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Ade Kiddell- May 2019
The Clock is ticking down fast to the beginning of the new river fishing season, looks like the weather will play a big part with the whole of Europe covered with cloud and some very heavy rain bringing rivers into flood. I have very mixed memories of opening day fishing trips and more bad than good, but that doesn't prevent me from wishing I was sitting by the river somewhere in the UK at midnight on the 15th June ready to welcome in the new season. Good luck and tight lines to all of you venturing out.
A couple of weeks ago we spent a few days travelling around the north of Holland, the area is fantastic for anglers with loads of rivers, canals and lakes along with plenty of marinas and miles of coastline for sea anglers. We were travelling and sleeping in the camper-van so would be looking around during the day with an eye on a fishing spot for the evening. To cover all bases the camper was loaded with a plethora of tackle, from carp rods, to a pole, barbel rods to beach-casters we were prepared for every eventuality.
Although I had been to the area before it was only ever a flying visit, this time we had much more time to explore and enjoy the fishing and we certainly did that. I spent a couple of evenings fishing a small marina, simple pole tactics feeding sweet fishmeal groundbait and using worm or maggot on the hook. Once I got the fish feeding dendrobena worm was by far the best bait, had I have been anywhere else then I am sure red maggot would have been the best bait but its forbidden to use red maggots in Holland! I had a couple of fantastic evenings fishing that little marina, both times ending up with forty pound plus bags of roach and bream all taken on the pole.
Next stop was at a good friend of mine Jos, Jos lives in the area and his house is on the banks of a drainage channel, at about 12 metres wide and with plenty of weed and lilies an ideal spot for some carp and tench fishing. Jos assured me there are plenty of carp to be caught so I set up a couple of rods and set about finding one. Using a small PVA bags of crushed boilie and my favourite Sonubait Code Red as hook bait I was confident of a carp.
No fish were caught during the evening but I decided to scatter a few loose boilies in the swim in anticipation of an early start the next day. I was up before daylight and rods out to the accompaniment of the dawn chorus, and people ask why we go fishing?! I see more wildlife early in the mornings than most people see in a lifetime, every day is different but summer or winter there is always a surprise around the corner. This morning it was small group of deer feeding in field opposite and a noisy cuckoo looking for a mate. The distinct note of the cuckoo being disturbed by the shrill tone of a Delkim alarm was what I wanted to hear and I certainly did as a lively carp took off down the canal. Fighting hard to avoid capture and a couple of times burying itself in weed before I finally netted a decent carp, my first Dutch carp at that.
Jos was out to work early so missed the fun but his children were up early and keen to see the fish and get in on the photo, the great news is, Jos has 3 girls who all like fishing, good news I suppose if your father is a keen angler and you live on the banks of a canal. The Carp didn't quite break the 20lb barrier but who cares a cracking fish in beautiful surroundings with good friends, it doesn't get better than that.
Back in France, the barbel fishing has been very up and down with some good fish showing but also some difficult days with very few fish caught. The carp fishing has been good on the river was plenty coming out up to thirty pounds. I have only managed one so far at just over 20lb, suffering plenty of blanks and my quest for a River forty is still on and this year the carp at the minute hold the upper hand.
The River Meuse holds a good head of Wels catfish and many visitors catch their first catfish whilst fishing in the area. There are plenty to be caught but not to be confused with the semi tame pellet munchers caught elsewhere in Europe these are true wild Cats and a 20 lb fish is a good fish but with odd fish up to 80lb it can be fun. Top tactic is a float-fished live-bait, bunches of worm and prawn also work well. Clive a regular visitor to the house decide to leger a chunk of fresh liver and was rewarded with a fish of just over 30lb. Although they are horrible to handle being covered in slime theses catfish have amazing colouring with some incredible markings, ugly brutes with natures beauty.
Good luck to all over the first few weeks of the season, my thoughts are with you, remember natural baits often out fish manmade baits early in the season. Rest assured I will be out, I am still sure there is a river forty with my name on it, swimming here somewhere.