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Lac de la Ganguise is a sprawling 386-hectare reservoir in southern France offering excellent carp fishing alongside catfish, pike and zander in a scenic Occitanie setting. Night fishing is permitted year-round in designated zones, and electric-motor boats are available for reaching distant swims on this vast water. You'll need an AAPPMA La Ganguise permit and French fishing licence — contact FDAAPPMA 11 for current regulations before your trip.
Lac de la Ganguise is 527 miles from Calais. For UK anglers willing to make the drive into Occitanie — a region of warm summers and excellent coarse fishing, particularly for carp and catfish — the fishing is well worth it.
Night fishing at Lac de la Ganguise is authorised under Aude regulations. Night carp confirmed on specific bank sections at Lac de la Ganguise. Authorised zones (from fedepeche11.fr parcours page): (1) Bassin du Labexen — left bank: from 'La Grausse' farm track to 'Saporte' farm; right bank: from end of Pont Saint-Jean reserve to 'Fissovent' farm. (2) Left bank: from 'Les Brouts' farm to flooded road after 'La Maingeotte' farm. (3) Right bank: from 'La Bourdette' farm to 'Les Moulières' locality. (4) Commune of Bram — entire Plan d'eau de Cap de Porc (except the active quarry zone). (5) Commune of Escueillens — right bank from the dam to the woodline, 300m. Vegetable baits only. Luminous marker required. Bank sections delimited by signage. Immediate release — no keep-sack. Source: fedepeche11.fr/5889-peche-de-la-carpe-de-nuit-en-plan-d-eau.htm
Boat fishing: Only electric motors are permitted — thermal engines are forbidden. Thermal motors strictly forbidden. Electric motors and sailing permitted. Active nautical leisure base. Large reservoir — boat recommended for access to remote banks.
Bivouac & overnight camping is permitted at Lac de la Ganguise under standard French fishing law — one rod, within 10m of the water, no open fires. Standard French bivouac law applies on designated night carp bank sectors.
Required permits & cards: Aude departmental card or CHI/EHGO/URNE interfederal. Fish consumption permanently banned — no-kill mandatory for all catches.
Managed by AAPPMA La Ganguise / FDAAPPMA 11. Always verify current rules with the AAPPMA before your session — regulations can change seasonally.
Lac de la Ganguise holds carp, catfish, pike, perch, zander, bream, black bass. Carp are the primary draw for visiting UK anglers — fish to 26kg have been recorded. All carp should be handled with care and returned promptly. A landing mat and unhooking mat are essential kit for any carp session.
Carp to 26kg+
A valid Carte de Pêche is required to fish Lac de la Ganguise — you will also need to be affiliated with AAPPMA La Ganguise / FDAAPPMA 11. Licences are available online before your trip.
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2nd Category water. Carp/coarse: open all year. Pike: 25 Apr 2026–31 Jan 2027 (closed Feb–Apr). Zander/Perch/Catfish: all year. Pike season as above.
Always verify current rules with the local AAPPMA (AAPPMA La Ganguise / FDAAPPMA 11) before fishing. French fishing regulations can change seasonally.
France is the closest mainland European fishing destination for UK anglers. The Channel Tunnel (Folkestone–Calais, ~35 min) is the fastest crossing, while P&O Ferries (Dover–Calais, ~90 min) offer good value for heavy kit. Most northern French venues are within 2–4 hours of Calais; southern venues require a full day of driving.
A Carte de Pêche (French fishing licence) is required for all freshwater fishing. Buy online at cartedepeche.fr before you travel. Annual, weekly and daily options are available and include your AAPPMA affiliation for the selected department.
To fish Lac de la Ganguise, you need a valid Carte de Pêche (French fishing licence), available online at cartedepeche.fr before you leave the UK — affiliation with AAPPMA La Ganguise / FDAAPPMA 11 is included in the purchase process. Annual, weekly and daily licences are all available online.
Night fishing is permitted at Lac de la Ganguise — always check the current rules with AAPPMA La Ganguise / FDAAPPMA 11 before your session, as night carp regulations can change seasonally and vary by sector on larger waters.
Aude is home to numerous public fishing venues. Browse all venues in Aude or explore all of Occitanie.
France offers outstanding fishing year-round. The main coarse close season applies to some rivers (typically January–March for certain species), but still-water carp fishing on private and AAPPMA-managed lakes is available throughout the year. Spring (March–June) is the classic French carp season, with fish actively feeding and moving into shallow margins. Summer nights (June–August) are ideal for big-fish sessions on the large public reservoirs and rivers. Autumn (September–November) is particularly productive on the Auvergne and Languedoc lakes as temperatures drop. The Loire and Saône river systems produce excellent catfish sport from June through September, while the Dordogne and its tributaries fish well for chub, barbel and trout from spring through autumn.
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