Winter carp fishing in France with Jack Thomson

Jack Thomson heads to France in February for a new campervan adventure. What starts as a gamble in cold conditions quickly turns into a session full of action, setbacks, moving around, and adapting.

Carp fishing in France in February

Carp fishing in France is often linked to spring, summer, and long sessions in pleasant conditions. But in this video, Jack Thomson, known from Forbidden Routes, shows how different a French carp trip in February can be.

In Best Laid Plans: Highs & Lows in France, Jack sets off with his campervan towards France for his first big adventure of 2026. The timing is early in the year, the conditions uncertain, and the plan far from foolproof. Yet that’s exactly the charm of these kinds of carp trips.

The idea is simple: make the crossing, fish a promising winter venue, and see if you can catch carp in February. Not a perfectly prepared summer session, but a real trip where you have to deal with rain, cold, little sleep, long drives, and unexpected twists.

A last-minute trip to France

Jack explains that last year around March he had good results and didn’t want to wait any longer this year. Even though it’s only early February, he decides to take the campervan and drive to France. The urge to be on the road again and seek new adventures is too strong.

The choice for the first water isn’t random. A mate had visited the lake before and caught several carp there. According to him, it could be a good option as a winter venue. That’s reason enough to make the trip.

After the tunnel, it’s about a four and a half to five-hour drive from Calais. For France, that’s still relatively short, especially for carp anglers used to covering big distances. Still, it’s a solid move, especially when you’re unsure what to expect.

Arriving in rain and darkness

As often happens on trips like this, the arrival isn’t ideal. Jack gets to the water just as it’s starting to get dark. At that exact moment, the weather turns and heavy rain sets in.

The water is large, about 86 acres, and with the strong wind it’s hard to spot any carp signs. In such a situation, you have little to go on. No clear jumping fish, no calm areas to scan properly, and little daylight left to make a plan.

Jack decides to act practically. He rigs up, fishes at distance, and sets the rods out for the night. Not ideal, but sensible. When you arrive in France in February and darkness falls fast, sometimes you just have to fish with the info you’ve got.

A hectic first night

What happens next makes the gamble worthwhile immediately. After just a few hours, Jack gets his first take. In the rain, from the campervan and without extensive prep, the first French February carp is landed.

It doesn’t stop there. In the early morning, several more takes follow. Jack lands six carp in total during the first night. For February, that’s a very strong result, especially on a big water where he had few concrete signs just before.

Not all fish are giants, but that hardly matters. In cold conditions, every take counts. Especially when you’ve just arrived, are still searching, and the conditions are far from comfortable. Multiple runs in February mainly give confidence that you’re in the right spot or zone.

A winter fish of about 36 lb

Among the fish is a nice, heavy carp weighing around 36 lb. Jack initially estimates it a bit lighter, but after weighing, the fish proves clearly bigger than expected.

Moments like that make winter carp fishing special. You’re in cold and rain, barely sleeping, yet suddenly a fish can be in your arms that makes the whole trip a success.

The fish in this water are quite pale and not exactly the type Jack normally targets. Still, the satisfaction is huge. In February, it’s all about seizing chances, finding rhythm, and making the most of every take when the fish are active.

When the plan suddenly changes

Just as the session seems to really get going, everything changes. The local bailiff shows up with news that the water is booked for another activity that day. Jack and his mate have to leave.

That’s the harsh reality of adventurous carp fishing in France. You can make a plan, pick a water, and even catch fish straight away, but that doesn’t mean you can stay there the whole session. Sometimes you just have to pack up and start over.

For Jack, it’s a big blow. He’s just caught six fish, including a nice thirty-pounder, and the swim still looks promising. Yet there’s no choice but to pack up and find a new water.

Adapting is part of the game

One of the strongest points of this video is how it shows the importance of adapting. Jack puts it well himself: this is part of the game in France. You learn to deal with it.

After the forced move, the search starts again. A long drive follows, eventually a tour of about six hours, before they arrive at a new water. There are two lakes with good carp, enough reason to continue the session.

That calls for a mental switch. After a night with little sleep, multiple fish, and lots of rain, you still have to find energy again. New swim, new conditions, observe again, rig up again, and get the rods out before dark.

Fishing until the last light

After the long drive, Jack manages to get the rods out just in time before darkness falls. It might not be the most spectacular moment in the video, but it’s familiar to every carp angler who’s fished abroad.

You’re tired, you’ve driven, moved gear, yet you want the rods in. Especially in February, when the nights are long and the right hours can suddenly produce fish, you don’t want to miss a chance.

Jack is clearly exhausted. He’s only had a few hours’ sleep and the day has been long. Yet the rods are back on the spot. That’s exactly what these trips are about: pushing on when it doesn’t come easy.

What makes this video so strong

This video isn’t just about catches. Of course, six carp in the first night and a fish around 36 lb are impressive, especially in February. But the real strength lies in the honest story around it.

You don’t see a perfect session where everything clicks. You see rain, darkness, doubt, fatigue, and a forced move. That’s what makes the video feel real. Carp fishing in France isn’t always a dream trip where everything goes smoothly.

The reward comes from Jack’s ability to keep switching gears. He leaves early in the year, picks a promising water, fishes despite poor arrival conditions, makes the most of the night, and adapts when the plan completely changes.

Lessons for carp anglers

For carp anglers considering a winter trip to France, this video offers several lessons. The first is that February can definitely offer chances, but you must stay flexible. Weather, water temperature, and carp activity can change quickly.

The second lesson is that on arrival you sometimes have no perfect info. Especially on big water and in bad weather, you have to make choices with limited signals. Then it’s about trusting your approach, having well-prepared rigs, and acting fast.

The third lesson is perhaps the most important: a good plan is valuable, but the ability to let go of your plan is just as crucial. A forced move can be frustrating, but if you keep searching, keep fishing, and keep your head, the trip can still succeed.

Why this trip fits Forbidden Routes

The style of Forbidden Routes is about adventure, travel, and seeking carp off the beaten track. This video fits perfectly. It’s not a comfortable session with everything under control, but a real trip where conditions dictate what happens.

The campervan, the French roads, the rain, the long drives, and the search for new water give the video that true expedition feel. It’s not just about the fish in your arms, but everything needed to get there.

For carp anglers who love winter fishing, France, public waters, and the unknown, this video shows well what makes such a trip special. Sometimes it’s the tough conditions that give the catches more value.

A raw and honest French carp adventure

This session shows that carp fishing in France in February remains a gamble. Sometimes everything falls into place quickly and you get action within hours. Sometimes your plan is blown apart and you have to start over.

Jack Thomson shows that success doesn’t come just from the right spot or bait, but from continuing to search, adapt, and fish. That makes this video interesting for every carp angler who wants more than a standard session.

Ultimately, this is exactly what winter carp fishing is about: hard work, dealing with setbacks, and being ready when the carp suddenly start feeding. In this case, it results in a hectic first night, multiple French carp, and an adventure many carp anglers will instantly recognize.