cobleyn

I'm there in three weeks...so will hopefully be able to shed some light when I get back.

If the lakes not snaggy, or there aren't fish over 60lb's; I would say there's no need to go above 15lb's. I'm going to Vallee in a couple of weeks (Carp to 65lb,cats over 100lb and sturgeon to 90lb) and I've only got 17lb tiger flouro on. I would still expect to cast 120 yards with that.

It really depends where you are going. If you're heading onto Chatecoq or Cassien and boating your rigs out to 250+ yards, you need to make sure you can put that amount of line + 50 yards for playing the fish (before you get in the boat) on your spools. if you are on a normal French lake- i.e. one that's similar to a UK lake (up to 120 acres) - then there's no issue with your normal UK gear.

@Carpfisherlee. - I agree with your sentiment. There are other good baits out there. But where do you start when you are just beginning. There are 20 different companies each with 10 different varieties that all seem plausible. Every company calls their bait "tutti trifle fish splat" and all young anglers do is say"is this any good" on the forum and there will always be an angler who will say something good about any bait. Very confusing for the new angler. There isn't a carp that swims that won't eat Nutrabaits Pineapple and banana boilies. Its been around for 10+ years and has caught a million carp. Not cheap I know - but if you want a bait that you can 'take anywhere' and know it will work- it ticks the boxes. I haven't used Richworth or mainline- but know by reputation and longevity that they are proven carp catchers. I'm just trying to make life easier for newcomers until they have dialed in the rest of their game.

Hey Ross -Best advice is to go to a high stocked water- with some smaller fish and just learn how the rigs work. Don't worry too much about 'getting done' at this stage and being paranoid about not getting good bite indication. Most anglers sit in the backs of their bivvys and attribute odd bleeps to the wind without even looking up from their magazines. Sorry- a bit off topic. If you go to a runs water or match type lake such as drayton or earlswood and learn to sit on your rods - watch the water and just enjoy catching fish. Your knowledge of rigs will improve over time. One is pretty much as good as the other for 70% of the waters you will fish. Old, wily, pressured fish that have natural food at their disposal can get 'riggy' or at least we convince ourselves that they do after our 10th blank on the bounce. But I would avoid those waters like a plague for at least 5 years. Just enjoy your angling and try and take a few seasons to learn your trade- most of all fish safe ie. Keep your rigs safe for the fish. On the topic of bait- Boilies are there to make money out of anglers who don't know any better. If its taking you hours to get your rods in position and you are leaving them out for hours/ days at a time- use them by all means- stick with Nutrabaits, Richworth or mainline in flavours that have been around for 3 years+ and you won't go far wrong. If your rigs are getting tangled, or your casting isn't accurate, or you think you may have dropped into weed- take the opportunity to re-cast after half an hour or an hour. If you are doing this there is no reason why you cant use maize, maggot or worms (unless you are surrounded by nuisance fish- in which case stick to maize as its a bit more resilient). Having a rubbish boilie on will diminish your chances, rather than a single piece of artificial maize or some jolly green giant which will catch literally ANY freshwater fish that swims. Seeing 'Named' anglers on tele dropping 3 kilos of boilies on each rod out everytime they fish- make anglers think that this the way forwards. Remember- you are there to catch them- not feed them. Most angling programs are there to sell you products- not to teach you how to fish.

Thule do a huge roof box that will swallow all of your rods, which is a good start. Most waters respond to bait due to the high stock levels, so be prepared to take a lot of bait. Bulk sacks of 22mm halibuts work out well.

First piece of advice I can give you is wait till the spring. You may end up reeling back in a soggy bag in the current water temps!

Sorry- not been for 7 years.

Odd post Pippa; you seem to suggest that just about everyone is wrong apart from you?

I've looked at Vallee at few times for me and the family. Not been myself but seems to tick most of the boxes. Further South there is Les Fortnierres. I stayed there three years ago with the family and it was a XXXX hole. However, there's some new owners and it looks well nice now- nice lake, with some good fish in it.

On the hinged 360 rig I have been using latterly this year; I've been tying the pop-up onto a mini swivel that is threaded onto the shank of a longshank nailer. This is then held in place by two float stops. So the hair (ie. the swivel) is only a 5mm long,but it has the ability to move 15mm as the carp blows out,as its not anchored in place on the shank. I can't say I fully understand the physics of how it works- but it seems to be doing the business. NB. Whilst I haven't noticed mouth damage whilst using these hooks- I do understand the issues with them and wouldn't recommend them to anyone fishing for fish that will get caught more than a couple of times a season.

