flashgordon1952

I only use running rigs forall my fishing ! small leads of less than one ounce. 14lbs main line with 30lbs end braid on a size 6 or 8 hook ! no armoured line (end) unless its for cats or sturgeon. Keep it as simple as possible is my motto ! Line tends to be fluro unless i want to fish on teh surface. with either a pop up or bread /dog biscuit. fishing close in does not need heavy leads and any distance of up to 30 metres the light lead is ok. when useing a pop up . i tend to use a halved one on a 14/16mm boilie ,so the halved popup just lifts the boilie off the ground and no more.. i would use putty if was useing just the pop up on its own. But in this case would use a 20mm pop up but cut in a square rather than keep it round.

well 24 hour to go before the trip of a lifetime (for me) have i got everything ? 8 kilos of boilies 4 kilos of halibut (various sizes) 300 gram of popups. 8 tins of luncheon meat ,some small amounts of maize and sweetcorn. and about 12/14 kilos of groundbaits 2 litres of molasses 6 small 100 gram pots of hot chilli powder. (carp hook mainly hairs but with 300 metres of 40lb braid to make any hairs.needed plus 2 x100lb kevlar hairs for cat s plus the usual three quarters of an ounce weight for ledgering.. line mainly 23lb fluro but also loaded is 14lbs fluro and 16lbs nylon on spare spool/reel.. 5 carp rods 3x2.75 1x 2.50 1x 2.25 7 large baitrunners one tripod 3 rod pod. 6 spare bank sticks. 2 x steve nevilles plus 3 microns as well. not shure what bivvy to take the Nash explorer or the Atlanta one man Aim is a PB offcourse (no point going is there ?) love to get a 30 lbs (dont hold your breath) a cat (any size or a sturgeon too and hopefully a grass carp too. all pbs.

strange to find a swimming pool at a fishery holiday or well ! Try where i am going Etangs de Breton much cheapeer and yu get a proper place to stay ie a purpose built one bedroom chalet

Nash was a regular at the brentwood show for years but sorry to say the prices for me was a little on the expensive side.. think it worked out for the two of us (one non fishing) worked out at about £1200 for a week includeing everything. (bivvy and food etc). Maybe one day ! we have booked for the three of us (all anglers) with two cabins excludeing food,petrol and hire of large van and gear etc worked out at £350 ( for the three of us) with two lakes to ourselves , at a venue in Britanny in a "runs" water . best carp around 42lbs cats to 100 lbs and some small sturgeon

we arrive on saturday 30th june. for one week. I been told this runs water is pretty good (by uk standards) carp to 40lbs. and eagle has some good cats to about 60+. The only thing not looking forward is the night boat to le havre and it does not arrive until about 9am . we probably have a breakfast on the way but are going the coast route as it is cheaper and anyway we dont need to get there before 1pm..

this small lakes complex appears to have it all. situated 3 hours or less from Le Havre "runs waters" french style carp to 40lbs in most lakes. several lakes have cats to 80lbs.also blue sturgeon and grass carp , all these lakes are basically large ponds the smallest is about an acre or so and you have the lake or lakes to yourselves. they can handle a family of four in one lake normally its two anglers on the other lakes and 3 at a stretch.....note unlike most french lakes there are cabins or caravans to sleep in but offcourse yu can take a shelter . no need for a bait boat as yu have your own "boat" in every lake... run by englishman living on-site.. fishing in late june and with luck get a PB there also.... as my own is only 24lbs dont think that be a problem

A couple of years ago at the brentwood carp fair nash was there in force ,with videos of there carp holidays. yes they looked great but the price was well out of my reach ! This is the problem of going on a proper holiday than booking it yourself (through adverts in angling mags).i dont think there fish are any bigger than many other lakes in france and spanish rivers. Its strange the current world record is taken in germany and not france ! Anglers are now getting bored with france and spain for fishing holidays and looking further afield and cheaper . I gather slovakia and romania ,canada are now the places to go for fishing... And maybe in the future most anglers will turn there attentions to such countries. This is not surpriseing really the good old days everyone on a family holiday went to spain (60s) then greece and italy yugoslavia and turkey got a huge slice of the action.

