{"id":26073,"date":"2019-03-08T13:31:15","date_gmt":"2019-03-08T12:31:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.anglinglines.com\/blog\/?p=26073"},"modified":"2019-03-12T16:47:47","modified_gmt":"2019-03-12T15:47:47","slug":"planning-your-next-french-carp-fishing-trip-go-large-this-summer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.anglinglines.com\/blog\/planning-your-next-french-carp-fishing-trip-go-large-this-summer\/","title":{"rendered":"Planning your next French carp fishing trip? Go large this summer\u2026"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The appeal of vast, windswept gravel pits is undeniable: acres of untapped, uncharted water, unsullied by angler pressure; the allure of the unknown; the chance of a previously uncaught leviathan. Question is: where the \u2026 heck do you start?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Pay\ntoo much attention to social media, the mags and myriad YouTube vids, and you\u2019d\nbe forgiven for believing that catching big French carp is a breeze. But it\nain\u2019t necessarily so; especially on the bigger waters, where finding fish can\nbe a battle all its own. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.anglinglines.com\/blog\/wp-content\/images\/2019\/02\/BlueLake.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-26099\" width=\"500\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.anglinglines.com\/blog\/wp-content\/images\/2019\/02\/BlueLake.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.anglinglines.com\/blog\/wp-content\/images\/2019\/02\/BlueLake-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.anglinglines.com\/blog\/wp-content\/images\/2019\/02\/BlueLake-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.anglinglines.com\/blog\/wp-content\/images\/2019\/02\/BlueLake-768x513.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption>15 acre French carp lake <a href=\"https:\/\/www.anglinglines.com\/Blue-Lake\/\">Blue Lake<\/a> provides a large variety of features &#8211; small bays, open water and various gravel bars.&nbsp;<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\"><strong>Choosing your venue<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As\never, choosing the right venue is paramount. So the natural starting point,\nalways, is a trawl of your Facebook Friends. And of course a chat with the good\npeople at Angling Lines who \u2013 having personally fished the many waters in\ntheir portfolio &#8211; can help you make the right choice, in terms both of the challenge\nand likely rewards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This\nis important. Most of us have, at best, a week or two\u2019s holiday at our\ndisposal. So seek out folk who\u2019ve fished your chosen water before; harnessing\nthe power of the Interweb &#8211; social media, and the many angling forums \u2013 to get\na heads-up on the going waters, areas, baits and approaches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\"><strong>Doing&nbsp;Your&nbsp;Homework<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Similarly,\nGoogle Earth will provide you with a detailed picture of the geography and\ntopography of your chosen lake; and an invaluable starting point that could\nsave you many hours\u2019 trekking round the bank in search of fish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On\narrival at the venue, it\u2019s then polaroids and \u2018bins\u2019 to the fore. The goal: to\nbreak the lake down into manageable \u2018bite-size\u2019 chunks; discounting areas that\nare clearly devoid of life; and identifying and evaluating likely features and\npatrol routes in light of the prevailing winds, air pressure and so on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The usual rules apply. Islands, reed- and weedbeds, overhanging trees and snags all serve as carp magnets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Margins,\nold stream beds and gravel bars provide natural roadways that the carp may patrol\nat similar times every day. And warmer winds point the way \u2013 with carp\ninvariably following. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Meaning\nthe north bank is always a good place to start.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.anglinglines.com\/blog\/wp-content\/images\/2019\/02\/vaumigny-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-26113\" width=\"500\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.anglinglines.com\/blog\/wp-content\/images\/2019\/02\/vaumigny-1.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.anglinglines.com\/blog\/wp-content\/images\/2019\/02\/vaumigny-1-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.anglinglines.com\/blog\/wp-content\/images\/2019\/02\/vaumigny-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.anglinglines.com\/blog\/wp-content\/images\/2019\/02\/vaumigny-1-768x513.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption><a href=\"https:\/\/www.anglinglines.com\/Vaumigny\/\">Vaumigny<\/a> is another large French carp lake with a huge variety of features. Home to carp to over 60lb, 100lb+ sturgeon and 170lb+ catfish.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\"><strong>Finding&nbsp;Features<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Once\nyou\u2019ve selected your preliminary \u2018home base\u2019, time spent feature finding &#8211; with\neither the marker or, better, the Deeper (other fish finders are available!) \u2013 will\nprovide a more detailed picture of your peg; and an indication of the right\nplaces to position your hookbaits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Even\nthe subtlest changes in depth or substrate can be significant. Therefore it\u2019s\nworth placing your bait at different depths; hedging your bets as to where the\nfish feel most comfortable, and prefer to feed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>My\nfirst choice \u2013 for my first rod &#8211; would be the drop-off at the base of the\nmarginal shelf, where carp will expect to find both natural food and discarded\nanglers\u2019 baits. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Then,\nfor the remaining two-three rods, I\u2019d seek out the siltier areas on either side\nof any gravel bars; clear spots within weed beds; the edge of snags; island\nmargins and so forth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Nothing\nnew under the sun, really. And an underarm flick into the margins is invariably\nmy \u2018starter-for-ten\u2019 when I get to a new venue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Generally,\nthe only thing that will move fish from the margins is angling pressure which\nhopefully, on these larger venues, should not be so much of an issue. &nbsp;\u2013 especially if the swim in question hasn\u2019t been\nfished in a while.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And\nwith most big pits tending to have deep margins, I\u2019m usually able to present a\nrig where I\u2019m happiest and most confident: close in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But\nI\u2019ll remain vigilant. Being arguably the most cack-handed carper on the face of\nthe earth, it is inevitable that, at some point, I will &nbsp;trip over a guy rope, set fire to a bivvy,\nfall in, or some such thing; in so doing potentially driving the carp further\nout into the lake \u2013 possibly dragging me out of my comfort zone, and requiring\nme to fish at range.