angling
HOLIDAY SEASON AT THIS TIME OF YEAR OUR RANKS ARE USUALLY SWELLED BY THE ARRIVAL OF HOLIDAYMAKERS AND AFTER THE RECENT EVENTS MANY OF US WILL BE AGAIN WELCOMING FRIENDS AND RELATIONS. By Clive Kenyon
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covered with the formalities of obtaining a licence to fish, Carte de Pêche, in last month’s article. This month we can look at places to fish where our friends and family can practise the noble art of angling. The first place to look is the website of your departmental fisheries office. You can find this quite easily by typing the word “pêche” followed by the departmental number into your favourite search engine. From the home page follow the links to Parcourse de Pêche to find the official fishing locations. These are easily accessible areas alongside lakes or rivers where you will usually find picnic tables and other amenities as well as areas suitable for disabled anglers. Fishing in France is more laissez-faire than in the UK and in most cases fishing is possible anywhere except where specifically prohibited by signage. In many cases if you can safely access a river bank or public lake then you will be able to fish there just with a CdP. For bait and things that might be missing from your tackle box you can find some basic items of tackle in supermarkets and some bricos. For specialist baits and tackle then look up the larger chains such as Pacific Pêche or Decathlon. Also consider mail order with companies like Pecheur.com or Amorces Brand for bulk or specialist baits. On the subject of baits; remind any visitors from the UK that post Brexit rules have resulted in angler’s baits being confiscated by French Customs officials. New regulations prevent many baits being imported to France. Except in specific locations night fishing is not allowed and where night fishing is allowed it is usually marked with signs saying ‘Carpe de Nuit’. Night fishing can only be carried out using cereal baits, i.e. boilies and pellets, not fish baits. In the event of an emergency use sweetcorn or Frolics dog biscuits. You will catch just as much as if you were using the latest Milk Protein / HNV / TutiFruity / Chocolate / Squid / Monster Crab Boilie / Pellet / Pop-up / Wrap* * delete as appropriate Mullet At this time of year mullet can be found in most French tidal rivers and harbours.
They tend to arrive in coastal waters around the end of May in the southern parts of the Côte Sauvage, as the Atlantic is called, and a few weeks later in northern parts including Brittany and Normandy. The nearest places to fish for this enigmatic species are in the rivers and drains around Marans in CharenteMaritime where mullet can be found in the many drains and canals surrounding the town and also in the town centre itself.
that I have discovered for canal mullet is to look for a weed raft or overhanging cover such as under trees, and feed small pieces of bread so that some rest in or against weeds on the surface and other small pieces sink through the weeds. Once the fish are seen to be feeding on the bread introduce your hook bait. Fishing bread flake on size 12 hook set 30cm under a small float is a good method. Also try free lining bread just on the edge of a weed raft by casting beyond the weed then drawing your bait back so the bread is touching the weed and your line lays across the top of it.
Marans is an inland port much like Boston in Lincolnshire and the surrounding area was reclaimed from the sea by monks in the same way that East Anglia was drained. The town quay in Marans was built using stones that had arrived from Mullet are known for Canada as being exasperatingly ballast in ships Fishing in France is more difficult to catch, but bringing furs laissez-faire than in the UK sometimes they throw from the French and in most cases fishing is away the rule books and Dominion. At fall to anglers fishing possible anywhere except Marans the ledgered baits for carp ships loaded where specifically prohibited and bream. You never with heavier by signage know your luck and cargoes - grain, should you need any help salt and wine in fishing for mullet so discarded the stones they had used as there are guides employed by the ballast on the incoming voyage. These commune at Marans. You can find details stones were then used to build the Quai on the town’s website. de Cheveux or Quay of Hair (Fur). A canal links the town with La Rochelle and this canal as well as mullet also holds carp as heavy as Walker’s record, tench and rudd. Night fishing is allowed along its fishable stretches. There is also another canal just outside the nearby town of Marennes in an area called Le Lindron that is renowned for mullet and carassin, a small carp that resemble crucians but are more likely to be hybrids of goldfish, gibel carp and crucians. Whatever their parentage they provide good sport. Mullet can often be seen cruising just under the surface of the water like grey ghosts. They have white lips and their pectoral fins are situated higher than most fish making them resemble flying fish. Their diet is mainly small crustaceans and weed. Their digestive tract is one of the longest of any fish in order to be able to process this meagre diet. If mullet have a weakness it is in bread. They love bread! The best tactic
Talking of mullet; I read on a French fishing forum that grey mullet had been spotted in the River Loire at Saumur which can be found just downstream of the confluence with the river Vienne. That is around 200km from the Loire’s mouth at Saint-Nazaire. Incredibly these fish are known to ascend The Loire as far upstream as Gien, over 400km from the sea. Normally mullet will be found in saline waters although in winter they do tolerate fresh water if it is warmer than salt water. In some Mediterranean rivers they can be found above waterfalls that by nature must be 100% fresh water. But 400km inland? I am still trying to get my head around it. For real mullet head-cases the European Mullet Championship is to be held locally at L’Etang de la Naute in Champagnat near Aubusson on 26th June where France will defend their title from all comers. This is nothing to do with fishing but promises to be a hair raising event.
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