Part
2 : Bait, Tackle and Food.
Its easy
to forget how important these three things are when planning a week
in France, especially when you have everything else to think about.
But if you can get this right you will be well on the way to an excellent
trip.
Bait
Find out what is being used successfully on the fishery as close to
your departure date as possible, don't rely on catch reports from 6
months previously when the trip was booked. Local knowledge can be key
so try and talk to the bailiff directly or someone else who is on site
everyday.
Some fisheries
have a particular bait that they use to feed the fish in the winter
months, or are sponsored by a bait company. These baits although often
not your first choice in the UK can work very well if they are introduced
regularly by other anglers and fishery staff. So don't rule them out.
You could try getting hold of a freshly rolled bait of the same spec
as the fishery bait as this will very often out fish the readymade bait
that is available there.
At the
end of the day though you need to be confident in the bait that you
are introducing so never compromise, make sure there are freezer facilities
if you intend to take fresh bait out, and confirm stock levels of bait
that is available at the fishery, you don't want to arrive and be told
there is nothing left.
Tackle
More often than not your English gear will be more than adequate for
the majority of French fisheries. However if you intend to fish at range
in some of the huge waters like Orient, and Cassien for example then
there are a few extras that you would need to consider.
Heavier rods, line and larger reels are important to enable you to fish
at extreme range and connect with the fish. Fresh line and shock leaders
are essential if long casts are being made.
A boat may well be an absolute must, not only for placing baits and
fish finding, but for getting to and from your swim, and to shops and
facilities.
Take plenty of leads, line and terminal tackle as these are not always
available on site. Batteries and good lighting is a real must, don't
get caught out it could be very costly!!
Food
It sounds obvious but not everyone fully appreciates how important it
is to stay well feed and watered during a weeks fishing. If you are
cooking for yourself make sure that you have plenty of spare fuel, and
a good cooker, that can take several pots and pans. Make sure that you
have a planned meal menu so that you don't have to think about what
you have to buy and how you can cook it on a burner. It takes a lot
of stress out of the trip if you are prepared and settled in your mind
when it comes to food. Believe me you will begin to feel rubbish if
all you cook is bacon rolls and burgers all week, so be a bit more thoughtful.
Pasta is an excellent food source, its readily available, cheap and
really easy to cook, you can also add anything to it and it will taste
good and fill you up nicely.
Make sure
that if you are cooking for yourself that you can get to a supermarket
easily and that it stocks everything that you need to make your meals.
Another
alternative that is well worth thinking about is to pay for meals at
the fishery lodge, quite often they will cook you fresh food three times
a day and even bring it to your swim. This does bring in another cost
but it can be a really nice way to meet other anglers and talk about
catches etc in a nice relaxed environment. And you don't have to do
the washing up, or go to the supermarket every day.
Just make
sure that you are certain in your mind exactly what you are expecting
and are prepared for it, don't leave anything to chance, because more
often than not you will be disappointed.
