River Lot, France. Found some nice carp - finally!

[Deleted member 2708]

About a week ago I decided to try slightly bigger boilie baits fished at long(ish!) range at one of my regular barbel swims. There is a bend which is almost impossible to get near on the bank but it looked the sort of place carp might hang out.

That's zoomed in but it needs a cast between 80-100 yds to hit the spot!

Well, I managed some reasonably accurate casting to put a 4 oz weight, bolt rig and double 20mm boilie bait mid river. That put the bait between the weeded shallows and the undercut cliiff (full of sunken trees!)

I had arrived at dawn and had my first screaming take an hour later. It took about 40 yds of line off a firm drag but fortunately decided to come back upriver. I met it chest deep on the outer edge of the weed bed about 10 minutes later. Netted the fish and almost swam back to base - elated!

About 40 minutes later a rerun of that story resulted in a slightly bigger carp which I weighed at 19.5lb.

Well, I was more than chuffed! But a few days later I went back to see if this was a regular feeding spot or maybe they had just been passing by.

Another dawn start and just as the sun appeared over the trees another screaming take. This fish was another fully scaled river carp which fought much the same but finally ran into the nearside shallows and around a sunken branch. Back into the river for me, yet another soaking! This one weighed 16lb.

Starting to see why the locals always have a rubber boat ready!

Getting the grip of this river fishing now, a Lot of fun!

 

[Jamie Warren]

Hours of fun right there, great angling mate

 

[Chris Guy]

Great report Steve. Wild carp fishing is just so rewarding.

 

[Clive Kenyon]

Sounds like you need a boat.

A couple of months ago we went to a small village on the River Vienne for a few days. It is just on the edge of my patch but I have never reccied the water. Anyway I set off walking between the fields and river and came across a herd of carp sunning themselves on the surface. I watched one carp that must have gone 30lb and there were others from under 10lb upwards. I walked further along the bank for a couple of kilometers without spotting anything else and on returning I saw what I thought was the same 30lb fish in a small clearing in the surface weed. Then it was joined by another of the same size, and another......... In the end there were five fish, all roughly equal size in an area of about 5 square yards. And then I spotted another that looked every ounce a forty. I know the Vienne holds fish to that weight so I shouldn't have been surprised, but I was.

Anyway, I managed a session a week or so later and landed this common, two ounces over twenty. The surface weed had grown over much of the hole where I had seen the five carp and this one burrowed right into that weed bed. Since then I haven't been able to fish it because of the weed and I suspect that they will have moved on now the weather has changed. Unfortunately you can't get to these by boat.

I might have found them again though as on Tuesday I spent a bit of time in the same pound (the area between weirs) and came across a lot of bubbling in one small area. The same weed is a problem but not to the same extent. I had a go yesterday but the weather Gods were against me.

 

[Deleted member 2708]

Sounds like you need a boat.

A couple of months ago we went to a small village on the River Vienne for a few days. It is just on the edge of my patch but I have never reccied the water. Anyway I set off walking between the fields and river and came across a herd of carp sunning themselves on the surface. I watched one carp that must have gone 30lb and there were others from under 10lb upwards. I walked further along the bank for a couple of kilometers without spotting anything else and on returning I saw what I thought was the same 30lb fish in a small clearing in the surface weed. Then it was joined by another of the same size, and another......... In the end there were five fish, all roughly equal size in an area of about 5 square yards. And then I spotted another that looked every ounce a forty. I know the Vienne holds fish to that weight so I shouldn't have been surprised, but I was.

Anyway, I managed a session a week or so later and landed this common, two ounces over twenty. The surface weed had grown over much of the hole where I had seen the five carp and this one burrowed right into that weed bed. Since then I haven't been able to fish it because of the weed and I suspect that they will have moved on now the weather has changed. Unfortunately you can't get to these by boat.

View attachment 12341

I might have found them again though as on Tuesday I spent a bit of time in the same pound (the area between weirs) and came across a lot of bubbling in one small area. The same weed is a problem but not to the same extent. I had a go yesterday but the weather Gods were against me.

Lovely looking carp! When you catch these fish you can bet they are genuine wild carp!

I have got an inflatable canoe and it is possible to launch it almost anywhere. Only used it once this year for a day exploring the river with my wife as passenger.

Unfortunately I did my back a few days later and have been reluctant to risk it since. I may feel brave enough to use it to check another stretch before the rain makes the river a bit more risky - maybe next week.

Found out a lot about the river with this little boat. Sally enjoys the river and catches a few fish.......

The boat package is small enough to fit in a car boot but it's on the limit of weight I am fit to lift. Hopefully it will get a bit more use this year!

 

[Clive Kenyon]

That looks ideal to use as a water taxi. I use mine mainly to get to places where I can de-camp and bank fish, or secure the boat to the bank so it doesn't swing about.

