A look at public carp fishing venues

A rummage around France

French carp fishing - In the beginning the monks introduced carp into the north of Holland, throughout Europe they spread, at times in history they were cross bread and introduced into thousands of stretches of water imn Europe and France. The many strains travelled the meandering waterways of mainland Europe often settling and breeding. Again and again the originals were cross bread by Europeans and introduced into other waters. It wasn’t too long before they found their way across the channel. What a journey to the land where carp fishing evolved. It’s an amazing expedition and one we are indebted to the monks for? My journey is back across the channel to the lakes and rivers of unknown potential
But firstly my history, back to a time not so many years ago when there were few commercial fisheries when one needed to explore the vast array of public waters in France before stumbling upon the gems. An era when your strategy was not only to outwit the carp but also in avoiding personal capture by the fishing police. The crime of night fishing in no night fishing zones was a crime of mythical proportions! Upon discovery, it was all for one and one for all, run, hide and escape or risk having your prize possessions confiscated.

Carp addict conversation

The conversation at a recent carp show between Jerry and I went something like this “Rod can you write some articles on fishing abroad?” “What do you have in mind, give me some direction?” “I want to know the other side!” “The other side? Explain?”  “Hardships as well as the successes, we don’t want commercial venues but the wilder side!” Without a thought I gave him my answer, “OK, I knew exactly what Jerry was saying” Did I really agree to this or were the previous nights vodkas still influencing my decisions? I’m now committed and cant go back on my word! So here goes to a series of finding some new venues. The criteria I have set is to target both day only and legal night fishing venues throughout mainland Europe, ranging from public to private French owned, lakes and river stretches that are nameless to the vast majority. Although the majority of my trips will be to France I have heard a few whispers of some lakes in Hungary and Italy that are being kept under wraps. It’s not an easy task, however due to having over 2000 venues on file throughout Europe it shouldn’t be a major problem, should it? I will let you know how I get on as it happens.
How I remember those days of combat carping in Savauge areas of lakes and rivers, savauge carping may be translated as fishing wild areas, wild being those of unknown quantity often in the middle of nowhere, waters that 99.9 % have not wet a line, places of untapped potential and generally overgrown. Should such places be my objectives for this series? Stick your hands up! I see that the majority of you would prefer to read about such adventures. How many anglers embark on the journey into the unknown nowadays? Not many, most want it handed on a plate, big fish commercial waters or the well known and already done public lakes. Don’t get me wrong, I am not knocking them as I have fished many commercial waters, but have recently suffered withdrawal symptoms and am looking forward to re-visiting my pioneering roots.
I will be sensible in my choice of waters, carefully selecting venues that all can fish, most allowing night fishing a few not, whatever the rules I will adhere to them and present to you the approach that I find most effective. Me adhering to the rule that’s a first! I must have gained some morals as the years have passed. My pioneering days are long gone but etched in my memory and the most meaningful.

Pioneering in France

Due to the terms the road ahead is thwart with uncertainty and it is not going to be an easy ride, allow me to expand, now the Ass Ed has given me direction I must look at the way in which I am going to approach this series, inevitably it means returning to my routes! In order for you to understand I must reminisce to some of my sessions of the late 80s and early 90s. They being more like a safari than a holiday due to the difficulties and adrenalin rush that accompanied those masochistic sessions. Many of the venues were full of sweat, some only had access by boat, and many were overgrown where getting to the waters edge was pretty precarious. Getting stuck in the mud or punctures was somewhat common. Preferred swims tended to be where the fish were rather than chosen for accessibility, this often meant chopping down the undergrowth to make space for a bivvy and keeping out of sight as there was often no legal night fishing. I even recall fishing a Dutch lake of unknown potential only be told after 3 days of fishing that the lake was drained and carp removed the previous year. I am telling you all of this to make you aware of the consequences of hunting for new venues, it can be rewarding, in the same breath it can be hard going! I will explain the ups and downs of this series and tell it as it happens, if I blank the article will still be wrote, however along the way I am sure to uncover a few gems.

The origianl carp fishing in france

Back then an angler was privy, not entitled to quality information, a time when I night fished a lot of venues without being seen or heard, the slightest noise resulting in you’re position being compromised, which may have led to arrest or tackle confiscation. I was never caught and would not advocate this approach nowadays, its not needed and frowned upon, not the way to promote ourselves. However I do intend to re-light my pioneering fire but not quite as severe as I chased my goals of the past. Only for you Ed I will write this and search for the new and will tell it as it happens! You will hear the hardships along the way, you will listen to my gripes throughout the ups and downs of it all. Oh and hopefully I will catch a few along the way.
So where do I start? Well, I think to begin with I should explain in detail the various categories of venues in France, as few understand them and maybe a little unsure of how to discover potential new venues.

Lakes in Europe can be categorized to public venues through to privately owned lakes, in order to help the average carp angler choose the right type of venue I will attempt to explain and give advantages and disadvantages to each. The categories will become clear as you read on.

Private Venues in France

These are lakes that have been purchased or leased and ran as fisheries on a commercial basis. They are on secured private grounds and often the first choice of the holiday angler. They tend to be hassle free and a joy to fish. Carp stock and size vary from heavily stocked fairly easy venues to out and out big fish lakes. The advantages and disadvantages are not the case for every private venue but only my findings on the majority of them. They can be sub categorized as follows:

English owned/leased commercial lakes

There are many more English owned/leased venues hitting the market every year, some better than others, but to read the adverts some give the angler the wrong impression, the fish will not jump up your line, there are many successes and as many failures. I have not fished all but have been in contact with anglers who rave about some and slag others off. Some of the venues that have a waiting list are usually top quality, they have a waiting list due to the amount of return customers, anglers that were happy with there first trip. Most English owned/leased venues are within a 4 hours of a port, keeping the driving distance to a minimum for the travelling angler. In my view the most important factor of English owned lakes is that the owner is likely to be a carp angler and understands the needs of the visiting carpist.
Prices on this type of venue are normally over £200 per person per week, the proprietor is not trying to rip anyone off, they are simply paying for the lake, the stock, its maintenance and advertising costs, to maintain a quality venue that costs quality money.

French owned lakes

Again these are privately owned lakes but tend to be open shop, by this I mean anyone can turn up and fish. There are literally hundreds of these with many of them catering well for the travelling angler. Many of the more experienced travelling carp angler fish these types of lakes, I know of several that have a good stock of 30 – 60 lb carp, but in the same breath I know of many that are out and out runs waters but you will be lucky to land anything over 30 lbs.
The main advantage with this type of venue is the price, they rarely exceed 140 euros (£100) per person per week!
Rules can be virtually none existent, the only worry these lake owners have is the constant threat of fish thieves, I know one or two now carry out random checks on vehicles leaving the grounds.
Most French lake owners tend to secure there gates at a certain time in the evening and re-open early morning, leaving a contact number for the angler to ring in case of emergencies through the silent hours.

Agencies for carp holidays

Agencies for carp fishing do exactly the same as any other holiday industry, except the agencies in this case are those that

Public waters - AAPMA

Carte de Peche- Photos, Id,

Public waters with controlling bodys
This type of venue is becoming more common in France nowadays, they are venues that are public but have a controlling club or body that has the rights to fish, when taking the right to fish, they also take up the rights to maintain the fish stocks and surrounding land, they are not carp fishing holidays as the Brits understand fishing in France. It may not be an angling club that is the main controlling body, for example on lac du der a Carte de peche is required and an additional licence, lac du der is primarily ran by the Nautic club. Another example is Etang Chantilly, the extra cost to fish this lake is approximately 110 euros (£80)

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