Fishing in Nouvelle-aquitaine

Nouvelle-Aquitaine is France’s largest administrative region, and lies in the southwest of the country. Its name can be roughly translated from Latin as the “New Land of Water”, and the province lives up to its name. Between the mountain streams of the Pyrenees in the south, the Atlantic ocean in the west, the Dordogne and Gironde Rivers and the Limousine lake country, Nouvelle-Acquitaine has waters to suit any angler’s taste. Nouvelle-Aquitaine is known for its aerospace industry, winemaking (both the Bordeaux and the Cognac wine regions are located there), historical and natural sites. Thousands of people come there on business and as tourists, to enjoy lush forests, sandy dunes of the coasts, ancient castles, and other sights of the area. If you’re among them, be sure to partake in the ancient fishing tradition of the area with a trip booked on BaitYourHook.com.

Nouvelle-Aquitaine offers a complete fishing experience. On the Atlantic Coast, especially around Biarritz, Hossegor, and Arcachon, you find both nearshore fishing trips and deep offshore adventures. The Pyrenees and Limousin areas provide classic backcountry adventures along trout streams, while the Dordogne, Garonne, Charente, and Vienne offer big river fishing experience. And don’t forget about the Garonne Estuary, considered the biggest in Europe. Last but not the least, there are countless lakes, both natural and stocked ponds, especially in Haute-Vienne and Corrèze.

Saltwater species along the coast include European sea bass (bar/loup de mer), gilthead sea bream, mullet, conger eel, mackerel, bluefish, and turbot. Shellfish like surf clams, mussels, and crabs can also be gathered recreationally. In deeper waters off the Gironde and Basque coast, anglers may encounter tuna, bonito, and other pelagic species. In freshwater, the region’s lakes and rivers hold common and mirror carp, pike, zander (sandre), European perch, barbel, tench, and bream. Trout, including brown trout and rainbow trout, are found in the cooler headwaters and upland streams of the Pyrenees and northern Dordogne. Some rivers and lakes also support populations of catfish, especially in the Garonne basin. Last but not the least, lamprey, a primitive ancient jawless fish, is an exclusive local option, especially from a culinary point of view.

Fishing has been an inalienable part of life in Nouvelle-Acquitaine since times immemoreal, and many classic fishing techniques are available today. Gather clams and mussels on the shore at low tide. Cast a line to one of the pools left behind by the retreating sea, to catch a stranded seabags. Book a floating fishing hut on the lake. Try your luck at the classic square net fishing in the Gironde estuary. Do a drifting trip down the Dordogne, in a secluded backcountry wilderness you’d never think could exist in Europe. Of course, the regular suspects of recreational fishing work in Nouvelle-Acquitaine as well as anywhere else. At the Atlantic Coast, charter boats offer bottom fishing, jigging, and even trolling for pelagics offshore. In freshwater, coarse fishing with float rods or feeders is popular in rivers and lakes, particularly for bream, tench, and roach. Carp fishing is widespread, often using boilies, method feeders, and long sessions with bivvies. Spinning is effective for pike, zander, and perch, and fly fishing is the way to go after trout and grayling in the Pyrenean foothills. Techniques vary widely depending on season and region, offering something for every angler.