Fishing on Lake Serre Ponçon: A unique experience on a major Alpine lake

Serre Ponçon: A 4-season fishing destination

Since 2020, regulations on this large inland lake have authorized year-round fishing. The number of pike taken is reduced to 2 pike/day/fisherman. These regulations allow fishing in the Hautes-Alpes in autumn and throughout winter , when fishing is closed in other départements. In the off-season, you'll be able to enjoy a quiet spot in the heart of nature, far from the hustle and bustle of the summer season.

Passion course label from the national fishing federation

Since 2018, Lac de Serre-Ponçon has been awarded the "parcours passion" label by the national fishing federation FNPF and the Hautes-Alpes fishing federation. This site offers real assets, such as boat launching docks, fishing animations carried out by a patented animator, the fishermen's hut, fishing accommodation, boat rental for fishing, etc. And it's home to a wide variety of fish species to satisfy both shore and boat anglers.

Fishing spots in Serre Ponçon, Hautes Alpes, France

Launching ramps on Lac de Serre Ponçon

Numerous boat slips provide easy access for motorized anglers.

• Les Eygoires at Savines le lac
• Under the stadium at Savines le lac
• Baie des Lionnets, Rousset
• Saint Michel Bay
• Saint Vincent les Forts

Please note that boating on Lake Serre Ponçon is subject to certain rules, which are set out below

Syndicat Mixte d'Aménagement et de Développement de Serre-Ponçon.

Fishing in the Baie des Lionnets and Bois vieux

With its turquoise waters and wild coves surrounded by pine trees, the Bois vieux and Lionnets bay in Rousset Serre Ponçon is quite simply a paradise for fishing enthusiasts. Whether you're fishing from the shore or from a boat, you'll appreciate the grandiose setting. From the Bois Vieux beach, drinking water, picnic and barbecue area, water sports activities, snack bar..

After the Serre Ponçon dam: Fishing at the Espinasses compensation lake

After the Serre Ponçon dam , the compensation lake is a wonderful place for fishing. This reservoir spreads out the peak flows from the hydropower plant. It acts as a funnel forthe Durance canal, which carries the water to the Saulce plant. Four gates block the historic bed of the Durance. A hole in one of them keeps the wild river fed.
It's a magnificent stretch of water that changes its appearance with the seasons and the time of day. In addition to its aquatic resources (brown trout, rainbow trout, pike, whitefish, etc.), which make it a small paradise for anglers, its shady banks offer a magnificent setting for picnics.

An attractive fishing trail on the compensation lake provides easy access and is managed strictly for fishing purposes.

VIEW THE INTERACTIVE MAP ON GEOPECHE

Regulations and fishing permit for Serre Ponçon lake

Where can I buy a fishing permit for Serre Ponçon?

To fish on Serre-Ponçon, you need to be in possession of a fishing permit adapted to local regulations.

It can be purchased :

• Online on cartedepeche.fr
• On site at Tabac-Presse du Barrage in Espinassesperfect for visitors who haven't planned ahead.

Fishing on vacation? Weekly and daily fishing cards are available, with preferential rates for children.

The fishing card is used in part to protect the aquatic environments in which you fish. It is valid not only for Lac de Serre Ponçon, but for the whole of the Hautes department, with its 2,000km of waterways, 53 high-altitude lakes and 28,000ha of lakes and ponds.

Checks are regularly carried out by the gendarmerie, ONEMA agents and special fishing guards to ensure that regulations are respected...

Good to know :

the Tabac presse du barrage is also a fishing store, where you can find bait, rods, nets, lines and tackle of all kinds.

Do I need a fishing licence for departments 04 and 05 to fish on Lac de Serre Ponçon?

Fishing in the Hautes-Alpes is not reciprocal with other départements.
This means that if you fish in a river or body of water in the département, you must buy a Hautes-Alpes département membership card, even if you already have a fishing card from another département.

Special case for Lac de Serre-Ponçon fishing cards

Lac de Serre-Ponçon is classified as a public domain.
It is located in both the Hautes-Alpes (05) and Alpes-de-Haute-Provence (04) departments.

You can fish on the lake with :

• an 04 or 05 fishing card, up to 4 rods,
• with full reciprocity on the banks of both departments.

And if you have a card from another département?

• You can fish with a single rod on the entire lake, for the duration of your card's validity.
• To fish with more rods, you'll need to buy an 04 or 05 card.

Regulations and good practices

To protect the health of the lake's fish populations, it's essential to check the regulations before you go fishing! These can be found on the website of the Hautes Alpes and Alpes de Hautes Provence fishing federations (daily catch quotas, regulatory sizes, opening periods for certain species, etc.)

Fishing regulations - Fédération de Pêche des Hautes Alpes

You're not the only one who enjoys water sports on the lake. We therefore invite you to show courtesy to other users, pick up your litter and keep a low profile. In most cases, we recommend releasing the fish. Many of you come to enjoy this activity: a nice photo souvenir will immortalize the moment without impacting the environment. Just because a fish is big doesn't mean it has to be caught. Quite the contrary: the biggest fish are generally the best spawners. Regularly releasing your catch, taking all the necessary precautions to ensure that it returns to the lake in good condition, is a way of acting in favour of the future and the preservation of the lake