If you are a fisherman, you will surely want to get your line out during your holidays in Annecy. Fishing can be done on the lake or in the river. Here is a brief overview of good practices, fishing techniques and the fish present.
Fishing on the lake
There are two categories of fishermen on Lake Annecy: amateurs and professionals. For the latter, their activity is very regulated, there are only two who sell their fishing to restaurants in the Annecy area. Fishing on Lake Annecy is done from the shore or on boats.
The lake is home to a number of fish species that are highly prized by the gastronomic community: Arctic char, trout, perch, pike and féra. Other less tasty species are also present: roach, bleak, whitefish, common carp and burbot. It is difficult to fish in the summer as there are many leisure activities on the lake. We advise you to fish in summer early in the morning and more on the Petit Lac. If you are fishing from the shore, there are two places where you can get a good catch:
- The Puya bend which is located at the exit of Annecy in the direction of Sevrier.
- The bend equipped with a barrier on the lake at the exit of the village of Duingt.
Practical: these two sites are equipped with a barrier on which you can install your rods.
Very large pike are caught every year in the lake. Some of these fish even exceed 1m30. Lake Annecy is also populated by crustaceans such as crayfish, which were introduced in 1965 following an escape from a fish tank. The crayfish, which is part of the fauna of Haute-Savoie, is appreciated in gastronomy as a gratin or in bisque.
Regulations for fishing on Lake Annecy
The authorized fishing techniques on the lake are trolling, fishing with a probe and angling. You must use a fishing logbook to declare your catch. This is compulsory and there are many controls. Only daytime fishing is possible. You must buy a tourism permit depending on the duration of your holiday: day, week or fortnight. For example, it costs about ten euros for a day’s fishing.
The Annecy Lac Pêche association can guide you through the regulations and also give you valuable advice from fishermen on its official website. If you are fishing from a boat, it is compulsory to have a copy of the navigation regulations on Lake Annecy.
Good to know: this association organises fishing courses during the school holidays for children aged 11 to 16. The courses are run by a state-qualified fishing guide. The port of Sevrier is the starting point. For adults who wish to learn the techniques of fishing on an alpine lake, courses are offered at weekends in the morning.
Certain sectors are forbidden to fishing such as the nature reserve at the end of the lake, the Talloires and Menthon-Saint-Bernard omblières.
River fishing near Annecy
River fishing is practiced near Annecy on the Laudon, Fier, Chéran and Eau Morte rivers. It is pleasant to catch beautiful trout. You can use all the techniques of river fishing: fly, lure or toc.
River fishing is open from the second Saturday in March to the second Sunday in October. But the best period is from April to June and from September to October. When fishing along rivers, you can also pan for gold by looking for suitable sandbanks. Indeed, most of the rivers in Haute-Savoie, including the Fier, contain some very pure gold. All you need is the minimum equipment for gold panning.
Regulations for river fishing
For all your questions about the regulations, you can consult the official website of the Haute-Savoie fishing federation. Some rivers, such as the Fier, have reserves that only allow certain types of fishing to preserve fish resources.
Pêch’Aventures: to learn to fish for trout
This activity park allows you to learn how to fish in a beautiful country setting 10 minutes from Annecy. Ideal for families to learn to fish at Pêch’Aventures.
Annecy’s fishing clubs
We suggest you some nice fishing clubs to practice and learn in a friendly atmosphere:
- The Annecy fly fishing club: http: //apmn.free.fr/
- The Annecy Pêche collaborative blog: www.annecypeche.com
- The Cran-Gevrier 74 fly fishing club : http://cmcg74.fr/
