UKPoacher Posted February 25, 2017 Report Share Posted February 25, 2017 I found a swim on my local river about three months ago. I'd been driving past it for years thinking that it was inaccessible and then one day I decided to stop the van, get out and have a look. I'm glad I did.............. The all came to maize or maize and cheese paste bait with a 30g feeder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danger-Mouse Posted February 25, 2017 Report Share Posted February 25, 2017 Very nice Clive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pegasus bridge Posted February 25, 2017 Report Share Posted February 25, 2017 Some cracking fish there 👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UKPoacher Posted February 25, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 25, 2017 First time I fished it I had my usual barbel rig of 8 or 10 hook, 6lb fluoro hook length on 8lb mainline. After about an hour I'd had two smallish barbel of around a couple of pounds each so I swapped to a lighter 4lb hook length and 14 hook. Next cast I hooked that carp Just a few ounce over the twenty. I reckon there will be a big moggie lurking there. Another month or so and I'll pop half a tin of Spam on the heavier rod and see what turns up. Can't use fish baits until May. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted February 25, 2017 Report Share Posted February 25, 2017 They are nice conditioned fish, is that the River Charente ? There are supposed to be some big catfish in there, especially in the tidal sections. Don't forget to post the pics when you get one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UKPoacher Posted February 26, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 26, 2017 It is the River Vienne. Where I live the Vienne follows a curve and so there are many stretches of river all within 12 km of home. The River Charente rises about 15km from where I live and is a much smaller river in this area. Not much more than a stream before it enters Lac Lavaud and then appears at the other end as a small trout river. I've had some good days with chub and carp using small river tactics in local reaches but the main barbel areas are about an hour from where I live, downstream of Angouleme. Every now and then I get mole trapping jobs out that way and I take the fishing tackle and have a few hours on the Charente. It is very clear. In the right light you can see the bottom 12 feet down 50 yards across. Very difficult fishing in summer and I have to cover a lot of ground searching out the fish. Fortunately once you have a rod licence you can fish anywhere and in that area there are loads of farm tracks giving access to remote stretches of river. I fished a swim last year that was 11 feet deep at the rod end and was inhabited by a tench, a barbel, a chub and a carp. I went for the carp and it trashed me I'm not really a catfish angler. I'll occasionally target them but mainly the smaller ones up to around 40lb using spinning or deadbait tactics. You cannot legally night fish for catfish in France and I've found that fishing in the daytime isn't much use so I'll just do a bit in the hour before dusk when I'm in the mood. The swim mentioned above has quite a bit of shade in the afternoon and a few other features that lends itself to a larger silure resting up there during the day time. It needs a few more degrees of warmth in the water before they start to stir enough to warrant fishing for them though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hedd-wyn Posted February 26, 2017 Report Share Posted February 26, 2017 Very well done Ukpoacher. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pigeon controller Posted February 26, 2017 Report Share Posted February 26, 2017 Thanks for your updates they are used for discussion in our household . Due to us driving through France on our way to Greece. You have obviously created a niche market with you mole catching which then allows you to fish and possible shoot. How do you get on with your French mole catchers? Please keep us up to date with your adventures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UKPoacher Posted February 26, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 26, 2017 Thanks for your updates they are used for discussion in our household . Due to us driving through France on our way to Greece. You have obviously created a niche market with you mole catching which then allows you to fish and possible shoot. How do you get on with your French mole catchers? Please keep us up to date with your adventures. I only became a mole trapper by accident. It was never even considered let alone planned. But it is a nice paid hobby and gets me about. I've met a few French mole trappers who came to our house to pick up some traps I was selling. The nearest pro' trapper to me is over 120 km away, but have I bumped into a couple while touring in the camper van. They do it a lot differently to UK trappers. More like civil excavation than surgery. My spade is around 7cm wide. Theirs are like coal shovels. No shooting for me though. Again, they do things differently over here and I've