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2008 Tuna Fishing Competition in the Var Cancelled
A change in the rules led to the cancellation of the 2008 competition which should have taken place in August .
The rules were changed because of dwindling Blu-Fin Tuna stocks in the Mediterranean caused by over fishing.
The change to the rules published in July mean that recreational and sport fisherman are only allowed to keep one Tuna per boat ( when boats are permitted to carry a maximum of five anglers or five rods ) provided the fish measures 115cm or over or 30kg or more, This is to protect juvenile fish any other Tuna caught must be returned to the sea alive. Rather than stick to the new rules the French Federation of sea fisherman decided the best course of action was to cancel this years competition.
Until something is done about overfishing by commercial fishing fleets with widespread flouting for law it's very likely this competition will never take place again.
 The beach 7am before the sunbathers arrive 
Part of the lake system |
Les Etangs de villepey If you are coming down on holiday to this region and your looking to do both course and sea fishing this place may fit the bill. A system of lakes and lagoons on the outskirts of Frejus reminiscent of the camargue. Lakes that hold both fresh water and sea species not fifty yards from one of the longest sandy beaches in the area. The lakes hold carp, black bass, zander, mullet and in winter the sea bass come in via the mouth of the river Argens. I have watched a young boy float fishing with bread take a mullet then a two pound common carp with the next cast. |
The river D'Ain in june 2008
We were lucky enough to be invited to my wifes grandparents house in the region of Les Dombes, a small hamlet called Relevant no more than half a dozen houses and a small restaurant. The market town of chatillon-sur-chalaronne is about three kilometres away where the local speciality is Grenouilles (frogs legs).
It must have been the hottest day of the year so far, but I had decided to go fishing for the afternoon.So after lunch I tapped Pont d'ain into my g.p.s and it told me the journey would take one hour.
Thought I would like to be on the water by around five given that in early July sun set is nine thirty or later, so that would give around four and a half hours fishing. The G.p.s was true and i arrived in pont d'ain at three, it was far too hot for fishing so after buying a day permit ten euros in the local garden centre come tackle and bait shop a cold beer or two was in order, these i found in the p.m.u bar closest to the bridge.
The river Ain is quite wide maybe one hudred and fifty yards where the road bridge crosses the water and the depth looked to be no more than chest height at deepest, with a good flow of clear clean water.
My first impression was that the river was full of life, with what looked like very large dace and chub in the shallows, four or five men where fly fishing below the weir and due to the width of the river they had plenty of space to work in. I chose a run between the road and rail bridge above the weir on the far side of the river that is designated Cat 2.
I spent a pleasent late afternoon on the river and would do it again any time, fishing is always more rewarding when you catch and on this occasion I was lucky enough to land the fish you see below that weighed in at 525grms and made a very tasty supper.
Sorry have no photos of the river as I always forget some thing when going fishing and on this occasion it was my camera.
