Guided Fly Fishing Opportunities

Subscribers who saw our report in last month’s issue (see pages 8-9) on fishing in the island country of the Seychelles in the Indian Ocean are already familiar with one of the companies booking trips to that place, namely Planet Fly Fishing, based in Paris, France (*). Well, we have learned that this company does more than just book the Seychelles. A lot more. In Europe for example, Planet Fly Fishing offers trips to Spain, Slovenia, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, England, Ireland and of course, France.

The company’s offerings in Europe are far too numerous to list here, but we can give you at least an overview of its offerings in France, which seems to be the country in Europe Angling Report subscribers are most interested in. For starters, Planet Fly Fishing offers the opportunity to fish a private stretch of the famous limestone-bed Loue River near the town of Ornans in the Doubs region of east-central France near Switzerland. The fishing here is primarily for a variety of brown trout known locally as "zebra trout," but there are grayling in the river as well. The fishing here costs 1,100 FF (about $200 US) a day per person, double occupancy. That fee includes lodging at the three-star L’Hotel de France and guide service for eight hours of fishing. The trip is available from June 15 to July 15.

Down in the Pyrenees of southern France, Planet Fly Fishing offers fly fishing for wild rainbows and browns on both the French and Spanish sides of this mountain border range. The fishing on the French side takes place in mountain lakes at elevations of 5,000 to 6,000 feet, which are reached only via a one-hour hike. Lodging on the French side is at the Font Romeu ski resort, with meals and wine included. The fishing on the Spanish side takes place in two spots; the first is a 10-mile stretch of a fly fishing-only mountain stream that holds "zebra browns" of up to 26 inches, with most in the 12-inch range. The other spot is a small lake holding wild browns, located in a remote valley. The small hotel where guests stay is situated on the banks of this lake. Rates for the Pyrenees trip are extremely inexpensive, beginning as low as about $100 a day including modest lodging on the Spanish side of the border and guide service provided by a local professional guide who speaks English, Spanish and the Catalan dialect.

Moving north a bit to Correze Province near the town of Brive-la-Gaillarde, Planet Fly Fishing offers tailwater fly fishing on the Dordogne River, which holds brown trout and grayling from 12 to 20 inches. The best periods are from May to June and from September to November, when there are occasionally huge hatches of small mayflies and stoneflies. Guiding is provided by a local, English speaking staff member of Planet Fly Fishing, with rates available upon request. Lodging is available at a nearby house that has been renovated as a fly fishing lodge.

History buffs may be interested in fishing the Domaine de Sommedeiue in the Meuse region of northern France, where many World War II battles were fought. The fishing is out of a private fly fishing club with access to small, spring-fed, lakes and rivers for wild browns and stocked rainbows. The best period is from mid-May to mid-July. The price of 2,500 FF (about $450 US) includes one night’s accommodations, all meals and two days of guided fishing.

And, finally, a mixture of freshwater and saltwater guided fly fishing is available on the coast of Brittany. The trip is described as offering stillwater and river fishing for wild brown trout, rainbow trout, Atlantic salmon and northern pike; the saltwater fishing is for European bass, which is said to be a close relative of American striped bass, as well as mackerel and other game fish. The guide service is provided by Planet Fly Fishing staff, including the IGFA representative for France. The cost of of a five-night, four-day trip is only 5,000 FF (about $900 US) and that includes meals and lodging in a mountain bed and breakfast or coastal hotel. – Elaina Panozzo.