I seem to recall a thread like this a few weeks back entitled KISS (not the rock band). My views are much the same as that topic. Keep it as simple as you can- but only if circumstances allow. If you need to go complicated- keep those rigs and rig tying materials in your back pocket (not literally) if you need them. I've seen one or two high profile fisherman saying ' this is all you will EVER need' a smiple knotless knot using a combi link material with some shrink tubing and a bottom bait with some plastic corn. ......WRONG..... You throw that into a lot of lakes and you'll never get a bite. Its just an indication that a lot of 'names' fish flat bedded pits and ponds with no weed, snags or silt that are well stocked. Unfortunately they need to catch fish for magazines so have to fish easy waters and just assume that their simple wonder rig works everywhere. Kevin Nash has released a DVD about rigs and rig evolution that gives a really good insight into a thinking mans approach to rigs and how and why he's used the rigs where he has over the years. I've personally started to use more 'complicated' rigs again this season after watching the DVD and thinking more about application,as I got into a rut of using the same things. I've added a combi rig using stiff flouro and supple braid (hinged on a loop and a swivel)- instead of shop bought combi material and a hinged stiff rig using a 360 style arrangement to my armourey this year. The combi link has seen moderately more success, but the otehr rig has smashed one water in particular, that was proving to be tough. So I think it does make a difference.

If you have soft rods and the water is snag free- you could go as low as 8lb. 10 or 12 is about right with 15 if its snaggy.

Carp adapt their feeding habits dependnat on the ir environment- not the country. Lots of fish at caught at casien between 30 and 45ft. On the st. lawrence a simliar occurence happens (30-40ft)- although I know a diver who's been in the main boat channel and seen v.v. large carp at 60ft plus (but not feeding).

I finished a book recently called 'Seized' about a guy who travelled all over the world stealing back ships from pirates- that was pretty good- well worth a read and something completely diffferent in terms of the life experience that this guy had. I've just started Frankie Boyle's book 'My S**t life so far' and have been laughing my ass off. If you like his stand up (and if you havent seen it - and aren't easily offended its the funniest DVD I've seen in 4 years) or his panel show stuff- it'll make you crack up.

If you are fishing choddys in weed, please make sure a: your top bead can easily pass over the top splice of your leadcore/ line b: you use a rotten bottom (3lb or such like) to attached you lead. If you need to wind your cast up and think the light line will snap - you can PVA Tape/ string it on.

I believe that that and and very fine braids (dyneema) tend to cause more damage than that of a round or loose weave braid like Herculine Heavy. I've played around with flat braid and it doesnt mark the fish like round braid does. I've had 40's, 50's and 60's on it that dragged me round the lake- but came in with clean mouths. I never got one that sunk though in colors that I liked- so I abandoned it.

You can either use a slightly thicker braid or hunt down some flat profile braid. Terry Eustace is prototyping some at the moment.

ditto. short links when pva bag fishing...long when fishing boilies spread out. I sometimes like a longer hooklink when I'm fishing for bigger carp too, I think they can get it in their mouths easier due to their bulk (when they are having to 'up-end' to get food in their mouths) and the sucking power that they can generate with their bigger mouths and gills.

Make sure you are not using it on the wrong bottom/ rig. It can have a tendancy to stick up at funny angles and look a bag of spanners on the wrong bottom.

I think there is a large piece on it in Bill Cottams book. If its is the one that I am thinking of - get ready to be smashed by Crays!!! You have just enough time to prepare 'the ultimate cray deterrent'. PM me.

Try using a ring swivel with it, or attaching it to the swivel with some sort of loop not ( I tend to use an overhand loop because I'm lazy- I know theres stronger loop knots but its never let me down yet on fish over a ton). The extra flexibility will allow it to pivot easier and go in the fishes mouth more naturally.

kryston quicksilver- tough as old boots- 35lb or 45lb

Try readin bill cottams book- a couple of chapters are dedicated to it and might give you some ideas.

Just finished Bill Cottams book. Great read, some good tales that normal anglers can relate to about early days fishing, through an angling career progressively catching bigger and more sought after fish. Definately not a "I sat for 300 days without a bite" book, or "heres the latest fantastic rig, rod, reel that I owe all of my success to".