Fishing in France - Help please
Discussion
Hi All
Planning on spending a couple or three weeks in Western/South Western France in August just plodding around in our motorhome.
This is something we've done on and off for years and we always seems to end up camping alongside a river/canal/lake on most nights.
I used to do a lot of sea fishing as a youngster but never really got into 'Freshwater' fishing. I've just inherited a load of fishing gear from my late father-in-law and thought that this year it may be nice to chuck a hook in the water wherever we happen to be staying.
Not interested in what I catch or even catching anything
, just looking to spend a pleasant relaxing couple of hours with a beer or two.
I've done a bit of Googling and can find lots of 'location specific' information but nothing more 'general'.
Do I need a license - if so where can I get one and how much is it likely to cost?
Any tips (simple please) on what hooks, weights, floats, bait etc I need?
Anything else I should know?
Thanks in advance.
Planning on spending a couple or three weeks in Western/South Western France in August just plodding around in our motorhome.
This is something we've done on and off for years and we always seems to end up camping alongside a river/canal/lake on most nights.
I used to do a lot of sea fishing as a youngster but never really got into 'Freshwater' fishing. I've just inherited a load of fishing gear from my late father-in-law and thought that this year it may be nice to chuck a hook in the water wherever we happen to be staying.
Not interested in what I catch or even catching anything
, just looking to spend a pleasant relaxing couple of hours with a beer or two.I've done a bit of Googling and can find lots of 'location specific' information but nothing more 'general'.
Do I need a license - if so where can I get one and how much is it likely to cost?
Any tips (simple please) on what hooks, weights, floats, bait etc I need?
Anything else I should know?
Thanks in advance.
Depends what you want to catch.
France is littered with decent fishing lakes full of carp, typically but also some good river fishing.
YOu are deifhnitely supposed to have a licence which are theoretically readily available (although Im not sure how much they are enforced and I dont know what they would do faced with an Englishman shrugging)
If you dont want information overload, and want the simplest way to catch a fish, then I would recommend using 5lb line, a float attached and a size 10 hook and take a loaf of bread or a tin of sweetcorn.
THis will catch a variety of species in a variety of different places and is the most simple one-sentence description.
If you want to specify particular places then I can suggest more specific methods.
France is littered with decent fishing lakes full of carp, typically but also some good river fishing.
YOu are deifhnitely supposed to have a licence which are theoretically readily available (although Im not sure how much they are enforced and I dont know what they would do faced with an Englishman shrugging)
If you dont want information overload, and want the simplest way to catch a fish, then I would recommend using 5lb line, a float attached and a size 10 hook and take a loaf of bread or a tin of sweetcorn.
THis will catch a variety of species in a variety of different places and is the most simple one-sentence description.
If you want to specify particular places then I can suggest more specific methods.
Edited by blindswelledrat on Tuesday 3rd July 14:04
blindswelledrat said:
Depends what you want to catch.
France is littered with decent fishing lakes full of carp, typically but also some good river fishing.
YOu are deifhnitely supposed to have a licence which are theoretically readily available (although Im not sure how much they are enforced and I dont know what they would do faced with an Englishman shrugging)
If you dont want information overload, and want the simplest way to catch a fish, then I would recommend using 5lb line, a float attached and a size 10 hook and take a loaf of bread or a tin of sweetcorn.
THis will catch a variety of species in a variety of different places and is the most simple one-sentence description.
If you want to specify particular places then I can suggest more specific methods.
Thanks, that's just the sort of info I'm after.France is littered with decent fishing lakes full of carp, typically but also some good river fishing.
YOu are deifhnitely supposed to have a licence which are theoretically readily available (although Im not sure how much they are enforced and I dont know what they would do faced with an Englishman shrugging)
If you dont want information overload, and want the simplest way to catch a fish, then I would recommend using 5lb line, a float attached and a size 10 hook and take a loaf of bread or a tin of sweetcorn.
THis will catch a variety of species in a variety of different places and is the most simple one-sentence description.
If you want to specify particular places then I can suggest more specific methods.
Edited by blindswelledrat on Tuesday 3rd July 14:04
As I said, I'm not really bothered what I catch, if anything at all - it'll most probably get put back anyway. Just looking for an excuse to laze around with a quiet beer.
BB
BigBob said:
Thanks, that's just the sort of info I'm after.
As I said, I'm not really bothered what I catch, if anything at all - it'll most probably get put back anyway. Just looking for an excuse to laze around with a quiet beer.
BB
Perfect then. Two key things to add then. Make sure you set it up so your bait is sitting on the bottom and makes sure you throw in some extra bait to attract the fish to where you hook bait isAs I said, I'm not really bothered what I catch, if anything at all - it'll most probably get put back anyway. Just looking for an excuse to laze around with a quiet beer.
BB
kiteless said:
Hi.
Main question: are you planning to fish on rivers or lakes / stillwaters?
Not really planning anything. Over the last few years we've toured around taking in the sites and culture stopping mainly in Aires de Service and have been surprised how many have been adjacent or very close to streams, rivers, lakes, canals etc. Main question: are you planning to fish on rivers or lakes / stillwaters?
When my FIL passed away he left behind a load of tackle - where it came from I've no idea as I never remember him fishing - and thought it would be nice to spend some time with a beer or three, a smoke or two, a nice bit of bread and a piece of cheese.
Cheers
BB
BigBob said:
Great - are they normally available in the local Tabac or is it a local thing to you?
BB
I think it's normal. We are going to France this year and the campsite we are staying at sell them which suggests they are widely available. I have bought them from tabacs in the past too.BB
Usually some sort of local permit setup, even if (as experienced in the past) an entrepreneurial tabac owner with a printer knocks them up and flogs them for a few francs!
You could always ask a local if you need a permit - if you can find one on the bank - if they shrug or laugh, simply fill your boots!
You could always ask a local if you need a permit - if you can find one on the bank - if they shrug or laugh, simply fill your boots!
BigBob said:
kiteless said:
Hi.
Main question: are you planning to fish on rivers or lakes / stillwaters?
Not really planning anything. Over the last few years we've toured around taking in the sites and culture stopping mainly in Aires de Service and have been surprised how many have been adjacent or very close to streams, rivers, lakes, canals etc. Main question: are you planning to fish on rivers or lakes / stillwaters?
When my FIL passed away he left behind a load of tackle - where it came from I've no idea as I never remember him fishing - and thought it would be nice to spend some time with a beer or three, a smoke or two, a nice bit of bread and a piece of cheese.
Cheers
BB
I'm very much of the same persuasion when it comes to fishing: get to the river (I've never been to keen on stillwaters), set up, cast, settle back in the deck chair, and get oddly annoyed when a fish deigns to disturb my peace by taking the bait.
Anyway, if you're fishing running water, a couple of grains of sweetcorn on a size 18 hook will get some roach / chub / others of the same sort. a flake of bread (without the crust, as it floats) on a size 14 could also catch.
On a lake or canal? As I said, I dislike that sort of fishing, but maybe try some trout pellets.
Than again, if you speak fluent lingo ask the locals
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