Over the last few years the Japanese have democratised and developed the ‘Area fishing’ concept, which is basically lure fishing for trout in ponds and reservoirs. This style of fishing has spread over Europe and is growing in France. There are more and more French national fishing championship dates and brands are developing specific Area gear. So let’s have a closer look at this cool and beginner-friendly technique.
Rainbow trout on lures, guarantied fun.
In ponds or reservoirs there are not really any specific ‘hot spots’. You just have to be attentive and observant. The wind, the way the sun shines and therefore the temperature of the water are the to key to where the trout will be holding. They will simply be where they feel comfortable! If you catch a fish in a certain spot, it is very likely that there will be others. It is an active style of fishing where you have to prospect in order to find the fishes comfort zone(s) and to be able to catch as many as possible.
A rainbow can often mean rainbows!
Even though the beginning of the season is not the warmest time of the year, you must try the bank that is under the wind. I always start with reaction style lures so as to determine if the fish are active. If they bite … you continue … if they just follow, you change the colour, several times if necessary … if they still do not bite, you need to change lure.
It remains a relatively technical style of fishing as you need to be able to assess the level of your targets activity. To be able to do so, you need a wide selection of fishing gear.
At least two rods are necessary to be able to quickly swap lures and techniques.
My trump lure when the trout are not biting is a soft style one. You need to try different shapes, sizes and colours until you find the one that works. I like the Pink Sugar TIPSY-S for visible (active) trout that refuse hard lures. If the fish are holding close to the bottom or in the margins, give the Naiad rigged on a 1.5 gram Gunki G’Slide head a try. Cast, let it sink to the bottom, then reel in making it ‘hop’ slowly. It really works well on pressured fish. Once again you will need to alternate in-between colours, natural and flashy, until you find the flavour of the day.
Gunki Naiad, the trout trump soft lure.
When reservoir fishing, I always take two rods:
- The Streetfishing S-198 L, 0.5-7 g, for hard lures (spoons, Gamera 38 and 50) paired with the new for 2018, size 1000 Gunki THG FV reel.
- The Gunki Streetfishing S-240 L, 0.5-7 g, for soft lures (Naiad and Tipsy) paired with a size 1500 THG FV reel.
Both reels are spooled with 0.16 Color Line in the fluo version to be able to follow my lure and spot the slightest nibble.
The rod’s action is a key factor in this style of fishing. It has to be sufficiently supple to be able to cast small light lures to great distances. This style of action is a real plus to help keeping the fish hooked while playing it. You also need plenty of power to be able to counter the bigger rainbows.
A soft action is ideal when targeting trout.
The Gunki Steet Handles are a "must have" as often you are not allowed in the water. They also enable to shorten the fights and help you land the trout safely.
A long net, a must have for these crazy fish!
Tight lines and see you soon for some updates on the French national trout championship (FFPSC).
Jeremy Seguin
