2026 season

Fishing in the Plaine Valley

AAPPMA de la Vallée de Celles-sur-Plaine manages nearly 40 km of first-category streams, a catch-and-release ("no-kill") stretch, two members' ponds and fishing rights on the Lac de La Plaine, in the Vosges (Grand Est, France). This page is a short English-language summary for visiting anglers — the rest of the website is in French, and we are happy to answer questions by e-mail in English.

2026 season at a glance

General opening dates for first-category waters (the Vosges federation's rules also apply on our second-category waters and on the Lac de La Plaine).

Trout, char, grayling

14 March – 20 September

General opening of the first category. Grayling opens later, on 16 May.

Pike

25 April – 20 September

Pike fishing opens later than trout to protect spawning.

Daily catch limits

6 salmonids / 3 predators

Per angler, per day — max. 2 grayling among the 6 salmonids, and max. 2 pike among the 3 predators.

60 cm

Pike

50 cm

Zander

35 cm

Grayling

23 cm

Brook char

20 cm

Brown trout

This is only a summary. The full, legally binding regulation (opening times by date, all species, prohibited fishing methods) is published in French on our Regulations page, and is set each year by the Vosges Fishing Federation and the prefectural authorities.

No-kill catch-and-release stretch

All fish must be released

On the Plaine river, by the old Hallière sawmill — a stretch reserved for technical, catch-and-release fly and lure fishing.

Downstream limit

The Voie Verte greenway bridge over the Plaine, at la Hallière.

Upstream limit

The intake gate of the former Hallière sawmill, on the Plaine.

Allowed techniques

Any legally permitted technique (bait fishing, fly, lures, live bait, dead-bait fishing, etc.), with a single rod fitted with a single hook — simple, double or treble — either barbless or with the barb crimped down.

Catch-and-release rule

Every fish caught must be released immediately, except for invasive "nuisance" species listed under Article L.432-5 of the French Environmental Code.

Species present

Brown trout

Rainbow trout

Grayling

The AAPPMA encourages catch-and-release fishing across all of its waters.

The Niérupt and Para ponds

Two private ponds reserved for AAPPMA members and reciprocal-agreement cardholders, open during the fishing season.

Niérupt pond

—Open from the 2nd Saturday of March to the 3rd Sunday of September.

—One rod per angler; first-category baits allowed, including live bait.

—Ground-baiting and artificial lures are not allowed.

—Bag limit: 1 carp per angler per day, maximum 6 trout.

Para pond

—Wheelchair-accessible, with an adapted fishing platform.

—Same rules as Niérupt; fly fishing is allowed here on a catch-and-release basis.

Buying a fishing permit

Online, in advance

The simplest way is to buy your permit online, on the French national fishing-card platform. It accepts foreign payment cards and issues an e-permit you can show on your phone.

Buy on cartedepeche.fr

Reciprocal agreements

Our AAPPMA belongs to the Union Réciprocitaire du Nord-Est (URNE). Depending on the card or sticker you hold, this can also give you access to waters managed by other member associations across sixteen departments in north-eastern France.

Reciprocity details (in French) →

Maps of our fishing waters

A detailed map of the beats we manage — public and private waters, nursery zones and the no-kill stretch — is available on our Where to fish page, along with a downloadable high-resolution PDF.

Any question?

We're happy to help, in English too

If you have any question about fishing in the valley — permits, access, the no-kill stretch, the ponds — feel free to get in touch. The rest of our website is in French, but our contact details are on the home page.

AAPPMA Vallée de Celles-sur-Plaine

A licensed association for fishing and the protection of aquatic environments in the Plaine valley (Vosges, France).

Association The association (FR) Our mission Reciprocity (FR)

Resources Permits & prices (FR) Where to fish (FR) Full regulations (FR)

Language

This page is a short English summary. The full website, updated regularly, is in French.

Go to the French site

Deutsche Version

Nederlandse versie

AAPPMA

2026 season

Fishing in the Plaine Valley

2026 season at a glance

General opening dates for first-category waters (the Vosges federation's rules also apply on our second-category waters and on the Lac de La Plaine).

Trout, char, grayling

14 March – 20 September

General opening of the first category. Grayling opens later, on 16 May.

Pike

25 April – 20 September

Pike fishing opens later than trout to protect spawning.

Daily catch limits

6 salmonids / 3 predators

Per angler, per day — max. 2 grayling among the 6 salmonids, and max. 2 pike among the 3 predators.

60 cm

Pike

50 cm

Zander

35 cm

Grayling

23 cm

Brook char

20 cm

Brown trout

No-kill catch-and-release stretch

All fish must be released

On the Plaine river, by the old Hallière sawmill — a stretch reserved for technical, catch-and-release fly and lure fishing.

Downstream limit

The Voie Verte greenway bridge over the Plaine, at la Hallière.

Upstream limit

The intake gate of the former Hallière sawmill, on the Plaine.

Allowed techniques

Catch-and-release rule

Every fish caught must be released immediately, except for invasive "nuisance" species listed under Article L.432-5 of the French Environmental Code.

Species present

Brown trout

Rainbow trout

Grayling

The AAPPMA encourages catch-and-release fishing across all of its waters.

The Niérupt and Para ponds

Two private ponds reserved for AAPPMA members and reciprocal-agreement cardholders, open during the fishing season.

Niérupt pond

—Open from the 2nd Saturday of March to the 3rd Sunday of September.

—One rod per angler; first-category baits allowed, including live bait.

—Ground-baiting and artificial lures are not allowed.

—Bag limit: 1 carp per angler per day, maximum 6 trout.

Para pond

—Wheelchair-accessible, with an adapted fishing platform.

—Same rules as Niérupt; fly fishing is allowed here on a catch-and-release basis.

Buying a fishing permit

Online, in advance

The simplest way is to buy your permit online, on the French national fishing-card platform. It accepts foreign payment cards and issues an e-permit you can show on your phone.

Buy on cartedepeche.fr

Reciprocal agreements

Reciprocity details (in French) →

Maps of our fishing waters

A detailed map of the beats we manage — public and private waters, nursery zones and the no-kill stretch — is available on our Where to fish page, along with a downloadable high-resolution PDF.

Any question?