Fishing in Ariege

There is a great tradition of fishing in the waters of the Ariege. From small mountain streams to fast flowing rivers and lakes, fishing is popular with the locals in the Ariege region, although the normal catch a fish and throw it back doesn’t seem to apply as most French fishermen eat their catch.
There are quite a few fly-fishing enthusiasts but the most popular fishing technique is “toc”, which is traditional to these mountains where trees often grow close to the riverbanks and hamper fly casting. The rod is very supple and hollow, with the fine line threading through it and over a finger. The fisherman dangles the line over holes and senses by touch whether the fish has bitten.

There is one area along the River Ariege where there are signs saying ‘parcours no kill’; this means you have to throw the fish back. These signs are situated in Luzenac, and you can get a special permit to fish here from the newsagent.

A special tourist permit is available which lasts for two weeks for around 30 euros and is valid between June 1st and September 30th. A photo id is issued with the permit. so come prepared with a photo that can be used!

The tourist offices in the area you want to fish should have all the information you should need. Click here and look at the French web site for the Ariege region. It contains maps and information. http://www.peche-ariege.com/index.php?width=1366&height=768