yes i can see there might be a problem regarding these as france has some blackhole areas,especially in the rural areas This is something i need to find out ! pointless takeing one if there is not a signal .. and someone mentioned bartteries for alarms etc. Thought about buying a windup up lantern and several large rechargeable lanterns / torches... (these i get anyone for uk fishing) battery could be a problem to take abroad. and as someone said they are very expensive in france.. Petrol in france is more expensive so might be worth buying a couple of jerry cans (metal) especially if hireing a van ..

well i have still months to but i have a list.(there are some strange rules at the venue) fish mainly carp up to 40lbs but the choice of fishing for cats/sturgeon to about 60lbs in the other lake (we have the lakes to ourselves for a week) bait. luncheon meat 7 tins , sweetcorn one kilo of frozen , boilies about 3/4 kgs halibut pellets about 3/6 kgs maizeone kilo.. (note particles only allowed as bait) pop ups,maybe some surface baits too...(spodding is not allowed unless useing pellets) ground bait this i am limited too non- particles so probably useing grounded bread,..molasses, tuna, chilli powder. decided not to use any pellets at all unless i get them at the venue .... line 14lbs 18lbs and 23lbs fluro on each spool (spare ones) with 40lb braided hairs for end line if needed and the usual 20/ 25lbs size 4/6/8/10 hairs. rods one barbel rod rest will be heavier carp rods at least 2.75 or 3.25 for small cats/sturgeon reels 3 diawa 4500/5000 ABi and a mini bait runner . thats about it on the main gear.... can anyone think i may have forgot something ???

You could consider CB walkie talkies, CB is used throught europe and it would be a good way a relieveing the boredom particular intravelling throughout europe to fishing venues. also with a range of up to 10 miles useful for when going out to pick up "food " at the local village and leaveing someone behind to mind the rods for you. The big problem of standard walkie talkies is the range most claim up to one mile but in reality its more lke half that distance. with proper CBs are a much better bet ! main CB in car and walkie talkie at venue. Useing a mobile phone is not a good idea mainly because there are few hotspots and its unlikely a venue would have any signal ! and the cost is very high makeing calls...

Etangs de breton ! within one hour or so if going from portsmouth ! we are paying £600 for two lakes with exclusive use all the lakes have cabins or portacabins prices varie from£550 to 600. the lakes are small four of which are paired ! others are single lakes and all are small under 4 acres or less. Two are runs waters carp to 42lbs and cats to 50lbs or so. one of the lakes is cats basically and up to 100lbs with large carp and sturgeon. i am fishing in peters pool a small lake (the smallest there) there are mainly largish carp there 10lbs+ to 42lbs. Offcourse yu need to buy food and the usual travelling expences. But all in all its great value.. especially if there is 3/4 of yu in the double lakes. carp reports over the last 4 years have been quite impressive Poplars appears to be the best for sturgeon and peters pool for carp . you pay your money you take your choice

anyone been here ? we are considering in going to these small but quite lakes think about 5 hours from calais. 5 lakes and a pond. with chalets.

I tend to use very basic setups with very light ledgers (three quarters of an ounce)no lead nothing except for a bead swivel and shortish length of braided size 8 or 6 hair. For normal everyday carp this is perfectly safe. everyday to me means fish to 24lbs .useing fluro 14lbs as main line. For sturgeon and cats my setup would be a lot different but still useing smallish size 4 and maybe 6 hooks rather than the cat hooks normally used. but with a much heavier braid of at least 50lbs and main line fluro 20lbs or higher. again as basic of a setup i can possible make it. armoured fluro i may have to use for the first 2 feet (to prevent chaffing esp with sturgeons) but still useing light ledgers of under 1 oz.

i am looking for someone who is going to france fishing for 7 days who lives essex/london preferably ! Have the gear but no car but would be paying my share in costs . not bothered where in france or even spain. as long as there are fish. carp maybe cats and sturgeon. please send me a IM thks

i would like to go to france for a weeks carping in 2012 anytime after april would prefer someone who lives in essex /london/herts and is going from either channel crossing or stansted or london airport. willing to pay the petrol assumeing driving as i dont drive ! have bivvy and bedchair etc. would prefer a lake that fishes easily ie up to 40lbs. especially as its a first trip.