy and I was happy to fish the main river. For four hours I baited the swim hoping to draw some fish in, apart from little, sharp tugs there was nothing to show. Alistair had not bothered bringing groundbait and was catching zilch, not even these little bites!
After trying all of the several boilies I had with me, large, small, different flavours and colours I had concluded the little bites were just little fish. So I decided to have my lunch and a beer. The bread roll was a little too stuffed and had some smoked salmon in with salad stuff, hmmmm!
I would sacrifice almost anything for a fish just now, so the sacrifice was made!
I chuckled, laughing at myself over such low tactics, as I cast out. The feeder settled on the river bed and seconds later the rod was nearly pulled out of my hands, FISH-ON!
Next cast the same experience and a 4.2 lb chub was the result.....
Three more barbel quickly followed, all around the 4 lb mark. My fishing was then interrupted by a shout from Alistair, he had hooked into something that was not moving. So I reeled in and walked to his swim, just as the something started moving slowly into the main flow.
After a peculiar fight Alistair drew it slowly towards us, I could just make out the shape of a zander. But a very big and swollen bellied zander it turned out to be!
It was taken on a small boilie to a size 12 hook and 10 lb line. It’s the spawning season for zander and after quickly weighing in the net it was returned to the river.
After the weight of the net was deducted the fish was just over 16 pounds, a giant of a zander in any anglers eyes! I doubt we will ever see a bigger zander in our lives, but now we know where it lives we shall return later in the season.
Ollieollie
Well-known member
Fantastic as usual Steve!! Always a pleasure to see youve posted and it’s nice to read about your adventures mate. Tres bien mon amis
Wolf
Well-known member
- Joined
- Aug 5, 2021
- Messages
- 2,745
- Reaction score
- 4,902
- Points
- 113
- Location
- Ryde Isle of wight
- Favourite Fishing
- Shore
Great catches, piccys & write up well done.
