My First Carp Fishing Trip in France – Recommended Gear Checklist?

[Dave812]

Hey everyone. New to the forum.

I'm a carp fishing enthusiast, planning to cast my rods on French waters this June. As a first-timer in France, I'm all ears to hear your suggestions on the must-haves to pack with me.

So far, here's what's going with me – a pair of carp rods, reels, bite alarms, and bivvy for the ultimate fishing setup. And yes, I can't forget to pack my go-to rigs, hooks, and the best selection of bait I can get my hands on.

But I'm just wondering, is there anything else that I should be keeping in check? Help me out here. Also, if there are any special rules or regulations, don’t hold back from sharing those either.

Thanks for the cool pointers, I'm sure it'll come in handy.

[carpepecheur]

This post is still valid but may not be up to date.

 

 

 

[Dave812]

Thanks mate

[elmoputney]

I think I went with the view it wasn't going to be too tricky and then didn't really take it seriously enough. I caught a few but probably should've taken my A game and worked a lot harder. Take the baits you are confident in and use what normally works for you but check venue rules as they can have some strange ones and they might not like you using certain baits. 

I did enjoy it though but it was also a family holiday so had to juggle a lot. French roads are great to drive on. The venue I fished was quite hard to find tbh. So make sure the sat nav will find the venue. I went back to disneyland this year and I have to say I love France now. The tunnel crossing is brilliant, Can't wait to go back. You need a car travel kit with beam deflectors, a high viz and warning triangle, and a UK sign. 

Supermarkets are pretty good tbh, nice food is available the breads cheese and pastries are amazing. We had that most lunchtimes lol, depending on when you are going Mozzie repellant, sun cream and a hat, 

Most of all enjoy it

Hope this helps 

[carpepecheur]

You don’t say where you are planning to fish. Can we assume that, like 95% of UK anglers coming to France, you will be fishing “up North” in one of the many dedicated fisheries run by ex-pats. In this case your best source of information will be the fishery owner/manager. It is in his interests to see you have a good experience and return next year and tell your friends.

I can’t help with that type of information because it is not my scene but I can offer some general advice that may come in useful. Generally, the fishing is exactly the same as UK but with a charming foreign accent.

As Elmoputney said, French roads can be a joy to drive on but they are pretty hot on speed limits. The limit is 80 or 90 kph on normal country roads depending on which Department you are in so make sure you know. The app “Waze” is a great help in this respect. Other speed limits are normally posted on the roadside. NOTE that the rectangular village name signs (with a red border) are official 50 kph speed limit signs.

The octagonal “STOP” sign means exactly that. You must stop (I count to four) even if nothing is coming. Gendarmes take great delight in pointing to tourists with UK reg plates that the sign is in English.

Beware of the sign that looks like a cross X. This means give way at the next junction even if you are on what seems to be the main road.

If you do not speak French, Hey Google is your friend. Just say “Hey Google What is French for …” and you will be able to read the answer and hear how it is pronounced. It works French to English as well if you cannot understand what someone is telling you.

If you want to consult UK content on your digital devices you will need a VPN because officially stuff like BBC and ITV cannot be watched when you are in France. You may need to be aware of the latest roaming charges now as well. I understand there have been big changes since Brexit.

If you are short of bait, here is a well-kept secret. Buy some Frolic dog biscuits available in many supermarkets. I have no idea why they work but I have had some stunning results with them.

Above all, have a great holiday and take any “you should have been here last week” conversations with a pinch of salt.

Bon chance.

[carpepecheur]

8 hours ago, elmoputney said:

I have to say I love France now.

Start planning your retirement in France now Elmo. No worries about Golliwog souvenirs here. Everything is very laid back including the fishing

[elmoputney]

3 minutes ago, carpepecheur said:

Start planning your retirement in France now Elmo. No worries about Golliwog souvenirs here. Everything is very laid back including the fishing

Ha ha you saw that then jeez never felt more ashamed we are becoming a fascist backward hole of a country, the pub in question has been removed from the good pub guide turns out the landlord was connected to racist group Britain first. 

Would be nice, I believe brexit has made it harder for us to become ex pats now though. The lake owner last year saying he bought just at the right time before the rules completely changed and it would be much harder for him now. 

[carpepecheur]

1 hour ago, elmoputney said:

I believe Brexit has made it harder for us to become ex pats now though. 

I don’t think the average Frenchman could be woke if he tried. Don’t be put off by Brexit. It is just a huge and expensive PIA promoted by cretins for the benefit of the gullible (but there again I could be a tad biased). The advantages of retiring here far outweigh the hurdles of doing so.

[elmoputney]

28 minutes ago, carpepecheur said:

I don’t think the average Frenchman could be woke if he tried. Don’t be put off by Brexit. It is just a huge and expensive PIA promoted by cretins for the benefit of the gullible (but there again I could be a tad biased). The advantages of retiring here far outweigh the hurdles of doing so.

The French are certainly better at opposing poor goverment decisions though, the goverment and their task force lobby groups here make us all just argue against each other to maintain the status quo. It seems to be working for them because they literally get away with murder. Corbyn got too close and rattled them though they still love to smear him and the left everyday, 

If I am ever in the position to seriously consider it I would do the research and find what needs to be done.it would be more a catalyst than a deterrent, But it also depends if I have any human rights left by then 🙄

[andywilson123]

Hello there! If I may suggest, it’s worth considering bringing a bait boat with you. I'm planning on fishing at Abbey Lakes as well with my new CatchX pro bait boat. Unlike in the UK, the restrictions in France are not as stringent, so you’ll have more freedom to use it. It’s always a good idea to check the local regulations for the lake, as there may be specific rules you need to follow. All the best for your trip, and may you catch a big one!