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A lovely hike along the Ubayette river
From Barcelonnette or Jausiers, take the Col de Larche road up to the village of Larche, park near the tourist office and take the shuttle bus up to the parking lot where the hike begins. It is also accessible by car before 8 a.m. and after 5.30 p.m. in this season.
From this point, it takes an occasional walker 1h30 to reach the Lac du Lauzanier. It's a fairly easy and fun hike, even if the last phase is steep and rocky.
The trail follows a magnificent little river: the Ubayette, one of the main tributaries of the Haute Ubaye. This year's levels are very low and I don't even try to fish it, as I think most of the fish have drifted downstream, or even into the Ubaye.
I fished it successfully a few years ago and the trout, despite their small size, are wild and beautiful! It's a small, fast stream that's very pleasant to fish dry, dry-nymph or nymph on a line.
On this beautiful ascent to the lake, the scenery is splendid, and it's possible to see and hear many marmots. A delight for young and old alike. Sometimes chamois can also be spotted.
A little fishing just for fun!
We arrived in the late morning, and after watching the marmots and walking along the lake shore, we had a picnic with my 9-year-old daughter, who had just done her first mountain hike and absolutely had to see the lake and meet her first marmots and groundhogs, of which there are many in this area.
The lake is crystal-clear and the water is normal, despite very low flows throughout the region. It's just over 3 hectares in size and offers deep areas, but also beautiful edges with shallower sectors rich in seagrass. Above it is another lake, but according to the information we've gathered, the water is low this year and there are fewer fish in it.
I spot a few gobies during our snack, despite the wind, but the weather is fine and no thunderstorms (common in summer) are forecast for today. I'm looking forward to the fishing, as it's been many, many years since I've fished a high-altitude lake. We're here at 2240 m in the heart of the Mercantour Park.
I set up my SAGE R8 core rod in 9-foot 5-grain line with a RIO Gold WF5F floating line. I first tie a size 10 cricket imitation on a 15° tip to avoid twisting. I observe the water and see a few active fish but no flies in flight. The trout must be taking terrestrials or emerging chiros, as this deep lake is rich in grass in certain areas.
As I skirt the edges, I don't spot any marauding trout that I would have liked to sight-fish. So I decide to fish the water until I can spot gobies.
A few gobbles will allow me to get several trout on land
It won't be long before a few trout rise to the surface, but as is often the case in lakes, fish are always on the move.
I cast here and there and my "impatience" caused me to miss my first fish, which took my grasshopper by storm more than 20 m from the shore. I cast too late! I was looking for gobbles instead of concentrating on my fly. My fishing time is limited, as I'm with my daughter and will only be able to fish for an hour and a half or two!
Then I spot a shallower nook where the trout seem a little more active, even if gobbling is sporadic.
I cast close to an eddy, placing myself between a group of sunbathers. There are a lot of them at this time of year and it's not possible to fish all the spots.
A few minutes later, a pretty fario of Mediterranean stock comes to take my fly, and this time I've been careful and timed it just right. She's hooked and struggling. My daughter comes running to see my catch. She has a superb dress. I quickly put her back in the water.
Grasshoppers don't seem to be the most sought-after prey, despite the fact that they're everywhere around the lake and the wind is blowing them into the water! After a bit of prodding, I see a few more gobbles but no results. So I set up a small size 18 midge with a clearly visible poly-yarn wing, which won't be a luxury given the size of my fly and the gobbles that are at a distance. A few casts and a smaller trout comes along. Great!
Then the wind picks up and the gobbles become rarer, and my daughter gets impatient. I decide to call it a day. I'm happy to have been able to cast my flies and see this magnificent lake, which makes me want to come back on my own with all the equipment I need to fish in every layer of water. I don't know the population of this lake, but it's very pleasant to fish and very beautiful. It's well worth the detour and a recommendation to anglers on vacation in the area.
