1 - Downstream of the bridges
Downstream of the bridges are often pits, dug by the current. The asps will be found on the drop-offs of the pools, so it is advisable to explore the whole area because they can be placed all along the pit, and from one day to another, change their position. Here, bib lures should be prioritized to look for fish in the lower water layers. If the bridge creates a level step, they can also stand in the slurries caused by it.
2 - Upstream of the bridges
The upstream of the bridges is often a zone neglected by many fishermen because it is not very deep. Concerning the asp, it is one of its favorite zones where the current accelerates and where it can be found in a regular way. To be more precise, it is even the front of the bridge piers which is the "strike zone" par excellence.
3 - Bottlenecks
On the zones where the bed of the Loire narrows, very often the current accelerates. This type of narrowing creates an obligatory passage of which the asps will take advantage to lie in wait. Moreover, we find there the current which the asps appreciate. This type of spot can be created by the presence of islands, sandbanks or a dike. It is therefore necessary to be able to identify these corridors.
4 - Rocky areas subject to current
Even if we find the asp on sandy zones in a punctual way to hunt, on rocky zones it will be present there in a permanent way. Indeed, this type of zone shelters all the food chain, and it is thus in all logic that one finds there the predators of which the asp is a part.
5 - The Invisibles
A trunk across the current or a grouping of some big rocks are special cases that you should not hesitate to explore because they can shelter nice fish. By boat, these spots are quite easy to identify. From the shore, you have to be careful with eddies or water that is curling on the surface, it's a sign that an obstacle is hiding underneath, maybe sheltering some asps. Generally, the asps stand in front of the obstacle.
Even if there are places that always harbor fish, the asp is a fish that moves and it is better to change several times of spots in his day to maximize his chances of finding them rather than insist on the same place.
