{"id":26240,"date":"2019-06-10T18:10:10","date_gmt":"2019-06-10T17:10:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.anglinglines.com\/blog\/?p=26240"},"modified":"2026-02-16T12:45:44","modified_gmt":"2026-02-16T11:45:44","slug":"will-carp-fishing-early-adopters-fill-their-boots-at-angling-lines-new-french-venues","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.anglinglines.com\/blog\/will-carp-fishing-early-adopters-fill-their-boots-at-angling-lines-new-french-venues\/","title":{"rendered":"Will carp fishing early adopters \u2018fill their boots\u2019 at Angling Lines\u2019 new French venues?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brand new venues. Previously uncaught carp.\u00a0 Minimal angling pressure. It\u2019s \u2018Winner, winner, chicken dinner\u2019, right?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Back\nwhen my own lake was in its infancy \u2013 undeveloped and largely unstocked – folk began\npre-booking their long-stay sessions; some almost a year in advance of our\nformal opening. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Granted,\nthey knew my plan was to stock the pond only with big carp. But nonetheless\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The\nexpectation of course was that these na\u00efve \u2018lumps\u2019 would, in the early stages,\nbe a breeze to catch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How wrong they were. In fact, many a good angler has since spent days at a time on the bank, with only sunset rod snaps to occupy their Instagram feeds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The\nreason: the fish are mistresses of their own environment. Having been left undisturbed\n\u2013 save for their regular free feed – for the best part of a year, they quickly\nrecognised the presence of anglers\u2019 lines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And\nresponded accordingly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pushovers\nthey were not. And thus it remains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A\ncouple of lakes in the Angling Lines portfolio are also welcoming anglers for\nthe first time this year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Will\nvisitors to these – granted, far more extensively stocked \u2013 venues prove more\nsuccessful?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The feedback so far shows that they are giving angler’s an easier time of it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The\nfirst of these new lakes, Eau De Vie\npresents prima facie a similar challenge to our own: spring fed and just two acres,\nthe lake was re-stocked in the winter of 2018 with carp to over 47lb, providing\na rare opportunity to tackle an unpressured lake in which most of the fish have\nyet to see a hook. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meaning\nthey should behave like carp are supposed to \u2013 and not the way they\u2019ve been\nconditioned to behave, through angler pressure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"

Eau De Vie: Your next continental carping challenge?<\/em> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

A\nlittle larger than Eau De Vie,  at six\nacres, Beau\nLac is another interesting proposition for\nwould be pioneers: recently stocked with carp ranging from 20 to almost 50lbs,\nit\u2019s available with lakeside accommodation for groups of up to four anglers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So,\nall the comforts of home, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But be warned: whilst these fish may yet to have their photos taken, they are still carp \u2013 which means that, regardless of their \u2018naivete\u2019, a little thought can be required to coax them from the depths for a cheeky selfie.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And of course, with fewer anglers previously targeting these venues, there is less information available on the going spots, bait and tactics \u2013 which would ordinarily be the first step for anglers planning any overseas trip.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do a little preliminary research; if nothing else, to gain a clearer picture of the topography of the lake; and thus to develop at least the foundations of a plan of attack \u2013 using the lake description, pics, and maps provided on the Angling Lines website<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"

Beau Lac<\/a>: Immaculately maintained and extensively stocked – available on an ‘exclusive’ basis for groups of up to four anglers.<\/em> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Depth in particular should\nbe central to your thinking. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If\nyou are fishing in spring for example you might choose to concentrate your\ninitial efforts on the shallows – areas that warm up more quickly, attracting\nthe lake\u2019s scaly residents with the promise both of early season \u2018rays\u2019 and\ninchoate natural food.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Given\nthis, the benefits of securing one of these recently launched lakes on an \u2018exclusive\u2019\nbasis are clear: imagine being restricted to a single swim at the one end\nwhilst the carp cavort at the other.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not\ngood. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If\nyou are to be restricted to a single pre-booked swim, Google Maps will help you\nmake an informed choice; if nothing else, clarifying which way the prevailing\nwinds will blow (the northeast corner bearing the brunt of any warm south-westerlies,\nand thus representing a great starting point on any lake).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A\nchat with the owners and the Angling Lines team\nwill help to fill a few further gaps. But after that\u2026 you\u2019re on your own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In\nsome respects this can be a good thing. It means you have no preconceived\nideas; and you\u2019re not dependent on others\u2019 impressions, ideas and experiences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Refreshingly free from the influence of the scuttlebutt\nand nonsense to be found all too often on the forums and social media, you must\nonce again learn to trust your eyes, ears and instinct. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

With\nno track record \u2013 and no areas out of which \u2018the granny\u2019 has been spombed – success\nwill depend on  your own hard work, observation\nand watercraft. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So,\nlike any session, you\u2019ll want to start with a few laps of the venue, equipped with\na pair of polaroids and a bait bucket, looking for signs of carpy activity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rolling\nand head and shouldering may well alert you to the presence of these, till now,\nunpressured carp. But look for more subtle evidence of their presence too; and\nmore specifically, signs of feeding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bubbling, boils and cloudy water, for example, are sure signs of fish\nforaging for food.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other indications to watch out for include water\nbirds spooking (especially in shallower water),\nand reeds and lilies twitching, as carp\nswim in and out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Islands are invariably carp magnets, offering bankside cover and a natural larder, in the form of berries,\ngrubs and so on. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

