Road Trip
At 00.00 Saturday 27th June 2020. The Danish Health and Medicine Authority approves that Danish citizens, travel to Germany and France without business purpose.
A spontaneous road-trip has been outlined the previous week. A few hours after the border opens, I leave DK behind.
This night on German highways, is unusually quiet. It’s clearly noticeable on traffic, that Europe is in the scourge of covid-19.
New Waters: First stop will be at Jean Marc in the north of France. During the day, we look at future fishing-opportunities, in some local gravel pit lakes.
After a nice family-dinner my body is well sore. Later this night, it’s no problem to sleep.
Early Sunday morning the jurney continues, as I have an appointment with Jean Luke. He’s visiting Maxime Ribier (Max), who lives south of the city Avignon.
The rivers Rhone, Petit Rhone and Gardon got their flow in this part of France. Max been fishing here for the most of his live, which is characterized by a great local knowledge.
The scorching hot afternoon, is spent inspecting a few stretches of river. We agree to give the mighty Rhone our best shot.
At home with Max and family, the evening is spent by the pool, in an extreme hospitality.
Rhone: Monday morning, Luke and I are sailing on the largest river in France.
The site we have designated for our camp, can only be reached by boat.
A densely vegetated wetland, isolate this ground from the outside world.
Beside fresh tracks from wild-boars, everything seems perfect.
This peninsula breaks the river rhythm. A large area with sludge, silt, vegetation and almost stagnant water, is formed down-stream.
In a transition to the main-current, large dull vortices disrupt a calm surface.
On edge of the silt pad, there’s a depth of 3m. A solid rocky bottom continues 70m into the river, before it becomes soft again at the depth of 6m.
Preparation: A long narrow feed-track, consisting of 10kg home-rolled 20-24mm boilies, are placed from 3m to 6m, on the rocky bottom.
To avoid sailing when positioning tackles, the entire feeding is at caste-distance from the camp. This can be a great advantage, if the current carries grass and other kind of rubbish. In this case, lines will get picked up and result in repeated re-caste. On top of that, large shoals of small barbels haunts the Rhone.
When entering a baited spot, they clean it up and takes will appear. In a situation like that, you have to rebuild the feed-area once they are gone. Weather-forecast promise tropical nights, spiced with 38 degrees and sun, during the days. At evening time, we each got 2 rods in the water. Mine are located on the inside and in middle of the bait-strip.
Luke got a rod in the deep end, and one is used for searching fish in different areas.
The fishing: Drifting weed, rocky bottom and a lot of small fish, wears hard on the hooks. To prevent tying tackles indefinitely, is mine a 25cm long multi-rig. A sensible choice when hooks need to be changed often. It’s made of 50lb coated hook-link, and fitted with a wide-gape/beaked-point size 2 hook. The 5-6m long leader, is 0.66 trans/khaki snack-line. The main-line is 0.30 braided. One strong, simple and effective solution, that can be thrown to long-distance.
Hook-bait is a 24mm boilies from the bag. 120g lead turned out enough, to lock it on the bottom.
First river-warrior is banked at midnight. Next one follows 30 minutes later.
In 4 days, we catch about 25 common-carps. None of them exceed 12kg. But every single one fought, with the fierce strength of a river-carp.
Carps of Rhone, have by nature insanely tough/hard lips. 22 hooks were replaced along the way.
These fish live on premises of the river. Mussels and cray-fish are on the menu, so their mouth hardens from a very young age. The multi-rig had proven its worth.
After each fish, the feeding was supplemented with 1kg boilies.
It had been enough to stop them, as they pass by in small teams.
A monster: Max provided the highlight of the trip. Wednesday morning, he arrives in a fully equipped aluminium-boat. I’m offered to come along, and try fish for zander. Most of our runs had been on my rods, so I turned him down. It would make better sense, if Luke jumped in the boat, and that’s how it worked out.
They return after just 45 minutes.
In the distance I can see arms gesturing victory, and the cheers are not to be mistaken. In a short time, something very special must have boarded the boat.
After a short ride, they had searched a spot for zander. The light gear was quickly replaced as the echo-sounder had revealed a monster in the depths. Luke tried vertically, and instantly the catfish-rod got on a serious task.
