Stillwater · Mixed · Ariège / Pyrenees (Massat-Vicdessos), FR

Étang de Lers

Mountain lake at ~1300 m in central Ariège Pyrenees.

Fair · Trout
Small Perdigón · 16-20
New ruleReported 3 Aug 2026

Severe drought restrictions (alerte renforcée) in force

The Zone d''alerte n°6_Le Salat zone (Dept 09) is at alerte renforcée — the second-highest French drought tier — under a préfectoral arrêté. Fishing itself is not named as prohibited, but water is severely restricted and flows are likely very low; fish with care and check locally.

Arrêté préfectoral n°37504 ↗

Temporary notices from official orders and recent fishery reports — they clear automatically once out of date.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

Fairlive now
Good drifting conditions on Étang de Lers
Good wave on — drift country. A useful wave. Work the productive shore.
57% confidence
What moved it
  • WindNE 8 km/hLight breeze
Today's fly
Small Perdigón
Small Perdigón16-20
Euro-nymph
Conditions on the water
Live gauge
Wind
Light breeze
NE 8 km/h
N
NE
from the north-east
WaveRipple
Water temp—
Air temp22°C
CloudOvercast
Pressure1020 hPa
Rain · recent0.0 mm

Some readings unavailable — check directly before fishing.

How to fish it · for Trout
When
May–September
Where
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.
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. Move along the bank and try a different angle or depth before changing fly.

Watch for

Evening tends to be the best period in summer — stay late if you can for a sedge or spinner fall.

Bank

Bank-only venue. Fish from accessible margins, points, weed edges, and inflows.

Sub-surface · on the nymphunder the surface

Hatch predictions

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Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey

Hatch predictions

Top prey shown — see all 5 with Pro.

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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
Black MidgeHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
Daddy Long LegsHatch
2
3
2
Lake OliveHatch
1
2
2
2
2
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
Trout fly box

French nymph-first water. Fast current, technical presentation, weighted nymphs and emergers, with dry flies when fish rise.

Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
  • AAPPMA permits.
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Condition match
91%
Cloud70%
Wind100%
Temp100%

Conditions are ideal for Étang de Lers — wind, cloud and temperature all line up.

Fishing better nearby · 5
Noguera de Cardós
34 km
86
Brown trout
Ariège
18 km
30
Brown trout · Grayling
Ariège (Luzenac reach)
16 km
Brown trout
Pisciculture des Chutes de l'Aston
25 km
Rainbow trout · Brown trout
Pisciculture de Montferrier
38 km
Rainbow trout · Brown trout · Char
About this water

Mountain lake at ~1300 m in central Ariège Pyrenees. Trout fishing from June onward when snowmelt access improves. Alpine lake character with cold, clear water. Hike-in access rewards solitude and pristine conditions. Short season driven by mountain weather. Permits required; check Ariège regulations.

  • Lake
  • Mixed
Water quality (WFD)
  • Ecology: Good
  • Chemical: Unknown

WFD classification · FRFRR173_1

Why this score
  • Wind conditions (ripple) closely match what this water fishes best in.
  • Temperature (moderate) is in the sweet spot for summer fishing.
  • Daddy longlegs are in their seasonal window, boosting the chance of targeted feeding.
Directions
Apple MapsGoogle Maps
Seasons & zones
  • Trout 2nd Saturday of March → 3rd Sunday of September
Related guides
Thermal Layers & Troutreading depth and temperaturePyrenees PlaybookFrench riversEuro Nymphingsubsurface methods
Booking & contacts