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Hence\nthe need for forward planning: doing our homework, back in Blighty to ensure\nwe\u2019re prepared for every eventuality. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\"><strong>Tackle<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Casting\naccurately and consistently, to distances in excess of 150 yards, is far from\neasy, requiring specialised hardware.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Your\nrods should be up to the task, with a test curve of around 3.5lbs \u2013 to cope\nwith heavy leads of 5oz or more \u2013 and a fast recovery rate, allowing the line\nto travel through the guides, with minimal resistance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Big\npit reels with decent line capacity are essential, accommodating 300+ metres of\n15lbs+ line.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ideally\nthose reels will also be lightweight \u2013 lest your 200-yard retrieve become a\nwearisome workout \u2013 with a slow oscillation (enabling good line-lay, and again\nadding vital extra yards to the cast).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The\nuse of braided mainline can provide you with a significant edge, given its\nnarrow diameter and lack of stretch. (At this kind of range, mono could be\nmoved tens of yards without a bleep on the buzzers.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Where\nbraid is banned, lighter \u2013 narrower diameter \u2013 mono mainlines can add valuable\nyards to each chuck. But of course they won\u2019t withstand the force exerted on a\nbig cast with a heavy lead. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So,\nwhere the rules permit, it is essential to incorporate a shockleader into the\nsetup. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On\nlakes where leaders are banned, consider using a tapered main line. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Rigs-wise,\nfor distance fishing, the watchwords are aerodynamic and anti-tangle. Which\nmeans one thing: choddies, which can be cast a very long way, seldom tangle,\nand ensure effective presentation whether they land on silt, weed or gravel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A\n\u2018weight forward\u2019 style distance lead completes the business end.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Bite\nindication-wise, it\u2019s bow-string tight lines all the way, ideally in\nconjunction with quiver or tension arm indicators.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Baiting\nat range can also be extremely tricky, so if you have access to a boat, so much\nthe better. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With\nthis in mind, it\u2019s worth checking with the Angling Lines\u2019 team, to determine\nwhether your chosen venue offers boats for hire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.anglinglines.com\/blog\/wp-content\/images\/2019\/02\/Vaumigny-boat.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-26104\" width=\"500\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.anglinglines.com\/blog\/wp-content\/images\/2019\/02\/Vaumigny-boat.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.anglinglines.com\/blog\/wp-content\/images\/2019\/02\/Vaumigny-boat-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.anglinglines.com\/blog\/wp-content\/images\/2019\/02\/Vaumigny-boat-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.anglinglines.com\/blog\/wp-content\/images\/2019\/02\/Vaumigny-boat-768x513.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption>Another shot from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.anglinglines.com\/Vaumigny\/\">Vaumigny.<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\"><strong>Bait Selection<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As\nto the bait itself, boilies, pellets and\/or particles all have their day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But\ncheck whether the venue contains crayfish \u2013 horrible bait thieving creatures,\nwith a taste for boilies, the presence of which may necessitate the use of\nlarge hardened hookbaits. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The\nlast thing you need is to waste valuable time finding spots, baiting up, positioning\nbaits \u2013 watching fish roll and crash and your spots \u2013 and miss out on a\nbite-time take because you\u2019ve \u2018been done\u2019 by Mr Pinchy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The\nflipside: carp love crays \u2013 so there is a positive to having them in your\nbaited area \u2013 provided you\u2019re confident your hookbait is resistant to their\nattentions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Beyond\nthis, standard operating procedure applies: on larger venues, as on smaller\nmore intimate ponds, you should keep your eyes peeled for \u2018signs\u2019. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And,\nif at all possible, be prepared to move onto showing fish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Because\non big gravel pits, chances are &nbsp;if you\ncan find \u2018em, you\u2019ve a very good chance of catching \u2018em. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And\nmaybe nailing a new French PB to boot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Steve\nCalder<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The appeal of vast, windswept gravel pits is undeniable: acres of untapped, uncharted water, unsullied by angler pressure; the allure of the unknown; the chance of a previously uncaught leviathan. Question is: where the \u2026 heck do you start? Pay too much attention to social media, the mags and myriad YouTube vids, and you\u2019d be [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":26103,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[942,1113,889],"tags":[1117,1078,1120,1119,1126,1121,1124,1114,1123,1116,1115,1118,1125,1122],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.anglinglines.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26073"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.anglinglines.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.anglinglines.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.anglinglines.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.anglinglines.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=26073"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.anglinglines.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26073\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.anglinglines.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/26103"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.anglinglines.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26073"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.anglinglines.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26073"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.anglinglines.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26073"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}