Looking for a new carp fishing challenge? Think small… Intimate pools. Big carp. Minimal angler pressure. Chuck in a fat bloke and a tree, you’ve got Christmas – right? Well, maybe not. In fact, as I write this, four very capable carp anglers are ‘blanking up a storm’ on my own one-acre pond which – […]
Gearing up for your next French PB carp… We all have our reasons for ‘crossing the pond’. For some it’s all about the ‘R&R’: first and foremost, a holiday; a break from the mundane; a precious chance to chill in the enchanting French countryside; either in blissful solitude or in a luxurious gite with family […]
With over 40 premier French carp fishing destinations under management, Angling Lines is your ‘fast track’ to your next PB. But, with visiting angler numbers on the rise, the resident carp are wising up. How can you, as a holiday angler, stack the odds in your favour? Once upon a time, France was regarded as […]
Brand new venues. Previously uncaught carp. Minimal angling pressure. It’s ‘Winner, winner, chicken dinner’, right? Back when my own lake was in its infancy – undeveloped and largely unstocked – folk began pre-booking their long-stay sessions; some almost a year in advance of our formal opening. Why? Granted, they knew my plan was to stock […]
We’ve come a long way since ‘Mr Crabtree Goes Fishing’ (or John Wilson’s ‘Go Fishing’, come to that). But have we traded cutting edge ‘angling innovation’ for common sense skills? Fact is, today’s Pot Noodle (“just add water”) carp anglers can walk into the most modestly equipped tackle shop and walk out with pretty much […]
Targeting monster catfish? Make sure you have the right tools for the job… Last year, I was fortunate to attend Catmaster Tackle’s annual social at Oakwood Park Lakes, in Norfolk. As an out-and-out carp angler, I figured – like many before and since – that, with a few tweaks here and there, my existing kit […]
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 … heck do you start? Pay too much attention to social media, the mags and myriad YouTube vids, and you’d be […]
Spring is just around the corner; the carp are on the move, and back on the munch. Contrary to accepted wisdom, however, this may not be the time to pile in the bait; rather, a softly-softly approach is often key to early season success… The nights are finally drawing in; the water temps are rising, and […]
Ten top tips to make your next winter French carp fishing holiday your most comfortable – maybe even productive – yet… I can well remember my first carp fishing overnighter. Ill-equipped does not begin to cover it. And here’s the thing: it was in spring. The days were sunny – almost balmy. The nights, as […]
The wealth of highly nutritious and readily available ‘ready mades’ lead me to wonder: why on earth would anyone waste valuable time freezing, transporting, airdrying and rehydrating baits for their French carp fishing trip? Shelf-life or freezer bait? The debate has raged for a while now. To my mind, however, it’s a no-brainer: the extensive […]
Targeting big French carp on larger venues? Taking to the water could take your catch rate to a new level… Everyone has their own idea of what constitutes a ‘big lake’. But if you’re limited to one or two French carp fishing trips each year, I’d counsel that the inland seas – the likes of […]
Why smarter carpers are trading solid PVA bags for messy method balls this winter… Whilst Fox’s excellent Rapide system has propelled solid PVA bags back into fashion – along the way, earning a place in many a carp angler’s armoury – method feeder fishing remains largely overlooked by a majority of big carp hunters. Which […]
Bucking the trend could help you single out the big ‘uns on those ‘more intimate’ stillwaters… From Ashlea in the eighties to Spitfire today, smaller pools and ponds of, often, less than an acre, have been throwing up monster carp for decades. Yet despite the fact that you’re seldom more than a few yards from […]
Far from a ‘chuck it and chance it’ daylight-hours-only tactic, to be deployed only when all else fails, zig fishing could be your best chance of a bite around the clock, throughout the year. So why isn’t it more widely adopted? An old school carper friend of mine likens zigging to lure fishing; going so […]
Your winter carp fishing ‘short break’ starts here. Why settle for ‘drive and survive’? Do your homework, and you could just bag a belter on your next French trip… Terry Hearn talks about those ‘little edges’ which, combined, can spell the difference between success and failure. Never are those edges more important than in winter. […]
