Breton grouper
The vielle is a beautifully coloured fish that can be found in very large numbers in favourable areas. They are particularly fond of rocky areas with a little current or surf.
Living very close to the substrate and often close to its hole which it tries to regain after touching, it offers muscular fights earning it its nickname of Breton grouper!
Scratch fishing
While it's perfectly possible to fish for olds using jigs, fishing with soft and scratch lures is the most productive way to catch this fish. It is of course possible to catch them sometimes off the bottom, either on the fly or on the pull, but it is by fishing on the bottom that you will get the most numerous and regular bites.
So, because of the good concentrations that can be found on the coast, having fun with this fish is an excellent way to perfect your scratch fishing technique! Line tension, drift control, casting angle, concentration... You'll be able to improve and refine all these parameters and become more efficient when it comes to nabbing a few bass!
From the edge to the Texan
Living in the rock, that's where you'll have to scratch to catch them! So, to avoid untimely hook-ups and loss of material, use of the Texan rig (hook hidden in the lure) is more than recommended! You can use Texan hooks that are pre-headed or simply slide a sinker onto your leader so that it comes to rest against your hook.
All lures work... Shads, slugs, critters! The key is to keep them close to the bottom and make as much noise as possible, as the old lady is a very curious fish! So adding rattles is an excellent trick, and overhanging your lure a little so that it hits the rocks is also very effective.
Vielles have powerful jaws and pronounced teeth that will make mincemeat of your soft lures... I therefore advise you to use an inexpensive model, as you'll quickly get through a pouch.
By boat, vertically
When fishing from a boat, vertical fishing is the easiest method for those who want to have fun and get more bites. The secret is to really overhang your lure so that it hits the bottom and makes as much noise as possible. In fact, if you want to experiment, fish without a lure and just with a heavy lead head that you bounce off the bottom... You'll find out the hard way that curiosity is a bad habit! Results guaranteed.
