A French Carp Fishing Holiday in the Spring - Tips and Tactics
Carp fishing in the Spring, whether in the UK or France is an exciting time of year. The winter has finally passed and as the water temperature increases the carp start to wake from the winter slumber.
But it is not necessarily an easier time of year, the weather can be very changeable and tactics for a successful Spring campaign can be very different tactics you had success with in the summer and autumn months.
If you’ve booked a week in France fishing a commercial fishery through a company like DreamCarp Holidays, then you need to go prepared with a range of tactics and baits in your armoury. You don’t want to waste time travelling to the nearest tackle shop. A week is a long time but spring can be all about trial and error, so preparation is the key to success.
So what tactics work well in spring?
Zig Rigs can be devastating in Spring
Carp are cold blooded creatures and their behaviour is influenced by the weather, particularly the temperature. As the weather heats up especially when the sun is out, the upper layers of the water warms up the fastest. Carp will instinctively move into the top sections of the water column as they seek to increase their body temperature.
If zigs are allowed on the water you are fishing, these can work to devastating effect. In early spring especially, the carp’s metabolism remains slow. Their bodies aren’t yet craving for a substantial intake of food. They will have eaten very little through the winter months and their digestive systems have almost shut down. A small piece of foam for a carp to grab at is ideal.
You will need to experiment fishing zigs at different depths and try different coloured pieces of foam to see which works best. Where in the water column the carp are, can also change from day to day and will be influenced by not only temperature but also natural events that occur in the water such as larvae hatches.
Which areas of the lake to target depend on the weather?
As mentioned earlier, a carp’s behaviour in spring is very influenced by weather and this has a massive influence on where in the lake the carp take residence. If the sun is out, during the day time carp will typically gravitate towards the shallower water as this heats up faster than deeper areas. As the night falls and temperatures drop, the carp may well move back into the deeper water. Whilst the shallower water heats up the fastest it also cools down the fastest.
Keeping mobile, can pay huge dividends. It is well worth making the effort in the day to either cast to shallower areas in your swim or move swims altogether to find shallower areas on days when the sun is out. In the night time, generally carp will retreat back to deeper water where the temperature is higher.
However, not every day will be a warm spring day and often the conditions feel barely warmer than the winter months, with northerly winds and cold rain showers. In colder conditions particularly if there are north or north easterly winds the carp are likely to seek refuge in more sheltered areas of the lake. Areas such as sheltered bays or at the back of an island are well worth exploring.
What bait to take and how much to use?
Your’re in France for a week which is a long time. Preparation is everything and bait is certainly no different.
Typically in spring, carp don't want a huge quantity of bait. They are starting to be active though and need to replenish energy supplies so they will be starting to feed. If you’re fishing on or just off the bottom then try a small spread of bait. A few particles and some broken boilies is a good starting point. Experiment with hookbaits too. High attract bright hookbaits can sometimes be all it takes to catch the eye of a carp and lure it down to have a quick feed.
Weather is changeable, it can be glorious spring days or it could even be snow! If the weather is consistently warm the carp are likely to start to increase the quality of bait they eat as the warmer weather leads them to be more active. Start baiting with small quantities but increase the amount if the bites become more frequent.
Conclusion
It can be trial and error in terms of tactics and location. So be prepared in terms of rigs and bait and also be prepared to be mobile.
Whilst following this advice will give you a good idea of tactics and areas to try for spring carp fishing. As with all times of year, use your watercraft to locate the fish. There is no better clue than seeing a carp show and following your instincts.