The Barfleur Raz, bordering the point of the same name on which the Gatteville lighthouse is erected, is an area where the current exceeds 5 knots almost daily. This zone will allow you to catch very nice fish provided you can control fishing in the strong current. This practice requires a certain amount of control.
The fishing area
The boat can be launched from the port of Barfleur (launch subject to authorisation). You have the possibility of using the slipway in the port of Roubary, also called Gatteville port, where access is free. In both cases, the launch is subject to the tide.
The actual area of the Barfleur Raz is quite small and is located north of the lighthouse. It is recognizable at a glance by its turbulent waters.
Further west you will find the bench of St Pierre and the plateau des Equets. On this essentially sandy area, you can fish for sea bass of course, but also flatfish using live bait such as sand lance. In the summer you will find mackerel and sandeels.
The technique
Let's focus on Barfleur's raid. This zone is at a depth of 20 to 30 metres with a strong current. In such conditions, I like to fish vertically in order to hold the bottom as well as possible.
I shift the line about fifteen metres upstream of the boat and let the lure, heavily weighted, go down to the bottom, whilst keeping a constant eye on the sounder to avoid the crooks as much as possible.
The technique consists in being as close as possible to the bottom and to animate by vertical or linear tractions through the water layer. In this strong current, the fish are stuck to the bottom, lurking behind the blocks, waiting for prey to pass by. If they are active, the catches will be fast!
The equipment
Due to the strong current in this area, fine-grain fishing is not appropriate. I often opt for a 2m20 rod with a power of 20-60 grams or 30-90 grams allowing me to animate rather heavy lures.
Speaking of them, I'm sticking with the classic. It's with the Black Minnows 140 khakis armed with a 60 grams head or with the Crazy Sand Eel 220 of Fiiish with its 60 grams head that I get the best results.
This sector is undoubtedly the one where I had the chance to capture my most beautiful specimens from the North Cotentin. The zone, complicated and hectic, requires nevertheless to have the boat and the material adapted to fish there.
