Every Sunday, Bruno Garcia from the Charente-Maritime fishing federation answers questions from listeners of France Bleu la Rochelle; Today Jean-Louis has recently arrived in Saint Savinien. He has been fishing for a long time in the north of France in shallow channels. He finds himself completely helpless to practice roach fishing in the Charente river where there is very often current and 5 to 6 meters deep. Can we help him adapt?
Bruno Garcia : The Charente river is a watercourse that abounds in fish but I grant you Jean – Louis coarse fishing is particularly difficult there for the reasons you cite.
How to deal with the current?
The line should be weighted enough to reach the bottom as quickly as possible. Do not hesitate to use a float of 2.5 to 3 grams which will allow you a very fast descent to reach the bottom. Your weight will be grouped and not spread out to save a little more time.
One float rather than another?
Yes, as little current as possible, I have a small preference for “ball” floats with large antennas.
And the trick for these depths of 5 to 6 meters?
It is imperative to practice with long rods, the ideal in these conditions are rods of 8 to 9 meters. You know Jean-Luc that in all cases the length of the line, that is to say the length of the nylon must be less than the length of the rod. Quite simply to make your line easy to handle, to catch the leader for example when it is necessary to change your hookbait. You cannot imagine a 6 meter rod with a nylon length of 7.50 meters. Your line would be very difficult to handle. All these criteria are unavoidable in a watercourse where current and significant depths are combined.
The priming we were talking about last weekend but which is perhaps specific to the Charente river
It will be copious this boot. 8 to 10 orange-sized balls well concentrated on a small surface. Be careful considering the current slightly upstream of the position you have chosen.
The current will naturally do its job! A little word on the line.
A 12 hundredths in the body of the line and a 10 or even 8 hundredths at the bottom of the line. Be careful though, large roaches weighing several hundred grams are not uncommon on the Charente and I would add that the landing net is essential.
A few news items?
Yes, since last Monday the uprooting of water primrose, this undesirable plant, began on the Marans – La Rochelle canal. This intervention using light boats will extend until July 21 from the town of Andilly to Périgny.
Last Saturday, there was a pair fishing competition on the Charras canal. Despite rainy conditions, nice scores were made with catfish, roach, bream, crucian fish, carp and the surprise, a nice zander. Congratulations to the best teams in this event: 1st – Maillet Danièle and Maillet James, 2 -nd Alain Haidopoulo and Richard Chrétien, 3rd Mercier Patricia and Mercier Hervé. And especially thank you to all the volunteers for their involvement and to the UNIMA (Union des Marais de Charente-Maritime) for cleaning the banks before the competition. Last Sunday’s competition in Saint Jean d’Angély on the body of water for small but numerous fish. The filamentous algae consequences of the scorching temperatures made fishing difficult etc. I remind you that this weekend is the Master and Veterans Championship on the Lindron in Marennes. Given the fish potential of the Charente-Seudre canal and the level of the competitors, the show is guaranteed.