We were down the Lot valley last week at St-Cirq-Lapopie. I didn't have any tackle with me, but went off on the bike and found some places where I can fish next time I am down that way.

I have a similar problem at the moment. A dodgy knee prevents me from using the boat. Getting it back on the trailer on my own can mean a bit of a heave.

 

[Joe Winstanley]

Sounds like you need a boat.

A couple of months ago we went to a small village on the River Vienne for a few days. It is just on the edge of my patch but I have never reccied the water. Anyway I set off walking between the fields and river and came across a herd of carp sunning themselves on the surface. I watched one carp that must have gone 30lb and there were others from under 10lb upwards. I walked further along the bank for a couple of kilometers without spotting anything else and on returning I saw what I thought was the same 30lb fish in a small clearing in the surface weed. Then it was joined by another of the same size, and another......... In the end there were five fish, all roughly equal size in an area of about 5 square yards. And then I spotted another that looked every ounce a forty. I know the Vienne holds fish to that weight so I shouldn't have been surprised, but I was.

Anyway, I managed a session a week or so later and landed this common, two ounces over twenty. The surface weed had grown over much of the hole where I had seen the five carp and this one burrowed right into that weed bed. Since then I haven't been able to fish it because of the weed and I suspect that they will have moved on now the weather has changed. Unfortunately you can't get to these by boat.

View attachment 12341

I might have found them again though as on Tuesday I spent a bit of time in the same pound (the area between weirs) and came across a lot of bubbling in one small area. The same weed is a problem but not to the same extent. I had a go yesterday but the weather Gods were against me.

That's a really gorgeous looking common, perfectly proportioned, lovely colouration as well. Stunning.

 

[Clive Kenyon]

That's a really gorgeous looking common, perfectly proportioned, lovely colouration as well. Stunning.

Thanks.

It is surprising though how much the differ in the same river. This one was a couple of pounds lighter and caught at the same time of year but is much deeper.

And these two were caught just a few hundred metres apart.

You never know what will turn up.

 

[Jamie Warren]

Love it Steve, some great fish and some even greater experiences, always following your posts

 

[Deleted member 2708]

That looks ideal to use as a water taxi. I use mine mainly to get to places where I can de-camp and bank fish, or secure the boat to the bank so it doesn't swing about.

We were down the Lot valley last week at St-Cirq-Lapopie. I didn't have any tackle with me, but went off on the bike and found some places where I can fish next time I am down that way.

I have a similar problem at the moment. A dodgy knee prevents me from using the boat. Getting it back on the trailer on my own can mean a bit of a heave.

I have caught plenty of barbel not far from St-Cirq-Lapopie. If you plan on fishing there drop me a PM and I will share some swims. Lets see if this panorama photo of one of my favourite spots loads .......

There are about a dozen swims in that shot, I have had most of the river species there now, to good sizes. Not caught a carp there yet - but they are there! As long as the river is not in spate it is a lovely spot to sit and take in the view, usually enough bites to get you focused again on the fish!

 

[Clive Kenyon]

That looks like a lovely place to spend a day.
Are the Lot barbel of any good size? The ceiling around here seems to be just under 10lb

 

[Deleted member 2708]

That looks like a lovely place to spend a day.
Are the Lot barbel of any good size? The ceiling around here seems to be just under 10lb

My biggest weighed was 7.5 lb and I have had one a little bigger though not weighed. One of the local anglers tells me there are big barbel but did not elaborate on the weight - most anglers measure their fish here.

What the barbel lack in size they make up for in fight!

I have lost some big fish but suspect they were carp, fantastic speed from the off and usually straight into weed or sunken trees!

The recent carp I have caught covered great distance in a matter of seconds. Even on proper carp tackle they cannot be stopped on that first run and it's just down to luck if they stay out of the snags! This river is full of dead trees!

When I started fishing here I used tackle best suited to 4 lb barbel. I have stepped up to a telescopic pike rod in many swims now, the barbel still fight well on the tip but that rod has backbone lower down - just in case!

 

[Clive Kenyon]

Yes, the tackle question is always a problem. At this time of year I traditionally get wiped out by zoo creatures, probably catfish. But in general I can get by with a 1.75lb tc or 2lb tc quiver tip rod for carp up to 20lb. I had a two piece Korum Barbel Rod that would stop mid teens carp dead, but it is now a three piece rod so I might have abused it a little too much.

