Attracting oblade
The oblade is a fish that moves around a lot during the summer season, generally frequenting areas where there is a large human presence. Areas with a lot of boats and bathing areas are very popular with oblade, which can help itself to an easy meal when a piece of food falls into the water. To get them to come to us, it's therefore important to create a large baiting area to increase the chances of oblade finding them.
A good quantity of floating pieces of bread will also serve to fix a shoal in the area for several minutes to increase your chances of catching several. Choose areas sheltered from the wind or with no current, to avoid your bait moving away from you too quickly.
Targeting oblade
Although breadfishing is a technique that allows us to catch a multitude of different fish, it is possible to target only a few. Some areas are heavily populated by small mullet and sauper, which are not always interesting to target, especially if oblades are present. So it's important to recognize how the oblade grips the bread on the surface.
More often than not, a small group of ten or so fish will arrive at high speed and rise to the surface, before leaving violently, creating a large spray of water. At this precise moment, try to anticipate the fish's direction of movement so as to cast your bait in the right place. Preferably use small hooks that the oblade can easily swallow before you strike.
The right equipment
Fishing for oblade is pretty straightforward, as this fish pulls hard and makes impressive starts for its size. However, with the right equipment, you can have even more fun and make the fights last. Light or ultra-light rods will be the most effective for propelling small pieces of bread mounted on an unplumbed hook.
Preferably choose a long rod, at least 2m40, fitted with a small reel in size 1000 or 2000. A braided line in 8 or 11 hundredths will increase casting distances, finished off with a discreet fluorocarbon leader in 18 to 22 hundredths. You can choose the nylon option if you wish to fish only on the surface, to avoid your line sinking and becoming too visible. In terms of hooks, whether single or treble, the important thing is that they're not too big and, if possible, matte-coloured so that they don't shine in clear water.