never seen enough pigeons to be worth shooting until this winter. Its not worth the hassle and expense of getting a permit for the type of shooting they do locally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JKD Posted February 26, 2017 Report Share Posted February 26, 2017 (edited) Hi Clive and thanks for this post, it's great to see and hear what an 'Englishman Abroad' gets up to. Also you are giving us an insight into 'Country Pursuits' in a different country, with some similarities but quite a few different approaches and regulations, which for me is very interesting to read about It would be great to keep on reading about your exploits, if you're up for it that is Great selection of fish by the way, and it must be great fun on the tackle you're using Edited February 26, 2017 by JKD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UKPoacher Posted February 26, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 26, 2017 If you have any questions about the French way of doing things just ask away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggsy Posted February 27, 2017 Report Share Posted February 27, 2017 Nice pin mate....Trudex ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penelope Posted February 27, 2017 Report Share Posted February 27, 2017 I bet that was fun on the Speedia. What about a string of big halibut pellets for the moggy? First time I fished it I had my usual barbel rig of 8 or 10 hook, 6lb fluoro hook length on 8lb mainline. After about an hour I'd had two smallish barbel of around a couple of pounds each so I swapped to a lighter 4lb hook length and 14 hook. Next cast I hooked that carp Just a few ounce over the twenty. I reckon there will be a big moggie lurking there. Another month or so and I'll pop half a tin of Spam on the heavier rod and see what turns up. Can't use fish baits until May. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UKPoacher Posted February 27, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 27, 2017 Yep, a Wide Drum Speedia with about 80 yds of 8lb line on it, and the carp had about 60 yds of that at one point Actually I got the weight mixed up with another fish from a different swim. The one in the photo was 18lb something, not 20lb. Not keen on halibut pellets until the water warms up a bit. Either half a tin of Spam or a big piece of liver will be better early season. In summer I use sprats bunch of banana style on a big hook under a slit wine cork float....... Biggsy, This is a Trudex........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggsy Posted February 27, 2017 Report Share Posted February 27, 2017 Nice mate....I've got my dads wallis wizard rod.....Avon royal supreme pin.both bought in around 1958..immaculate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul taylor Posted February 27, 2017 Report Share Posted February 27, 2017 That's an eye opener to life in France, lovely fish and good angling mate. The Charente looks just like the Dearne but with added sun😂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted February 27, 2017 Report Share Posted February 27, 2017 Very nice video, that looks an excellent piece of river. I would like to see a few more of those if you have any. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevin55 Posted February 28, 2017 Report Share Posted February 28, 2017 Nice mate....I've got my dads wallis wizard rod.....Avon royal supreme pin.both bought in around 1958..immaculate I had a couple of barbel from the Ivel a few years ago using the Match Aerial my dad bought me s/hand from a retiring miner in 1967, it still spins flawlessly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UKPoacher Posted February 28, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2017 Nice mate....I've got my dads wallis wizard rod.....Avon royal supreme pin.both bought in around 1958..immaculate I'm envious. Hope that you enjoy using them for a long time to come. That's an eye opener to life in France, lovely fish and good angling mate. The Charente looks just like the Dearne but with added sun That's often the problem. The long period of high pressure and sunshine make things difficult. I do miss the chance of a double figure barbel that you get on the Dearne. I don't miss the off road bike, quads and yoofs with air rifles though Very nice video, that looks an excellent piece of river. I would like to see a few more of those if you have any. When we first moved here we rented a cottage on a farm and that location was a small island about 3 minutes walk from the cottage. In summer I would go spinning for the catfish. That stretch was full of 15lb - 20lb catfish that would take a spinner in the evening. The one in the video used to rest up in a narrow, shallow channel at one side of an island and couldn't be caught on spinners. So I ambushed it just as it moved off into the main river. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GREENGRASS Posted March 12, 2017 Report Share Posted March 12, 2017 Keep the log updates coming Clive. Obliged Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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