Some interesting Fishing sites.

Before you start you will need to get a license to fish. The easiest way to do this is to get a ‘Carte Blanche’ at a local tabbac or fishing shop. We will arrange this for you before you arrive if you wish. This is a holiday license and allows you to fish like a local who has a fishing identity card and an annual license.

The fishing license lasts 14 days. You can fish on all of the public waterways in the Dordogne as long as there are no signed local fishing restrictions in place. Generally you are not allowed to keep fish smaller than 25 cm long and you cannot take home more than 6 fish a day. The Dordogne is under fished compared to English rivers and has large stocks. Lake fishing is also available but many of the lakes are stocked and run privately and so you may incur a fee to fish there. You do not generally need a fishing license to fish on a private lake where a fee is paid to the lake owners.

The river Dordogne is filled with fish – salmon and brown trout along with the carnivorous fishes like pike, zander, perch and black bass. Others such as barbel, carp, roach , gudgeon and bream can also be found. Carp fishing, cat fishing, trout, salmon and pike are just some of the fishing that you can enjoy in the Dordogne.

Have a look at this article on fishing for Barbel in France

If you like trout fishing you would need to book from around the middle to end of March up until around the first week of September, as this is only time you are allowed to fish for trout in France.

There are some fish that have been classified as ‘vermin’ and must not be put back into the water!

Fishing on the River Dordogne

Down to Limeuil the river is clean, fast flowing, and except in spate, relatively shallow. This is a good part of the river for trout, though fishing is usually done in the evening when there is less activity on the river. You usually fish from the bank or by wading.
From Limeuil westwards the hydroelectric barrage at Lalinde slows the river down. It becomes much shallower again then deeper once it passes Bergerac,

Fishing Seasons on the River Dordogne

Please note that fishing seasons change slightly every year. You can fish from half an hour before to sunrise to half an hour after sunset. In practical terms, for most of June, July, August and September it will be best to fish from the late afternoon onwards.

Grayling: The grayling season is from 13th March to 21st November inclusive.

Pike: The Pike season is from the 3rd Saturday in April to the last Sunday in January. Pike under 50cms are to be returned to the river.

Salmon: Salmon fishing is not allowed on the Dordogne.

Sea Trout: Sea Trout fishing is not allowed on the Dordogne

Shad: From mid May to Mid June.

Trout: The season opens on the 2nd Saturday of March and closes on the 3rd Sunday of September. Fish under 25 cms must be returned to the water alive. You have the right to take 6 fish per person per day but fish stocks of the wild fish are unsustainable at this level so a policy of no kill is encouraged and appreciated.

Zander: The season is from the 2nd Saturday in May to the 3rd Saturday in January.