A fishing trip in the Cantal

Home to the Fario trout, the rivers across Cantal offer everything that fishing enthusiasts could wish for. Whether you’re starting out, or are more experienced, there’s something here for everyone. Roger Chalmette has been fishing along Cantal’s tumbling streams and rivers ever since he was a teenager. Read on and find out all about the art of Louisiana crayfish fishing!

The “World Trout Lure Fishing Championship” was held for the first time in France in 2019 and it was hosted here in Cantal. In an actuel fact, it was held in the River Cère, a beautiful river whose spring is in the heart of the Cantal mountains, the largest volcano in Europe. “The species of trout in the River Cère is different from that in the River Jordanne,” explains Roger. “Black with red markings, it is a very beautiful species. In the River Siniq, the trouts there are yellow. Indeed, there are no fewer than 15 different colourings for the trout alone!”

Fishing with a professional guide or with a fishing permit?

You don’t have to be an experienced fisherman to fish in the River Cère. “It’s a calm river, particularly around the village of Polminhac. You simply place your line and float and then wait for the trout to take the bait. On the other hand, fishing in the River Goul requires a bit more experience as the water there runs fast. Fishing in the River Goul is a long-lasting tradition and everything about it is wild. In the River Cère however, the local branch of the National Fishing Federation releases Fario trout when the fishing seasons opens in early March.”

 11,000 kilometres of rivers to explore in Cantal alone!

The diversity of the fishing sites and lodges is one of Cantal’s many assets and the area boasts 11,000 kilometres of rivers. Visitors can buy a daily or weekly fishing permit at the Carladès Tourist Information Centre.

 The joys of Louisiana crayfish fishing

The local branch of the National Fishing Federation has been organizing accompanied fishing outings in the area of the river around the Pas de Cère since 2018. The aim is to catch Louisiana a crayfish, an invasive species that must be distinguished from the white-legged crayfish that is a protected species. To join in, please ensure that you make a booking. “Every Monday morning throughout the summer, I come along to the reception for visitors organized by the team at the Tourist Information Office in Vic sur Cère. This is a great opportunity to find out all about this fun activity and to enrol. We organize outings every Tuesday afternoon and spend 2 hours fishing. We provide all the equipment and using a special net called a “balance”, we generally manage to catch around 150 Louisiana crayfish. Everyone has a great time and the catch is shared out at the end (while providing visitors with instructions on how to cook them!). It really is an activity that people of all ages can enjoy. Also, participants come away with the satisfaction of knowing that they have helped protect the white-legged crayfish that is threatened by the invasive Louisiana crayfish.”

par Noémie
le 05 November 2019