The fishing trail
The greats of the time (already!) know Chartres. Just a stone's throw from the Ile de France, the prefecture of Eure-et-Loir has seen specialists such as Jérôme Palaudoux and Fred Miessner make their mark in competition, back in the days of the AFCPL and the beginnings of street fishing competitions.
It's also close to the headquarters of the famous Sensas company, which also inspires brands like Gunki and Illex!
Beneath the famous 13th-century Gothic cathedral, you can stroll along the river Eure via old stone quays.
Numerous bridges and locks punctuate this narrow, shallow, vegetation-laden river.
The right spots
The approaches to the locks (rue de la grenouillère, Bouju bridge, etc.) remain favourable areas for all the species present. The foot of the banks and accelerating currents often hold perch and pike, which are quite numerous along the route.
Special features of the route
Apart from the relatively wild upstream section, the city section of the course is lined with quays and parapets that require a long landing net handle to bring out the best catches. The presence of numerous small pike quickly depletes the stock of perch lures, as they often cut fine lines... A small titanium leader is not too much and it's not uncommon to catch beautiful fish on two-inch lures.
Texas mounts are also preferable, especially in summer and autumn when aquatic vegetation is well established.
Dominant species
Perch and pike are the two species most easily encountered on this course.
Adapted techniques and lures
Lightweight Texan rigs (under 3 grams), micro jigs and small cranckbaits are ideal for stalking perch. Spinnerbaits and micro jigs (!) give good results on pike, especially when moving the lure between weed beds.
Tips and tricks for success
Don't hesitate to insist on hollows, areas with a slight current or between weed beds.
Similarly, if you catch one perch, it's not uncommon to catch one or two more (or even more) on the same spot. Don't hesitate to insist or return to the spots that have yielded hits.
