# France: Yak Fishing with Alain, Day Three, 16Jun13



## sunshiner (Feb 22, 2006)

You may recall that day one, 14June, was in the end, successful. The TR for that is at http://www.akff.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=61723. If you haven't seen that post I recommend you read it first as it will set the scene for you for this one and possibly answer questions that may arise.

Strong winds killed our chances of a yak outing on 15 June, but conditions were deemed "perfet" for 16June.

Start time was ASAP after 4:30am, wake-up time. Although it's close to the longest day here, there was barely a glimmer of light on the horizon at that time, but daylight saving time applies.

All we had to do was hook up Alain's battered trailer, carrying the two yaks, to his battered fishing car, an aged Renault Twingo, hurtle down the motorway and cross the toll bridge to the Isle de Ré. Launch point was the same as the previous trip, and meagre (aka meager) were being targetted again.

We must have been on the water before 05:30 I reckon and the tide was running in, as indicated by the south-north current swirling around the huge bridge pylons.









Pre-sunrise. A different view of the bridge.

Despite our best efforts, neither of us had had a touch by 08:30, but Alain had confidently predicted that the next hour would see results. I was sceptical, but the tide had by now brought cleaner water to our fishing spots, a possible good sign.

The action started at around 08:35, and I got the first hookup, boating an "average" but welcome meagre, which I photographed and then swam beside the yak to revive it before releasing it.









First fish for the day.

The action then started, with Alain and I both hooking up consistently in a location we'd seriously worked over without success for much of the previous three hours.









Alain with the next, a few minutes later.

















And another









A PB for me, I think. It took off in fine style upcurrent before I subdued it.









The proven technique of bumping the jig along on the mainly sandy bottom picked up this (deemed inedible by my colleagues).

Just after the first fish was boated, two other yakkers joined us.









Jean-Michel, from Lyon, in his electric-motored OK Torque. He is a friend of Alain's and also knows Australian AKFFer Redro, apparently, who, I understand, temporarily lives in Lyon.









Believed to be JM's bro in law, and probably a newbie to kayak fishing.

This was a long session, with more than six hours on the water, the first three being devoid of action. Alain's prediction that the action would start turned out to be spot on.

Alain has an extended family and friends nearby so we ended up taking seven fish today for distribution to the family, and releasing others.

Strong winds are predicted for the next few days but we're looking for an opportunity to get at the seabass, which is tide and wind dependent. Hopefully we'll make it.

Thanks for reading AKFFers. Tight lines.


----------



## geminiwraith (Nov 26, 2010)

Stop it Kev, you're making us all jealous. 

So how is the eating? Any recipes to share from the other side of the globe?


----------



## MrFaulty (May 15, 2008)

So those photos are from France - looks suspiciously like our jewies!


----------



## Redro (Sep 5, 2005)

Good to see Jean-Michel out there, Kevin! I was wondering if he would join you guys - as he spends a lot of time on Ille de Re. We used to live in the same village as J-M, about half an hour out of Lyon. Initially met through work - when he was the European director for Johnson Outdoors (Ocean Kayak).

No, we are semi-permanently in Lyon (and renovating a 190 year old house in the Beaujolais) - but hope to one day move to La Rochelle (when our youngest daughter finishes school here). Enjoy the rest of your stay there - La Rochelle is one of my favourite spots in France. These pictures are making me very jealous, Kevin! I am just back in Lyon - after a week's work in Spain. Very hot here - and too far from the cooling sea breezes of La Rochelle.


----------



## sunshiner (Feb 22, 2006)

leftieant said:


> If I didn't know you were in France, I would not be able to pick that fish as anything other than a mulloway. I really like that treble tied on as a stinger hook as well, at least 2 fish in those shots hooked on them. Is that a technique you've used or seen anywhere else?


Hi Antony

I don't know whether you have read the first thread, but later posts in that thread contain a full explanation of the rig. The treble is not a stinger, it is the only hook. All of our fish were caught on that rig. Other people were catching fish on the usual store-bought jigs, of similar size, but this one seemed particularly deadly. I haven't seen it used before.

Kev


----------



## sunshiner (Feb 22, 2006)

geminiwraith said:


> Stop it Kev, you're making us all jealous.  So how is the eating? Any recipes to share from the other side of the globe?


Hi Matt

As you probably already know, I'm no cook. But Alain's wife, Claude, certainly is and we had a fresh meager cooked whole last night for dinner. One fish was more than enough for the three of us, and was delicious, cooked with a little white wine and thyme, wrapped in foil (recipe extracted from Claude while she was preparing dinner last night).

Back in Noosa soon

Kev


----------



## Redro (Sep 5, 2005)

Hi Kevin, we are all eagerly awaiting your next La Rochelle trip report! Or is the wind pumping again?

I caught some sea bass up in Brittany a while back - one of the most delicious fish I have eaten.


----------



## Brc226 (Jul 31, 2009)

Spent a few days in La Rochelle this time last year commissioning and calibrating a belt weigher at the grain terminal. The sad part was standing on the ship loader gazing out to sea and wondering what was out there.....now I know - DOH!!!!


----------



## Haynesy (May 6, 2011)

Tres Bon report


----------



## Redro (Sep 5, 2005)

About to meet up with Jean-Michel for lunch, Kevin. No doubt I will get a first hand account of your La Rochelle exploits! Hope you guys have managed to get out on the water again. Next Saturday we head off to Arcachon for a week (2 and a 1/2 hours drive south of La Rochelle). I will be dusting off the old Viking Espri and taking it with me.


----------

