Night Carp Fishing in Puy-de-Dôme

The essentials in 20 seconds

Night carp fishing is legal in Puy-de-Dôme on designated stretches defined by prefectural decree. Vegetable baits and boilies only, catch-and-release is mandatory. Geocarp lists 18 verified night venues in this department, with maps, access details and angler reports — in English.

The Puy-de-Dôme is volcano country — and it holds one of the most generous night carp permissions in central France. Under the prefectural order in force, the whole of the Allier is open to carp fishing at any hour, all year, along its entire crossing of the department: some 114 kilometres of public river from the Haute-Loire boundary up to the Allier department, past Brassac-les-Mines, Issoire, Cournon and Pont-du-Château. Only bottom fishing with plant baits is allowed at night, and carp may be neither kept nor moved. Two mountain rivers add to it in spring: the Sioule and the Sioulet, around Les Ancizes-Comps, Miremont and Saint-Jacques-d'Ambur, open from mid-March to mid-June while the predator season is closed. Above them sits the Fades-Besserve reservoir, 333 hectares of granite gorge on the Sioule — six sectors open all year, two more open outside July and August. At Charbonnier-les-Mines, the Grand Pré lake works on a rhythm of its own: the last two weekends of each month, Friday evening to Sunday morning, from April to November. Beyond the public water, a dense network of lakes takes over, mostly club-run: Aydat, the largest natural lake in Auvergne at nearly 60 hectares; Les Martailles at Les Martres-d'Artière; Les Couleyras at Joze; Les Mayères – Le Sapin at Parentignat; the Dore lake and the Trou du Golf at Thiers; the Mas lake at Issoire; the Croix Percée at Glaine-Montaigut; Les Grands Graviers at Puy-Guillaume; and Le Colombier at Aix-la-Fayette. Three commercial fisheries complete the picture: the Emlo lakes at Gelles, the Balbuzard estate at Condat-en-Combraille and Lodgingcarp at Charensat. Clermont-Ferrand has an airport, the A75 runs the length of the department, and the volcanoes give non-anglers a reason to come along. Check the order in force and each fishery's own rules before you travel.

Verified venues

Status verified against the current prefectural decree.

Night fishing rules — Puy-de-Dôme

Always check the departmental fishing federation's official list before your session.

Official list — Puy-de-Dôme fishing federation

Frequently asked questions

Is night carp fishing legal in Puy-de-Dôme, France?

Yes, on designated stretches defined by prefectural decree. Geocarp lists these venues with maps, access details and angler reports.

Do I need a French fishing licence?

Yes. A valid French fishing licence (carte de pêche) is mandatory and can be bought online at cartedepeche.fr. Some venues require an additional night carp option from the local angling club (AAPPMA).

What baits are allowed at night in France?

Vegetable baits and boilies only. Any carp caught at night must be released immediately — keeping or transporting carp at night is prohibited by French law (decree 2004-599).

Where can you fish for carp at night in the Puy-de-Dôme?

The Allier first: the prefectural order in force allows carp fishing at any hour, all year, along the river's entire crossing of the department — around 114 km from Brassac-les-Mines to Pont-du-Château. The Sioule and the Sioulet open from mid-March to mid-June around Les Ancizes-Comps and Miremont. The Fades-Besserve reservoir opens six sectors all year and two more outside July and August. The Grand Pré lake at Charbonnier-les-Mines is fished on the last two weekends of each month, Friday evening to Sunday morning, April to November. Add around ten club-run lakes — Aydat, Les Martailles, Les Couleyras, Les Mayères, La Dore, Le Trou du Golf, Le Mas, La Croix Percée, Les Grands Graviers, Le Colombier — and two commercial fisheries. At night, plant baits only, bottom fishing, and carp may be neither kept nor moved.