“I can step out, and walk on it” Is his first thought when it appears in the surface.
Back in camp, they were able to expose a true beast measured 255cm. The catfish is in good condition, and should push the weight to approximately 125kg.
Luke caught a fish for live! Maxime had another great day on the Rhone!
Single night: Friday 3th of July we drive north again. Luke’s holiday is over. After some eventful days, it’s until we meet again. Saturday noon, I set camp at the “Gravel pit”.
Marc and I are going to Moselle region tomorrow, so there’s just time for a short trip.
Water-level is far above normal, and the platform is flooded. Its wooden-deck has been removed, and only a steel skeleton remains. A boat is dragged on top of the iron-frame, here I can set up my rod-pod. In extension are boat number 2, this is for the fishing and hopefully some fighting.
The effort pays off in respectively 15.8kg and 18.7kg mirrors. The latter, I had on land in August last year. It must have found good taste in my boilies.
Moselle: Sunday night at the river Moselle progresses in silence. Marc and I parked the car at a camping, and launched the boats from there. During our search for a spot to fish, a striking green nature-scenario had revealed itself in front of us. Fishing for these carps, is said to offer few catches.
If it succeeds, there should be a good chance for a big fish.
At dawn I’m awakened by the sound of a river-barge. Between the forest-covered mountain sides, it slides through the haze with a hum.
A breath-taking morning to wake up and enjoy, while the sun works its way over the treetops.
Heavy: Second night, a single bib sounds in the dark. I leave the bed-chair, and sits behind the pod, so I can keep an eye on the rod-tip. The line tightens on the rod next to it and slacks again. This stinks of disturbing small-fish! Minutes later the run is not to be mistaken.
I jump in the boat, and with turned on head-lamp and echo-sounder, I move above the fish. This lonely light-source for miles around, thereby attracted an unforeseen amount, of mosquitoes. The Helix-7 screen went black under the siege, and the head-lamp had to be turned off.
Seen with Marc’s eyes, I disappeared into the darkness. He shouts, if everything’s okay! And I must be careful with the fish, as it may be the one, we came for! So far it moves heavily over the bottom, in a depth of 6m. I was inclined to agree with him!
After a while, some characteristic dunks are felt through the line. It could really resemble the blows from a catfish-tale, when it drills itself to the bottom in fatigue.
When there is no more doubt in my mind, I put some extra pressure on. In company of a billion mosquitoes, I can put my hand in the mouth of a 20kg catfish.
Adrenaline is instantly replaced with disappointment. 2 hours later a 15kg cat hits the deck. 3rd night we can’t avoid Moselles uninvited guests. Liners and takes from small catfish, make it an easy decision, to pack up and leave Wednesday morning.
Marc’s friend Fabrice, is the owner of a commercial-water, half an hour drive from here. It will be next stop on the journey.
Les Etangs Moulino: Covid-19 has drained Fabrice’s lakes for customers. After a lunch, we go for a walk in the area. It’s a no-brainer! Until we leave tomorrow, this good man has given us completely freedom, to do what we want. A 6ha big lake, contains the largest carps. Some ultra-shy 25+, are hiding here somewhere.
We will try to find one of them. It’s extremely rare these carps are outwitted. Many anglers had left this lake, with no action at all. Boats are by the way not allowed, but today there’s no rules!
An area behind the island, can be reached from 1 of the 3 spots at the lake. That is, if the line crosses 2 other fishing-zones and a boat is used. Due to blind angles, it would under normal circumstances, be impossible to sneak a tackle in here.
Rig and bait: 15cm long combi-rigs, are tight with 30lb soft-coated hook-link. They are finished, with a wide-gape hook size 4, fitted with alinga and anti-eject effect.
The bait is a tiger-nut that is divided in the middle, and pulled on the hair, with the cut-surfaces away from each other.
10mm from the alinga, sits a little puddy to pin-down the hook-link. Not too much, but enough to also delay the hook, so it turns and find its grip, in lower lip.
Between puddy and alinga, the coated hook-link is stripped, then will hook and bait move freely.
170g lead locks the tackle to the bottom. Lead-clip is set to release the ballast with ease.
