Morning, I'm feeling just a little bit blue this morning having returned home yesterday from my most recent trip to France following a long, hot drive at Mach 1 from the far south. The three weeks since I was last on English soil have literally flown by, a sure sign that the trips been a good one.
So much has happened I still haven't had time to process it all but it goes without saying that I've had a great time as I always do and will write the trip up in more detail at some point.
Mick in the South Arm at Cassien
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The lovely times float
I love a summer trip, flip flops and shorts and lots of glorious sunshine and a carefree attitude that always dominates. With no real expectations other than to enjoy myself and be free. I can go where I like, when I like and fish where I want and I love that more now than ever, especially when I look at how quickly the English scene is changing and becoming ever more restrictive and contested. A friend recently described fishing in England and the anglers as battery hens, living life in a cage, they know no different and are seemingly unaware that outside their controlled environment where they sit shoulder to shoulder with the other hens lies a paradise where they could live a fulfilled life – free range.
Freedom is a powerful motivator you see, it can change your whole outlook on fishing and life itself when you first get a true taste of it, as it did me all those years ago and I've been chasing it ever since. True, I do return to the chicken farm from time to time to see the other chickens, but only to reinforce to myself that there is so much more to angling and life.
Without a doubt I'm always more relaxed and easy going where the actual fishing is concerned in the summer and I tend to treat the trip as exactly what it is, a relaxed summer holiday.
You see it can get very hot that far south in the summer and even when day fishing the heat can really knock it out of you, so going all guns blazing simply isn't an option in July and August in average 30+ degree day time temps. It’s far better to take it a little easier and enjoy it for what it is, there are many restrictions on Cassien these days but that doesn't take away any of the magic as its just such a lovely place to be so I just roll with it and should it get a little too busy for my liking then I simply head off to somewhere new for a bit as a change soon reboots me.
I massively enjoy preparing for a trip like this , for me it's all part of the build up. Running around getting everything ready is part and parcel of any holiday and is instrumental to the enjoyment of the whole experience.
In the fortnight between returning from Belgium and leaving again for France I had a lot to sort out and as usual before I knew it the trip was only days away and I still had the usual last minute things to sort. On a warm Friday afternoon I headed off round the M25 and on toward Dover and the euro tunnel with the car full to the brim with kit and bait, and myself full to the brim with hope and expectation... And of course caffeine...lots of caffeine!
A move of lakes proved dividens as Mik and I went on to catch a hit of fish
Despite the heat there were some wet bits still...
The traffic on the way to the tunnel was appalling and it took me over three hours to finish the first leg, my fault for trying to use every minute of my time. I'd have been far better off crossing early on the Saturday morning I kept telling myself but it was too late, I was stuck in the traffic chaos. My pain was eased a little by browsing through the music on my ipad as I crawled along the M25. I'd spent the previous week picking the music for this trip and at a glance it was a very eclectic mix.
It's amazing just how integral music is to my overseas adventures, especially when travelling alone, each trip has its own soundtrack and vibe and it always amazes me how an album, tune or lyrics can resonate with me and become integral to the entire trip and the memories it forms. Leaving England and heading off down the auto routes at full speed, mind racing and full of a heady mix of anticipation and trepidation, the tunes roll hard and fast and only serve to strengthen the buzz for what may lie ahead. Usually I charge on at full tilt until I literally can't drive any further and then I find somewhere quiet to put out the bedchair and snatch a few hours before starting off again the following morning with renewed vigor. This time however things would be a little different.
Mick with a 57lb+ fish
I was heading down to meet up with my friend Mick who has recently retired to France. The plan was originally to stop over and have a nights social and toast his new life then carry on down to Cassien in my own time, there was no rush after all. If it took me a few days to get there because I stopped for a night here and there en route, well, cest la vie. I like to break the big journey up with a night on one of the big rivers or one of the many lakes on the route south, indeed I like to experience as much as possible in life... I'm big on that.
Of course upon hearing of my plans Mick had quickly decided that he too needed a summer holiday after the stresses of moving and would be coming down to Cassien as well, lovely times.
It's imperative to mesh your baits with a strong mesh too
Well it was indeed lovely times and we both enjoyed ourselves immensely which was the plan Stan as it always is first and foremost. We fished for six days I think on Cassien in the heat with only one bite to show for our efforts, so we headed off to pastures new and were both so glad we did as it completely turned the trip around and we ended up with a big catch of fish in the draining heat. Make no mistake, we had to work for our fish but with this style of fishing you always have to, they seldom jump in the net.
Of course, our summer holiday in the south was over all too soon and the three weeks flew by. So much happened it would be impossible to go into detail other than to say we fished through the opressive heat and worked hard by baiting heavily and we were rewarded. Both of us had such a laugh fishing together we decided to arrange another trip as soon as we had returned...
