A few outings on the Charente and Vienne

[Clive Kenyon]

I've been struggling this year with unseasonal weather upsetting the rivers. The Charente is usually crystal clear all summer. Because of the continual rain it is carrying a lot of colour, limestone and mud. Lots of weeds coming downstream making longer casts a lottery. On the Vienne much of the marginal weed where you would expect to find carp are not there. Yesterday I was in one swim where normally the river's width would be down to one third due to weed beds. It is almost full width.

The fish are harder to find this year. It started off well, then petered out around May. Despite this, some new swims have shown promise for when things get better.

The barbel out here are 'fun size' running from a couple of pounds up to around four pounds. Many French anglers have never seen, let alone caught a 3lb barbel and a 7lb fish makes the local newspaper. Despite that I have managed to winkle out three 9lb fish and some between 7lb and 9lb. Not this year though.

 

[Mike Thompson]

Why do many European rivers only contain barbel to these proportions when they hold other species to sizes greater than in the uk.

 

[Clive Kenyon]

Why do many European rivers only contain barbel to these proportions when they hold other species to sizes greater than in the uk.

I have asked the same questions myself. The largest officially recorded French barbel that I have been able to find was 8.3kg and caught by a lure angler over 30 years ago. The next two wouldn't make thd Dearne record. I keep hearing of 10kg fish, but nobody has seen one let alone caught one. People claim that carp anglers on the Lot catch large barbel, but for some reason they don't photograph them. Can't see it myself.

The Charente is a larger version of the Hampshire Avon. Limestone country for over 100km. The Vienne is like the Wye, but both are longer than the Severn. Both rivers hold a lot of 50lb carp. I have spent nine years searching every likely place without breaking double figures. In reality I reckon the ceiling will be around 11lbs. My French pb is less than my fifth largest Dearne fish. The Dearne is about 40 miles long.

The French specialist barbel anglers struggle to get anything over 8lb and the only rivers thought to hold English doubles are the Seine system, the Rhone system and one river in Brittany. The Marne, a northern tributary of the Loire might just make the list, but from the Loire down it is quantity, not quality.

 

[Bill Walford]

Steve,
A mate has a house at Champigny sur Veude near Chinon and we’ve fished the Vienne at Rivière, have you heard of Barbel that far down the Vienne? When we’ve taken to the water in canoes we’ve come across the odd Carp angler but never seen anyone that even looks as if they are after anything other than the Carp or locals on the pole!

 

[Deleted member 2708]

I have asked the same questions myself. The largest officially recorded French barbel that I have been able to find was 8.3kg and caught by a lure angler over 30 years ago. The next two wouldn't make thd Dearne record. I keep hearing of 10kg fish, but nobody has seen one let alone caught one. People claim that carp anglers on the Lot catch large barbel, but for some reason they don't photograph them. Can't see it myself.

The Charente is a larger version of the Hampshire Avon. Limestone country for over 100km. The Vienne is like the Wye, but both are longer than the Severn. Both rivers hold a lot of 50lb carp. I have spent nine years searching every likely place without breaking double figures. In reality I reckon the ceiling will be around 11lbs. My French pb is less than my fifth largest Dearne fish. The Dearne is about 40 miles long.

The French specialist barbel anglers struggle to get anything over 8lb and the only rivers thought to hold English doubles are the Seine system, the Rhone system and one river in Brittany. The Marne, a northern tributary of the Loire might just make the list, but from the Loire down it is quantity, not quality.

Probably said this before, my barbel from the Lot have topped out at 8lb or so, just editing this as my records show the pictured fish weighed 7.6lb. I think I must have done the net subtraction wrong as it looked bigger then and still does now!

I did wonder if that fish was bigger than my scales said, but it is still under 9lb. Thought I had hooked a good carp for several minutes!

I usually fish biggish baits 20mm boilies the norm, sometimes a double large boilie to avoid small fish. As a bonus that has brought several good carp up to 44lb, you would think if there were bigger barbel I would have found them by now!

Lived here 4 years now, this has been the toughest summer so far. Like your rivers the Lot has been very strange in lack of weed and some unusual colour. Quite a challenge!

 

[Bill Walford]

Sorry Clive should have addressed this question to you but seeing Steve’s name immediately above as a like typed wrongly

A mate has a house at Champigny sur Veude near Chinon and we’ve fished the Vienne at Rivière, have you heard of Barbel that far down the Vienne? When we’ve taken to the water in canoes we’ve come across the odd Carp angler but never seen anyone that even looks as if they are after anything other than the Carp or locals on the pole!

