Jean-Baptiste VIDAL
Professionnal Fly Fishing Guide and Instructor
Pike Fly fishing in Brittany
Pike is the most aggressive and surprising freshwater predator of our continental waters. With these blazing and explosive attacks, it delighted the fishermen, especially in the summer, the most interesting period to hunt down this exciting predator. Even if Finistère is often considered as a destination for salmonids, pike is very well represented on various "spots" of the department. Whether in large lakes or small coastal ponds, or on the canal from Nantes to Brest, it is possible to catch beautiful specimens and diversify our fishing during the season. I offer my guiding service to teach and guide you for pike on the fly, but also in the optimization of your casting, fishing strategies, retrieving, presentations adapted to our valiant esox lucius.
Beautiful pike from St Michel lake - Brennilis - Finistère
An explosive predator
What I'm looking for in pike fishing is strong emotions, flashing, visual takes that provoke adrenaline rushes! Pike is indeed one of the few predators of our waters that we can fish aggressively with large surface flies, or large colored sinking flies, like tropical species, such as dorado, peacok bass, or the GT. Dynamic fishing on the shore line, over the weed beds, under the foliage, along the vegetation in late spring and during the summer, offer explosive and surprising attacks. A real treat! This is what makes me return regularly to the water's edge in search of a beautiful pike caught on a beautiful home made fly!
The fishing
Beautiful pike from St Michel lake - Brennilis - Finistère
Depending on the season, pike change position and follow schools of bait fish. As we often say: "find the bait fish, you will find the predator"!
The end of spring and the beginning of summer are for me the most interesting periods, with the end of autumn. After the spawning, in mid-May to mid-June, the fish are very aggressive and actively looking for food. Fishing is often done at the edge of the shore line, pikes following cyprinids such as bream, roach, during the breeding season or perch schools. Generally the keys are more frank and the surface fishing can start. A lot of fun and great emotions guaranteed! Fishing the shore line,, weed beds and coves are by far my favorite, even if we find beautiful fish on more typical spots (breaks, high-depth spots, obstacles), sometimes far from the banks. Autumn and early winter also have great surprises when the temperature drops, pike feed regularly to build up reserves before spawning. It is often a good time to catch a big pike, and also the last interesting opportunities of the year for the versatile fly fisherman.
The fishing
Depending on the season, pike change position and follow schools of bait fish. As we often say: "find the bait fish, you will find the predator"!
The end of spring and the beginning of summer are for me the most interesting periods, with the end of autumn. After the spawning, in mid-May to mid-June, the fish are very aggressive and actively looking for food. Fishing is often done at the edge of the shore line, pikes following cyprinids such as bream, roach, during the breeding season or perch schools. Generally the keys are more frank and the surface fishing can start. A lot of fun and great emotions guaranteed! Fishing the shore line,, weed beds and coves are by far my favorite, even if we find beautiful fish on more typical spots (breaks, high-depth spots, obstacles), sometimes far from the banks. Autumn and early winter also have great surprises when the temperature drops, pike feed regularly to build up reserves before spawning. It is often a good time to catch a big pike, and also the last interesting opportunities of the year for the versatile fly fisherman.
St Michel lake - A great spot for large pike
Lake St Michel or Brennilis reservoir, in the Monts d'Arrées area with its 450 hectares is one of the largest lake in Brittany. Classified as a Great Inland Lake, its regulation and management have been adapted to manage both pike and trout populations. Pike breed naturally and can reach very good sizes. Every year fish over a meter are caught, with record pike reaching over 1.30m! The rainbow trout come from the Favot fish farm, belonging to the Finistère Fishing Federation, which stocks the fish during the season with rainbow trout from 40 cm to over 70 cm. The lake is perfect for fly fishing because of the shallow depths (1.50 m on average) and many creeks covered with weed beds. In an Irish setting, fishing can be practiced from the edge, but more often by boat or float tube to explore the various sectors, spots and deep parts that offers this beautiful lake. A great spot!
Coastal pounds and Nantes to Brest canal
Finistère holds many wild ponds, which are located near the coast, and are populated by pike and perch, but also carp and other cyprinids. Among the many ponds we have in Finistère, some are better than others to fly fish for pike.
This last years I have been scouting many places and found great possibilities for my guests. The canal from Nantes to Brest also offers a multitude of sectors and the possibility to fishing others species in addition to pike such as perch and pike perch or walleye. Depending on the season, and conditions, I will take you out to fish the best spots and improve your fishing and casting abilities.