Any tips for fishing a BIG lake in France

[guinness]

Hi all

I live in the south of france and am about to start fishing a big lake nearby (600 HA) called Lac Montbel. Very few people fish for carp and most go for pike because they eat all of them!

I have bought a dinghy because you could never cast the distance needed and will start to look for features, depths etc. I understand the carp feed heavily on natural baits like crayfish so must search out where the crays live.

 

Does anyone have any basic ideas?

Paul Cann has kindly given me some tips relating to another lake he fishes about 3 hours away but i wonder if anyone had any tips? I was thinking of using maize to begin with as it is not widely used on this lake. But I also want to tempt the carp with something similar to crays. What bait out there actually smells like crayfish?

I realise i will need large, hard baits to stop the nuisance fish and crays but any other advice is appreciated.

 

Its a huge lake as you can see

the canadian airforce use it to fill up their firefighting planes!

 

Any thoughts or ideas welcome. I intend to spend a lot of time there!

Cheers

Guinness

[maxwell999]

I have had a look at the lake and wow. Its as stunning as it is big. Aswell as your dingy i think an echo sounder is a must not only to find the fish but to help map the bottom you should also really look into a gps system which will allow you to bait various areas and find them very accurately.

 

Hemp and maize has to be the way forward its cheep enough to allow a lot of pre baiting. I wouls concentrate on areas of depth cahnge bars and shelves where warmer shallower areas hit colder deeper areas.

 

Im very envious very very envious. was there an initial stocking? If so you should be able to find out as it was made in 85.

 

Best of luck mate keep us all posted

[guinness]

I have had a look at the lake and wow. Its as stunning as it is big. Aswell as your dingy i think an echo sounder is a must not only to find the fish but to help map the bottom you should also really look into a gps system which will allow you to bait various areas and find them very accurately.

 

Hemp and maize has to be the way forward its cheep enough to allow a lot of pre baiting. I wouls concentrate on areas of depth cahnge bars and shelves where warmer shallower areas hit colder deeper areas.

 

Im very envious very very envious. was there an initial stocking? If so you should be able to find out as it was made in 85.

 

Best of luck mate keep us all posted

 

Cheers for that

Yes i'm looking at an echo sounder too to help find the features. Also looking for a map of what it looked like after the pit was dug before it was filled. I think I have a lead on that one.

I also have a hand held Garmin GPS and was going to use that to help.

Not sure if there was an initial stocking as the french arent interested in the carp in these parts - they only want to catch what they can eat! But I am asking questions of anyone who knows anything there.

[fatfish]

I have fished the same 'Lac' a few years ago.There are some VERY BIG carp in 'Montbel' but finding them is the hard part.If you look across from the boat yard point past the 2 little islands you will see another point about 2miles away just to the right of this point there is a a mass of uncut trees under the surface if you have a sounder have a look.

This is a good starting point don't expect to bag up as the Lac is understocked for it's size but if you get a few out per season you have done well.

there are fish to well over 60lb

Good luck

[666carpcatcher]

Only tip i can offer is DONT surface fish as im sure no matter what tackle you have you aint stopping one of those planes

 

Looks a VERY big water mate and i wish you well on it

[guinness]

I have fished the same 'Lac' a few years ago.There are some VERY BIG carp in 'Montbel' but finding them is the hard part.If you look across from the boat yard point past the 2 little islands you will see another point about 2miles away just to the right of this point there is a a mass of uncut trees under the surface if you have a sounder have a look.

This is a good starting point don't expect to bag up as the Lac is understocked for it's size but if you get a few out per season you have done well.

there are fish to well over 60lb

Good luck

 

thanks for the info fatfish. Do you ever intend to fish it again?

I have only looked so far at the other end of the lake and was there this weekend but at the moment it is full to the brim! SO pretty unfishable for carp because of the underwater trees. Havent seen so much water there for years! Cant wait for them to drain off some for irrigation and the canadair to come and scoop a load out too!

When i get my boat next week i shall then take a good look around and see if i can find your spots too. I knew there werent too many carp there. From what I've rread there was a competition back in 2003 and they ranged from 8kg to 16kg then. And 70% of the fish hooked got snapped off! A combination of their size and the snags!

 

I intend it to be fishing/camping/relaxing (only 35 mins away from home)so not worried about getting lots - just a few biggies - hopefully

[guinness]

Only tip i can offer is DONT surface fish as im sure no matter what tackle you have you aint stopping one of those planes

 

Looks a VERY big water mate and i wish you well on it

 

LOL

i hope i dont cath one of those planes or

[guinness]

I have fished the same 'Lac' a few years ago.There are some VERY BIG carp in 'Montbel' but finding them is the hard part.If you look across from the boat yard point past the 2 little islands you will see another point about 2miles away just to the right of this point there is a a mass of uncut trees under the surface if you have a sounder have a look.

