A picturesque setting
I've always been drawn to the Aven by its rich fish life and picturesque setting, sometimes meandering through vast meadows and fir forests, sometimes winding its way between blocks of granite polished over the centuries. After frequenting it regularly between 2001 and 2006, I rediscovered the Aven through salmon fishing in 2013, thanks to a friend, Lionel, who also suffered from acute salmonitis!
Since then, I've returned regularly to the most beautiful stretches of this surprising little river, whether for trout or sea trout, but also before this year for castillon fishing, which is both technical and exciting, unfortunately closed since this season.
Presentation and location
The Aven is a small, typical Breton river which rises in the commune of Coray and flows peacefully through Tourc'h, the ponds of Rosporden and the painters' town of Pont-Aven, so dear to Paul Gauguin who created the "Ecole de Pont-Aven" there, before forming a ria, joining the Belon estuary and then flowing into the Atlantic Ocean at Port Manec'h.
Its course is about 39 km long with a catchment area of 200 km 2 is held back by fourteen mills from its source to Pont-Aven, which are no longer in operation, but which add a special charm while offering prime areas for large trout and resting places for salmon.
It's a river with an irregular flow that may appear peaceful, but its profile changes completely during heavy rains, which can rapidly transform it into an impetuous torrent, as was the case in December 2000, causing severe flooding. Above all, the Aven is a charming little river that is pleasant to fish all season long, whether for trout, sea trout (or salmon), sea bass or mullet in its estuarine section. Each species has its own special season, so anglers need to be versatile and all-rounders.
A variety of well-populated routes
A few weeks after the opening of fishing season, thanks to the spring warm-up towards the end of March - beginning of April and the lightening of the waters, the trout take their place and feed like crazy. It's a real pleasure to see them get right up on our well-presented flies and get back in the saddle for the season! The "yellow-bodied grays" or rhodani and March Brown are to be preferred, with sedges of course very much in evidence. Even if gobies are sometimes absent, these opportunistic fish come to the surface as soon as conditions are right. It's a fast way to fish positions, "tapping the water", which is very pleasant at the start of the season.
The routes upstream towards Tourc'h where the river does not exceed 3 metres are not obvious for fly fishing and you will have to go further downstream around Moulin Vert and the sectors upstream of the Rosporden ponds to practise more technical fishing which may allow you to seduce the beautiful wild fario which haunt these slow and rich sectors due to the mixed environments (1 era /2 ème cat.) Fish over 35 cm are commonplace in these deep meanders, provided you are discreet and patient with the presence of larger specimens that are often difficult to lure on these long stretches between rushes and sedges.
Further downstream, between Moulin Guilers and Moulin Goël, the "hits" follow one another between rapids and running flats. The meadows are well stocked with trout and parr (to be released with care!) and fishing is often more fun and easier. The deep holes are home to some fine trout and the occasional salmon. Mayflies are present from late May to early June and also provide good fishing, but you still need to be at the water's edge at the right time, when they bring out the beautiful fish that take advantage of this food manna. The average size of trout on the Aven is around 22-26 cm, with some very fine specimens. Fish up to 30 cm are not uncommon.
Short rods are preferable for fishing the sometimes crowded courses where the angler will have to be a "fineaule" to sneak in and place his flies with precision. The 7 to 8 footers fitted with a WF 3 or 4 line will be well suited to trout fishing between Rosporden and Pont-Aven.
Mixed career paths
From Pont Torret to Pont-Aven, the runs are mainly fished for salmon, but some sectors have good potential for trout, benefiting from a diversified habitat. Evening strikes, when the pools have rested, are often interesting from June until closing time. Later in the season, the downstream runs, notably the "Bois d'Amour" and Pont Taro, offer the chance to catch some pretty sea trout, particularly at the end of the day, on evening shots, often drowned, or even dry with large sedges from mid-June onwards. The "whites", as they're known locally, are very combative, even if they rarely exceed 40 cm in size, and it's always a pleasure to catch them with the right equipment.