20 nuts are divided in the middle, it will be the sparse feeding behind the island. On an edge of some weed, the 40 pieces of food are neatly distributed, in a narrow 1.5m long belt. Here the bottom is made of sticky clay.
Rig and feeding are an attempt to imitate tiger-nuts from carp defecation.
The hook is located on edge of the feeding. Lead and leader are pointing away from this small strip of bait.
Then no one will stumble across the leader, when they search between the nut-pieces.
Rest of the rods are placed sneaky, but this spot shines through and gives hope for a miracle.
In the afternoon, Fabrice pulls a nice 15-16kg leather-carp. He just wanted to show, what we also could be doing.
One chance: The rod at the island provides a gently drop-back.
It’s followed by slow tightening and steady clicks from the brake. Quite calmly I can move something heavy, a few meters through the water.
2 almost imperceptible thumps assure me it’s there.
Feeling of deadweight continues, while we sail towards the fish.
5m in front of the boat, the hook loosens without a warning! Only evidence of activity, is a large soft vortex in the surface. Few powerful words are formed in the silent night.
Thursday 9th July, It’s farewell to Fabrice.
River Moselle is canalized and big boat-locks for the large barges, controls the water-flow. In same landscape, the river Moselle-Sauvage has its natural course.
This river is untamed by human hands, and upon closer inspection this morning, it was added to the list, as a future fishing opportunity.
Back: 5 days earlier, I found a sensible spot in the “Gravel-pit”. Remaining 3 nights of the trip, would be spent here. Marc had work and family, that needed his attention, so I was left to myself. Late in the afternoon, all the gear is loaded into the boat.
Due to high water-level, the lake has flooded most spots to fish from. A small point offers a little space, and from here I can fish into a larger bay, that clearly contained carps.
Some of the bags are thrown on land, and the spot gets a quick inspection. Few steps later, the first ants are kicked of the shoes.
The ground is crawling under my feet, and a minor invasion of the luggage is in full approach.
With brushing hands, the bags are thrown back where they came from. When the boat is kicked off-shore, there’s far too many blind passengers onboard. The giant colony had simply immigrated to surface, as the estate had been filled with water from the lake.
The distance: placed at the flooded platform, I can fish the tip of the ant-point in to the bay. It will be as close I get, to where the carps had been located.
One of them was really rough, and the size alone separated it, from its fellow-species.
It looked like 300m long-distance, and that’s how it had to be for now.
4kg mixed tiger-nut/boilies are laid in a 10m long track, from the point and into the bay. The feeding is 2m wide, and lies at the foot of a steep slope, in a depth of 4-5m.
It should make them stop, if they were to move around the corner. The tackle is held in position on the point, with 230g lead. Hook-bait is a 20mm from the bag.
Needed rest: It’s dark before all the gear are in place. At midnight a fast meal is consumed, and a minute later, I fall asleep.
The body doesn’t move again until 11 o’clock next day. Feeling a bit dazed I check the rod-pod, but there’s been nothing. A couple strong cups of coffee, forces sleep out of the system.
Last days: At 12.15 a 13.8kg mirror kicks of the Friday. It was hooked on the point, and the tackle was quickly put back. The track of bait was supplemented with 1kg nuts/boilies.
2 hours later, it’s one more round with a 10kg.
Last 2 days, the ant-point pays off in 4 more carps. All got caught in the hours after midnight, and weighed from 15.1kg to 17.1kg
This 70ha large and 35m deep gravel-pit lake, kept its big specimens to itself. The banks are either covered by old trees, or unstable steep slopes of gravel, rise almost vertically to the sky.
Vast majority of the water, can’t be fished from the bank. If its potential was to be fully exploited, heavy tolls were needed. Next time I would be better equipped for the task.
12th July 2020: After a good lunch at the home of Marc and his wife Celine, it’s time to drive for DK. 17 days had flown by, and the impressions had been overwhelming.
I still have my first 20kg French carp, on the list of wishes. Pieces to the puzzle, consist of good friends, wild rivers and inaccessible lakes.
Now it just needs to be assembled, so that the picture can appear clearly.
Martin Stormly 2020.
