nicepix
Well-known member
Back in the UK I knew a little spot where I could catch mullet and roach in the same swim, and there were also flounder, perch, bass and pike in the same stretch of water. Carp too after the 2008 floods and there was a run of sea trout in summer. It is one of the biggest things I miss having emigrated to France earlier this year.
Well, Little Wife and I have been out on a day trip to an inland port about 2 hours from where we live. While eating my moules & frites alongside the dock I noticed mullet browsing the surface. Now, this wasn't unexpected as we had holidayed nearby earlier the year and I had seen adverts for guided mullet fishing in Marans, hence the day trip there today
What I didn't expect though were the coarse fish in there with them. There were hundreds of roach in the docks and they were intent on feeding off small crustaceans that were fastened to the walls. The roach could be seen gripping the crustaceans with their lips and then twisting them off. What else was unusual were the deep blood-red fins. Much redder than the ones in freshwater and they were all fin perfect as far as I could see. They ranged from around 4" to over a pound.
While watching the roach I also noticed a perch, easily 2lb - 3lb, gliding along the bottom towards the lock gates. Then, out of the gloom came four huge fish that I initially mistook for barbel until I gave myself a virtual slap. There can't be barbel in brackish water miles from a good flow of river water can they? Well, having looked at the geography I'm not so sure. The river that runs into the dock is very like the Gt. Ouse and was formed as part of flood drainage as was the Gt. Ouse and that holds some monster barbel. The jury is out on that count, but a bit later on I spotted three mullet of a size I've not seen outside Cyprus. The smallest one was about this size...
As Arnie has been known to say: "I'll be back"
Well, Little Wife and I have been out on a day trip to an inland port about 2 hours from where we live. While eating my moules & frites alongside the dock I noticed mullet browsing the surface. Now, this wasn't unexpected as we had holidayed nearby earlier the year and I had seen adverts for guided mullet fishing in Marans, hence the day trip there today
What I didn't expect though were the coarse fish in there with them. There were hundreds of roach in the docks and they were intent on feeding off small crustaceans that were fastened to the walls. The roach could be seen gripping the crustaceans with their lips and then twisting them off. What else was unusual were the deep blood-red fins. Much redder than the ones in freshwater and they were all fin perfect as far as I could see. They ranged from around 4" to over a pound.
While watching the roach I also noticed a perch, easily 2lb - 3lb, gliding along the bottom towards the lock gates. Then, out of the gloom came four huge fish that I initially mistook for barbel until I gave myself a virtual slap. There can't be barbel in brackish water miles from a good flow of river water can they? Well, having looked at the geography I'm not so sure. The river that runs into the dock is very like the Gt. Ouse and was formed as part of flood drainage as was the Gt. Ouse and that holds some monster barbel. The jury is out on that count, but a bit later on I spotted three mullet of a size I've not seen outside Cyprus. The smallest one was about this size...
As Arnie has been known to say: "I'll be back"
