12 steps to having a mega week in France

1. Stay up late and get up early

Carp feed predominantly at night during the summer, once the temperature has cooled off a bit. Making sure that you are awake as much as possible between sunset and sunrise is important. When carp feed they will often give their presence away as they do so, maybe bubbling, rolling or jumping clear of the water, these sightings can be capitalised on if you’re awake. By being asleep you are only going to miss them.

2. Use a boat

If your chosen French venue allows you to use a boat, then do, but only at the right times. A boat opens up a whole new world of information, but it is extremely important that you do it safely, with the use of a life jacket, but once you’re out there it really will open your eyes. However, as we previous mentioned, only use it at the right time – not bang snack in the middle of a known feeding time.

3. Try solid bags

The weed in many venues will be at its most prominent stage of growth once we reach the summer and the carp will spend a lot of time held up within the confines of it all. Solid bags not allow you to present a bait where no other rig does, right amongst the green stuff and right amongst the carp, but most other anglers won’t bother to tie one up, so that in itself is an edge.

4. Try float fishing

Forgotten by many a carp angler, float fishing is a very effective method, especially once it’s warmed up and the carp are using the margins. It’s a great way to angle and puts you back in touch with how it all began. Catching carp on the float is one the most exciting ways of catching them and on a busy, pressured French holiday venue, you’ll often find carp held up in the quietest bay and there isn’t a better and more stealthily way to present a bait to them.

5. Zig Rigs

The heat of the sun will often pull the carp into the upper layers; those rays are often too much to resist. Carp will spend long periods of the day sitting well off the deck and a bite off the bottom can sometimes be impossible to achieve. When faced with this situation, the use of Zig Rigs is perfect. Whilst you can’t catch them off the bottom, you will be able to catch them off the top, or near it, where they’re spending their time.

6. Step your gear up

The summer can often bring the need for change, especially when it comes to tackle. Extensive weed growth can make it much harder to land the fish we hook and having the right tackle for the job is as important as ever. Sometimes what we use in the winter just isn’t suffice for the summer and a step up a level is needed.

7. Be comfortable

If the venue you’re going to means you’ll be sat in the same swim all week, then be comfortable! It doesn’t matter if you take the kitchen sink – you’ve not got to move it once you’re set-up. A second social tent, such as Avid’s Screen House RT, is perfect for this. Its large footprint means you have plenty of room for cooking and socialising, along with offering shade in the heat of the day and protection during any downpours.

8. Particle fishing

Once the fish have spawned, particle fishing can be extremely effective; they seem to go wild for them. Introducing large beds of these tiny little seeds can spur the fish into a feeding frenzy and multiple catches can be achieved with some regularity if you can get it right. And again, the big plus is most other guys will just opt for the easy option: boilies, so you’ll have another edge on your side.

9. Try sweetcorn

Undoubtedly one the greatest baits of all time, corn is very effective throughout both the summer and winter months, and we guarantee hardly anyone else will be using it. A small amount of hemp, some crushed boilies and loads of sweetcorn – a deadly combo!

10 Carry Polaroids

Polaroid sunglasses are one of the most effective pieces of kit you can own, especially when it comes to fish spotting. The polarised filters in the lenses allow you to see beneath the surface, without them the glare of the lake’s surface will generally hinder your sight. These glasses eliminate the problem, widening the realms of what we, as anglers, are able to see.

11. Pre-bait

Pre-baiting is a great tactic on any venue in the summer months, but on a French venue, where they receive huge amounts of pressure, it’s a banger! If you can, find an area/spot and then bait it from the off but don’t fish it until the last couple of days. You will be amazed at the results this can bring – it’s a tactic Adam Penning loves to employ and has been hugely successful with it too.

12. Boost your boilies

The warmer water of the summer months allows us to benefit from things such as fish oils. The carp absolutely love them and boosting your boilies with additives such as Sonu’s 24/7 Glug will add a whole new dimension of attraction to those already appealing boilies.