There are so many options available but if you want to get a quick start then consider these simple questions…
Size of carp?
Ask yourself realistically what size of carp would you be happy to catch? Of course we all want to catch 60’s eventually, but if your UK pb is 23lb surely a lake with a big head of 30’s would be a realistic choice.
Number of Runs?
How much action would be happy to achieve. Some waters can be hard and a blank could happen but some are genuinely classed by us as runs waters… and there are many in between.
Look at your own experience…
It’s no good being a novice and choosing a hard water if you really want plenty of action. If you are a relatively inexperienced angler choose a lake where there is a good bailiff who can offer advice… or a water which has very good catch rates. Or travel with friends who can give you some support. You invest a lot in a holiday so make sure you give yourself the best chance of a successful trip.
Non Anglers…
If you are taking non anglers or need accommodation ensure that the accommodation/facilities detailed on the website are of an adequate standard for the fussiest of the people going. Because if they’re not happy it’s pretty likely you won’t enjoy the fishing.
A Few Question and Answers
There are only 2 of us… can we book a lake exclusive?
Yes, you certainly can. Exclusive lakes come in all sizes but most exclusively available lakes are around 3 to 5 acres, and take 4/5 anglers with a price to match. But it’s important to note that some small exclusive lakes actually have tiered pricing available when there are fewer anglers in the booking. So an exclusive venue may not necessarily be out of price reach if there are only 2 or 3 persons fishing.
There are several advantages to some lakes to offer this option. Firstly it fills a gap in the market (there are not many exclusive lakes for 2 or 3 anglers around of good quality & reasonable cost). Secondly it can help a venue by reducing the amount of overall pressure on the carp and the lake facilities. Last but not least it can also be used as a tool for less established lakes to get a foot on the ‘feedback’ ladder. Feedback as we all know is hugely important as it clearly shows how consistent or not the fishing is overall. It gives you the angler realistic expectations and is why we deem it so important for our website. We prefer to sell you the holiday that you are going to get, rather than over-hype a venue which could see you disappointed or disillusioned. That’s why we choose only quality venues to work with.
How much of an advantage is having a lake to yourself?
There are in fact pros and cons.
The pros; let’s start with the seemingly obvious pro’s. Exclusivity gives your group complete control to decide how it’s fished and enables an immense amount of flexibility. This is really beneficial so you can maximise your options without worrying about other anglers who are not in your group. You can for instance, trickle feed or rest swims to move onto later or at night or follow the carp around if they are on the move. It enables you to stalk around a lake without treading on other anglers toes. For these reasons too it can be more relaxing and less like a competition.
The cons; some lakes (Margot and Laroussi among them) can benefit from having an even distribution of anglers all around the lake. Remember carp will often move away from pressure and if you are the only anglers on a normally busy water, you may have to work harder or move to get your results. There is also the social aspect too. Not only can you meet new friends & share fishing chat but you can also gain in experience by learning from the tactics other anglers use. It’s useful to have someone there too who can be of assistance if you need it, for example when you have multiple runs or are trying to land a big fish.
Do I have the right gear?
Fishing in most French lakes is no different to fishing over here in Blighty. Except the carp are usually much bigger, the weather is generally better and you tend to catch more prolifically.
You don’t suddenly need big pit reels etc to fish any of the lakes unless they are huge and you are fishing at 300 meters! However, the lakes do take fish safety very seriously and demand that you use at least a 42” landing net and a large & high standard of unhooking mat. 15lb min breaking strain line also appears to be the norm.
So always check out the lake rules to make sure your ok and if you are any item of tackle missing, look to see if the lake have them on site or hire them or take a look at hiring them from https://www.anglinglines.com/partners/carptacklehire.php
These guys already have a great reputation and look to be great value. Don’t forget all the owners will happily discuss tackle with you and answer your specific questions.
56 Technical Carp Fishing Videos
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