 

[Clive Kenyon]

I don't know the area well enough to be sure. But the Vienne that far down is likely to be more carp, bream and catfish than barbel. Not too far away at Candice St Martin the Vienne joins the Loire and there are definitely barbel there. I've seen them. The Loire however is noted for having a large head of small barbel.

What Steve says about large baits, large carp, but no large barbel bears out my thinking, i.e. they don't exist. The question is why?

 

[Bill Walford]

I don't know the area well enough to be sure. But the Vienne that far down is likely to be more carp, bream and catfish than barbel. Not too far away at Candice St Martin the Vienne joins the Loire and there are definitely barbel there. I've seen them. The Loire however is noted for having a large head of small barbel.

What Steve says about large baits, large carp, but no large barbel bears out my thinking, i.e. they don't exist. The question is why?

Many thanks Clive

 

[Jon Frisby]

Lovely write up Clive, it looks like paradise there. Hope your well Clive, your certainly enjoying yourself.

 

[Clive Kenyon]

Thanks John. We can't complain. It is a lovely place to live and fish. Hope that you are well and still finding those old Dearne fish.

 

[Jon Frisby]

Mostly on a very opportunist Basis Clive. Went 3 times last year for the one Barbel, not pispondent at all, just need the right time and conditions.Glad your well and enjoying yourself... always wondered, hope you have a fishing pal to share your experiences.

 

[Clive Kenyon]

No John. I fish alone by choice. I don't usually plan sessions, mainly just grab a few hours after finishing work or on the odd days when I have no commitments. I've met up with visiting anglers and shown them places to fish (not my A List swims though ) and had a few hours with them, but normally it is a personal thing: me .v. the fish. And usually the fish win.

Whilst you can legally fish almost anywhere on rivers there aren't that many places on the Vienne where you could access a swim that you would want to fish. A lot of the river runs through pasture containing Limousin cattle and no road or footpath. I used Google Earth initially. Then went and explored; found acessible places of interest, plumbed the depth, made notes and went back at a suitable time. The problem is that in say 2 or 3 km of bank, there may only be half a dozen places where there is a gap in the trees and they might not be where the fish are. You can't see that on Google Earth. If you were to fish the next swim to me we might be a kilometre apart. In about 50km of the Vienne that is accesible within 20 or so minutes from home I reckon there might only be 4 or 5 places that could produce a 6lb barbel and 2 or 3 that might hold a near double. On the Charente and southern rivers like the Lot access can be a lot easier, but there are far more anglers in many of the carpy places.

It is a bit like the Dearne. Find the fish and keep it to yourself.

 

[Ben Marr]

Hi Clive,
Nice report and photos, particularly like the one with your dog, who looks very comfy!
Have you raided the local Museum for some of your gear ?

 

[Clive Kenyon]

Cheeky sod! Wait until next month when I'm showing you a humongous catfish caught on cane and pin. Then you'll want one

 

[Deleted member 2708]

No John. I fish alone by choice. I don't usually plan sessions, mainly just grab a few hours after finishing work or on the odd days when I have no commitments. I've met up with visiting anglers and shown them places to fish (not my A List swims though ) and had a few hours with them, but normally it is a personal thing: me .v. the fish. And usually the fish win.

Whilst you can legally fish almost anywhere on rivers there aren't that many places on the Vienne where you could access a swim that you would want to fish. A lot of the river runs through pasture containing Limousin cattle and no road or footpath. I used Google Earth initially. Then went and explored; found acessible places of interest, plumbed the depth, made notes and went back at a suitable time. The problem is that in say 2 or 3 km of bank, there may only be half a dozen places where there is a gap in the trees and they might not be where the fish are. You can't see that on Google Earth. If you were to fish the next swim to me we might be a kilometre apart. In about 50km of the Vienne that is accesible within 20 or so minutes from home I reckon there might only be 4 or 5 places that could produce a 6lb barbel and 2 or 3 that might hold a near double. On the Charente and southern rivers like the Lot access can be a lot easier, but there are far more anglers in many of the carpy places.

It is a bit like the Dearne. Find the fish and keep it to yourself.

I can identify with everything you say there Clive! My experiences of the Lot are similar - but my section is rarely accessible, even my best swim is now blocked by Japanese Knotweed. See my recent posts in "Photos of river scenes".

Went to look for new swims today, found a couple here.....

You can see what I mean......total jungle!

 

[Clive Kenyon]

I imagine that many sretches of the Lot and Dordogne rivers are inaccessible due go the cliff faces. And in the middle to lower stretches anywhere with an area flat enough to hold a bivvy will be known to the circus.

We are off for a few days in villages bordering the Charente tomorrow. I have a few swims earmarked from previous camping trips. Hopefully the holidaymakers won't have found them