Freestone · Granite · Auvergne, FR

Allier

A wide, tree-lined stretch of the River Allier flowing calmly past wooded hillsides in autumn near Coudes, Puy-de-Dôme, France.
Prime · Brown Trout
Hare's Ear Nymph · 14-16
New ruleReported 19 Aug 2026

Severe drought restrictions (crise) in force

A préfectoral drought order places this catchment's surface water at crise, the highest of France's four restriction tiers. Fishing itself is not named in the order, but flows are low and water-use restrictions are in force. Zone: Forez Ance - Mare - Bonson (dépt 42).

Arrêté préfectoral n°37751

Temporary notices from official orders and recent fishery reports — they clear automatically once out of date. Always confirm locally before travelling.

Primelive now
About as good as it gets
Low and clear — careful approach country. Take your time — read the water before you cast.
90% confidence
What moved it
  • Flow6.7 m³/sLast reading 9h ago
  • Water temp16.2°C
  • ClarityClear
Today's fly
Hare's Ear Nymph
Hare's Ear Nymph14-16
Upstream
Conditions on the water
Live gauge
Flow
Steady
6.7 m³/s
Last reading 9h ago
Water temp16.2°C
ClarityClear
Weather16°C
WindW 7 km/h
Pressure1019 hPa
Rain · recent0.0 mm
Rain · ahead0.2 mm

The nearest gauge doesn't record temperatures, so we've estimated it — defer to the river keeper's advice.

Water temperature for Brown Trout
Warm — slow
16°C est.ideal 1016°C
0°14°28°
How to fish it · for Brown Trout
When
Through the open trout season — opens 2nd Saturday of March; spring olives and grannom; sedges through summer; small dark flies into autumn close.
Where
The lower and middle Allier through the Auvergne. Pool tails, riffle heads, and the seams behind boulders.
Method
Upstream dry to risers; dry-dropper through the riffles. The Allier's clear volcanic water reads every line wrinkle — long leader, fine tippet, careful approach.
Kit
9 ft #4 — French freestone default. Floating line, 12 ft leader to 4 to 5 lb fluoro. Studded boots.
Why this works
Excellent — water clarity is right today, though time of day could be better.
Hatch timeline · todayPeak at 6am

Hatch predictions

Today's headline hatch shown — see all 12 active hatches hour by hour with Pro.

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Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey(1)

Hatch predictions

Top prey shown — see all 3 with Pro.

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Evidence
Survey-backed · regionalHigh confidence

Backed by regional invertebrate surveys; no sampling on this exact reach yet.

Through the year
0–3 scale · August highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Trout seasonSeason
1
2
2
2
2
2
1
Grayling seasonSeason
1
2
2
2
1
Freshwater ShrimpHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
Large Dark OliveHatch
1
2
2
1
Blue Winged OliveHatch
1
2
2
2
2
1
Autumn OliveHatch
1
2
1

Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.

Ranked for today
Brown Trout fly box
Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
  • AAPPMA permits.
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Other water nearby · 3
Gallery · 2
  1. A wide, tree-lined stretch of the River Allier flowing calmly past wooded hillsides in autumn near Coudes, Puy-de-Dôme, France.
    The River Allier at Coudes, Puy-de-Dôme, Auvergne
  2. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
Water quality (WFD)
  • EcologyModerate
  • ChemicalUnknown

WFD classification · FRGR0245

The full read · show the working · for Brown Trout · confidence 90%
How the 81 is built — score × weight = contribution
Temperature93 × 28%26.0
Flow80 × 22%17.6
Clarity95 × 18%17.1
Feeding Time55 × 13%7.2
Pressure80 × 7%5.6
Insect activity64 × 12%7.7
Conditions total= 81
Can you trust it?
Water temperatureair-to-water estimateestimated
Level / flowon-river gaugeobserved
Prey activitysurvey-backed invertebrate datasurvey
What would change the calculation
The dawn and dusk windows score higher than the midday lull.
Directions
Seasons & zones
  • Trout 2nd Saturday of March3rd Sunday of September
  • Grayling 3rd Saturday of May3rd Sunday of September

    France national rule: grayling opens 3rd Saturday of May in all waters. In 1st category (salmonid) rivers, grayling closes with the trout season on the 3rd Sunday of September. Departmental regulations may impose additional restrictions. Always check the relevant département's 2026 arrêté préfectoral.

Salmon: Banned (2026) — Salmon fishing prohibited across the Loire basin (long-term ban).

Sea trout: Banned (2026) — Loire basin migratory species ban.

Related guides
Booking & contacts