With the heat still intense in France, the desire and need to return to the mountains is omnipresent! Two of my friends join the adventure... It's 8 a.m., after a good two hours of winding road we're here at the start! The lake is high, the water is rather cool (24 degrees) and always crystal clear... Let's go to the first big cliffs above the dam!
24 hours to measure the temperature
When I set off for such a long session after a brisk work pace, I find it difficult to start fishing straight away. I like to set up properly, prepare the rods, use the shade to rest... before I get to work in the evening! I would take the time to boat up all the canyons to see the waterfalls that have caught my eye in the past! To my utter surprise, one of them sinks. I decide to use a depth sounder and place some decoys 30 feet down on the flat to potentially stalk in the coming days.
Back to the post, I will take over the central part of the post after a proper draw. I will position 3 rods in a staircase between 3 and 7 meters to intercept the fish that come past the top. My two friends will exploit the borders on the right and left.
It's 2am, one of my Delkim wakes me up! The lake has just lost 80 cm since we went to bed, but that doesn't matter, I've got a fish on the line... a few minutes later I'm using a beautiful mirror typical of the place!
The next morning, after the photo session, we decide to change positions and go in the opposite direction. The fishing angle seems better! We settle in, quickly but carefully placing our rods (I decide to use the same strategy on the new spot in front of me), but I only have one thing that really obsesses me: stalking under that famous waterfall!
From disillusionment to euphoria!
It's 5pm, I'm sailing my 6CV between the cliffs to reach the waterfall. I will fish from the boat with just one rod until 8 p.m. Once the mooring lines are laid, I will place the rod under the waterfall on that famous level at 30 feet
10 minutes later, while immortalizing this incredible place with my reflex, a run gets my adrenaline pumping! Unfortunately I lost the fish on contact...I had 2 solutions, come back with a bitter taste or try putting the rod down again. I'm a competitor, but above all completely amazed by the location, I reposition the rod, adjust my lead casting system to offer more resistance to the bite and off I go again to wait.
I would make two extra touches for two great fish that gave me incredible fights! A commons weighing a dozen kilos and a mirror weighing around ten kilos! I just experienced one of my best fishing moments in less than three hours! What a KIFF!!!
A tidal area worthy of the name!
The next 48 hours are quiet, we catch 3 fish on the post. I even tried to stalk under the waterfall again... Unsuccessful... The lake is falling by the minute, on Thursday morning it's more than 4 m less... When you wake up, it's the same struggle The Zods that are stranded on the water are drained of slopes to be re-immersed in the water! It is clear that this affects the behavior of the fish... Luckily, thanks to the current black moon, the night atmosphere is incredible!
After a few conversations with friends, we decided to leave the place and go to my father's house for at least 24 hours to recharge our batteries and morale!
Barbecue, pétanque scouting… what a vacation!
We will spend two days at my father's house. It's very hot on the plain and we're having trouble finding the motivation. We will explore multiple sections of an incredible river! We will hardly find a place to settle down... we alternate a period of reflection with games of boules, good barbecue evenings, a few beers in moderation, etc.
Finally on Saturday morning we will end up at this river outside the village for the final 24 hours of the session...
An unsettling street fishing atmosphere
Far from my habits that cause me to get far away from the world, here I am in the middle of a path by the river, with lots of traffic, concrete, houses, a road, etc.! I still look forward to putting down my fishing rods in this atmosphere, more for photography than fishing! The right part I'm going to use is a big countercurrent on the outside of the corner. I will place 2 rods on my edge with cableways to limit fishing pressure and objects floating with the current! A good cola at the snack bar upstairs for refreshment, a game of cards in the evening, the atmosphere is atypical but rather crazy. I will spend time behind my lens to immortalize it all! Unfortunately we won't be touching any fish, which would be the holy grail to end this session!
Far from being in search of record fish and crowds, this fishing week we have chosen solitude, the freshness, the atypical, the discovery! We had to play with the elements, but the most important thing is that we enjoyed it! In a short time you have to experience new adventures... Make room for dreams again!
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