The lake of Salagou
The Salagou lake is a reservoir that has invaded a small valley and now covers more than 700 hectares. It is fed by many streams of which the Salagou is the most important. It is a lake of second category of the public domain.
The Hérault fishing federation forbids the use of motors for boats, unless they are electric, which allows you to enjoy nature even at the height of the summer season. This lake is very popular with tourists, because the access to its banks is very easy everywhere.
It should still be noted the regular presence of wind, which is sometimes annoying for fishermen. It is up to them to put themselves on the appropriate bank to have the wind at their back.
The Salagou lake can be fished from the shore as well as by boat, but for those who want to, a boat provides greater advantages such as fishing on the best spots located in the middle of the lake. Don't hesitate to leave a few livebaits or dead fish mounts in these areas that are bristling with trees and submerged vines. These are the best spots for pikeperch.
Carnivores in numbers
Pike-perch are the dominant fish in this lake and they catch huge numbers every year. Thanks to the submerged woods, but often protruding from the water, it is easy to locate its hunting spots, but the best is located on the perimeter of the small peninsula of Sure.
Pike and perch are also numerous all over the lake and more particularly near the banks of the small mount Cébérou and the village of Pradines. The sizes of these two carnivores always surprise the fishermen who discover this lake.
Finally, there is a beautiful population of black-bass, also of very beautiful size, their spot of prediction is especially the part of the lake which goes from Sure to the banks of the village of Ariège. They are easily fished from the shore, because they like the numerous banks of reeds which border a big part of this cove.
All the techniques of fishing for carnivorous fish are good, everything depends on the season and the mood of the fish. We can only advise you to go to this lake with all the necessary equipment for casting to live and dead fish handled. This last technique is profitable even in summer at great depths where the water always remains quite fresh.
The Salagou, a carp spot
The average depth of the Salagou is about 55 meters. This lake offers to carp fishermen the possibility to realize fabulous pictures with catches regularly exceeding 20 kilos and very often even 25 kilos. The biggest fish caught to date was close to 35 kilos, enough to make many fishermen dream.
For this species, the Salagou is taking its place among the best sites for carp fishing. The advisor area is the bay formed by the points of Rouen and Mount Redon. However, a particular regulation must be noted on this lake.
Specific regulations for the Salagou lake
- Only the use of plant-based baits is permitted.
- The deposit of lines by boat beyond 80 meters is prohibited.
- Dropped lines must be marked.
- Fires are not allowed.
- The use of boats with combustion engines is prohibited.
- Anglers who fish at night are required to use a light to identify themselves.
- Camping is prohibited. Only an umbrella-tent set up after 8 p.m. and dismantled before 8 a.m. is tolerated to practice carp fishing at night.
- Two parts of the lake are temporarily reserved from April 1st to May 31st (during this period all fishing is forbidden): the reedbed of the bay of Octon (from the submerged bridge) and the reedbed of the bay of the peninsula of Rouen (from the first point on the right to the first point on the left).
Fishing and nearby rivers
Anglers will find plenty of tench, roach and steer, enough to make great fish. On bad days, when the waves are raging on the lake and it becomes impossible to fish there, fishermen can fall back on the two neighboring rivers, the Hérault and the Lergue.
In the Hérault, you will find a nice stock of carnivorous fish, pikes, perches and especially pike-perch. The fans of bottom fishing will find common barbel, but also southern barbel. White fish are well represented, especially bleak.
The Lergue, a tributary of the Hérault, contains chub, hotus, vandoises, barbel, eels, carp, tench and some trout from the small tributaries of this river.
