Stillwater · Volcanic · Auvergne / Puy-de-Dôme (Monts Dore), FR

Lac Pavin

Lac Pavin — Besse Lac Pavin1
Fair · Trout
Hare's Ear Nymph · 14-16
Fairlive now
Buzzer expected on Lac Pavin
Good wave on — drift country. A useful wave. Work the productive shore.
60% confidence

Lac Pavin is often best in spring through autumn.

What moved it
  • WindNW 6 km/hLight breeze
Today's fly
Hare's Ear Nymph
Hare's Ear Nymph14-16
Upstream
Conditions on the water
Estimate
Wind
Light breeze
NW 6 km/h
N
NW
from the north-west
WaveRipple
Water temp12.0°C
Air temp12°C
CloudOvercast
Pressure1030 hPa
Rain · recent0.0 mm

No gauge on this water — readings are regional estimates from weather, not a live gauge.

How to fish it · for Trout
When
Through the open lake season. Spring buzzers and damsels April through June; daphnia mid-summer; sedges into September.
Where
Drift lines along the volcanic-crater margins. Pavin is a small deep maar lake — fish hold on structural edges of the steep-sided basin.
Method
Drift on a floater with team-of-three traditional wets in spring; midge-tip in summer. The small lake size doesn't need a drogue.
Kit
10 ft #6 boat rod; floating, slow-intermediate, and sink-tip lines; 5 to 6 lb fluoro tippet. Drogue and a long-handled net.
The plan
Plan A

Set up a broadside drift and cover the water systematically. Work a bushy searching pattern on the bob and drop a contrasting nymph on the point.

Plan B

If the main plan is not working, switch to a smaller, more imitative pattern fished slower and deeper. A change of drift angle can also make a difference.

Watch for

Keep an eye on changing conditions — wind shifts and cloud breaks can trigger short feeding spells.

Boat — drift

A gentle ripple is ideal for drifting — broadside drift covering the wind lanes should be productive.

Sub-surface · on the nymphunder the surface

Hatch predictions

Top nymph shown — see all 3 guilds as a supporter.

Start free trial

14-day free trial. Cancel anytime.

Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey(1)

Hatch predictions

Top prey shown — see all 4 as a supporter.

Start free trial

14-day free trial. Cancel anytime.

Through the year
0–3 scale · October highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Trout seasonSeason
1
2
2
2
2
2
1
Claret DunHatch
2
3
2
Black MidgeHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
Flying AntsHatch
1
2
1
Silverhorns & LonghornsHatch
1
2
2
2
1

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

Ranked for today
Fly box · Trout
Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
  • AAPPMA Puy-de-Dôme
  • Standard 1ère catégorie
  • Boat fishing authorised (check current regulation for boat type).
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Condition match
73%
Cloud50%
Wind100%
Temp60%

A good match for Lac Pavin — most conditions are close to what it fishes best in.

Other water nearby · 5
Gallery · 2
  1. Lac Pavin — Besse Lac Pavin1
    Besse Lac Pavin1
  2. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
Water quality (WFD)
  • Ecology: Good
  • Chemical: Good
What this classification means

WFD ecological status Moderate → Good corrected to EEA WISE 2022 (3rd RBMP) classification for waterbody FRGL125 (was a stale earlier-cycle value). Source: EEA WISE SWB_SurfaceWaterBody (discodata.eea.europa.eu), verified 2026-06-18.

WFD classification · FRGL125

Why this score
  • Wind conditions (ripple) closely match what this water fishes best in.
  • Buzzer is in its seasonal window, boosting the chance of targeted feeding.
Directions
Seasons & zones
  • Trout 2.º Saturday de March → 3.º Sunday de September
  • Char varies_by_lake → varies_by_lake

    French lake char (omble chevalier / omble de fontaine) — seasons and retention rules are set by departmental regulations and local fishing associations (AAPPMA). French char lakes are often managed with strict rules. Check the local AAPPMA or departmental fishing regulations before targeting char.

Related guides
Booking & contacts