Angling Lines Blog

by Gareth Watkins

Every Saturday I get a call from some group or other of Carp anglers travelling out for a fishing holiday to one of our venues who has got lost or is struggling to find their way to the lake in question. It is totally understandable that navigating in a foreign country can cause a few problems, especially if it is your first time in France. The major issue of driving on the right is in itself cause for a few problems, so add to this different placings for road signs, signposts in French etc. I touched on the subject in a recent post on avoiding an awful trip Carp Fishing. So the here then is my method of avoiding getting “Lost in France!”

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by Gareth Watkins
Over the years I’ve had a whole range of different vehicles that I’ve used to get myself fishing. In the early days it was my parent’s cars, so whatever they had at the time, and varied from an Audio 80 to a Triumph Dolomite. Not always very practical… Since then I’ve had several different types of car and they all have advantages and disadvantages. Here then, is my choice of Carp fishing vehicles.

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by Gareth Watkins

First rule for you to remember (should you come from the UK) when planning to drive in France for a carp fishing holiday is : drive on the right side of the road! Be especially careful when setting off from service stations or restaurants on the left side of the road.
Also, bear in mind that you may have to give priority to traffic coming from the right (priorité à droite), especially in built up areas or when on small roads. Usually on large roads you do not give priority to the right, except on the peripherique, the ring road around Paris.
Many anglers I meet have not driven abroad before and apprehend the experience with some dread. In general it is not really that difficult, you just have to stay focused and make sure you concentrate and look more carefully before manoeuvring than you would at home. My Tomtom always reminds me when I drive on the left in the UK, so it is a nice touch to have this reminder when in France.As I said the most critical time is when you start off after a break. continue reading…

Are you ready to go to Carping in France…

Steve Guy over on the Quest Baits Blog submitted and interesting piece about making the most of this time of the year to prepare for the coming season. Well what he says here makes a lot of sense. But his points about checking your equipment and replacing bits and pieces is not only relevant to the coming season in the UK, but equally true for those going abroad.

In fact I think the post is even more crucial if you are venturing out to France this Spring, because many of the pieces of gear you use in the UK are simply not available readily in France. The tackle shops here are getting better, but the influx of cheap ‘own brand’ copies of the proper tackle has taken France by storm. Shops like ‘Mondial Pêche’ or Pacific Pêche’ often only carry their own brand of a certain piece of tackle. They will do the job but I prefer the items made by Kord, Drennan etc.

So as well as the checks suggested by Steve:

• A check of the condition of your main line wouldn’t go amiss

• How about tying up some new rigs and checking your stock of terminal tackle at the same time

• What’s your stock of bait and pellet like

• How’s your PVA supplies looking after a damp few weeks in the shed

• Are your digital camera batteries charged

What else should you look at for France? continue reading…