This is a good starting point don't expect to bag up as the Lac is understocked for it's size but if you get a few out per season you have done well.

there are fish to well over 60lb

Good luck

forgot to ask - what did you catch whilst there? And any tips on bait tackle etc?

[globetrotter]

I have fished there a number of times over the years and caught some very nice carp (my friend also caught the lake record when I was there).

 

It is not a difficult lake to fish in presentation of bait terms, but it can be a headache to get on the fish because there are so few per acre (it was not re-stocked after a fish kill many years ago).

 

There are carp to 60lb, but the majority are doubles and twenties, with some nice 30lb+ and 40lb+, with very few over 50lb. With such a big lake and gin clear water, it is watercraft that plays the big role here.

 

Boilies are the best bait here, although beds of particles does work as well.

 

A lot of people fish at distance, but I've had the best rsults fishing close in or tight to the margins.

[fatfish]

No i don't think i will be fishing there for a will as my work now takes up most of my time.

As GT said Boiles work well we only had 2 fish in the 2 weeks we fished but the weather was horrendous and it was hard work just baiting up with the winds of 50-60 miles per h most days.

[guinness]

I have fished there a number of times over the years and caught some very nice carp (my friend also caught the lake record when I was there).

 

It is not a difficult lake to fish in presentation of bait terms, but it can be a headache to get on the fish because there are so few per acre (it was not re-stocked after a fish kill many years ago).

 

There are carp to 60lb, but the majority are doubles and twenties, with some nice 30lb+ and 40lb+, with very few over 50lb. With such a big lake and gin clear water, it is watercraft that plays the big role here.

 

Boilies are the best bait here, although beds of particles does work as well.

 

A lot of people fish at distance, but I've had the best rsults fishing close in or tight to the margins.

Cheers for the info - so whats the lake record?

 

I spent a few days there last weekend and got one run which was dropped after about 10 seconds so probably something small picked up the bait but i never expect to bag up - just chill

 

I also intend to mix a bit of piking as I know there are many there.

Which section do you fish? Montbel or Leran side?

cheers

guinness

 

PS - its only 35 mins away from me so I intend to fish there fairly regularly

PPS - got my PB (44 pounder) at Salagou last month so very happy

[fatfish]

Well done on your PB

For the pike i would fish large live baits near the snags and there's plenty of them.

Lake record ? but i have heard of fish to 28kg +.

Good luck

[guinness]

..and maybe we can meet up and do a bit

[fatfish]

Sorry mate i live 10h drive from the lake and my work takes up ALL my time now i have spent to many years chasing big fish TO MANY ? now i take pleasure from growing my fish.

Best of luck with you quest.

Neil

[guinness]

Sorry mate i live 10h drive from the lake and my work takes up ALL my time now i have spent to many years chasing big fish TO MANY ? now i take pleasure from growing my fish.

Best of luck with you quest.

Neil

 

No worries mate. So what do you grow fish for? Pleasure or you do you have a lake? (ignore that - just checked out your website so I know what you do now. Cant you persuade Montbel to buy some fish to restock?!!)

 

I'm newly back in fishing mode and I can take work with me because I always have loads of reading to do and never seem to have the time at home. So I can justify spending hours/days in a bivvy seemingly doing nothing because I Am actually doing some work too

 

I was speaking with a fly fisherman today who knows the lake very well and fishes for pike with the fly (and he is a rare type because he is all for no kill for pike too) so we will be spending some time there together

 

I LOVE living in France

[fatfish]

I would love to stock 'montbel' i know my fish would do very well in there but it's not down to me that down to the local 'Fed de Peche'.

As i said good luck you could spend many years learning about a lake like that it truly is a special place.

tight lines

[guinness]

I have had a look at the lake and wow. Its as stunning as it is big. Aswell as your dingy i think an echo sounder is a must not only to find the fish but to help map the bottom you should also really look into a gps system which will allow you to bait various areas and find them very accurately.

 

Hemp and maize has to be the way forward its cheep enough to allow a lot of pre baiting. I wouls concentrate on areas of depth cahnge bars and shelves where warmer shallower areas hit colder deeper areas.

 

Im very envious very very envious. was there an initial stocking? If so you should be able to find out as it was made in 85.

 

Best of luck mate keep us all posted

 

Have found out a bit more info thanks to fatfish and friends

 

Also found out it was fairly well stocked but in 2003 there was a big melt of snow off the mountains in April when the carp were spawning and the sudden drop in temperature killed 75% of them

And it seems it hasnt been restocked since then so a low head count of carp there.

 

But I have my echo sounder and now am attacking the lake with gusto (when wifey lets me go!)

Only had 1 session so far with no joy but prepared to try try and try again as its only 35 mins away.

[fatfish]

Just keep baiting it they WILL come

good luck