The south-eastern part of the Corrèze department is a privileged region especially for the amateurs of carnivorous and cyprinidae. The main axis of this group of lakes is the Dordogne river. Some of its tributaries also pass through dams that should not be overlooked.
All these lakes are classified in second category, private or public domain, except the lake of Hautefage, crossed by the Maronne and the lake of Lapleau on the Luzège, both tributaries of the Dordogne.
The lake of Bort-les-Orgues
The first lake to discover is the one of Bort-les-Orgues. Very rich in fish, with a surface area of 1400 hectares and very deep, 110 meters in some places, it is fishable from the shore or by boat. It is an 18 km long lake, it measures only 1 km 100 at its widest point, at the height of the Val castle, which is also an excellent fishing spot.
Its richness in carnivorous fish is exceptional for catching perch, pike and zander. It is necessary to fish from May to October, the cold months are less fruitful, because the carnivorous fish go to the depths. In spring and summer, anglers can catch bream, small minnows and roach. Carp are difficult to catch, because the water temperature remains cool even in summer.
Note the presence of a respectable population of lake trout.
The Marèges reservoir
Further downstream, the Dordogne flows through the Marèges reservoir, which is 200 hectares in size and almost as deep as the one at Bort-les-Orgues, with 90 meters in the central furrow near the dam.this lake is 10 kilometers long, with a width of 200 meters. These banks are sometimes difficult to access because of their slope and their congestion. Fishing by boat is therefore preferable.
The population of this lake is the same as that of the previous one, to which we must add an exceptional quantity of bleak and vandoises.
The eagle's reservoir
Further downstream, the Dordogne is held back by the Aigle reservoir, which has a surface area of about 800 hectares and a depth of 90 meters.
It is a very long lake. The accesses from the shore are few. You can fish for carnivores, mainly perch and pike, white fish, tench and roach, by boat from the beach of Chalvignac or from the bridge of Vernejoux.
The lake of Chastang
The last big lake is the one of Chastang. With a surface area of 700 hectares, 31 kilometers long and 100 meters wide, its maximum depth is 85 meters. Its banks are in some places swampy or very wooded. Fishing is easier when done from a boat. The fish population is identical to that of the Lac de l'Aigle, but carp lovers can catch more of these powerful fish.
Other Corrèze lakes and water bodies to be prospected
Another lake, also constituted by a dam on the Dordogne, is that of the Sablier. It is 9 kilometers long and very narrow. It is especially interesting for pikes, perches, carps and eels.
To these, we can add those of the tributaries of the Dordogne, the Lac des Moulinards, crossed by the Diège, interesting for its pikes and its lake trouts, the Lac de Lapleau, crossed by the Luzège, the Lac de La Valette on the Doustre. They are all rich in pikes, perches and trouts.
Finally, one should not neglect the small lakes of Gour Noir and Hautefage, both located on the Maronne and which contain in addition to the species mentioned above, large quantities of rotengles. All these lakes practically require a boat because of their difficult access.
