France Yak Trip, 16June13

TR by sunshiner

Wind: Calm
Swell: none
Current: tidal only
Launch point: La Rochelle, France, western end of the big bridge to Ile de Ré
Participants: alain, sunshiner

You may recall that day one, 14June, was in the end, successful, as reported on this blog a couple of days ago. If you haven’t already done so I recommend you read that post 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.

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.

Kev