Help with bait problem appreciated.......

[falkonsix]

Not having fished seriously for 20 years or so and just starting a two week break in France was pleasantly surprised to find I have access to a small lake.

Always having a soft spot for roach fishing I've acquired the basic kit again and have spent the last two days very pleasantly occupied. The lake is around 3 feet depth all over it seems. Within the first couple of hours yesterday two nice half poundish roach which were good to see again. In between though the curse of the catfish. Today no roach, just smallish (6 ") catfish. Not my favourites and really frustrating as I'm convinced my lifelong dream of a 2lb roach is in there.

So if anyone can suggest a way past the confounded things I'd be grateful....
Efforts so far bait wise

Maggot - asstd colours
Roach x 1 -half a dozen catfish

Breadflake
Roach x 1 - half a dozen catfish and a 6ish lb carp taken by the other half whose never fished a day in her life before and one for me today which was probably around double!!

Sweetcorn
Catfish

All on float.

I seem to remember that catfish are bottom feeders but setting up to fish off the bottom doesn't seem to lose the cursed creatures. Million dollar question then, is there a recommended bait that roach like and catfish hate?? Got a blank look in the tackle shop when I asked for casters ( probably my french...) so may not be available here. As the catfish seem to be the equivalent of a water dwelling Dyson not hopeful anyway.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions

Frustrated of the Dordogne

 

[dangermouse]

Welcome to FM Falkon.

How about hemp and tares?

 

[falkonsix]

Ah!! Forgotten about hemp.... Thanks DM, I'll get the translator working.

F6

Richard

 

[beerweasel]

Welcome to the forum Falkon. :w

 

[peter crabtree]

Hello mate, hemp in French is hemmpe.
Probably pronounced omp.
Bon chance in le tackle shop...

 

[Alan Tyler]

Thought it was "Chenevix"?

---------- Post added at 04:54 ---------- Previous post was at 04:49 ----------

Sorry, "Chenevis".

 

[peter crabtree]

Actually it's chanvre.
Omp is what the French ask for in an English shop...

 

[Alan Tyler]

Ah - I thought chanvre was hemp as hashish, chenevis was hempseed. And I've no idea of the French for hemp as rope.

I made the mistake of asking an angler in France, "Comment ca va, la peche?".
The fact that I did not understand a single word of the answer triggered the realisation that five years of sweating away over "O-level" French had been an utter waste of time and effort... whom do I sue?


P.S. Shouldn't they ask for "Omp sid"? Or they might get misunderstood and score.

 

[rubio]

I vote chenevis as the french word for hemp.
My guess is you are plagued by poisson chat which are a pain, literally if you grab em wrong and figuratively if you want roach. They are much more focussed on meaty foods so maybe try building a line away from your target area with a mush of lunceon meat (jambon de delice in the supermarche)> Be lucky and they focus on that spot and leave the veg course to les gardons. Sweet additives have worked for me in the past. Sensas Gardons if you want a name product.
Whilst the point is not to fish the meat line keep a watch on it. Every bit of water bigger than a puddle in France has carp in it. Yours obviously has and they will bully the nasty cats out, especially once they start digging a pit in the clay.
Do you think our roach and theirs are identical?

 

[falkonsix]

Thought it was "Chenevix"?

---------- Post added at 04:54 ---------- Previous post was at 04:49 ----------

Sorry, "Chenevis".

and this weeks translation prize goes to Alan Tyler with Rubio as the runner up.........

Finally tracked some down after a pantomine of planting something on the tackleshop floor and watching it grow - Chenevis it is. So tomorrow an assault on the catfish infested lake.

Excellent idea about the decoy 'cafe de viand' for the catfish. Perfect use for the remains of yesterdays jambon et fromage sandwiches. As to the look of French roach the couple so far seem identical, lovely looking things without a head that looks like it has been run over by a truck and covered in tentacles. Vive les gardons! If the project is succesful I'll get a photo or two up and you can see what you think.

Watch this space...... Many thanks to everyone for the help.

F6

 

[falkonsix]

OK heres the good news.... Catfish apparently don't eat hemp!!! Downside is
nor apparently do French roach. Stayed with it all morning but not a touch, not even a double figure carp..... The catfish must have dined royally at the decoy lucheon meat bar and about lunchtime a couple of carp the size of HMS Belfast cruised by and demolished the remains of the lunchtime baguette.

While I pondered on alternatives the memsahib ( total novice and fishing for only the 2nd time in her life ) piped up. ' I think I've got a fish'. She had and of course you can guess which kind. Photo attached for Rubio who wanted to know if they look like British ones.

http://www.mediafire.com/conv/cc75edd3353e99de00493e37f5546f964732869cc6cb58677557f3e2de9486de6g.jpg

I gritted my teeth and in my best silky interrogator's tone asked 'And what pray did you put on the hook?' - ' Just a bit of cheese left over from lunch........' came the reply. I must have got through half a kilo of Cathedral cheddar in the afternoon. Guess what I caught.......... correct, catfish.

The quest continues ...........

 

[barbelboi]

OK heres the good news.... Catfish apparently don't eat hemp!!! Downside is
nor apparently do French roach. Stayed with it all morning but not a touch, not even a double figure carp..... The catfish must have dined royally at the decoy lucheon meat bar and about lunchtime a couple of carp the size of HMS Belfast cruised by and demolished the remains of the lunchtime baguette.

While I pondered on alternatives the memsahib ( total novice and fishing for only the 2nd time in her life ) piped up. ' I think I've got a fish'. She had and of course you can guess which kind. Photo attached for Rubio who wanted to know if they look like British ones.

http://www.mediafire.com/conv/cc75edd3353e99de00493e37f5546f964732869cc6cb58677557f3e2de9486de6g.jpg

I gritted my teeth and in my best silky interrogator's tone asked 'And what pray did you put on the hook?' - ' Just a bit of cheese left over from lunch........' came the reply. I must have got through half a kilo of Cathedral cheddar in the afternoon. Guess what I caught.......... correct, catfish.

The quest continues ...........

Roach are roach wherever you go, (you're half way there as the p/c's don't like hemp) - get 'em used to it - feed little and often and try to get them on the drop - don't let 'em beat you.
Jerry
PS Good luck.

 

[freebird7]

Whilst I suspect it wont help keep the catfish away but Ive always found casters great for the larger roach.

 

[dangermouse]

Try garlic hemp