The Saône, the Reyssouze, the Seille and several lakes: around the campsite, anglers are spoilt for choice, from curious beginners to dedicated predator hunters.
The Saône, a river for predators
Just a few minutes from the campsite, the Saône forms the western boundary of the Ain département. Wide, shallow and steady-flowing, it is famous for its wels catfish, but pike, zander and perch are well represented too, along with fine carp and plenty of coarse fish. The confluences with its tributaries are much sought-after spots. Good news for carp anglers: night fishing for carp is allowed all year round on a stretch of the left bank at Pont-de-Vaux.
The Reyssouze, the Seille and the lakes
The Reyssouze flows past Chavannes-sur-Reyssouze before joining the Saône at Pont-de-Vaux. It is a slow, gentle lowland river, dotted with mills since the Middle Ages. Between the Pont-de-Vaux weir and the Saône it is public water and holds most of the Saône’s species. A little further north, at Sermoyer, the Seille is popular with anglers after coarse fish and catfish.
For a family fishing trip, the 4-hectare lake at Pont-de-Vaux, on the banks of the Reyssouze, has a footpath, a car park and a platform accessible to anglers with reduced mobility. It holds pike, black bass, zander and carp. Two more public lakes, at Manziat and Feillens, complete the choice.
Fishing cards and rules
To fish in France you need a fishing card (carte de pêche). You can buy it online at cartedepeche.fr or from local outlets, including the Pont-de-Vaux tourist office. There are several options:
- a day card, for a single outing;
- a weekly card, valid for seven consecutive days, ideal for a stay at the campsite;
- a discovery card for under-12s, and an annual card for regulars.
Before you cast, check the current regulations: the open seasons for pike, zander and black bass, minimum sizes and catch limits are set by order of the prefect. The exact limits of the night carp stretch are shown on the Ain fishing federation’s website.
Good to know
The Saône is a navigable river, so keep an eye out for passing pleasure boats. In spring, after the floods, riverside paths can be waterlogged: bring your wellies. And between bites, look up at the flood meadows, a real haven for birds: more than 60 species have been recorded at the campsite, which works with the LPO bird protection league, and in the surrounding area.