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More French Mix
One
of the so called “clever” sayings
that’s been popular over the last few years
which I hate is “If it ain’t broke,
don’t fix it”. There could be a similar
one where baiting strategies are concerned …
If it’s working, don’t change it!
…. Which brings me back to More French
Mix.
I’ve
just had the holiday session of a lifetime, more
about that later, but first the French Mix. I was
booked for two weeks on
Etang Meunier, the water where Kev Green and I
filmed for Discovery TV, Easter 2006. We have had
some very good feedback to the programme, and I knew
that a lot of the people fishing the lake over the
past year had watched the programme. I also knew that
some of them had adopted the baiting strategy that we
detailed in the programme. So I had a dilemma. Did I
go with my usual baiting plans for trips abroad, of a
carpet of French
Mix, with a sprinkling of pellets and
boilies
over the top, or did I change everything, on the
basis that because it had been use a fair bit, the
fish would not react as well, or worse, have learned
to avoid it. After much soul searching I decided to
stick with what I know best, and go with the French
Mix/Pellet/Boilie approach.
The
trip was one of those trips where everything comes
together.
1)The
weather for the three weeks previous had been ok, but
the fishing had been slow. Reading the lake log book,
the previous parties had caught, but had had long
periods of little action.
2) I
had two weeks rather than the usual one, which gave
me time to really establish a baiting up
routine.
3)
From the Wednesday of the first week the weather
broke, a deep low pressure settled over central
France, and it went cold and wet, and I mean wet! For
the next three days it rained almost continuously,
the lake level came up several inches, we considered
going to the supermarket to buy thicker jumpers, it
was like being back in England. The fish loved it,
and reacted to it. As the rain kept falling, you
could literally sense the lake coming alive.
There was topping, and bubbling, everywhere it was
all coming together.
I
had the odd fish in the first few days, but from the
Friday the fishing really kicked in, and I had a run
of fish, the like of which I’d never had
before. It was like being in a dream that I
didn’t want to wake up from. I ended the
fortnight with 42 fish, 15 of which were over 40lbs
and 2 over fifty. It just doesn’t get any
better!
The best
fish of a busy holiday session 56lb 3oz
So
if you are going for a holiday session, particularly
to a busy venue, and you are worried about what
baiting strategy to adopt, as I’ve said before
have a look at the French Mix. It really does give
you that combination of initial attraction and
keeping the fish interested that is so important on a
long session. Don’t ignore it just because
it’s been around for a while. It’s one of
those baits that fish love, and never seem to tire
of. Plus because it soaks up so much liquid you have
the perfect carrier for your own variations of
attractors. For many years the French Mix has been
one of the first things I have ordered when sorting
the bait for my trips, after the last session it will
carry on being!
By
the way, I think Hinders ought to rename the French
Mix the “Any Country Mix”.
I’ve been using it a fair bit in this country
this year as well. It spods superbly, and the fish
love it. It’s absolutely brilliant
“spooned” into the margins, where you can
get that lovely milk trail in very precise areas.
I’ve had fish “ripping up” the
bottom. Tails out of the water, soon after baiting
up Magic!
and
to finish …
A
big thank you to Hinders for the ever consistent
quality of the bait, and the superb
service Thank you!
P.S.
my orders in the post 4 sacks of French Mix
please!
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