And of course all carp love to linger in snags, where they feel safest \u2013\nout of reach of predators.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

T<\/strong>he margin is the most prominent feature in any water, providing a\nroadway for the carp and a rich source of food.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Common practice on most lakes is to cast to the far margin and walk\nround to bait up. Which is, I guess, perfectly valid. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

My preference however is to target the nearside margin, which offers the\nsame advantages without the hassle and disturbance associated with accurate\ncasting. Rather, perfect bait placement is a breeze, as you\u2019re able to\nliterally lower your baits into the prime spots. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The secret \u2013 especially in lakes such as these, which have seen no\nangling pressure \u2013 is stealth: picking up your feet as you patrol the bank; wearing\ndrab clothing and staying off the skyline; and leaving your mobile in your\npocket.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Seek\nout the highest elevation \u2013 a strategically positioned climbing tree, for\nexample\u2013 then use your polaroids to cut through the surface glare; to locate for\nexample holes in weed beds, channels, and, if you\u2019re lucky, fish feeding \u2013 all\nof which may be completely invisible from ground level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gravel bars too are great areas to target carp; the bars themselves creating patrol routes; the siltier areas at the base providing a home for carpy goodies such as bloodworm and the like. So if you have ostensibly featureless open water in front of you, they can be just the feature you are looking for. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Fishing to the front or back of a bar into silt can be very productive….<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Indeed, the open water can itself be a feature on larger ponds, with the\ncarp feeling safer towards the middle (possibly out of casting range) as the\nbanks become busier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fact is, all carp waters, regardless of size,\nhave their own quirks, foibles and idiosyncrasies. Some have certain – often\nquite limited – bite times; others fish better through the night, and so on. So\ngetting in tune with the water quickly is paramount.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With this in mind, over the first couple of\ndays of your trip, consider setting your alarm for the early hours \u2013 and indeed\nat intervals throughout the night \u2013 so that you\u2019re up and alert when the fish do\ndecide to reveal their presence, and their preferred feeding areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Effort=reward, and all that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
In-session prebaiting: a huge edge when targeting wary carp
<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

If\nall else fails \u2013 and maybe even if it doesn\u2019t – having a week or more at your\ndisposal, you might also consider creating your own feature; with bait.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Using\na mixture of (regs and space permitting) particles (hemp, maize, groats, chick\npeas, and a few tigers) and a handful of boilies, regularly feed a couple areas\nfor the first few days; but resist the temptation to fish them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead,\ngive the carp the opportunity to gain confidence, with no lines in the water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of\ncourse boilies will and should form part of your baiting strategy. But natural\nbaits have a real part to play on relatively new venues too, with worm, caster,\nmussels and corn figuring highly in my own armoury.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fact\nis, it can take a while for the carp to properly get onto the boilies \u2013\nespecially in cases where the water is very rich with natural food.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So\npopped up corn, worm and maggot (assuming no nuisance species are present) would\nbe my go-to hook baits from the off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And\nrigs would be the least of my concerns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The\none thing the fish in these waters most assuredly won\u2019t be is riggy; so don\u2019t\ntie yourself in knots (pun intended) trying to trick them with the latest\nwonder rig.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rather,\nsharp, strong hooks no-knotted to your favourite coated braid should be more\nthan up to the task.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Remember,\nthese are not pressured fish. So using a simple rig that you are confident in\nis all that\u2019s needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\nsaid, bearing in mind that the fish are not used to seeing lines in the water, it\nis advisable to keep everything pinned down, using flying back leads, sinking\nmainlines and heavy leaders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This, on any new venue, is the biggest edge of all: ensuring the carp don\u2019t realise they\u2019re being fished for. And giving you the best possible chance of an immaculate, uncaught French whacker for your Facebook feed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Steve Calder<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Brand new venues. Previously uncaught carp.\u00a0 Minimal angling pressure. It\u2019s \u2018Winner, winner, chicken dinner\u2019, right? Back when my own lake was in its infancy \u2013 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 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":26242,"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":[1112,1113,889],"tags":[1117,1078,1120,1119,1126,1121,1124,1114,1123,1116,1115,1118,1125,1122],"class_list":["post-26240","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-eau-de-vie","category-steve-calder","category-carp-tactics-and-watercraft","tag-angling-lines","tag-carp-fishing","tag-carp-fishing-france","tag-carp-fishing-in-france","tag-carp-fishing-tips","tag-carp-france","tag-carp-rigs","tag-fishing-france","tag-fishing-holiday","tag-fishing-holidays","tag-french-carp","tag-french-carp-fishing","tag-french-carp-lakes","tag-lakes-in-france"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.anglinglines.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26240","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"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=26240"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.anglinglines.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26240\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":29087,"href":"https:\/\/www.anglinglines.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26240\/revisions\/29087"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.anglinglines.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/26242"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.anglinglines.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26240"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.anglinglines.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26240"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.anglinglines.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26240"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}