An old 2lb Shimano Purist Barbel Avon/Quiver hasn't failed yet and that has handled carp to over 25lb and three 9lb barbel. But if I am specifically targetting large carp, larger than 20lb, I'll opt for a 2.25lb tc Fox carp rod and Okuma Trent reel. That has handled carp and cats to over 30lb with ease. Eleven months ago I treated myself to a cane Mk. 4 Carp Rod and matching Mitchell half-bail reel. It is the opposite of the Korum Barbel Rod which caught 6 double figure carp on the six outings before it broke, and no barbel. I have had six species on the old cane carp rod including barbel, but no carp

I've fished the Lot at Cajarc and Capdenac but had no luck with carp. The locals always say that there are large barbel in the rivers, but if you see what they call large you wouldn't get excited about them. I asked on a French forum where the larger barbel were and it seems that 3.75 kilos is about all they would expect and that would be on the Seine or Rhone systems. There are some places I have found near to St. Cirq that should hold large barbel but it remains to be seen if they actually exist. I fancy the River Célé too down your way. The River Dordogne around the Rocamadour general area seems to be full of smaller barbel but again, the grapevine says that 'monsters' can be found around Sarlat. So many places, so little time..............

 

[Deleted member 2708]

Yes, the tackle question is always a problem. At this time of year I traditionally get wiped out by zoo creatures, probably catfish. But in general I can get by with a 1.75lb tc or 2lb tc quiver tip rod for carp up to 20lb. I had a two piece Korum Barbel Rod that would stop mid teens carp dead, but it is now a three piece rod so I might have abused it a little too much.

An old 2lb Shimano Purist Barbel Avon/Quiver hasn't failed yet and that has handled carp to over 25lb and three 9lb barbel. But if I am specifically targetting large carp, larger than 20lb, I'll opt for a 2.25lb tc Fox carp rod and Okuma Trent reel. That has handled carp and cats to over 30lb with ease. Eleven months ago I treated myself to a cane Mk. 4 Carp Rod and matching Mitchell half-bail reel. It is the opposite of the Korum Barbel Rod which caught 6 double figure carp on the six outings before it broke, and no barbel. I have had six species on the old cane carp rod including barbel, but no carp

I've fished the Lot at Cajarc and Capdenac but had no luck with carp. The locals always say that there are large barbel in the rivers, but if you see what they call large you wouldn't get excited about them. I asked on a French forum where the larger barbel were and it seems that 3.75 kilos is about all they would expect and that would be on the Seine or Rhone systems. There are some places I have found near to St. Cirq that should hold large barbel but it remains to be seen if they actually exist. I fancy the River Célé too down your way. The River Dordogne around the Rocamadour general area seems to be full of smaller barbel but again, the grapevine says that 'monsters' can be found around Sarlat. So many places, so little time..............

"So many places, so little time........."

It was probably articles in the old Angling monthly magazine, or maybe the earlier Creel magazine that I first read about the river Lot. I was in my teens (about 1970) and fishing the tiny river Gipping near Ipswich. I read everything to do with fishing that was available, there were some great writers around then. What I read seemed just too fantastic, I could never have dreamt I would get to fish this wonderful river!

For many years I was sidetracked by the sea. That is perhaps too much like hard work for my retirement years, so it is back to river fishing!

When my wife and I decided to move to France memories of those magazine words guided me to this place. No regrets! Maybe there is a better river for some species but this river has them all - and the scenery is quite something else!

One river seems quite enough to occupy my time and thoughts for now!.........and it's not the Amazon (even if this photo makes it look that way!)

 

[Clive Kenyon]

You live in a lovely part of the country Steve. We traveled from St. Cirq Lapopie to Rocamadour over the Causse de Quercy last week. I think if I were picking anywhere in France to live it would be that area or the Charente valley near to Chateauneuf s/ Charente. We go to both places several times a year in our camping-car.

Best of luck in locating the bigger Boris.

 

[Clive Kenyon]

Making the most of Un-Lockdown Day I went off to one of the two large lakes that are located at the head of the River Charente system. The weather had turned milder so I fancied the shallow arms of Lac Mas Chaban as being likely spots for some carp action. The first bay was fruitless but after lunch, not too far away I found what I was looking for............

It was nice to be out again. And tomorrw; a secies hunt on a small river.

 

[Deleted member 2708]

Making the most of Un-Lockdown Day I went off to one of the two large lakes that are located at the head of the River Charente system. The weather had turned milder so I fancied the shallow arms of Lac Mas Chaban as being likely spots for some carp action. The first bay was fruitless but after lunch, not too far away I found what I was looking for............


View attachment 13297

It was nice to be out again. And tomorrw; a secies hunt on a small river.

I like your style Clive! Classic old school tackle, that must have been fun!

This afternoon I am planning an exploratory trip downriver near Vers. In the summer I found a promontory that had a nice movement of water off the end and a massive back eddy downstream. With the river running too hard for many of my usual swims it is worth a look.

Blanked a couple of times recently, with the lockdown limiting time away from home to 3 hours it was a struggle to find fish. Can stay out today until darkness with the easing of regulations, might find a feeding fish yet.