Theopening of fishing season 2025 is THE date that every angler waits for to start a new fishing season. Whether it's the opening of pike fishing or the opening of trout fishing, there are some important rules to follow. Find out all the dates and rules for the opening of fishing in 2025 and the closing in 2026.
Before we talk about the opening and closing dates for fishing in 2025, let's remind ourselves of a fundamental principle. There are two types of watercourse in France. 1st category waters and 2nd category waters. These categories depend on the opening dates for trout fishing or predator fishing.
A 1st category watercourse is a watercourse that is mainly inhabited by salmonids. The trout, l'arctic char, l'common shadow, the huchon or the salmon are part of this species of fish.
We often call this type of watercourse " trout river »As this is often the dominant species. This category of watercourse has a specific opening and closing date for fishing.
Conversely, a 2nd category watercourse is a course mainly made up of cyprinids, known as "white fish". The roach, bleak, the carp, the bream or the chub are part of this family. For these white fish, there is no fishing season in 2024, no closing period. However, these rivers are also home to carnivorous fish. These include pikethe pike perchand perch, black bass and catfish. There will be an opening and closing period for all these fish in 2024.
The opening and closing dates for fishing take into account the reproductive cycles of certain fish. This is called spawning season. The closure of the fishing season is therefore there to protect our fish during their breeding season. Failure to respect these reproduction periods during the closed season could result in financial penalties. Furthermore, as you will have realised, not respecting this resting period will lead to a long-term decline in fish populations.
WARNING :
Lhe opening dates for fishing in 2025 can be adapted to suit local circumstances. We therefore invite you to contact an AAPPMA in your département for further information. This will enable you to find out the exact opening and closing dates for the 2025 fishing season. at your house.
Trout fishing always opens on the first day of the year. In 1st category, trout fishing opens from Saturday 8 March 2025, i.e. 2nd Saturday in March 2025. Fishing for trout in 2025 will close on Sunday 21 September 2025, be the third Sunday in September.
However, the opening date for trout in mountain lakes can be moved back to April, May or even June, depending on the department. The same applies to certain French rivers. We therefore recommend that you check the specific rules in force with the fishing federations or AAPPMAs in your region.
Here is some information you need to know when choosing your new home.The opening of the trout fishing season:
The opening of the pike fishing season is the second most important date in the angler's calendar. In 2nd category, the opening date for pike fishing in 2025 is 26 April 2025. The closing date for pike fishing in 2026 is set at 30 January 2026, or the last Sunday in January.
On a national levelIt should be noted that other carnivores (pike perch, pole, catfish and black bass) are not "supposed" to be protected by a fishing season in 2025. They can be fished all year round at provided that they do not use fishing techniques likely to catch pike during the closed season. Worm fishing, for example, is permitted in these circumstances.
Note, however, that more and more federations are taking measures to protect predators at the local level. They propose opening and closing dates for fishing that are different from national dates depending on the reproduction periods of the different fish.
You should therefore check with the AAPPMA closest to your department.
Fishing for grayling in 2025 opens on 17 May and ends on 21 September 2025 in 1st category. In 2nd category, the opening and closing periods for common grayling in 2025 range from 17 May 2025 to 31 December 2025.
The salmonid fishery opens up Saturday 8 March 2025 to Sunday 21 September 2025 included in 2nd category waters.
Regarding eel and migratory fish (Atlantic salmon, shad, shad, sea lamprey, river lamprey and sea trout), specific fishing provisions exist at the local level.
You should therefore contact your nearest AAPPMA in order to know all the details regarding the exact dates applicable to these species.
For those who are wondering until what time fishing is allowed, the law should be clarified. We can fish a half an hour before sunrise and an half an hour after going to bed.
The prefect may however locally authorize night fishing for certain species such as carp.
* Many exceptions exist on the opening dates of fishing and the size of the catch. For example, there is no closure of fishing in Aveyron but rather the establishment of reserves on the breeding grounds of predators.
Please contact your local AAPPMA.
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