Barble fishing in France

[Philip Inzani]

I live in France (Paris) and I am looking for some Barble rivers within resonable travelling distance?something I could manage for a day trip. I know the Seine holds them but I am really looking for smaller more intimate rivers, somewhere perhaps I could stalk them. I used to fish the Kennet and Wye back in the UK to give you an idea of the type of rivers I like.
Barble fishing is nothing like as popular over here, probably due to the fact that you cannot eat them!
and so information is at a premium. I am happy to share any results I may get with the forum to act as a future reference for anyone consoidering trip over here after Barble.

Philip

 

[graham teece]

Philip, My experience of French barbel fishing is a little limited but I do know that the following rivers do hold good sized fish: Cher and Loire near Blois and Montrichard, Essone, which is close to you, Doubs above the slow lower section and I think the Ardeche but I'm not sure of the sections. Hope this may be of some help to you.

 

[GrahamM]

Philip, we will be very pleased to hear from you about your barbel trips. If you get any pictures please let me see them and then maybe they can be used in Fishingmagic for all to see. I believe there are some really huge barbel in France if you can find them.

 

[Philip Inzani]

Graham, thanks for the info. I was particularly interested to hear about the Essone. I have spent quite a few afternoons looking at different sections of that river as it looked right. Although I did not find any fish (saw some good Chub) your comments have renewed my "faith" to have another go. Did you come over to France to fish specifically for Barble or where you over for Carp/Catfish etc and ended up catching a few ?

 

[graham teece]

Philip, I manage to get to France only about once or twice per year with an occasional working trip. My fishing time there is generally spent searching for carp and catfish, now almost solely on rivers, but always with a feeder rod out. The only information I have on the Essone is secondhand but I do know that it holds fish to at least 14lbs. I think the stretches around the village of Maisse have produced big fish. Hope this has been of some help.

 

[Philip Inzani]

Graham, thanks again for the info. Dont know if you have any trips to France planned but if you come anywhere near Paris and fancy a go after Barble, give me a shout.

...like you I find I am also moving more and more to the rivers for Carp as well.

Philip

 

[graham teece]

Philip, Hopefully the next time I'm in France we could perhaps fish. I've recently returned from a trip-2 weeks travelling the Saone, Seille and Doubs. Unfortunately the carp semed only interested in spawning and the catfish refused to look at baits dropped on their noses. That's fishing!. If I hear of any more barbel rivers I'll let you know if you let me have your e-mail address. You can contact me at silure@supanet.com
Good luck.

 

[Philip Inzani]

Graham, you can contact me at:- MAHPIY@ROHMHAAS.COM Sorry to hear about your latest trip, it sometimes happens like that...makes any results more appreciated next time! I just spent the weekend checking out the Essone again armed with a gallon of particles! I Baited up several likely areas where I could watch the fish but could not get anything other than tons of chub and a couple of reasonable Carp over the bait. Could just be me but I have a feeling that there is quite a small head of Barble in there or I am sure I would have at least seen or suspected one by now. I am going to give it another go although I may well try and travel down to the Cher next weekend, I think it may be a bit less of a "head banger" venue.

Philip

 

[Pete Falloon]

Hi Guys
I'm interested in french barbel/barbeau as well, cos my missus comes from Vendee. A guy called Eric Loquin posted the
www.barbel.co.uk board a while ago, he said there are tons of shoal fish in the R. Lot, and also fish in the river Eure. I have to look at my emails at home, but Andy Stafford also mentioned a french river to me. I've invited both of these guys to post here, so the info can be in a public place.

hope this helps
tight lines

Pete

 

[m35]

hi' i live in france .

If you are looking for chub, you can find them in quite almost rivers (small and big).

Concerning barbel, i know one of the main french river, the Loire, you'll find it quite evrywhere .

But people dont fish chubb speciffcally except someones. I enjoywith ultralight spinner in summer, or fly fishing.

You can too catch barbel with cheese or maggots. About chubb, we use mainly worms or maggot in float fishing.

Bye

 

[Gary Dolman]

I have fished the River Dordogne on several occasions, whilst on holiday in the region, and I have caught both chub & barbel, not massive but up to 7 or 8lb, caught on both corn & meat.

I have seen some very large barbel in the dordogne, and also some huge carp, well in excess of 20lb, but as they were family holidays not enough time to devote.

Fished the Loire last year, lots of roach & chub, but no barbel, however some stretches of the river screamed barbel, but locals were either after zander, or pole fishing with flat floats for smaller varieties, which all seemed to go home for the pot!!

 

[blankety blank]

i've caught barbel (well, one anyway) on the Tarn. I've also seen plenty (while snorkelling) on the Ardeche. the Lot was also recommended to me. Sorry I don't know anything about waters closer to Paris.