Sam
says that I've got a little blasé last night when I wasn't
even going to photograph my net of 4, 5, and 6 lb bream, and perhaps
I was, but that 's what this place does to you when such little
effort is involved in catching such big fish. 2
hours of fishing can put a 50 lb net of bream on the bank, all
specimen size.
How can you not get blasé when your first cast of the
holiday, from the bottom of the garden, to unbaited water, produces a
4.5 lb fish in just 10 minutes? Now I am off to that carpy swim for
one last go at a wildy before the holiday's over, then it's back to
the reality of UK fishing. Give
me blasé any day of the week!
Paul Steele (June 2008)
PRACTICAL
INFO: Although Sam can guide you to many swims on the river
which have been known to produce, a child could catch fish from the
bottom of the garden and I never left the one swim all week! Call me lazy!
Sam has
a covered 'lock-up' to keep your gear in between the house and the
river, i.e. right by the swim, so absolutely no need to take down
your at night or carry unnecessary stuff that you 'may' need later,
and no fishing gear in the cottage--perfect!
I fished
and caught all week on Red
maggot
(get them in the UK as the French only stock pinkies and lesser
quality maggots), despite being equipped with sweetcorn, worm, and
maize which are all supposed to work too.
Swimfeeder
is the best tactic and due to the flowing current of the river, the
only reasonable option in the swim behind the cottage. Although float
fishing would probably work on different slower stretches that we
(both my wife and I) saw when walking the towpath.
I fished
4 lb line, but to be honest I tested lines up to 8 lb and it didn't
make a difference to the action really, but with no real snags, if I
were to fish again, it'd be 4 to 5 lb line.
Hooks:
again, anything from a size 10 to a size 18 caught fish equally
efficiently, and due to the flow and colour of the water, coupled
with the competition for food, a size 10 hook stuffed with 7 maggots
sometimes proved more successful than the traditionalist stealthy approach.
The river
bottom is made up of silty-clay and slate, and the feeding
action of the bream, coupled with the erosive nature of the current,
had a habit of exposing the rock resulting in feeders and hooklengths
snaring the bottom and the loss of tackle--bring plenty of large cage feeders.
Finally,
don't forget your keepnet (like I did), you're definitely going to be
needing it! Thanks for the loan Sam.
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2004 - 2008 Fish&Fun Brittany